Doctor who cleared Drew Brees for Saints remembers decision that changed history

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - As New Orleans celebrates Drew Brees’ induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, one doctor will watch knowing his decision helped bring the quarterback to the Saints.

Dr. Tim Finney, a former Saints team physician, examined Brees in 2006 while the quarterback was recovering from a potentially career-ending injury to his throwing shoulder.

“When I saw him he was only a few weeks out from surgery and he was in a sling and it was a tough evaluation to make at that early stage,” Finney said.

Brees will be enshrined Saturday, Aug. 8, in Canton, Ohio, completing a journey that appeared uncertain after the final game of the 2005 season.

Before becoming the most accomplished quarterback in Saints history, Brees played for the San Diego Chargers. His time there ended with severe tears to the rotator cuff and labrum in his right shoulder.

The injury happened as Brees approached free agency and raised questions about whether he would be able to throw at an NFL level again.

Two teams were considering Brees, but the Saints and Finney were willing to approve the move.

At the time, Brees was rehabilitating in Alabama after surgery performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews. Football activities were not yet part of the process.

“He couldn’t throw until the end of the summer right before training camp,” Finney said.

Andrews placed 12 bio-absorbable anchors in Brees’ shoulder during the operation. Finney said the surgeon’s confidence in the repair played a role in the Saints’ evaluation.

“When we interviewed him, he said, ‘That’s the best surgery I ever did,’” Finney said. “He was happy with it.”

Finney also saw something in Brees that could not be measured during a physical examination.

“He was determined to come back,” Finney said. “I think that’s important for any surgical result in a patient.”

Brees rewarded that confidence immediately.

During his first season in New Orleans, he helped lead the Saints to 10 wins and their first appearance in the NFC championship game. He also received the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

It was the beginning of a 15-season run that included the Saints’ first Super Bowl championship and seven seasons in which Brees led the NFL in passing.

His arrival also came as New Orleans rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina. Brees became part of the city’s recovery and developed a connection with Saints fans that extended beyond football.

“We were lucky to get Drew and get him on the team, and the rest is history,” Finney said.

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Brees retired after the 2020 season as the most accomplished quarterback in franchise history. His success once appeared unlikely because of an injury that threatened the use of his throwing arm.

Finney credits Brees for most of the outcome but takes some pride in the decision that helped bring him to New Orleans.

“Ninety percent of it goes to Drew and what he did for himself, but I add about 10% of what I did,” Finney said.

On Saturday, Finney will watch Brees enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the rest of New Orleans.

Unlike most Saints fans, he will remember the moment when Brees was still wearing a sling and the future of the franchise rested, in part, on a damaged right shoulder.

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