Drew Brees says joining the Saints was God’s calling
“More than a Saint” explores the New Orleans visit that showed Drew and Brittany Brees their decision was about more than football.
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Drew Brees said he and his wife, Brittany, knew they belonged in New Orleans before he ever took a snap for the Saints.
Brees recalled Sean Payton getting lost during the visit that helped bring the quarterback to New Orleans in 2006.
“Sean getting lost, and Brittany and I looking at each other and just saying, this is about so much more than just football and we belong here,” Brees said. “This is God’s calling for us.”
The Saints understood they were asking Brees to join a team and community facing an uncertain future.
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The Saints could offer a young, offense-minded coach and the opportunity for Brees and Payton to build a team together. They also offered something beyond what happened on the field.
“You have an opportunity to do something bigger than football,” Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis said.
Those involved with the Saints soon realized the responsibility was larger than any of them had expected.
“Most people don’t get a chance to be a part of something that’s just so much bigger than them,” Brees said.
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Coaches, players and scouts were changed by the experience as many people in the community remained unsettled.
“It was different and it was more important,” Payton said.
Brees’ arrival also changed the Saints’ expectations inside the team facility.
His preparation, ability to read defenses and command of the offense stood out from the beginning. He worked with Payton to ensure players were in the correct position, running the correct route and prepared for what the defense would do.
“These guys are like ones that move the bar completely,” Payton said. “And he did that for all of us.”
Brees’ work ethic raised the standard for everyone around him.
“His daily standard is probably what I took from him the most,” Former Saints left tackle Terron Armstead recalled. “Like how elite his preparation was every week, every day.”
That preparation was driven by what one speaker described as an obsession with the sport and with becoming the best version of himself for the team.
“It was not for him, it’s for us and our success,” Armstead said.
The relationship between Brees and New Orleans gave both sides what they needed.
The city needed something positive and someone who could provide hope. Brees needed an organization, a region and fans who believed in him.
“This organization, this region, these fans, they believe in me,” Former Saints wide receiver Lance Moore said while describing what Brees may have felt at the time.
Brees arrived with the responsibility of leading the Saints during the 2006 season. His preparation and performance helped create a connection that began with a simple realization during his first visit.
He and Brittany belonged in New Orleans.
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