February 8, 2025 • 19 mins
Stephen A. Smith is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Executive Producer, host of ESPN's First Take, and co-host of NBA Countdown.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
My next guest was selected to thirteen Pro Bowls, led
the league in passing yards seven times, and of course,
was named MVP of Super Bowl forty four twenty ten.
I'm talking about the former quarterback for the New Orleans Saints,
one of the greatest quarterbacks we have ever seen in
a lifetime, threw them over eighty thousand yards in his career,
(00:23):
the one and only Drew Brees.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
What's going on big time? Are you been man? It's
been a.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
While, Steven a man. Great to see it. It's good
to see you being with you.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
What you've been up to? Man? I mean, how is life?
That's the first order of business.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
Life's great.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
A lot of time with my wife Brittany, and four kids,
coaching my boys. They're all playing tackle football, basketball, across
martial arts, you name it. Daughter's doing gymnastics. So honestly,
just being dad is the greatest sing in the world.
And a lot of business stuff, a lot of stuff
back here in New Orleans and staying business.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Your last season was twenty twenty.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
When you walked away from the game at that particular
moment in time, were you completely comfortable and ready with
that decision or was it a very very difficult thing
to walk way.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
You know, it was difficult in the sense that you
have done this for twenty eight out of my forty
two years, because I'm counting the high school in college.
From the perspective that you know, football was so important
and every decision that I was making was with me
being the best football player, best quarterback, best leader that
I could be for my team in mind. And so
all of a sudden, what you focused on and try
(01:21):
to be the best at for two thirds of your life,
all of a sudden, you're just saying goodbye to that
and it's moving on the next chapter. So look, I
recognize that's a scary thing for a lot of guys,
even when you play that long and you know, hey,
it's time. I'll be honest with you, man, my body
feels great, like I feel great, with the exception of
my right shoulder. You know, when I had that injury
when I left the San Diego Chargers, which was significant,
(01:42):
doctors told me, hey, you were on the fast track
too early onset arthritis and all this other stuff. At
the end of the day, you just try to prolong that,
prolong that, but at some point that's going to come
back and get you. So I always had this term
prolong my prime, prolong my prime, Like everything I was
doing was trying to continue to stay at that high level.
But while you know, kind of my knowledge, experience, wisdom
was on the rise. You know, eventually those physical traits
(02:04):
begin to you know, finish, And so you know, I
retired age forty two. I still feel great. If I
could still throw, i'd probably still be playing. But now
I just throw a left handed with the kids in
the yard. But no, I still love the game. I
still love being around the game. I'll be involved with
the NFL game as long as I live.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
I'm looking at your numbers here, and I'm thinking about
a career sixty seven point seven completion percentage in twenty seasons.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
The last five years, you completed over seventy percent of
your passes.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
When you hear numbers like that, knowing the way the
game has evolved even to this day, how do you
feel reflecting on your career in the kind of career
you had.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Look, I wanted to get better every year.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Like maybe some guys see it as man, I'm just
hanging on and I'm just trying to sustain.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
I wasn't trying to sustain. I was trying to get better.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
So every offseason I was taking a hard look at myself,
what had happened the year before, where I needed to
get better, where I needed to improve, and then what
was going to put me on that path to do that.
I had mentors that would help identify those things hold
me accountable. So, Man, every year it was I was
getting better. And look, I think what I recognized as
I got later in my career was, Man, maybe I
was losing a little bit as.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Far as velocity power on the.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Deep ball, right, couldn't couldn't get it much past forty
five yards. But I'm telling you, inside of thirty I'm
gonna be deadly right. Like I'm gonna know where to
go with the football. I'm gonna be accurate with and
I'm gonna throw guys open. Man, I'm gonna put them
in positions to succeed. I'm gonna avoid negative plays like
all those things that result in winning football in championship
caliber football, And honestly, that's the most important part of
(03:33):
playing the position, being a great decision maker, being a
great leader, putting guys in positions to succeed. So like
that that became more of my game the later in
my career that I got it was about efficiency, it
was about completions.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
It was about getting us in the third manageable situation.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
So that was that was something I took great pride
in because it's not easy, right, It's not easy.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
You know, I look at something.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
I look at Josh Allen won the league on League
MVP last night over Lamar Jackson. Even though Josh Allen
as great as a thrower, we know he can run
with the football. Big boy can run over you can
make plays. We know what Lamar Jackson could do running
the football. You rush for over nine hundred yards this year.
We see guys like that. Jalen hurts what he's expected
to do, and he can run with the football. Patrick
(04:14):
mahones he can run with the football. Yet, somehow, some way,
while the NFL tells us this is what we need
from the quarterback position, now, three of the greatest quarterbacks
arguably in the history of the National Football League with
dudes who didn't think about running. That would be you,
that would be Tom Brady, that would be Peyton Manning.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
What are we to deduce from all of that?
