The Function of My Right Arm is Impaired

Drew Brees isn’t going to try and mount a comeback.

At this point, he revealed on Tuesday, that’s just not physically possible.

The longtime former New Orleans Saints quarterback and future Hall of Famer told ESPN’s Evan Cohen this week that he can’t even throw a ball with his right arm anymore due to a major shoulder injury that he dealt with back in 2005. While there may have been a few teams that put out “a feeler or two” after he first retired in 2021, Brees is done playing for good.

“Look, I’ll let you in on a little fact. I don’t throw with my right arm anymore. My right arm doesn’t work,” Brees . “So when I throw in the back yard right now, I throw left-handed.”

Brees went down with his shoulder injury in 2005 when he was playing with the San Diego Chargers. He took a hit while trying to recover a fumble late that season, and ended up completely dislocating his right shoulder, and partially tearing both his labrum and rotator cuff.

That injury nearly ended his career and required major surgery, something that later scared the Miami Dolphins away from signing him the next year.

“[That injury] put me on the fast track to a degenerative shoulder and all kinds of arthritic changes and stuff like that,” he said. “So no, I don’t throw with my right arm anymore.”

Drew Brees went down with a dislocated shoulder, torn labrum and rotator cuff in 2005 with the San Diego Chargers, something he's still feeling today. — Drew Brees went down with a dislocated shoulder, torn labrum and rotator cuff in 2005 with the San Diego Chargers, something he’s still feeling today. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) (Mike Ehrmann via Getty Images)

Brees instead landed with the Saints, where he returned to the field and spent the last 15 years of his NFL career before retiring after the 2020 campaign. He won a Super Bowl in New Orleans, was named to 13 All-Pro teams and led the league in passing yards seven times — including twice in his first three seasons with the Saints after his shoulder surgery. Brees threw for 80,358 yards in his career, which is second all-time only to former New England Patriots great Tom Brady.

Brees, who is now 44, will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026.

Brees is now a part owner of a professional pickleball team, and was talking with ESPN to promote an event where he played alongside John McEnroe. Thankfully, he said, his shoulder injury isn’t hindering him there.