For the first time in 15 years, Drew Brees will not be leading the New Orleans Saints out of the tunnel for Week 1 of the regular season. Instead, the future Hall of Famer is entering his first year of retirement.
Brees, a Super Bowl champion and 13-time Pro Bowl quarterback, announced his retirement in March. He will spend the upcoming season as a color commentator and studio analyst for NBC Sports.
Since this is unfamiliar territory for Brees, there may be a few learning experiences along the way. Fortunately for Brees, he received some crucial advice from Peyton Manning this week.
Manning gave Brees a few pointers while speaking to the media this Friday at the 25th Manning Passing Academy.
“I think it’s that balance of finding things to keep you kind of busy and stimulated, but also protecting some free time.” Manning said, via Audacy. “That was the advice that Tony Dungy gave to me, was don’t just go full-speed, all-in on kind of one thing right away
“Take some time to kind of figure out what you like to do, what you don’t like to do. Try some different things. I’m just taking it as a one year at a time basis. I don’t have a 5-year plan or a 10-year plan because you don’t know what opportunity might be available that year. So I guess that’d be my advice.”
I asked Peyton Manning if he had any advice for Drew Brees as he enters his first year of retirement. He started by saying Drew doesn’t need any advice … but he ended up giving some pretty good advice anyway. #Saints pic.twitter.com/aw5OyrnefH
— Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) July 16, 2021
Manning also shared his prediction for Brees as an NBC broadcaster. He seems fairly confident Brees will have a smooth transition from the gridiron to the broadcast booth.
“He’ll be excellent at that. You just know he will prepare like he did as a player and he’s a professional.”
Brees will start off calling Notre Dame football games this fall before he receives an expanded role at NBC Sports. We’d imagine Saints fans will tune in to see how their favorite player of all time is doing.
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