Drew Brees can’t stop talking about how great he’d be at broadcasting jobs he doesn’t have

Drew Brees isn’t giving it a rest.

The former New Orleans Saints quarterback and soon-to-be Hall of Famer can’t stop talking about how great he’s going to be in the broadcast booth.

Brees has spent the last three years making the same bold predictions about his broadcasting future, and now Netflix is giving him another shot on Christmas Day. Based on his recent media tour, Brees is putting so much pressure on himself that he’s already writing checks he might not even be able to cash.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that I’d be one of the best broadcasters in the NFL, if given that opportunity,” Brees told Jim Rome earlier this week. “I’m excited to have that opportunity with Netflix on Christmas.”

For better or worse, this is just who Drew Brees has become. He’s merely a man who can’t stop telling anyone who will listen how great he’s going to be at broadcasting. His confidence has never wavered, even as the results — and lack of opportunities — would suggest otherwise.

“I love the game, and I would love to broadcast NFL games at some point again. I think I could be the best at it.”

“I think I could be the absolute best at it if given the opportunity.”

“I chuckle, because even as I look at the landscape right now, man, I have so much respect for a lot of the guys in the booth right now, but I would step in the booth right now and be a top-three guy.”

The Netflix Christmas Day games represent Brees’ biggest opportunity since that disastrous Raiders-Bengals playoff call in January 2022. That game should have been his coming-out party. Instead, it became Exhibit A in why former quarterbacks don’t automatically translate to the booth.

While fans were losing their minds over an errant whistle that potentially impacted a crucial touchdown, Brees ignored the controversy for nearly 10 minutes of real time. It was broadcasting malpractice, the kind of rookie mistake that gets you benched in any other profession.

NBC couldn’t figure out what to do with him after that. The network had signed Brees as a marquee free agent, expecting him to become their version of Tony Romo. Instead, they got a cautious analyst who seemed afraid to make any definitive statements about what he was watching.

But even now, Brees insists the split was mutual.

“It was my decision to step away from NBC. It was not theirs. They wanted me back,” Brees told Dan Patrick. “Unfortunately, I think it got reported a little bit differently, and now somehow, that’s become the narrative. It could not be further from the truth.”

The truth, according to Brees, is that there’s a level of work that goes into elite broadcasting. He’s talked to Cris Collinsworth. He’s talked to Troy Aikman. He understands there’s a “formula to being really, really great.” He understands there’s a process, a craft that takes years to master.

So why is he publicly guaranteeing excellence before he’s put in that work?

Because this is Drew Brees we’re talking about. He literally wrote a book, “Coming Back Stronger.” He has never lacked for self-belief. It’s the same impulse that drove his comeback from shoulder surgery. The same mentality that powered his legendary Saints career.

But in broadcasting, that kind of pressure can be paralyzing. When you’ve told the world you’re going to be one of the best, every stumble gets magnified, every awkward pause becomes evidence of failure.

Look at Tom Brady’s approach by comparison. He took a year off, prepared methodically, and while he certainly has confidence, he’s not making grandiose predictions about becoming the GOAT broadcaster. Brady seems to understand that broadcasting greatness is earned, not declared.

Brees, meanwhile, is setting expectations so high that anything short of perfection will feel like failure. He’s essentially turned his Netflix debut into a referendum on his entire post-playing career.

The tragedy is that Brees probably could become a solid broadcaster with time, patience, and realistic expectations. His football IQ is undeniable, and his ability to break down quarterback play could be valuable. But by positioning himself as a future legend before he’s even proven competent, he’s creating a narrative where success becomes impossible.

Christmas Day will tell us whether Drew Brees learned anything from his NBC disaster, or if he’s doomed to repeat it under even brighter lights. Based on his recent interviews, he’s already lost the most important battle, which is the one against his own expectations.