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Well, I think the game.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
The game has changed, and I think the way that
young quarterbacks are coming up now has changed. Offenses have
evolved to be run game is all urpo, like very
rarely do you just run a run play, and that's
the only option you have is to hand it off.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Right.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
You watch these teams now, man, Jayden Daniels, Jalen Hurts,
like all these guys. Man, they're putting that ball in
the running back belly, but their eyes are on defenders
and if all of a sudden those defenders collapse. Man,
they're kicking balls out on screen passes and bubbles and
quick throws.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
And that kind of thing.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
So that's become the game where it's triple threat on
every on every play, I'm gonna hand it off.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
I'm a pullet and run. I'm a pull it and throw.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
So with our generation, it was when you're handing the
ball off, your hand, the ball off, when you're throwing it, you're.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
Throwing it right.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
So look, I just think it's the evolution of the game,
and now these quarterbacks have evolved with it.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
But shouldn't that elevate the level of appreciation we should
have for guys like yourself? A Brady a paytment. In
other words, you don't hand the ball off. You dropping
back to the path. That's what you're doing. You don't have
a defense, you know, pause it for a split second
because they don't know whether you're gonna run or throw anything. No,
you're dropping back the past. We know what we gotta do.
We gotta get to them. Well, we got to set
(05:47):
up there and cover whoever it is in the secondary.
And somehow, some.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Way, you were still able to do what you're able
to do.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Should it Is it possible that guys like yourself and
others think that that should elevate the level of appreciation
we as football fans have for what y'all did compared to.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
What we seeing.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Yes, but let me elaborate on that.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
At some point, at least a few times in a game,
it's gonna be third and thirteen, third and fourteen in
a critical situation, and you're gonna have to just drop back,
stand in the pocket, have all this stuff going on
in front of your face, and deliver that ball strike
down the field, over the backer, in front of the
safety all the money, right, And if you can't do that,
then that's just a dimension that you don't have right
(06:27):
and therefore a weakness.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Right. So look, I.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Was brought up with this West Coast system where the
pass game was an extension of the run game.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
So instead of handling the.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Ball off for four or five yard games, we're going
to throw a pass for four or five yard game.
It's the same ass and guess what it needs to
be the same level of consistency and reliability to be
able to complete that. And you know what, occasionally when man,
you get a holding penalty, something happens and you're a
third and long situation. I got no problem standing in
the pocket. I know where to go with the ball,
even though I can't see it. I know where my
guys are. I know when they're supposed to be there.
They know when they're supposed to be there, they know
(06:59):
the to be there, and when we get the job
done that way. But it is it's a different that
was a different style, and you have.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
That you're going to be modest about this, I know,
but them And I'm gonna ask, anyway, how many people
in the National Football League right now do you believe
can throw the ball the way that you just described
and throw it close to or as good as you
and the dudes that I mentioned.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
The first guy that comes to mind is Joe Burrow.
Special Burrow.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Now, I watched Joe Burrow play his two years here
at LSU, right right down the road in Matt and
Rouge right Ironically, Joe Brady, who was an offensive assistant
for US SO came up through Sean Payton's offense had
just gone to LSU. It was supposed to be their
passing a coordinator end up kind of being a little
bit of the mastermind behind. So I'm watching that magical
season they had in twenty nineteen, best college football team
(07:45):
of all time, unbelievable. Right, of course he had those
weapons too, But every week I'm watching our offense being
executed by Joe Burrow in the college format, but then
to watch him transition in the NFL. I don't think
people give him enough credit for his athleticism because he
created so many plays this year. Look as Oline struggled
(08:06):
and he was forced to move sly by time a lot.
Now it's not you know, it's maybe not as pretty
as some of the other guys, but he will sit
there and pick you apart in the pocket all game long,
and the minute that he has to move man. He
has the awareness to step up and escape and buy time,
maybe just get a few yards to make it a
more third manage. Well, go get that first down when
(08:27):
he needs to write, take the hit.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
So he's the guy first.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
To mine because I know the offense he came up in,
and I know from what I've watched this year he's
got those traits anybody else c J. Stroud, I am
a big fan of first off, I just love his poise.
I love his poise, I love his demeanor, I love
his leadership style. From the times I've been around him
and just observing right and a lot of times I
(08:51):
just observe the way teammates react to a guy right.
But I think he's got some really special qualities going
back to Ohio State. But just as I watched him
in his first two years, and as they build the
piece around Hi, they're building something down there in Houston
with Themiko Ryans, So he would be my other guy.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
I'm looking at him, and I just say to myself,
when I think about this super Bowl coming up, Jalen
Hurts is somebody that I've talked about a lot. I
don't consider it negative because I think the man can play.
Tremendous athlete, got the Philadelphia Eagles to their second Super
Bowl in the last three years.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
But that's Patrick Mahons he's about to call up against.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
And I know he doesn't Patrick Mahonmes doesn't play defense,
but damn it, it feels like it does, because that
brother's gonna.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Put you in a hole and you've got to answer
the call.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
I'm looking at Philadelphia Eagles matching up against Kansas City
and I'm thinking about sa Kwon Barkley. You got to
have the ability to run the football if you're the
Philadelphia Eagles against these dudes. But at some point, Tom
with Steve Spagnola is the defensive coordinative. He's going to
make you throw that football because he knows sa Kwon
Barkley how important he is. He's gonna do everything he can.
