Drew Brees retired from the NFL Sunday as one of the greatest quarterbacks to every play the position.
He was a second-round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers way back in 2001, and he leaves the league as the NFL’s all-time leader in career passing yards, completions and completion percentage, not to mention the five All-Pro honors, two Offensive Player of the Year awards and the Super Bowl XLIV MVP.
He built a resume that will be impossible to top.
And there’s 5 things any entrepreneur can take from what led to the enormous success Brees experienced and apply it to their career…
1. It doesn’t matter where you came from.
Name the college Drew Brees attended. Oh, you can’t? Don’t sweat it, It’s a University that hasn’t been relevant in football since before he arrived or after he left.
Brees went to the non college football powerhouse Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, which is known more for turning out great engineers than quarterbacks.
Whey did he go to the middle of nowhere in the middle of the country? Because it was one of the few Division One schools that offered him a scholarship, even though he was a hotshot high school quarterback in Austin, Texas.
While he didn’t go to a football factory like Tom Brady (Michigan) or Peyton Manning (Tennessee), Brees never let that stop him from becoming a starter, start and record-breaking quarterback there.
By the way, in the one Super Bowl Brees won for the Saints, he beat Peyton Manning in it.
If you as an entrepreneur don’t have what would be considered a “championship pedigree” it will play no bearing on how successful you can be.
Use it as fuel. Develop a chip on your shoulder if you feel you’ve been overlooked.
2. Size Does Matter,,, but only when measuring heart, hunger and drive.
Brees is 5’11”. Do you know how many pro football hall of fame quarterbacks are that size? One, Fran Tarkenton.
Brees was told by every pro scout that evaluated him he was too short to become an NFL starter. They were all wrong.
What does height have to do with talent or drive? Nothing. He didn’t tower over defensive ends, so he became more mobile, and had a quicker release to over come it.
He figured out how to overcome what might be a competitive disadvantage and made it completely irrelevant.
3. Create A Legacy
Brees came to the city of New Orleans when it needed someone like him the most.
He provided the city with hope and inspiration right after Hurricane Katrina destroyed parts of the city. He and the New Orleans Saints were the single most important extension of the city. They showed residents they could be winners. His impact cannot be underestimated.
Consequently, he built a bond with the city that could not be broken. He contributed and raised millions for charity. He became a part of the community.
Leaving was never an option, because of how invested he was in the city of New Orleans, and he’ll have lifelong benefits because of it.
Sean Payton, the head coach of the Saints summed up the legacy Brees created perfectly.
“When I was hired by the Saints as a head coach in 2006, the very first goal was to establish a functional and winning culture,” Saints coach Sean Payton wrote in a statement, via Nick Underhill. “In doing so, it was vital to know what we were looking for in a player, talent, work ethic, makeup, intelligence and leadership are all qualities we found in Drew Brees. We also found a player with a burning desire to win. Within a year, he helped lead our team to the club’s first NFC championship appearance.
“Throughout his career, his consistency and dedication and excellence were unparalleled. In a very short period of time, he would help lead a region to recovery and a team to a Super Bowl championship. He was a magnificent leader both on and off the field. His attention to detail and competitive spirit were infectious. For all of us that have had the chance to coach him, it has been our privilege, we are better for it.”
4. Show up for work
You know what it takes to set all the all-time records Brees owns? Toughness. Because he had to be on the field to record the stats, and that meant fighting through a lot of nagging injuries and a whole lot of pain.
From 2006 until 20018, Brees missed a total of two starts for the Saints.
He was dependable. Reliable. He would be on the field and at practice every single week, setting the tone for his teammates and making sure his team was in position to have the best opportunity to win.
You think it would have been easier for him to sit a few dozen games out? Call in sick? Yeah, but he never, ever did.
And he’s a hall of fame and all time legend because of it.
5. Have your next step in mind.
Part of the reason it wasn’t a total and complete shock that Brees retired was he already had his next step planned. He was going to slide right into the NBC Sunday Night Football announcer booth. The only question was when.
NBC courted him two years ago, and locked him up early.
There’s nothing more sad than a former legend who just can’t figure out that next chapter in his his life and career. There’s a very good chance Brees will be as good as a broadcaster as he was as a player, because he’s been planning for it for years, and he’ll bring the same intangibles to his next career as he did as a player.
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