When will Drew Brees make the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Saints quarterback Drew Brees is officially retired, which means his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is on the way.

Legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees announced his retirement, so it’s time to start counting down the days until he is wearing a gold jacket.

Players become eligible for the NFL Hall of Fame when they have been retired for at least five seasons.

That means Brees will be eligible to be voted into the hall as early as 2026, assuming he doesn’t pull a Brett Favre and come out of retirement in a few weeks.

Drew Brees will make the NFL Hall of Fame in due time

The simple fact is Brees will be a Hall-of-Famer sooner than later. He’s one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game, with the numbers and the ring to prove it.

He ended his 20-year career with 80,358 passing yards. That’s more than any other passer in history. While Tom Brady is likely to take the crown during the 2021 season and beyond, it’ll be a long while before anyone knocks Brees out of second place.

In terms of impact, Brees is up there with the best of them. His career approximate value is second all-time. He’s No. 1 in passes completed and No. 2 in pass attempts, passing touchdowns, passing yards per game, pass completion percentage and game-winning drives.

The story of Brees is just as impressive as his numbers. He was a Pro-Bowl quarterback and AP Comebacker Player of the Year with the Chargers in the early 2000s, but the team moved on to Phillip Rivers, leaving Brees to prove himself elsewhere. He signed with the Saints and became an all-time great with 12 Pro Bowl campaigns and a Super Bowl victory.

Brees helped the Saints lift the spirit of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A few years later, in 2010, he drove the franchise to victory in Super Bowl XLIV.

With that illustrious career, it’s not a question of if, but when, Brees will be inducted.