The key off on that guy. Jalen hurts to me,
(09:52):
is gonna have to get it done, Kenny.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
I believe he can. Look.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
I love I love the journey he's traveled. Guy through college.
Started early at Obama. Obviously they were a national championship contender,
almost one one with him early on. Then he loses
his job to Tua stays there, right, like unheard of
in this day and age. Right, most guys would be like,
I'm out, but man stayed kind of like went through
that disappointment failure, gets an opportunity to go in the
(10:18):
SEC championship game. All of a sudden, they win a
national championship again, goes to Oklahoma, but then still doubted,
falls to the second round. So here's a dude who
just has a giant chip on his shoulder, right, has
gone through a lot. And I just I watched the guy.
I just observe, and man, he's kind of this quiet leader,
very very intense, very focused, very intentional, and I just know,
deep down, man, there's this fire burning inside him and
(10:39):
that dude wants respect. That dude wants respect, and you
know how you get it. You go out and you
win a game like this for the reasons that you
just say.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
When you talk about the fire burning, if it's possible,
comparative fires hurts compared to a guy like Mahomes who's
on the verge of achieving something that's never been achieved
in a super Bowl or in NFL history three repeat,
looking at the fire at his belly, how do you
compute it?
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Too.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Man.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
You know, Mahomes always looks just so loose and relaxed,
like he's having fun. Look, I know there's a brilliance
to him that I don't even think we fully tapped into.
Like I mean, obviously we're all seeing the same thing.
There's been starting seven years, you know, all these accomplishments,
fifth super Bowl that he's been in. But I feel
(11:27):
like Philly has more to lose this game. Yes I do, wow,
because okay, okay, try this one on. If Casey loses
this game, then man, they lost out on an incredible
opportunity to do something I'm pressing in and win three
in a row. But guess what, they'll probably be here
next year and probably the year after that. Like just
at the pace this is going, like, you don't see
them slowing down anytime soon. But Philly, Philly, Man, they
(11:49):
built this roster unbelievable. They were in this game two
years agoing toe to toe with these guys just came
up short. Like, deep down in their hearts, I think
they feel like we're a better team. We're kind of
flying under the radar right now because everybody's talking about
the Chiefs and how great they are and how great
Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and they can beat anybody, but
deep down they're like, man, we're better than these guys.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
So you go into this game and you lose this game.
Now what's the storyline?
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Yeah, man, you had your chance two out of three
years and you lost to these guys. So all it
is is, man, you can't get past these guys. You
can't win the big one. Man, what's wrong with Jalen?
What's wrong with this guy? What's wrong with that guy?
And then that's the kind of stuff that just starts.
You know, It's easy to kind of tear a team.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Apart that way.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
So that's why I say Philly has more to lose
in this game, because I feel like Philly is the
better team top to bottom, and the way that they're
built offensively is exactly I think the Achilles heel for
Kansas City, which if you can run the ball consistently, man,
not only do you just dent that defense time after
time and you go down and get points, you have
a triple threat because you have a Jalen Hurts who
can pull it and run it or the RPO game,
(12:47):
you also have big playmakers outside. But if you can
do that, you control the clock, You shorten the game.
You limit maybe two or three possessions away from Patrick
Mahomes instead of eleven possessions in a normal game, he's
only going to get eight. Well guess what, mat that
just puts one more sure on them, forces them to
press a little more.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
That's how you win this game.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
But you got to stay out of the third long
stuff because to your points, bags and Bags is a
mastermind when it comes to dialing up these pressures. That's
gonna get somebody free. You just can't get in those situations.
So man, you just got to be methodical.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
They win the super Bowl. I'm talking Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
How should we look at Andy Reid particularly compared to
Bill Belichick?
Speaker 4 (13:22):
Uh, you look at what he's done with two different teams.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
I've won an affiliate but got him to the Super
Bowl and numerous.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
NFC US of games, numerous numerous.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
I think I think there's a brilliance to that that
should it should be honored and appreciated. I mean, you know,
let's see how long he keeps going, you know.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
I mean he wins US when and then he can
win it. You know, let's just add him up.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
You know.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
I saw Belichick last night of Honors with all those rings. Man,
It's it's hard to argue eight rings, right, you know
what I'm saying, especially at this level. But Andy Reid
is certain in that category.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
So do you have winning?
Speaker 4 (14:03):
Do I have to?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
You don't have to, But I'm asking, I'm asking no.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
I'll go back to my statement, it's Philly's time.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
I Philly's going to do it.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
It's now, because if they don't, I think it's it's
they got more to lose.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
You go back to you with super Bowl forty four.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
What was it like in this city when you delivered
the Super Bowl championship to this place?
Speaker 2 (14:23):
What was that like for you?
