Drew Brees Reveals Why He Considered A Comeback After Bo Nix’s Injury

Drew Brees nearly tried one more NFL game, and the idea came at a strange time. After Bo Nix was ruled out for Denver's AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, Brees started thinking about his old coach Sean Payton and the Broncos. He later explained that he was the one who reached out about the chance to play. The Hall of Fame quarterback wanted to help, but his body stopped the plan. His right wrist and shoulder made throwing painful, turning a wild football thought into a short-lived possibility before the game was played.

Bo Nix's Injury And Sean Payton's Connection Made Drew Brees Think About One More NFL Game

The idea began on January 19, one day after Denver learned Nix would miss the AFC Championship Game. Brees was also receiving news that he had been selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

That moment made Brees wonder if he could return for one game. He contacted former Saints coaches Pete Carmichael and Joe Lombardi, who were then with Denver. He asked if the team needed him.

“I said, ‘You guys need me this week?' I said, ‘I might be able to be ready.'”

Brees then tested his arm. His 13-year-old son caught passes for him in the backyard. The result was clear. His left side was usable, but his right wrist and shoulder could not handle the job.

“So my wrist and my shoulder, I don't throw with my right side anymore,” Brees said. “I mean, I could throw it 10 yards and it's with a lot of pain, you know?”

"Lower your shoulder and go get the first down" – Drew Brees did NOT like Jalen Hurts protecting himself with a slide in the second quarter of Week 2 against the Titans pic.twitter.com/q8nePomNdP

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 20, 2026

That ended the comeback thought before it could become a real football move.

Drew Brees' Right Wrist And Shoulder Quickly Ended His Denver Broncos Comeback Idea

The story also raised another issue because Brees remains on the Saints' reserve/retired list. Earlier reports said Denver contacted him, while Sean Payton had said Brees contacted Denver. Brees' latest account supports the second version.

He said he would have loved to play for Denver and help Payton reach the Super Bowl, but his body would not allow it. His physical condition was the biggest barrier, even before other league rules could become part of the story.

“I would've loved to come back and play for the Broncos in the AFC Championship game, get my coach and a bunch of the other guys that I know in that organization, the Penner family, to the Super Bowl. Would've loved it.”

Denver ultimately played the Patriots without Nix or Brees and lost the AFC Championship Game. The comeback never moved beyond a phone call, a backyard throwing test and a short period of serious thought.

Still, Brees' latest comments explain why the idea came up at all. A quarterback was suddenly unavailable, an old coach was in Denver, and Brees believed he might still help. One throwing session showed him that the reality was very different.