Broncos Reportedly Wanted Drew Brees to Come Out of Retirement For AFC Championship Game Last Season After Bo Nix’s Injury

It’s an open secret that Sean Payton drafted Bo Nix because Nix’s playing style closely resembles that of his former protege, Drew Brees. When Nix hurt his ankle and couldn’t play in the AFC Championship Game, the Denver Broncos’ coaching staff came up with an extraordinary plan.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Payton’s colleagues approached Drew Brees to come out of retirement and start for them in the conference title game against the New England Patriots. Schefter noted that Brees later hinted at the same in a February episode of the New Heights podcast, hosted by the Kelce brothers, Jason and Travis Kelce.

Something happened where I thought there might be a chance where I could play that week.

Brees told the brothers

Brees didn’t elaborate too much on the subject. Schefter later learned that Denver’s then-offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and offensive assistant Pete Carmichael had discussed playing in the championship game with Brees. Payton reportedly was both fascinated and flabbergasted by the idea.

Brees retired after the 2020 season as one of the greatest passers to ever play in the NFL. He is on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. NFL bylaws dictate that a player must be retired for five or more years to become eligible for induction. If Brees had played this year, then he would have to wait until 2031 for a Gold Jacket.

After the Broncos lost starting QB Bo Nix in their OT playoff win against the Bills, Denver's assistant coaches had discussions with Drew Brees about the former star QB coming out of retirement for the AFC Championship Game, sources told @AdamSchefter. https://t.co/8mekmaef0y

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 14, 2026

Moreover, there’s doubt regarding the condition of his shoulder. In a 2024 interview with ESPN, the Super Bowl winner hinted that he can no longer throw with his right arm.

I can drop a dime like 30 yards, left-handed…  you need a little bit more than that to compete at this level. I throw left-handed with the boys, with everything. Anything below my shoulder, below the waist, racket sports, golf, that’s fine.

Drew Bress said

It would have been fascinating to see Brees wear a Denver jersey. He was 2-8 against the AFC West franchise in his career. He threw for 2041 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions.

The Broncos probably thought about asking for Brees’ help after seeing the Indianapolis Colts bring back Philip Rivers from retirement. After Daniel Jones tore his ACL, the Colts were left with rookie Riley Leonard to handle quarterback duties. With no other option left, the Colts approached former quarterback Philip Rivers to save their season. Rivers went 0-3, throwing 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. The Colts missed the playoffs.

Why didn’t Bo Nix play in the AFC Championship game?

Nix went 10-7 in his rookie NFL campaign. In year two, he had the best win record in the conference, 14-3. Denver won the AFC No. 1 seed.

In the divisional game against the Buffalo Bills, he completed 26 of 46 passes for 279 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. The Broncos won 33-30 in overtime. However, the joy of reaching the conference title game after a ten-year wait was short-lived. At the post-game press conference, Sean Payton broke the devastating news. Nix had suffered a major ankle injury and would not play against the Patriots.

Nix’s second season in the NFL ended with 388 completions for 3931 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He further rushed for 5 touchdowns.

Payton turned to backup Jarrett Stidham, who hadn’t played a game since the 2024 season. Stidham threw 17 completions for 133 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, and took 3 sacks as the Broncos lost 10-7.

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