Speaker 3 (14:25):
And I wish I could transplant you into.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
And visualize what we saw.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Man, it was like I can visualize it right now,
Like getting on that Super Bowl float at the Superdome
as we were about to go on this kind of
four hour tour through downtown and literally Walden like you
couldn't see brick streets, not you just saw bodies. You
saw people smiles like tears of joy, so happy, like
(14:52):
it meant so much to them and it was the
culmination of this four year journey. From when we all
got here in two thousand and six, six months post Katrina,
like having no idea what we were signing up for,
but realizing also that there was something specially here and
this was truly a calling for all of us, and
all of us were somewhat castaways, you know, Man, we
weren't desired by a lot of others, and yet we
were embraced by this city, and so we felt a
(15:13):
great sense of responsibility to give this fan base in
the city what they deserved.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
What did that do for you as a man? I
remember Hurricane Katrina. I remember the catastrophe that it was
and how it ravaged this city.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
We saw bodies.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Floating in the streets for crying out loud. That's and
that organization, that team led by you took the bull
bottle horn per se and really regalvanized a city, Saints
fans everywhere, certainly this area of the country. What did
that do for you as just a man being the
(15:48):
face of the city, because that's how it got to
that point when it came to resuscitating and resurrecting the
city at that time.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
I know this will resonate with you, but there's been
so much suffering in I think this region for so long,
you know, whether it's the hurricanes to come through, or
it's the BP oil spill, or it's the tragedy on
Bourbon Street, like it's it's just kind of one hit
after another, right, and the more that you suffer, I
feel like when you get to those those moments of
joy and togetherness and when you accomplish something that you
(16:19):
know you just thought might never happen, it's just such
a sense of gratitude. So for me, it was gratitude
because quite honestly, coming here to New Orleans was a
second chance for me.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
I thought that I may ever play football game.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
I felt like my dream was just after the just
being ripped away from me coming off of my shoulder
entry from San Diego. And I think a lot of
guys felt that when they came, they felt like this was,
you know, maybe the last stop for the last opportunity,
And so there was just that feeling of appreciation and
gratitude for the opportunity to be here, to be a
part of something so special that most people don't get
a chance to be a part of in their lifetime.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
How does it still affect you to this day?
Speaker 1 (16:53):
When you think about you being in this city, being
here right now, yeah, I mean it's still Drew Brees
City because the Saints haven't done anything since you've been gone,
So it's still your city.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
You understand that, right.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
You know.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Honestly, I feel a great sense of responsibility, like still
to the people, to the city. I want to continue
to see this city put its best foot forward. I
want I want people to talk great about New Orleans.
I want people to walk away from here saying, man,
there's something special about that place, the culture of the tradition,
and they just know how to treat people.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
And you know, wherever you go in the world, it's amazing. Man,
I could be.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
I remember, it's in the Netherlands with my wife, just
like having a nice, you know, vacation together, and all
of a sudden I hear from across the street who that.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
It's like man, they're everywhere right.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
And I think the story of New Orleans resonates with
people because there's a part of everybody that man, they
felt that struggle, they felt that hardship, and then to
see others overcome and come together and accomplish something amazing,
it just resonates with everyone.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Now, you and mister Rob Gronkowski himself.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Gronk himself, you've teamed up with Bounty paper Tower for
the Everyone's Wingman campaign.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Talking about that for a second.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Well, so, so Gronk has been the Bounty Man for
three years now, and last year he went to the
Super Bowling His wing man was Julian Edelman, right, his
former teammates. So he's coming to New Orleans this year
super BONI. He's like, who should I ask to be
my wing man? So I got a call from Gronk saying, man,
we beat my wing man in New Orleans. I've never
been in New Orleans. I've never hung out in Orleans,
which is hard to believe that Rob Gronkowski has never
hung out and had a good.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Time in New Orleans.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Right. So I was like, man, this is kind of
a dangerous proposition. I don't know if I should say
yes to this. But you know what, gron He's like, Man,
I'm a little I'm a calmer, I'm a little more.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Did you get approval from the White Yeah?
Speaker 4 (18:25):
I did.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
I just got to get to hang out with Gronk.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
She's like, all right, man, show Gronk a good time.
You know he needs to experience the full New Orleans treatment.
So I'm like, all right, I got him. So we
didnt run around Radio Row having.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
A good time running around with Gronk, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
I know, but.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Exhausted.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
We were serving up wings. I was where's the buffalo?
Speaker 3 (18:41):
We had some buffalo and barbecue wings to go with
your New York pizza and some of the other man
will bring you some mettu fe will take good care
of you here in New Orleans.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
But when you make that mess, we got Bounty to
take care of it.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
By the way, you had a problem with me eat
some pizza? Was there a problem with that? Is already
all right for me to get the crawfish on it.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
No crawl fish on pete.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
So look, you know, hey, don't knock until you try it.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
I might try it just for you, just because you
asked me to, Just because you asked me to.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
What is that?
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Oh lord, see there you go. There we go.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Man, y'all trying to y'all trying to elevate my cholesterol. Love,
I'm trying to get healthy.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Man, all right, man, all right, church to see it.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
No doubt. The one and only Drew Brees in the
house right here on the stephen A Smith show,
My next guest was selected to thirteen Pro Bowls, led
the league in passing yards seven times, and of course,
was named MVP of Super Bowl forty four twenty ten.
