NFL Rumors: Saints reached out to Drew Brees in desperate move to save 2021 NFL season
For so long, the New Orleans Saints felt secure in the quarterback position, with Drew Brees calling the shots. In the first season since retiring, the Saints have had to have a carousel of quarterbacks that they have had to employ. Jameis Winston was the presumptive starting quarterback who injured his knee in the Week 8 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was subsequently ruled out of the season.
A look at the Jameis Winston injury…
https://t.co/5UmtLCMQlW
And it seems that there is some sort of voodoo that the Buccaneers have on the Saints that after each win, they seem to end up losing quarterbacks. After the Buccaneers were shut out in Week 15 by the Saints, they lost both their other starting quarterbacks Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian when they were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. That has left rookie Ian Book as their only fit quarterback should neither Hill nor Siemian be able to come off the list before Monday's match.
With Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian both sidelined by COVID, rookie Ian Book will become the fourth different starting quarterback for the Saints this season on Monday night vs. Miami. That's a first for me in the 22 years that I've covered the team.
Understandably, the Saints then turned to someone who has been their savior for so many of the past seasons and reached out to Brees.
Drew Brees gives thought to returning to the Saints
Surveying the wreckage in the quarterback room before him, Sean Payton got on the line with Brees to coax him out of retirement, while the Saints also contacted Phillip Rivers and Josh McCown. Brees was vacationing in Hawaii with his family when he received the call.
As per sources, the legendary quarterback gave the call serious consideration and mulled returning to the team where he had established himself as one of the best in the league. However, he eventually decided against the return knowing that even though he would like to help his old team in an emergency situation, it is not what he had presumably planned for.
Saints reportedly reached out to Drew Brees for the Monday night game against the Dolphins 👀
Brees spoke with HC Sean Payton while on vacation in Hawaii and considered a return but ultimately declined
The Saints also contacted Philip Rivers and Josh McCown
(via Jeff Duncan) https://t.co/BNe5eMjYcT
There was a vibe one got earlier in the season from Brees as well when he was asked about the possibility of returning when Jameis Winston went down injured. When asked, he shot down the idea, saying,
"I’ll be there Saturday to call the Notre Dame-Navy game, and I’ll be here Sunday."
That he even considered the call shows how seriously depleted the quarterbacks corps of the Saints are. They are in the hunt for the playoffs after their latest victory against the Buccaneers and having a senior quarterback would have been a priority. But now that Brees has shut the door on that possibility, the Saints will have to look for a different way out.
Also Checkout: Drew Brees super bowl wins