Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for over 80,000 yards during his NFL career with a strong right arm.
Drew Brees revealed Tuesday that, just three years after retiring from the NFL, he is no longer able to throw with his right arm.
Back in 2005 during his time with the San Diego Chargers, Brees dislocated his right shoulder and tore his labrum. It was an injury that made many franchises stay away from him but he recovered and signed with the New Orleans Saints, the club he enjoyed 15 successful seasons with. He briefly held the all-time records for passing yards and touchdown passes before Tom Brady sailed past him in both categories.
His injury also set the stage for Philip Rivers to take over as well.
Now in retirement, Brees is feeling the effects of the 2005 injury.
During a recent interview on ESPN’s “Greeny,” the future Pro Football Hall of Famer revealed his right arm “does not work” anymore, and he has to throw left-handed.
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“I’ll let you in on a little fact: I don’t throw with my right arm anymore. My right arm does not work,” Brees said. “So, when I throw in the backyard right now, I throw left-handed. I can play pickleball just because it’s below the waist. But anything above my shoulders, I’ve got a hard time with.
“It’s definitely a result of the injury that I suffered when I left San Diego. The dislocated right shoulder and all that stuff that I thought I may never play again. So that kind of put me on the fast track to a degenerative shoulder, and all kinds of arthritic changes and stuff like that. But I don’t throw with my right arm anymore. If I could, I would absolutely still be playing.”
Brees turns 45 years old in January.
“If my arm wasn’t put together with 13 anchors, I’d play until I was 45,” Brees said last year.
The 44-year-old is destined for the Hall of Fame and stamped his place as one of the best QBs ever. Brees is eligible to be enshrined in Canton in 2026.