I'm talking about the former quarterback for the New Orleans Saints,
one of the greatest quarterbacks we have ever seen in
a lifetime, threw them over eighty thousand yards in his career,
(00:23):
the one and only Drew Brees.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
What's going on big time? Are you been man? It's
been a.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
While, Steven a man. Great to see it. It's good
to see you being with you.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
What you've been up to? Man? I mean, how is life?
That's the first order of business.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
Life's great.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
A lot of time with my wife Brittany, and four kids,
coaching my boys. They're all playing tackle football, basketball, across
martial arts, you name it. Daughter's doing gymnastics. So honestly,
just being dad is the greatest sing in the world.
And a lot of business stuff, a lot of stuff
back here in New Orleans and staying business.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Your last season was twenty twenty.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
When you walked away from the game at that particular
moment in time, were you completely comfortable and ready with
that decision or was it a very very difficult thing
to walk way.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
You know, it was difficult in the sense that you
have done this for twenty eight out of my forty
two years, because I'm counting the high school in college.
From the perspective that you know, football was so important
and every decision that I was making was with me
being the best football player, best quarterback, best leader that
I could be for my team in mind. And so
all of a sudden, what you focused on and try
(01:21):
to be the best at for two thirds of your life,
all of a sudden, you're just saying goodbye to that
and it's moving on the next chapter. So look, I
recognize that's a scary thing for a lot of guys,
even when you play that long and you know, hey,
it's time. I'll be honest with you, man, my body
feels great, like I feel great, with the exception of
my right shoulder. You know, when I had that injury
when I left the San Diego Chargers, which was significant,
(01:42):
doctors told me, hey, you were on the fast track
too early onset arthritis and all this other stuff. At
the end of the day, you just try to prolong that,
prolong that, but at some point that's going to come
back and get you. So I always had this term
prolong my prime, prolong my prime, Like everything I was
doing was trying to continue to stay at that high level.
But while you know, kind of my knowledge, experience, wisdom
was on the rise. You know, eventually those physical traits
(02:04):
begin to you know, finish, And so you know, I
retired age forty two. I still feel great. If I
could still throw, i'd probably still be playing. But now
I just throw a left handed with the kids in
the yard. But no, I still love the game. I
still love being around the game. I'll be involved with
the NFL game as long as I live.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
I'm looking at your numbers here, and I'm thinking about
a career sixty seven point seven completion percentage in twenty seasons.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
The last five years, you completed over seventy percent of
your passes.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
When you hear numbers like that, knowing the way the
game has evolved even to this day, how do you
feel reflecting on your career in the kind of career
you had.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Look, I wanted to get better every year.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Like maybe some guys see it as man, I'm just
hanging on and I'm just trying to sustain.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
I wasn't trying to sustain. I was trying to get better.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
So every offseason I was taking a hard look at myself,
what had happened the year before, where I needed to
get better, where I needed to improve, and then what
was going to put me on that path to do that.
I had mentors that would help identify those things hold
me accountable. So, Man, every year it was I was
getting better. And look, I think what I recognized as
I got later in my career was, Man, maybe I
was losing a little bit as.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Far as velocity power on the.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Deep ball, right, couldn't couldn't get it much past forty
five yards. But I'm telling you, inside of thirty I'm
gonna be deadly right. Like I'm gonna know where to
go with the football. I'm gonna be accurate with and
I'm gonna throw guys open. Man, I'm gonna put them
in positions to succeed. I'm gonna avoid negative plays like
all those things that result in winning football in championship
caliber football, And honestly, that's the most important part of
(03:33):
playing the position, being a great decision maker, being a
great leader, putting guys in positions to succeed. So like
that that became more of my game the later in
my career that I got it was about efficiency, it
was about completions.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
It was about getting us in the third manageable situation.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
So that was that was something I took great pride
in because it's not easy, right, It's not easy.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
You know, I look at something.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
I look at Josh Allen won the league on League
MVP last night over Lamar Jackson. Even though Josh Allen
as great as a thrower, we know he can run
with the football. Big boy can run over you can
make plays. We know what Lamar Jackson could do running
the football. You rush for over nine hundred yards this year.
We see guys like that. Jalen hurts what he's expected
to do, and he can run with the football. Patrick
(04:14):
mahones he can run with the football. Yet, somehow, some way,
while the NFL tells us this is what we need
from the quarterback position, now, three of the greatest quarterbacks
arguably in the history of the National Football League with
dudes who didn't think about running. That would be you,
that would be Tom Brady, that would be Peyton Manning.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
What are we to deduce from all of that?
