When former NFL quarterback Drew Brees takes center stage for the first time since he was under center for the New Orleans Saints, it will not be on Sunday Night Football, according to Sportico.
Speaking on a conference call earlier this week, NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood made it very clear that the 42-year-old is not in the running to take over for Cris Collinsworth on SNF — at least not yet.
Instead, the NFL’s current all-time leader in passing yardage (who will almost certainly be surpassed by Tom Brady on that list next season) will start out his post-NFL career calling Notre Dame games from South Bend alongside Mike Tirico. In addition to his Saturday duties in the booth with the Fighting Irish, Brees will work on Sunday alongside Tirico, Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison and Mike Florio in the studio on NBC’s live pregame show Football Night in America.
Brees, who said he is as excited to be in the booth with Tirico for NBC as he was to throw touchdown passes to Michael Thomas for the Saints, is aware of the success ex-QB-turned-broadcaster Tony Romo has had for CBS. But he isn’t going to try and imitate his former rival.
“Tony … very quickly showed football fans everywhere the way an NFL quarterback can see and process a game — obviously in a much different form than what they’ve seen or heard before,” Brees said. “The best piece of advice I’ve gotten so far when stepping into this business is ‘just be yourself.’ I’m going to talk like you’re sitting right next to me in my living room.”
A future first-ballot Hall of Famer with nearly 600 career touchdown passes, Brees is set to kick off his career with NBC on September 11. On the 18th, Notre Dame will play his alma mater Purdue.
“I will be impartial for every game, with the exception of the Purdue game,” Brees said. “My bloodlines run deep with the black-and-gold.”
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