The Denver Broncos tragically lost Bo Nix following the AFC Divisional Round victory over the Buffalo Bills. Nix broke his ankle on the second-to-last play of the game, right before the Broncos kicked a game-winning field goal to send the team to the AFC Championship Game.
When the news of Nix's injury broke, it felt like getting punched in the mouth. It was one of the more unexpected things that the NFL has seen play out in quite some time, and, unfortunately, Jarrett Stidham was not able to play well enough for Denver to win the following week.
But after a major bombshell from Adam Schefter on the Monday Night Football pregame show, the Broncos had some degree of interest in Drew Brees coming out of retirement to play for the team in the AFC title game.
Adam Schefter dropped a Denver Broncos QB bombshell during the MNF pre-game telecast
Yes, this isn't fake. Schefter reported that Pete Carmichael and Joe Lombardi, two long-time Sean Payton assistants and former Broncos' coaches, privately reached out to Brees to gauge his interest in coming back to play for the team:
ESPN sources: Hall-of-Fame QB Drew Brees mulled playing for the Denver Broncos in last season’s AFC Championship game.https://t.co/SfsBCUPjLz
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 14, 2026
Brees ultimately decided not to due to some discomfort he found in his wrist, so it didn't happen, but this type of story just makes your jaw drop, and frankly, it's not surprising. Given how unexpected the injury was, and also it coming at the most important position in sports, there could have been countless other quarterbacks the Broncos considered when the emotions were running high.
Calling Brees honestly was not a bad idea, as he and Payton built Hall of Fame careers with each other, spending time together with the New Orleans Saints from 2006-2020. It would have been a nearly impossible lift from Brees, who turned 47 years old back in January, but Brees working out at least makes is believe he strongly considered the idea.
Across his final six seasons in the NFL, Brees had six-straight 100+ passer rating seasons. He finished his Saints' career with 491 touchdown passes in those 15 seasons, also adding 142 wins and 68,010 passing yards.
The Saints won the Super Bowl against the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts back in the 2009 season, and both Payton and Brees worked hand in hand in producing some of the league's best offenses.
If Brees had taken the field for the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, it would have been one of the more unlikely and wild scenarios in the history of professional sports.
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