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Well, I think the game.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
The game has changed, and I think the way that
young quarterbacks are coming up now has changed. Offenses have
evolved to be run game is all urpo, like very
rarely do you just run a run play, and that's
the only option you have is to hand it off.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Right.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
You watch these teams now, man, Jayden Daniels, Jalen Hurts,
like all these guys. Man, they're putting that ball in
the running back belly, but their eyes are on defenders
and if all of a sudden those defenders collapse. Man,
they're kicking balls out on screen passes and bubbles and
quick throws.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
And that kind of thing.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
So that's become the game where it's triple threat on
every on every play, I'm gonna hand it off.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
I'm a pullet and run. I'm a pull it and throw.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
So with our generation, it was when you're handing the
ball off, your hand, the ball off, when you're throwing it, you're.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
Throwing it right.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
So look, I just think it's the evolution of the game,
and now these quarterbacks have evolved with it.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
But shouldn't that elevate the level of appreciation we should
have for guys like yourself? A Brady a paytment. In
other words, you don't hand the ball off. You dropping
back to the path. That's what you're doing. You don't have
a defense, you know, pause it for a split second
because they don't know whether you're gonna run or throw anything. No,
you're dropping back the past. We know what we gotta do.
We gotta get to them. Well, we got to set
(05:47):
up there and cover whoever it is in the secondary.
And somehow, some.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Way, you were still able to do what you're able
to do.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Should it Is it possible that guys like yourself and
others think that that should elevate the level of appreciation
we as football fans have for what y'all did compared to.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
What we seeing.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Yes, but let me elaborate on that.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
At some point, at least a few times in a game,
it's gonna be third and thirteen, third and fourteen in
a critical situation, and you're gonna have to just drop back,
stand in the pocket, have all this stuff going on
in front of your face, and deliver that ball strike
down the field, over the backer, in front of the
safety all the money, right, And if you can't do that,
then that's just a dimension that you don't have right
(06:27):
and therefore a weakness.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Right. So look, I.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Was brought up with this West Coast system where the
pass game was an extension of the run game.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
So instead of handling the.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Ball off for four or five yard games, we're going
to throw a pass for four or five yard game.
It's the same ass and guess what it needs to
be the same level of consistency and reliability to be
able to complete that. And you know what, occasionally when man,
you get a holding penalty, something happens and you're a
third and long situation. I got no problem standing in
the pocket. I know where to go with the ball,
even though I can't see it. I know where my
guys are. I know when they're supposed to be there.
They know when they're supposed to be there, they know
(06:59):
the to be there, and when we get the job
done that way. But it is it's a different that
was a different style, and you have.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
That you're going to be modest about this, I know,
but them And I'm gonna ask, anyway, how many people
in the National Football League right now do you believe
can throw the ball the way that you just described
and throw it close to or as good as you
and the dudes that I mentioned.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
The first guy that comes to mind is Joe Burrow.
Special Burrow.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Now, I watched Joe Burrow play his two years here
at LSU, right right down the road in Matt and
Rouge right Ironically, Joe Brady, who was an offensive assistant
for US SO came up through Sean Payton's offense had
just gone to LSU. It was supposed to be their
passing a coordinator end up kind of being a little
bit of the mastermind behind. So I'm watching that magical
season they had in twenty nineteen, best college football team
(07:45):
of all time, unbelievable. Right, of course he had those
weapons too, But every week I'm watching our offense being
executed by Joe Burrow in the college format, but then
to watch him transition in the NFL. I don't think
people give him enough credit for his athleticism because he
created so many plays this year. Look as Oline struggled
(08:06):
and he was forced to move sly by time a lot.
Now it's not you know, it's maybe not as pretty
as some of the other guys, but he will sit
there and pick you apart in the pocket all game long,
and the minute that he has to move man. He
has the awareness to step up and escape and buy time,
maybe just get a few yards to make it a
more third manage. Well, go get that first down when
(08:27):
he needs to write, take the hit.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
So he's the guy first.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
To mine because I know the offense he came up in,
and I know from what I've watched this year he's
got those traits anybody else c J. Stroud, I am
a big fan of first off, I just love his poise.
I love his poise, I love his demeanor, I love
his leadership style. From the times I've been around him
and just observing right and a lot of times I
(08:51):
just observe the way teammates react to a guy right.
But I think he's got some really special qualities going
back to Ohio State. But just as I watched him
in his first two years, and as they build the
piece around Hi, they're building something down there in Houston
with Themiko Ryans, So he would be my other guy.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
I'm looking at him, and I just say to myself,
when I think about this super Bowl coming up, Jalen
Hurts is somebody that I've talked about a lot. I
don't consider it negative because I think the man can play.
Tremendous athlete, got the Philadelphia Eagles to their second Super
Bowl in the last three years.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
But that's Patrick Mahons he's about to call up against.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
And I know he doesn't Patrick Mahonmes doesn't play defense,
but damn it, it feels like it does, because that
brother's gonna.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Put you in a hole and you've got to answer
the call.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
I'm looking at Philadelphia Eagles matching up against Kansas City
and I'm thinking about sa Kwon Barkley. You got to
have the ability to run the football if you're the
Philadelphia Eagles against these dudes. But at some point, Tom
with Steve Spagnola is the defensive coordinative. He's going to
make you throw that football because he knows sa Kwon
Barkley how important he is. He's gonna do everything he can.
