Drew Brees talks Hall of Fame ballot, Saints QB battle and third annual Pickle Fest

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – Drew Brees has officially become hall-of-fame eligible. An NFL player must be retired five years, before he can be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and following his 2020 retirement, Brees has taken his first step to Canton.

The quarterback made his first appearance on a hall of fame ballot last week: which includes Brees, fellow quarterback Philip Rivers, wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Julian Edelman, and running back Frank Gore, to name a few.

Brees was at the 2025 Hall of Fame induction, as his former Chargers teammate Antonio Gates was enshrined in Ohio, and the quarterback marveled at the thought of being next to them.

“Saw a lot of gold jackets walking around that have been inducted, a lot of guys in our generation to be quite honest with you: Guys that I’ve played with or against through the years. You certainly have an appreciation for what it means to be a hall-of-famer, the contributions some of these guys have made to the game, and even to be considered in that class this year,” as now being eligible, is a great honor,” Brees said.

Brees retired as the NFL’s all-time passing leader, with 80,358 passing, held a league-record 54 consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass and was second in league history in passing touchdowns (571) and completions (7,142).

The Purdue alum played 15 of his 20 years in the Crescent City, but Brees still remembers his first game playing in the Superdome. The QB was staying at the Hilton New Orleans Airport, and his journey to dome was not a quick one.

“I leave three hours ahead of time from Airport Hilton. I’m still new to the community so I don’t know every back street shortcut. I head down Airline. It’s packed. I head up to I-10. It’s packed. I head back to Airline. It’s packed. Back up to I-10. It’s packed. Those are the only two ways I knew. I’m sitting on I-10. It’s coming up on two hours before game time, hour-45, 1.5 hours, and I’m literally sitting on I-10 at the Poydras exit,” the QB detailed.

Brees made it to the Superdome right before kick-off though, and his general manager made sure to calm down his signal caller before his home debut.

“Mickey Loomis comes up to me and he’s like ‘hey, heard you had a little trouble.’ He was just trying to break the ice, kind of lighten the mood. ‘You’re here. It’s going to be a great night. Just go relax and have fun,'” Brees recalled.

The fun at the Superdome led to one of the most iconic play’s in franchise history: Steve Gleason’s blocked punt, and the Super Bowl XLIV MVP still praises the touchdown which revitalized New Orleans.

“Maybe the single greatest moment, certainly in the Superdome. I think the fact it played out on national television too, Monday Night Football. The world was watching, maybe not even with any expectations for a team but more so just to show their support and love for what was happening down here,” Brees furthered.

The 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina is less than three weeks away, and although Gleason’s blocked punt marked the return of life to New Orleans, Brees detailed how the team needed its fanbase as much as the fans needed their team.

“The New Orleans Saints needed our community and the Who Dat Nation, and the community needed the New Orleans Saints. It was a match made in heaven that way. I think we both just lean on one another,” Brees added.

The Sean Payton-Drew Brees era gave New Orleans a 15-year span of historically, dominant offensive displays and the first Super Bowl in franchise history.

However, the Black and Gold have had a difficult time replacing Number 9. New Orleans has struggled finding stability at quarterback.

The Saints signed Derek Carr to a four-year, $150 million contract back in 2023, but after 9-8 and 5-12 campaigns, Carr retired due to a degenerative shoulder injury this year.

Now, the team has quarterback battle with Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough, but Brees has enjoyed what he’s seen between the rookie and sophomore signal callers, and even Jake Haener.

“When you just look at the youth across the board, obviously there was a lot of excitement in drafting Tyler Shough. I feel like Spencer Rattler did some great things last year. Jake Haener, his style, his stature, everything kind of reminds me of myself. All these guys as I’ve sat there and watched them grow, mature, obviously haven’t seen Tyler play at the NFL level yet, but just looking at his journey through college, the amount of experience and maturity he has, it’s an interesting situation,” Brees explained.

Click the video above for the full presser.

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