Drew Brees could have extended his professional football career for a few more years if he hadn’t injured his shoulder.
The former Super Bowl champion lamented that a weakened right shoulder has prevented him from performing better than he did during his two decades in the NFL.
“To be completely honest with you, if my right arm was still working, I probably would have played another three years,” Brees told reporters on Thursday. According to ESPN:“My body is great. My body can play, but my right arm can’t. Unfortunately, that’s what pushed me into retirement. And it was time for me to retire.”
Brees will retire after the 2020 season and is scheduled to be inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame later this year.
But the former football star said he felt like he didn’t have closure on ending his time in the NFL.
Brees retired during a season when only a small number of fans were allowed in NFL venues because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fewer than 4,000 people attended Brees’ final career game when the Saints lost to the Buccaneers in the NFC wild-card round.
The 45-year-old admitted he had considered coming out of retirement but was prevented from doing so by limitations imposed by a shoulder that had undergone surgery.
“At the end of the day, it’s about how capable I am, can I handle the job. I would have run the QB draw, I would have done everything. I would have tried some via options. We would have gone all out. I was prepared. I pulled out my high school playbook,” Brees said.
Brees can still throw the ball when he plays football with his kids, and he said he can throw it 30 yards with his left hand.
“Unfortunately, it takes something more than that to compete at this level,” he said.
Brees spent his first five years with the San Diego Chargers before being traded to New Orleans for the 2006 season.
He finished with 80,358 passing yards and 571 touchdowns and led the Saints to victory in Super Bowl XLIV.