The key off on that guy. Jalen hurts to me,
(09:52):
is gonna have to get it done, Kenny.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
I believe he can. Look.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
I love I love the journey he's traveled. Guy through college.
Started early at Obama. Obviously they were a national championship contender,
almost one one with him early on. Then he loses
his job to Tua stays there, right, like unheard of
in this day and age. Right, most guys would be like,
I'm out, but man stayed kind of like went through
that disappointment failure, gets an opportunity to go in the
(10:18):
SEC championship game. All of a sudden, they win a
national championship again, goes to Oklahoma, but then still doubted,
falls to the second round. So here's a dude who
just has a giant chip on his shoulder, right, has
gone through a lot. And I just I watched the guy.
I just observe, and man, he's kind of this quiet leader,
very very intense, very focused, very intentional, and I just know,
deep down, man, there's this fire burning inside him and
(10:39):
that dude wants respect. That dude wants respect, and you
know how you get it. You go out and you
win a game like this for the reasons that you
just say.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
When you talk about the fire burning, if it's possible,
comparative fires hurts compared to a guy like Mahomes who's
on the verge of achieving something that's never been achieved
in a super Bowl or in NFL history three repeat,
looking at the fire at his belly, how do you
compute it?
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Too.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Man.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
You know, Mahomes always looks just so loose and relaxed,
like he's having fun. Look, I know there's a brilliance
to him that I don't even think we fully tapped into.
Like I mean, obviously we're all seeing the same thing.
There's been starting seven years, you know, all these accomplishments,
fifth super Bowl that he's been in. But I feel
(11:27):
like Philly has more to lose this game. Yes I do, wow,
because okay, okay, try this one on. If Casey loses
this game, then man, they lost out on an incredible
opportunity to do something I'm pressing in and win three
in a row. But guess what, they'll probably be here
next year and probably the year after that. Like just
at the pace this is going, like, you don't see
them slowing down anytime soon. But Philly, Philly, Man, they
(11:49):
built this roster unbelievable. They were in this game two
years agoing toe to toe with these guys just came
up short. Like, deep down in their hearts, I think
they feel like we're a better team. We're kind of
flying under the radar right now because everybody's talking about
the Chiefs and how great they are and how great
Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and they can beat anybody, but
deep down they're like, man, we're better than these guys.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
So you go into this game and you lose this game.
Now what's the storyline?
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Yeah, man, you had your chance two out of three
years and you lost to these guys. So all it
is is, man, you can't get past these guys. You
can't win the big one. Man, what's wrong with Jalen?
What's wrong with this guy? What's wrong with that guy?
And then that's the kind of stuff that just starts.
You know, It's easy to kind of tear a team.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Apart that way.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
So that's why I say Philly has more to lose
in this game, because I feel like Philly is the
better team top to bottom, and the way that they're
built offensively is exactly I think the Achilles heel for
Kansas City, which if you can run the ball consistently, man,
not only do you just dent that defense time after
time and you go down and get points, you have
a triple threat because you have a Jalen Hurts who
can pull it and run it or the RPO game,
(12:47):
you also have big playmakers outside. But if you can
do that, you control the clock, You shorten the game.
You limit maybe two or three possessions away from Patrick
Mahomes instead of eleven possessions in a normal game, he's
only going to get eight. Well guess what, mat that
just puts one more sure on them, forces them to
press a little more.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
That's how you win this game.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
But you got to stay out of the third long
stuff because to your points, bags and Bags is a
mastermind when it comes to dialing up these pressures. That's
gonna get somebody free. You just can't get in those situations.
So man, you just got to be methodical.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
They win the super Bowl. I'm talking Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
How should we look at Andy Reid particularly compared to
Bill Belichick?
Speaker 4 (13:22):
Uh, you look at what he's done with two different teams.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
I've won an affiliate but got him to the Super
Bowl and numerous.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
NFC US of games, numerous numerous.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
I think I think there's a brilliance to that that
should it should be honored and appreciated. I mean, you know,
let's see how long he keeps going, you know.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
I mean he wins US when and then he can
win it. You know, let's just add him up.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
You know.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
I saw Belichick last night of Honors with all those rings. Man,
It's it's hard to argue eight rings, right, you know
what I'm saying, especially at this level. But Andy Reid
is certain in that category.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
So do you have winning?
Speaker 4 (14:03):
Do I have to?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
You don't have to, But I'm asking, I'm asking no.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
I'll go back to my statement, it's Philly's time.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
I Philly's going to do it.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
It's now, because if they don't, I think it's it's
they got more to lose.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
You go back to you with super Bowl forty four.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
What was it like in this city when you delivered
the Super Bowl championship to this place?
Speaker 2 (14:23):
What was that like for you?
