Payton and Brees, стр. 73
Off the field, Payton put down roots, as well. In November 2019, he became engaged to longtime girlfriend Skylene Montgomery and the couple moved into a new house, a classic antebellum home in the heart of New Orleans’ Uptown neighborhood. They regularly go for walks to nearby Audubon Park and take bike rides around the neighborhood.
“He’s come to love New Orleans,” Loomis said. “And I think it means something that he’s done it for as long as has in one place, like a Tom Landry or a Don Shula. There’s a little pride in that.”
Only three years ago, Payton had wandering eyes. He seriously flirted with leaving. Now says he says he doesn’t want to coach anywhere else and plans to end his coaching career in New Orleans.
“I’ve got fleur-de-lis tattoos that can’t be erased!” Payton cracked in a 2019 interview with WWL-AM radio in New Orleans.
At some point, he knows the run will end. But for now, he’s happy and committed to trying to win another Super Bowl for the city he’s called home for the past decade and a half.
25. 40 Is the New 30
Drew Brees turned 41 on January 15, 2020. One month and three days later, he announced his plans to return for the 2020 season, which would be his 20th in the NFL. In eschewing a potential eight-figure annual salary to work as a network television analyst, Brees joined an exclusive fraternity. Earl Morrall (21 seasons), Vinny Testaverde (21), Tom Brady (21), and Brett Favre (20) are the only NFL quarterbacks to play the position for two decades.
But Brees’ decision to return did not come without serious contemplation. Once Brees reached his mid-thirties, he said he began taking his career year to year. But this was the first time he seriously considered retirement. Just a year earlier he was convinced he would play into his mid-forties. But things changed during the 2019 season. He suffered the first serious injury of his Saints career in a Week 3 loss to the Rams in Los Angeles. TV network executives began courting his services. And his family and business obligations grew larger than ever.
During his exit interview after the Saints’ disappointing 26–20 playoff loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Brees told Payton he needed some time to contemplate his future. Emotions were high. Tears were shed. Hugs exchanged. With his contract set to expire that March, it was a good time to take a step back and consider his options.
During Brees’ month-long period of contemplation, Payton turned into a recruiter. He texted Brees daily. Some of the messages were of support and encouragement. Some lobbied for his return. One of Payton’s texts read, “You know, there’s 500,000 people that are as talented as you in the business world. There might be 10 people as talented as you if you want to get into TV. And then probably two or three if you want to play quarterback in the world.”
If it were up to Brees’ competitive side, the decision would have been simple. But it was much more complicated than that. Things change when you reach 40, especially with a growing family in tow. Priorities recalibrate. Life views alter.
At this stage of his life, Brees had myriad considerations to ponder—first and foremost, his family. How much longer could he ask them to sacrifice for his career? How much longer could he and Brittany divide the kids between schools in New Orleans and Del Mar? Then there was the question of his health. He missed only six games because of injury in 14 years with the Saints. But how long would this game of Russian roulette last in a league where the defenders grow bigger, stronger, and faster each year?
“In the beginning of your career, you don’t know what you don’t know,” Brees said, explaining his thought process at the time. “So the more that you have a chance to be around great coaches and other great players, you begin to learn how to become a pro. And you know what? At some point, you kind of formulate that routine of, all right, now I’ve got it down. Now I’ve got the preparation down, right?
“Well, what people don’t realize is that preparation, as you get older, it’s not like that goes away. It’s not like each week I sit there and go, ‘Oh, man. I’ve started like 300 NFL games. I’ve seen it; I’ve done it. I don’t need to prepare the way I used to.’ No. You’re going through the same process that you always have, the same number of hours watching the film and going through the checklist of things. So, the grind remains mentally, psychologically, the stress of, ‘What if they do this?’ and ‘I’ve got to have a plan for this.’ So you’re still investing that time. Well, oh, by the way, you’re getting older, so you’ve got to spend even more time on your body. And, oh, by the way, your kids are getting older. They’re involved in more things that you want to be a part of—more time. So at some point, there is a breaking point, right? Where there’s just not enough hours in the day to do all the things that you need to do, and want to do, that fulfills you and balances you out to be able to go and play the game—and play it at the highest level.”
In his 19th NFL season, Brees started to sense his career mortality for the first time. When he returned from his thumb injury, he quipped about playing on borrowed time. When he set the passing touchdowns record in October, he spoke wistfully about his career passing in front of his eyes. A historian of