Class of 2026: Drew Brees honors Saints, New Orleans in emotional Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement speech

Undersized by NFL quarterbacking standards, Drew Brees grew into one of the giants of the game.

A consummate player. A humble leader. A city's caretaker and champion.

Brees, who overcame any perceived physical limitations with skill, savvy and smarts to become a Super Bowl winner, was enshrined Saturday into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It was the crowning achievement to a football journey that began with questions about whether he could succeed.

Instead, he redefined what it means to be a quarterback.

“I don’t take for granted that I got to play the most coveted position in all of sports," he said. "From as far back as I can remember, I wanted to play quarterback. I never saw the position as one of pressure but rather one of great responsibility.”

As much a fixture in New Orleans as Bourbon Street, Brees was enshrined as the headliner of a sterling 2026 class that included wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, running back Roger Craig, linebacker Luke Kuechly and kicker Adam Vinatieri.

Brees' enshrinement — in his first year on the ballot — concluded the emotional ceremony, which was both a nod to his stature and a fitting finale since the event is held annually at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, named after the longtime Saints owner who donated $11 million for its refurbishment.

When Brees arrived in Canton earlier this week, he was surprised to find a No. 9 jersey draped on a statue of Benson that stands behind one of the end zones.

Brees was cheered by thousands of Saints fans from around the country, many of them decked out in the team's black and gold colors and the glitzy adornments that make New Orleans backers unique in the NFL.

So much of Brees' speech touched on his 15 seasons with the Saints, a team that became his extended family, and in New Orleans, a city that became home.

He recalled that when he and his wife, Brittany, first moved to the Big Easy in 2006, they quickly were welcomed by neighbors who didn't leave cookies or brownies at their doorstep but native Louisiana dishes like crawfish etouffee, jambalaya and gumbo.

“Welcome to New Orleans,” he said.

Beyond that, Brees, who carried the Saints to their only Super Bowl title in 2010, spoke of his deep love for New Orleans and its resiliency in fighting back after being devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

“Storms teach us that our greatest treasures aren’t the things we own,” Brees said, his voiced choked with emotion. "They’re the people we love and the way we show up for one another. It reminds us to hold our loved ones a little closer, to love a little harder, to laugh a little louder and to never take a single day for granted.

“Sometimes it takes losing what can be replaced to truly appreciate the things that can’t. 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.

"If you love New Orleans, it will love you back.”

In 20 seasons, Brees, who began his career with San Diego before joining the Saints as a free agent in 2006, finished with 80,358 yards passing and 571 touchdowns, second in both categories to only Tom Brady. He made the Pro Bowl 13 times.

Not gifted with a rocket arm or size, the 6-foot Brees always found a way whether wriggling out of pressure in the pocket to pick up a first down or engineering a late-game comeback win.

An excellent all-around high school athlete in Texas, Brees dreamed of a pro baseball career before accepting a scholarship to play football at Purdue. He thrived in coach Joe Tiller's wide-open offense, leading the Boilermakers to their first Rose Bowl in 34 years while becoming one of the most prolific passers in Big Ten history.

But because of his size, scouts weren't convinced his game would translate to the NFL, and Brees was drafted in the second round by the Chargers in 2001. He led San Diego to the playoffs once before a shoulder injury set the stage for his departure.

Former Saints coach Sean Payton, who presented Brees, decided to build the Saints around the QB, and that connection made history.

“Coach, you were brilliant,” Brees told Payton. “I saw myself as an extension of you on that field. I always had something to prove to you, and I always wanted to make you right. And I know you trusted me, and that allowed us both to be great.”

Brees fondly recalled that after winning in Dallas, Payton would have the team plane circle New Orleans and turn a one-hour flight into a three-hour party so his players could savor the victory.

“You always had a plan and vision for every player you coached,” Brees said. “I'm not sure if this is how you envisioned my journey or how big a role you would play in it. But I love you for it.”

Family has always been at the center of his life and Brees praised his four children for being his “greatest accomplishment and greatest responsibility” along with helping him train, study film and “brave the cold tub.”

“I played longer than I ever imagined, in many ways because you continued to ignite my love and passion for the game as I saw it through your eyes,” he said. “You are forever my greatest inspiration.”

Brees also saluted his Saints teammates, who were with him during every step of his path to immortality. The bonds they formed are unbreakable.

“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,” he said. “As time passes, those feelings don’t diminish; they become stronger. 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. It represents the history of this game, the great men who pioneered its existence, but most importantly, it represents you.”

Brees finished by yelling an emphatic “Who Dat!” to Saints fans who then returned the love to the quarterback who delivered on every promise.

“Who Dat!” they cheered.