Brees Tells Chiefs’ Kelce Classic Story About Schottenheimer

I was pissed

The year before Schottenheimer arrived in San Diego, the Chargers drafted Drew Brees in the second round. And even though Brees beat out Flutie in 2002, Schottenheimer made every day a job interview for Brees. The new Hall of Famer shared the story with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on this week’s edition of New Heights.

“He backed me up for three years after that,” said Brees, referring to Flutie. “I was benched three times in those three years with Marty Schottenheimer. Yeah, the first one, I deserved it. The second one, kind of. The third one, I didn't think I deserved it, and I was pissed.

“And had a knock-down, drag-out screaming match with Marty Schottenheimer on the sideline in December, at Pittsburgh, and then in the hallway after, and then in his office the next day.”

Schottenheimer’s starting quarterback for two years in Kansas City was Joe Montana. So, by the time the legendary head coach took over the Chargers, he wasn’t about to allow a young Brees to tell him how he should run the team.

“At the end of the day,” Brees concluded, “I knew this: Marty was always making decisions that he thought were in the best interest of the team, even if I didn't agree with him. But I loved the man and he developed me in so many ways, character, leadership. But I loved and respected that man so much.”

Schottenheimer, who passed away five years ago this week, served as Chiefs head coach from 1989-98. He led the team to the postseason seven times in nine years and finished 104-65-1 at the reins of the Chiefs.

In the mold of Mahomes

And before launching a 21-year career as a head coach, he was a middle linebacker for the AFL’s Buffalo Bills and Boston Patriots. That might’ve been why he kept Brees in check with the savvy Flutie ready to step in.

Brees said the best thing that happened to him was getting drafted by the Chargers in 2001 and paired with Flutie. And looking back 25 years later, Brees said Patrick Mahomes has a lot of Flutie in him.

“He was Mahomes before Mahomes,” Brees said, “from the perspective of just pure niftyness.

“And Doug Flutie at times would back-pedal a seven-step drop from under center. When's the last time you saw that? This is like Fran Tarkenton stuff. He was just an old-school dude. He did pushups, situps, ran hills and played basketball. That was his strength and conditioning program, and just threw the ball, just played ball -- backyard ball.”

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