Drew Brees to be inducted into Saints Hall of Fame (2024)

Published: May. 30, 2024 at 1:30 PM CDT|Updated: May. 30, 2024 at 5:42 PM CDT

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been selected for induction into the Saints Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

The team made the announcement on Thurs., May 30. Brees will stand alone as the only inductee this year.

“This is a tremendous honor and I am so grateful to everyone here and forever will be. Once a Saint, always a Saint,” Brees said at a press conference.

Among the attendees at the press conference were Saints owner Gayle Benson, head coach Dennis Allen, most of the club’s VP staff, and former teammates Cam Jordan, Taysom Hill, Erik McCoy & Michael Lewis.

Brees said that all four of kids were born in New Orleans and considered themselves New Orleanians.

“Now all of a sudden I have a son who’s talking about going to LSU,” Brees said. “So Geaux Tigers.”

Brees, who retired after the 2020 season, holds numerous NFL records, including career passing yards and completions.

Brees arrived in 2006 while New Orleans was coping with Hurricane Katrina’s devastation and helped the Saints secure their first Super Bowl victory in 2010. He led the team to the playoffs nine times.

From 2008 to 2016, Brees threw for at least 5,000 yards in five different seasons, a feat no other quarterback has achieved more than once. From 2017 to 2019, at ages 38 to 40, Brees recorded the three highest single-season completion percentages in NFL history. In his final four seasons, the Saints won four straight NFC South titles.

“Honestly, if my right arm was still working, I probably would’ve played another three years,” he said.

During his 15-year tenure with the Saints, Brees revitalized the franchise with Coach Sean Payton and became a symbol of resilience for New Orleans in Katrina’s aftermath.

Brees finished his career as the most prolific passer in NFL history with 80,538 passing yards, 571 touchdown passes, and a completion percentage of 67.7%.

From 2008-16, Brees threw for at least 5,000 yards five different times. No other quarterback has done it more than once. Then from 2017-19, at the ages of 38-40, Brees posted the three highest single-season completion percentages in NFL history.

“Our point A to point B is not God’s point A to point B. It doesn’t mean you are not going to get there. You are going to get there when the time is right. After you have had a chance to learn, grow and battle through adversity,” Brees said.

He said playing his last game in front of an empty Superdome during the COVID-19 pandemic felt like a lack of closure.

Brees was barely recruited out of high school and overcame a shoulder injury early in his career in San Diego. He is arguably the best free-agent signing in league history, rivaled most notably by former Green Bay Packers defensive end Reggie White.

Brees’ influence extends beyond football, as he has been actively involved in various charities, including the Brees Dream Foundation, which has donated millions to causes in New Orleans and around the country.

The Hall of Fame induction cements Brees’ status as one of the greatest players in Saints history.

Previous inductees include Rickey Jackson, Reggie Bush, Archie Manning, Tom Benson, Joe Horn, Deuce McCallister, Marques Colston, and several more.

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