In a surprising turn of events, the Denver Broncos sought to lure Drew Brees out of retirement after Bo Nix sustained a season-ending ankle injury during the divisional round. This desperate measure aimed to secure a suitable replacement for Nix as the team prepared for the AFC Championship.

Former offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and offensive assistant Pete Carmichael reached out to Brees, who had recently turned 47, to explore the possibility of him stepping back onto the field for the Broncos. Brees, who had a successful tenure with the New Orleans Saints, showed interest and expressed a desire to work out before making a final decision on his return.

However, following the workout, Brees experienced wrist discomfort, leading to the end of discussions about his comeback. Interestingly, Sean Payton, Brees' longtime coach, was unaware of the pursuit initiated by Lombardi and Carmichael until later. The assistants aimed to gauge Brees' interest before informing Payton.

When Payton was briefed, he initially thought it pertained to a previous attempt to bring Brees back in 2021 when Jameis Winston was injured, and both Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian were unavailable due to COVID-19 protocols. Despite Brees leaving hints about his potential return during an offseason podcast, the plan ultimately fell through.

Brees officially retired in March 2021 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer, solidifying his legacy as one of the NFL's most celebrated quarterbacks.