New Orleans Saints legend and former starting quarterback Drew Brees was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the present group of Saints players were in the midst of training camp practice.
For the team meeting that night, the team spent 25 minutes watching Brees’s speech, per Head Coach Kellen Moore.
“It was pretty special,” Moore said. ”As good of a speech as you’re ever going to hear. The impact it has on certainly all of us with when it relates to the journey of football, the New Orleans Saints and the city of New Orleans. It was pretty awesome.”
A number of players stressed the importance of hearing what Brees had to say. From the inspiration of his dedication and hard work within his craft to instilling the importance of the connection between the team and its community, Brees’ words appear to have resonated with both former teammates and newcomers.
With that, here are some of the best quotes from his speech, relevant to a Saints fanbase Brees still clearly appreciates, loves and admires.
On Sean Payton’s Mind
“I would literally ask Sean, ‘Hey, when will you call this play?’ He would squint his eyes and purse his lips… you know the look… and say “Second quarter, across midfield, probably 47-yard line, 2nd-and-10, left hash… left/middle. They’ll never expect it.’ Precise. Instinctive.”
On His Teammates
“I would wake up every day with a burning desire to commit, sacrifice and command in a way that would give them everything they deserved. As time passes, those feelings don’t diminish…they become strong. What we built, what we achieved, what we experienced together can never be taken away. You all make up the golden threads of this jacket.”
On The Art of of the Quarterback Position
“Everything had a rhythm. From the articulation of the play in the huddle, to the pre-snap cues and communication, to the cadence and snap of the ball.
To your feet dropping back, the timing and flow of your hitch or gather, to the .3 seconds between your front foot hitting the ground that set off a combustion of energy from the ground force all the way from your toes to your fingertips as it translates power to the pronation and spin of the ball as it releases into the atmosphere.
That feeling is what I lived for.”
On New Orleans
“New Orleans, you accepted me, you embraced me, you believed in me. But more importantly, you trusted me with the soul of the city and I would have died to protect that calling.”
On the Who Dat Nation
“There are a few events in your life where you remember exactly where you were when it occurred. For Saints fans, it is the Steve Gleason blocked punt on Monday Night Football, reopening of the Dome September 25, 2006 and when the Saints won Super Bowl 44. It was your spirit that allowed us to Be special, smell greatness, and finish strong.”