Speaker 3 (14:25):
And I wish I could transplant you into.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
And visualize what we saw.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Man, it was like I can visualize it right now,
Like getting on that Super Bowl float at the Superdome
as we were about to go on this kind of
four hour tour through downtown and literally Walden like you
couldn't see brick streets, not you just saw bodies. You
saw people smiles like tears of joy, so happy, like
(14:52):
it meant so much to them and it was the
culmination of this four year journey. From when we all
got here in two thousand and six, six months post Katrina,
like having no idea what we were signing up for,
but realizing also that there was something specially here and
this was truly a calling for all of us, and
all of us were somewhat castaways, you know, Man, we
weren't desired by a lot of others, and yet we
were embraced by this city, and so we felt a
(15:13):
great sense of responsibility to give this fan base in
the city what they deserved.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
What did that do for you as a man? I
remember Hurricane Katrina. I remember the catastrophe that it was
and how it ravaged this city.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
We saw bodies.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Floating in the streets for crying out loud. That's and
that organization, that team led by you took the bull
bottle horn per se and really regalvanized a city, Saints
fans everywhere, certainly this area of the country. What did
that do for you as just a man being the
(15:48):
face of the city, because that's how it got to
that point when it came to resuscitating and resurrecting the
city at that time.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
I know this will resonate with you, but there's been
so much suffering in I think this region for so long,
you know, whether it's the hurricanes to come through, or
it's the BP oil spill, or it's the tragedy on
Bourbon Street, like it's it's just kind of one hit
after another, right, and the more that you suffer, I
feel like when you get to those those moments of
joy and togetherness and when you accomplish something that you
(16:19):
know you just thought might never happen, it's just such
a sense of gratitude. So for me, it was gratitude
because quite honestly, coming here to New Orleans was a
second chance for me.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
I thought that I may ever play football game.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
I felt like my dream was just after the just
being ripped away from me coming off of my shoulder
entry from San Diego. And I think a lot of
guys felt that when they came, they felt like this was,
you know, maybe the last stop for the last opportunity,
And so there was just that feeling of appreciation and
gratitude for the opportunity to be here, to be a
part of something so special that most people don't get
a chance to be a part of in their lifetime.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
How does it still affect you to this day?
Speaker 1 (16:53):
When you think about you being in this city, being
here right now, yeah, I mean it's still Drew Brees
City because the Saints haven't done anything since you've been gone,
So it's still your city.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
You understand that, right.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
You know.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Honestly, I feel a great sense of responsibility, like still
to the people, to the city. I want to continue
to see this city put its best foot forward. I
want I want people to talk great about New Orleans.
I want people to walk away from here saying, man,
there's something special about that place, the culture of the tradition,
and they just know how to treat people.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
And you know, wherever you go in the world, it's amazing. Man,
I could be.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
I remember, it's in the Netherlands with my wife, just
like having a nice, you know, vacation together, and all
of a sudden I hear from across the street who that.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
It's like man, they're everywhere right.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
And I think the story of New Orleans resonates with
people because there's a part of everybody that man, they
felt that struggle, they felt that hardship, and then to
see others overcome and come together and accomplish something amazing,
it just resonates with everyone.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Now, you and mister Rob Gronkowski himself.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Gronk himself, you've teamed up with Bounty paper Tower for
the Everyone's Wingman campaign.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Talking about that for a second.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Well, so, so Gronk has been the Bounty Man for
three years now, and last year he went to the
Super Bowling His wing man was Julian Edelman, right, his
former teammates. So he's coming to New Orleans this year
super BONI. He's like, who should I ask to be
my wing man? So I got a call from Gronk saying, man,
we beat my wing man in New Orleans. I've never
been in New Orleans. I've never hung out in Orleans,
which is hard to believe that Rob Gronkowski has never
hung out and had a good.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Time in New Orleans.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Right. So I was like, man, this is kind of
a dangerous proposition. I don't know if I should say
yes to this. But you know what, gron He's like, Man,
I'm a little I'm a calmer, I'm a little more.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Did you get approval from the White Yeah?
Speaker 4 (18:25):
I did.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
I just got to get to hang out with Gronk.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
She's like, all right, man, show Gronk a good time.
You know he needs to experience the full New Orleans treatment.
So I'm like, all right, I got him. So we
didnt run around Radio Row having.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
A good time running around with Gronk, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
I know, but.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Exhausted.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
We were serving up wings. I was where's the buffalo?
Speaker 3 (18:41):
We had some buffalo and barbecue wings to go with
your New York pizza and some of the other man
will bring you some mettu fe will take good care
of you here in New Orleans.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
But when you make that mess, we got Bounty to
take care of it.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
By the way, you had a problem with me eat
some pizza? Was there a problem with that? Is already
all right for me to get the crawfish on it.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
No crawl fish on pete.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
So look, you know, hey, don't knock until you try it.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
I might try it just for you, just because you
asked me to, Just because you asked me to.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
What is that?
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Oh lord, see there you go. There we go.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Man, y'all trying to y'all trying to elevate my cholesterol. Love,
I'm trying to get healthy.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Man, all right, man, all right, church to see it.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
No doubt. The one and only Drew Brees in the
house right here on the stephen A Smith show,
Host
Stephen A. Smith
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