Drew Brees reflects on his past, reveals his future plans in ‘TODAY Show’ interview
Shortly after Drew Brees announced his retirement from the NFL, he revealed to Hoda Kotb and Savanna Guthrie of the TODAY Show that he’ll be working with NBC as part of the network’s broadcast team.
“Yeah, I’m part of the team now, a new team,” Brees said. “Listen, I’m excited about that journey. I’m excited to stay very closely connected with the game of football, it’s been such an important part of my life. And I continue to be able to talk about it and show a passion for it and bring my kids along for the ride there, as well, and let them be part of some of those special moments.
“There’s so many philanthropic endeavors that we are involved with, especially here in the city of New Orleans. A lot of those will be announced here over the coming months. I’ll be honest, I am most excited about those things because I think that’s where we can make the biggest impact. There’s still so much need in this country, and certainly this city, and I’m excited that we have the opportunity to be involved in those things and create some models, some sustainable models, that we can replicate throughout this country to continue to push us forward.”
Brees also had a lot to say about his time in New Orleans, and his relationship with the city that he helped heal after Hurricane Katrina – especially the decision to sign with the Saints in 2006. Both the city and the football team were undergoing drastic changes — the Saints had just hired head coach Sean Payton, Brees was coming off an injury-shortened season with the Chargers, and it just seemed like the perfect fit for a lot of people who were trying to find a home.
“You know, I feel like there was divine intervention there. I can remember like it was yesterday, ]Brees’ wife] Brittany and I visiting New Orleans, and it was six months post-Katrina, and the city was just in shambles. I think the Saints were trying to show us the best of the city. They were trying to show us, you know, maybe some neighborhoods that were still in-tact. And, “hey, look, you can live here, raise a family. This is a great place.” It wasn’t until Sean Payton got lost driving us back to the Saints’ facility at one point, because keep in mind, he’d only been there a month. And he got lost in Lakeview, right next to the 17th Street Canal, where some of the worst flooding and destruction occurred. I remember seeing houses ripped off the foundations.
“And in fact, at one point the car stopped, and we both looked up and there was a tug boat in the middle of the road so we had to turn around because we couldn’t pass. That was the moment where Brittany and I looked at each other and said, this is so much more than football. This is part of the resurrection, resurgence of one of America’s greatest cities. And we have a chance to be a part of this. This is a calling.”
Brees couldn’t say enough about his feelings for the city, and how the city repaid his consideration.
“It’s been amazing. I think just the outpouring of support and emotion and memories. You know, that’s – I think anything you do, especially when you just pour your heart and soul into it, I think you hope that you’re able to impact people in a really positive way. You know, life is full of defining moments, and life is full of, kind of, next chapters. I think that whenever you leave one chapter and go on to the next one, I think you hope to have left the legacy behind where you left it better than when you found it. That’s always been my philosophy. That’s always the way I’ve tried to approach life. These are memories and relationships that will last a lifetime, and we’re all better for it.”
You can watch the entire interview below.
