In 2006, Drew Brees suffered a surgically-repaired shoulder that led the Dolphins to not offer him a contract. However, the Saints took a chance on him and it paid off. Eighteen years later, Brees has been elected to the Saints’ Hall of Fame. The arrival of both Brees and coach Sean Payton laid the foundation for a revival of the city in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane that hit the region.
In his first home game with the Saints, which was a Week 3 Monday night victory over the Falcons, it was evident that things had changed for the struggling franchise. Three years after Brees joined the Saints, they won a Super Bowl. While they did not reach the Super Bowl again, the Saints were consistently competitive under Payton and Brees’ leadership.
Brees began his NFL career in 2001 when he was selected first in the second round by the Chargers. Despite becoming their starter,
