Former quarterback Drew Brees is likely going to go into the Hall of Fame as soon as he is eligible in 2026.
The NFL legend has the second-most passing yards and touchdowns in league history, behind only Tom Brady; was named to 13 Pro Bowls; and was tapped as Offensive Player of the Year three times.
Brees retired after the 2021 season, his 20th in the NFL, but 10,551 pass attempts later, his right arm is also retired from casual games of catch.
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New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees looks to pass during the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago on Nov. 1, 2020. (Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“I’ll let you in on a little fact: I don’t throw with my right arm anymore,” he revealed on ESPN radio. “My right arm does not work. So, when I throw in the backyard right now, I throw left-handed.”
Brees said the pain in his arm stems from a dislocated shoulder he suffered in 2005 when he was a member of the then-San Diego Chargers. He added he “can play pickleball” because he doesn’t need an overhand motion.
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Drew Brees stands on the sideline during the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dallas Cowboys at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Sept. 9, 2021. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
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“But anything above my shoulders, I’ve got a hard time with,” he said.
“The dislocated right shoulder and all that stuff that I thought I may never play again. So that kind of put me on the fast track to a degenerative shoulder, and all kinds of arthritic changes and stuff like that. But I don’t throw with my right arm anymore.
“If I could, I would absolutely still be playing.”
Looking at Brees’ stats, it’s hard to tell his career was ever in jeopardy. He played 15 more seasons after that injury with the New Orleans Saints, where he put together one of the most impressive résumés in NFL history.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Saints’ 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV at Sun Life Stadium in Miami on Feb. 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)
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Brees led the league in passing yards seven times and completion percentage six times. He’s the only quarterback in NFL history to have five 5,000-yard seasons, while no one else has more than two (Brady and Patrick Mahomes are the only other QBs with multiple such seasons).
Brees won his lone Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts.