Before turning to Jarrett Stidham in the AFC title game, the Broncos considered a future Hall of Fame quarterback to lead the way. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter writes, Broncos then-offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and offensive assistant Pete Carmichael talked with Drew Brees about about a comeback in the AFC Championship Game.
Brees turned 47 on January 15; days later, Bo Nix suffered a broken ankle during the Broncos’ Divisional Round victory over the Bills. With a showdown looming against the Patriots, Denver’s offensive coaching staff got creative with a solution. Per Schefter, Lombardi and Carmichael contacted Brees early in the week ahead of the conference championship.
Before committing, Brees first wanted to see how his body responded to throwing. Per Schefter, the quarterback “found discomfort” in his wrist and ultimately “nixed the idea.” Had the Broncos successfully recruited the former Super Bowl MVP, the staff would have used the upcoming week at practice to determine if he represented an upgrade over their current QB2. Stidham ended up starting the title game, tossing a touchdown and an interception in a three-point loss.
The move wouldn’t have only reunited Brees with Lombardi, who had a pair of five-year stints as his QBs coach in New Orleans, and Carmichael, the Saints’ long-time OC. The signing would have also been a reunion with former Saints coach Sean Payton, although Schefter notes that neither of the offensive coordinators discussed a potential Brees move with their boss. Instead, they awaited the quarterback’s word about his workout, which didn’t warrant enough consideration for a comeback. The head coach didn’t hear about the idea until the offseason, with Schefter describing Payton as “fascinated and flabbergasted.”
As Schefter notes, Brees previously mentioned recent comeback “conversations” with NFL teams during an appearance on the New Heights podcast. This also wasn’t the first time that Brees contemplated a return to the NFL. After retiring in 2020, he considered returning to the Saints to replace Jameis Winston, who suffered a torn ACL. As Schefter writes, Payton “spearheaded” that campaign to get Brees back in New Orleans, but the 13-time Pro Bowler denied the opportunity.
If Denver lured Brees out of retirement, it would have followed a trend of unexpected comebacks. In 2025, Philip Rivers’ returned from his four-year hiatus to start four games for the Colts (including a playoff loss). Brees’ signing could have also complicated the player’s Hall of Fame candidacy. The quarterback was a first-ballot selection in this year’s class, although Schefter notes that it’s uncertain if this one-game return would have restarted his clock.
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