It was announced earlier this year that Drew Brees would not be returning to NBC for the 2022 NFL season.
Brees was expected to be the next popular broadcaster, like Tony Romo for CBS. Though he flashed potential at times, Year 1 didn’t go according to plan for the former quarterback.
Despite the announcement that Brees was out at NBC, there was never a true explanation for why he’d be willing to move on from this appealing gig.
In a recent interview with The Spun, Brees explained why he’s not broadcasting this season.
“The reason I didn’t do it this year, from a broadcasting perspective, is my family,” Brees said. “You have to be gone for the weekends, and that’s what I basically did as a player. These are such valuable moments for my kids. I want to be as active and involved in their weekend activities. That doesn’t quite mesh right now with a broadcasting career.”
Even though Brees isn’t expected to be in the broadcast booth this year, he won’t slam the door shut on that career option.
“I’ve got so many opportunities and things I’m considering right now. Staying involved with the game of football is one of my priorities, whether it’d be broadcasting or some other capacity. I really enjoyed broadcasting games. I had a chance to broadcast Notre Dame football games last year. I only got the chance to broadcast two NFL games. I certainly would’ve loved to have more. I feel like that’s where my skillset can bring the most value, getting inside of the quarterback or play caller. The door is open – it’s something I’ll always consider.”
Brees was recently linked to Amazon’s football coverage as a potential analyst for a Quarterbacks Only telecast of Thursday Night Football.
Only time will tell if Brees returns to the broadcast booth.