Adam Schefter of ESPN sparked significant attention in the NFL community just before the “Monday Night Football” game between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. He reported that the Broncos were in talks with Drew Brees regarding a potential return before their AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots in January.
The situation could result in complications with the league. According to Schefter, Broncos’ then-offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and offensive assistant Pete Carmichael spoke with Brees about potentially starting for Denver or backing up Jarrett Stidham. This discussion occurred after Bo Nix suffered an ankle injury during the Broncos’ win over the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round.
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During his workout, Brees experienced wrist discomfort, effectively ending the possibility of his return to play. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk challenged Schefter’s revelation, describing it as insignificant for two main reasons. First, the league requires retired players to return by Week 13 to be eligible for the remainder of the season and postseason. Second, Brees remains on the Saints’ reserve-retired list.
If New Orleans had released Brees to play in the AFC Championship, he would have been subject to waivers. Should Broncos personnel have spoken to Brees about playing for them without Saints’ permission, the matter of tampering could arise. Florio noted, “That doesn’t mean the Broncos didn’t talk to Brees, as Schefter reports.” However, if the Broncos’ staff spoke to Brees without appropriate permission, the league might consider it tampering.
This situation raises the question of whether the league will investigate the Broncos for potential tampering based on Schefter’s account. Even in the absence of a complaint from the Saints, the league could initiate an investigation.
Schefter mentioned that Sean Payton was unaware of the Broncos’ efforts to involve Brees in the AFC Championship until the offseason. Nonetheless, the head coach may need to manage any consequences resulting from the possible tampering actions of his staff from the previous season.