This is a wild story about how the Denver Broncos almost coaxed a Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback out of retirement for 1 — and possibly 2 games.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, former Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and senior offensive assistant Pete Carmichael reached out to legendary quarterback Drew Brees about coming out of retirement after Bo Nix fractured his ankle in the AFC Championship Game in January.
According to Schefter, Brees worked out for the Broncos but still felt pain in his wrist and declined the opportunity.
Brees, 47, played 20 NFL seasons for the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026. He holds the record with 7 seasons leading the NFL in passing yards, as well as NFL records for most 5,000-yard passing season (5), and most consecutive games with a touchdown pass (54).
“Brees had turned 47 years old just two days before Nix suffered the ankle injury on Jan. 17,” Schefter wrote on Monday. “He spoke to Lombardi and Carmichael, his longtime assistant coaches with the Saints, early in the week ahead of Denver’s AFC Championship Game showdown against the Patriots, telling them that he wanted to first work out to see how his body would respond. But once he tried, Brees found discomfort in his wrist and nixed the idea that would have become one of the most improbable returns in NFL history, according to sources.”
Broncos head coach Sean Payton coached Brees on the Saints from 2006 to 2020, including a Super Bowl win following the 2009 season.
Sean Payton Unaware of Plot to Bring Back Brees
Incredibly, Payton wasn’t even aware that Lombardi and Carmichael were trying to pull off the earth-shaking move. The Broncos went with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham in a 10-7 home loss to the New England Patriots.
“Lombardi and Carmichael did not include Payton nor inform him about their initial conversations with Brees,” Schefter wrote. “The assistant coaches first wanted to see if Brees was willing to return to the NFL to help Denver try to reach the Super Bowl before informing Payton. Payton only heard about the behind-the-scenes plot in the offseason, according to sources. When he did, Payton thought his assistants were referring to a potential Brees return for a Monday night game vs. Miami in December 2021, when the Saints lost quarterback Jameis Winston to a torn ACL, had Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian both both placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and were forced to have rookie quarterback Ian Book make his NFL debut.”
Bo Nix Compared to Drew Brees in Past
Because of Payton and because of their style of play, Nix and Brees have drawn many comparisons through Nix’s 1st 2 NFL seasons.
“Bo Nix looks like Drew Brees,” The Ringer’s Bill Simmons said on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” in December 2024. “It’s like Payton has sprinkled Drew Brees Kool-Aid all over him. I watched that Jets game (in early 2024) … it looked like (Nix) was going to be out of the league in 3 weeks. And you watch the guy the last couple of weeks and he just looks legitimate. Like, he can make every throw and he runs around. He’ll make like 2 mistakes. And I like his leadership … he just has it. I think he’s got it. I think he’s got charisma.”
After not making the playoffs for 8 years, the Broncos have made the postseason each of the last 2 seasons, including a 14-3 regular-season record and the No. 1 see din the AFC Playoffs in 2025.
Broncos Tried to Sign Drew Brees After Bo Nix Playoff Injury: Report