Report: Drew Brees, NBC part ways after only one year

Future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees retired from the NFL after the 2020 season and joined NBC as an analyst, but his time with the network is reportedly already over.

According to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, Brees will not return to the network for the 2022 season. Marchand says the decision "seemed mutual," as Brees preferred in-game analysis rather than work from the studio, while NBC "soured" on the idea of the former New Orleans Saints quarterback eventually taking over for Cris Collinsworth on "Sunday Night Football".

Brees, 43, was reportedly pursued by ESPN to join the network's "Monday Night Football" broadcasts, but chose an offer from NBC that was believed to valued in the range of $6 million per year.

Earlier this month, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady reportedly reached a 10-year, $375 million deal with FOX Sports to be the network's lead NFL analyst after his playing career is over.

Brees played 20 NFL seasons with the then-San Diego Chargers and the Saints, throwing for 80,358 passing yards and 571 touchdown passes. Both of those are second all-time behind only Brady. 

During the 2021 season, Brees was the color commentator for a playoff game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Cincinnati Bengals, but was widely criticized for his performance by viewers. One notable moment was a Joe Burrow touchdown pass that seemed to have an inadvertent whistle during the middle of the play. Several minutes after the play, Mike Tirico talked about the whistle which Brees claimed to have heard but didn't mention at the time it happened.