NFL Trade Rumors: Is New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees set to retire?
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has not officially announced his retirement from the NFL. His future remains up in the air, but the rumor mill keeps chugging on. Brees was recently seen in a workout video with his trainer, further fueling speculation that maybe he won't step away just yet.
Drew Brees seemed ready to retire
Last month, Drew Brees renegotiated his contract with the New Orleans Saints to take a rather large pay cut. The new deal sees his 2021 salary reduced all the way from $25 million down to $1.075 million, the league minimum for veterans. Analysts saw this as a definitive indication that Brees was planning on retiring.
Should Drew Brees retire now?
Brees and the Saints had a season that ended in despair after their loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the divisional round. His season was plagued by a serious upper-body injuries consisting of broken ribs and a collapsed lung, suffered in Week 10. He missed about a month of the season but returned in time for the Week 15 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs. He threw for 24 touchdowns and only six picks with a 70.5 completion percentage in the 2020 NFL season.
Still, this past year's injury coupled with the ruptured ligament in his thumb on his throwing hand in 2019, and even a rotator cuff injury in 2016 are clearly taking a toll on Brees' health. Many believe that Brees should perhaps walk away from the game, while he literally still can.
Does anyone know if Drew Brees is about to retire?
It's still unclear whether Brees will retire ahead of the 2021 NFL season. His own teammates have admitted to being unaware of the situation. The lack of comment on Brees' future from his teammates may be out of respect. But it certainly seems that the veteran quarterback is keeping his cards close to his chest.
New Orleans Saints fans are gearing for a future without Brees
Some New Orleans Saints fans have seemingly accepted that they have seen the last of Drew Brees on the field. Instead of speculating whether Brees will suit up in 2021, they are curious about who is in line to succeed the NFL's all-time passing yards leader under center.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell took to Twitter to recruit Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson for the Saints. Whatever Brees decides, it's a time of uncertainty in the Bayou that the New Orleans Saints aren't all too familiar with.