Broncos reportedly called Drew Brees about 2026 AFC Championship Game return

The Denver Broncos were in a desperate situation entering the 2026 AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots. With starting quarterback Bo Nix injured and missing the game, the team reportedly reached out to Hall of Famer Drew Brees to see if he was interested in what could have been one of the most surreal moments in the sport’s history.

The Broncos had homefield advantage, but were dealt a cruel blow with Nix breaking his ankle late in their Divisional Round overtime win against the Buffalo Bills. Backup Jarrett Stidham started the game and in blizzard-like conditions, could only muster seven points as the Patriots won 10-7 to advance to the Super Bowl.

But what if it was one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time under center for the Broncos that day?

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Broncos did indeed reach out to Drew Brees to gauge his interest in an improbable comeback. Considering that Sean Payton coaches the Broncos and the pairing is one of the most successful in NFL history while winning a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints, it’s easy to see why Denver made the call. Brees and Payton are the second-winningest QB/Coach combo in NFL history, only behind Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

Of course, there would have been one major obstacle to overcome. Drew Brees had just turned 47 and hadn’t played a competitive NFL game since January 17, 2021 in a playoff loss to Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, Brees wouldn’t have been alone in making an incredible return as Philip Rivers had come out of five years of retirement to play three games for the injury-plagued Indianapolis Colts. While Rivers went 0-3 as a starter, he completed 63% of his passes and threw 4 TDs to 3 INTS.

Brees reportedly spoke to two longtime members of Payton’s staff that he also worked with in New Orleans in Pete Carmichael and Joe Brady. However, after a brief workout, he knew that he wasn’t physically in shape to suddenly step into an NFL game on short notice. Earlier in the season, he had stepped in for the fired Mark Sanchez as a brand new NFL on Fox game analyst. As far as NFL announcers go, if Tom Brady can own a team and Troy Aikman can consult for one, why couldn’t Drew Brees play for one, right?

Drew Brees is undoubtedly one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history. Although he was overshadowed in the national media by the likes of Brady, Manning, and Rodgers throughout his career, his numbers speak for themselves. He is second in yards and TDs all time to Brady and has five of the fifteen 5,000 yard passing seasons in NFL history.

When Brees retired from the Saints, it was clear his arm strength wasn’t what it was at his peak. And with the weather that Sunday in Denver, it probably wouldn’t have suited his 47-year-old body. But it’s fun to dream about what could have been. And if Brees had played for the Broncos that day, maybe they could have gotten to the Super Bowl and won it in what could have been one of the most remarkable stories in sports history. But it will forever remain a what if.

For now, Drew Brees will have to be content relaunching his media career where his second act with Fox Sports as a game analyst has gone much better than his first attempt at NBC.

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