Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Legendary NFL quarterback Drew Brees recently opened up about the core motivation that fueled two decades of elite performance.
- His answer centers on the deep connections formed through shared struggle and mutual reliance, not just personal achievement.
- The interview comes ahead of a major career milestone that will honor the collective journey behind his success.
Whether you're a pro making millions of dollars, pushing your personal limits in a local pick-up game or just throwing the ball around in your backyard — everyone has a ready why they play.
For NFL legend Drew Brees, it was love of the game and love of his teammates:
"You know, never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd played 20 years in the NFL, but I did it because I loved the game, but more importantly, I loved being part of a team. And I loved the work and the grind that went into it, and then be able to go out there on Sundays and being so dependent upon your teammates and knowing that they were so dependent upon you, and just feeling like, man, you were just like in it together."
Brees appeared on the What's Your Y? podcast, talking with hosts Wyatt Spaulding and Zach Best, on behalf of Neffy, the only needle-free epinephrine spray.
Brees retired at the end of the 2020 NFL season but that doesn't mean he's left sports behind. He's part of the broadcast teams at Fox and Netflix. He plays basketball, he surfs, he mountain bikes. He coaches high school football, and will have all three of his sons on the team next season. He supports his daughter, a competitive gymnast. But all that sports experience doesn't mean he's the most competitive one in the Brees family ...
"I'll tell you what, my wife's pretty competitive. When we play board games, card games. I have to be on her team. I cannot be on the other team, or else she, she won't talk to me for a week. It's pretty funny. Like we had some pretty mean games of charades back in the day and she had to be on my team. Although she'd get frustrated if I couldn't, you know, figure out what she was trying to message."
Brees will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August and that "why," the thing that motivated him at the beginning of his career has been on his mind as he reflects back on his journey and all that sports have given him.
"The last 8 months has been this big reflection of just all the people and all the moments that got us here. How many people are going to be ... kind of walking into the Hall of Fame, you know ... with me. We certainly wouldn't be here without them. So much of my career was waking up every day saying, 'I've got something to prove,' and it's to prove them right.
Check out Wyatt and Zach's full interview with Brees above and subscribe to What's Your Y? wherever you get your podcasts.
Why We Play features stories about the power of sports to bring us together, overcome obstacles, make positive change and reach everyone. Read more here.
Severe allergies are a serious public health issue, impacting millions of families. Epinephrine is the only medication that can stop a severe allergic reaction and help prevent it from becoming life-threatening anaphylaxis. Drew has partnered with ARS Pharma to help raise awareness about the impact of severe allergies and treatment advances.
While avoidance of certain foods works well for some people, it doesn't mean they couldn't have a severe reaction, which is why doctors prescribe neffy. Many people are afraid of needles, which could delay epinephrine treatment. neffy delivers the same epinephrine as an injection, but in a needle-free nasal spray.
For more information, visit Neffy.com.
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