A football team is only as good as its leader. Sometimes that leader comes in the form of a head coach, while other times it’s a player. In New Orleans, the Saints turn to their quarterback. Sean Payton is a tremendous coach, but there is no questioning the fact that Drew Brees is the most important leader for the Saints. Otherwise, they would have more trouble putting together organized team workouts with a 30-plus player turnout during the lockout.
Not only has Brees done everything necessary to make sure his team is practicing together during the labor dispute, he’s even covered most of the cost. According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, via Pro Football Talk, the man who allegedly played through two serious injuries a season ago has reached into his own pockets to make sure his team can continue workouts.
The Saints signal caller has paid for Tulane staff to help out during practices and flown in his personal trainer to oversee the team’s conditioning program. He also arranged for the Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine to provide insurance for those who need it, and he provided lodging for some of the younger players on the team.
Brees is going to make a lot more money than his teammates, but that doesn’t mean he has to do this stuff. I can’t think of a better way to show your commitment to the team than by tapping into your own bank account to keep workouts on schedule. Think about it, we’ve seen some players resort to working out in parking lots during the lockout, so there is little doubt New Orleans is going above and beyond. If the Saints win the Super Bowl in 2011, this will be what everyone turns to as a main reason why. Every NFL team should have a Drew Brees.
