New Orleans Saints Are Wasting the End of Drew Brees’ HOF Career

There will be a midsummer night sometime in the future when Drew Brees steps up to a podium in Canton, Ohio, and slips on his gold jacket for the first time.

His inclusion in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a mere matter of waiting. The first wait is simply for his career to end, and the 37-year-old has bounced back nicely from a poor season by his high standards in 2014. Now he’s not showing any sign of slowing despite the forever-ticking age clock.

The second wait will be whether he enters on the first ballot. That’s a conversation for another time, and for now let’s make the safe assumption that Brees will be staring back at a replica of his face one day.

When that day comes we’ll remember his greatness, and more specifically the offensive fireworks he produced through pinpoint deep passing. We’ll still be awestruck by the ballooning passing numbers he pumped out, which now includes his membership in a unique club, as noted by SportsCenter:

Drew Brees joins elite company as he becomes 1 of 6 players to record 50,000 Pass Yds with a single team. pic.twitter.com/lFy26KCvJ3

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 16, 2016

But we’ll look back with regret, too. That feeling is growing with each wasted season.

The Saints have been blessed with a passer who’s among the best in his era at the most challenging position in football. And yet, due to circumstances out of the quarterback’s control, they’ve made the playoffs just five times during Brees’ 10 full seasons in New Orleans.

Even worse, as the prime of his career winds down the Saints have missed the postseason in three of the past four years. And 2016 isn’t exactly off to a promising start with the Saints sporting a 2-3 record after Week 6.

The Saints are traveling down a familiar road again, one that ends with another lost season even as a masterful passer keeps catapulting his darts to every area of the field.

The darkness closes in further when we compare Brees to the few peers on his level. Peyton Manning is in the early days of his retirement, and the Indianapolis Colts missed the playoffs just twice during his 13 years there. The New England Patriots have been consistent contenders with Tom Brady as their quarterback, whiffing on the postseason only once during his 15 years under center (excluding 2008 when he played one game).

The Saints, meanwhile, are batting only .500 with their playoff appearances since Brees arrived in 2006. And …

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