Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Well, that was fast!
One of the NFL’s most successful quarterbacks and a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer with the New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees was effectively cut after just one year on the job by NBC Sports. He was hired to be a television analyst and a part of the NBC Sunday Night Sports pregame and halftime shows.
Being a longtime fan of Drew Brees (back to his college football career at Purdue), the talented signal caller and team leader simply couldn’t muster up enough anger inside of him to take critical shots at his former NFL buddies and make a new name for himself as the designated bad guy for national television.
NBC didn’t do Brees any favors by pairing him with one of the league’s nicest guys, former NFL coach Tony Dungy.
When the two analysts were working side by side, I felt like I was effectively listening to the same person. Both Tony Dungy and Drew Brees are “encourager” type of personalities and are simply not very good at making critical comments about other professional athletes just the sake of making the television show more interesting to watch.
Here’s a good analogy.
If ABC’s Monday Night Football franchise had not featured the hyper-critical and overbearing Howard Cosell to go with former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and fan favorite Don Meredith, the weekly production would never have been as popular as it was. Fans tuned-in to hear what Dandy Don would say to set-off the pompous Howard Cosell each week.
Drew Brees + Tony Dungy on the same TV show felt much like ordering a double scoop of vanilla ice cream at your local Baskin Robbins.
Dungy’s “good guy” reputation had been firmly established for years at NBC, so it’s understandable why the network may have opted to cut their losses with the newest “good guy” in Drew Brees.
Not everyone is cut-out for television.
Yet another former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Tony Romo, never approached Drew Brees’ level of play on the field in the NFL. However, his enthusiastic (and, often times, over-the-top) commentary during CBS NFL football games alongside his rather droll play-by-play man Jim Nantz has helped to boost Romo’s star within CBS Sports.
Perhaps that’s what NBC was hoping for when Drew Brees was hired just one year ago.
Don’t get me wrong. I think Drew Brees’ depth of knowledge about the game and his insights are exceptional. The problem is that television isn’t a podcast where you are allowed to take your time and provide a lot of in-depth answers.
In the year 2022, network television work requires very concise opinions (usually 30 seconds or less) where you are expected not to mirror the other analyst’s answers. That job on television isn’t as easy as you might think.
Let’s take the TNT NBA basketball analysts with Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal.
No matter what the issue or game, it’s very likely that Barkley gets the first chance to make an opinion on the action. Shaq usually takes an opposite position, and Kenny Smith brings in a few stats or observations to support one of the other two. No matter the game or issues, though, the fans at home can sense that these three guys are just having a lot of fun and reacting to the games in much the same way we are at home.
Barkley and Shaq have no problem taking down a player who is underperforming on the court (such as James Harden and Ben Simmons the past two seasons). They can be equally praiseworthy of someone whose recent play has been exceptional – such as Boston’s Jayson Tatum or Dallas’ Luka Doncic this post-season.
Going back to Drew Brees and his role on NBC, his addition to the NBC Sunday Night Football show didn’t bring a lot of humor (he’s a good guy but not known a jokester) or scathing commentary (again, Brees is more of an encourager type of personality).
That’s not his fault. Drew Brees is simply the person that he has always been.
The real culprits in this debacle are the executives with NBC Sports. They get an “F” for failing to understand basic TV chemistry.
So, Drew Brees is no longer working on television for NBC Sports. In many respects, I think it is a godsend for ol’ #9 to get a fresh start.
But…what should Drew Brees do next?
The 43-year old quarterback suffered through a couple of serious injuries during his final two years with the New Orleans Saints. Though some fans would love to see him make a comeback with the NFC’s black and gold team, he might not be immediately welcomed back. Jameis Winston is projected to be the Saints’ starting quarterback while the team signed veteran Andy Dalton as the primary back-up. Don’t forget that the versatile (and expensive) Taysom Hill remains on the team as a relief pitcher and goal-line specialist.
Assuming there might be a little mutual interest from the Saints to bring back Drew Brees, the team should be able to find a market for one of their other three quarterbacks on the roster.
Outside of New Orleans, I can think of one other NFL team which could really use some help at quarterback.
The Seattle Seahawks sent long-time star Russell Wilson to Denver recently. Though the Seahawks received former Denver starter Drew Lock in return, the former University of Missouri quarterback lacks accuracy and consistency. Hmm…who is known for his accuracy and consistency?
Enter Drew Brees? It could make sense, but there are several other factors to consider if Brees were to suit-up in Seattle.
The Seahawks play all of their home games in an outdoor stadium which can be wet and cold for much of the season. Drew Brees’ history indicates that he is far more effective when playing football in a domed football stadium. Though Brees’ brain and competitive fire would make him a factor to compete for the starting job in Seattle, his age (43) is working against him.
Perhaps Drew Brees might consider going into coaching.
Former NFL coach Tony Dungy and Drew Brees have a lot in common. Both men are smart, incredibly dedicated workers, and relate very well to a locker room full of football players. Perhaps Drew Brees might end-up as an NFL coach some day.
Brees might have a bright future as a quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator in the NFL. His time working in close contact with one of the NFL’s brightest and most successful coaches in recent history, Sean Payton, could be a good indicator of Drew Brees’ upside as an offensive coach.
On the other hand, remember that Drew Brees and his family are very close. He took the TV gig at NBC so that he would have more time to spend with his wife and four young children. NFL coaches are away from their families a lot.
If he wants to stick close to his family during the week, perhaps Drew Brees might wish to try his hand at becoming a radio analyst for the New Orleans Saints radio network.
Calling a football game for radio listeners requires that the announcers paint a more detailed picture on every single play. I think Drew Brees’ depth of knowledge would lend itself better to radio. In contrast, television executives utilize cameras to paint most of the game story leaving the television analyst to discern information that the average viewer might have missed.
Many New Orleans Saints fans would love to have their future Hall-of-Famer on the microphone for games every week. Home team radio fans would be forgiving and allow Brees a chance to learn the ropes without having to worry about television cameras in the booth.
The real question is, “What does Drew Brees think he should do now?”
For a person as competitive and successful as Brees, his release by NBC may have come as a welcomed relief, or it might become a huge chip on his shoulder to prove they just made a big mistake.
Today, Drew Brees posted via Twitter, “Despite speculation from media about my future this fall, I’m currently undecided. I may work for NBC, I may play football again, I may focus on business and philanthropy, I may train for the pickle ball tour, senior golf tour, coach my kids or all of the above. I’ll let you know.”
Though Drew Brees has retained a good sense of humor, I think that the appearance of being a “failure” is going to light a new fire under this ultra-competitive man.
Given his history of being willing to outwork nearly everyone to become successful, I wouldn’t bet against him!