Drew Brees makes surprising move with his TV career

Aug 23, 2018; Costa Mesa, CA, USA: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) reacts during joint practice against the Los Angeles Chargers at the Jack. R. Hammett Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Brees began working for NBC after he retired from the NFL, but the former New Orleans Saints star is already moving on to different things.

Brees will not return to NBC as an analyst next season, according to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post. Brees believed he would eventually become a game analyst when he took the job, but Cris Collinsworth is not going anywhere. Collinsworth will call games alongside Mike Tirico in 2022 now that Al Michaels has left for Amazon.

Brees worked primarily as a studio analyst with “Football Night in America” in his lone season at NBC. Network executives were not all that impressed and have “soured on Brees’ potential,” Marchand says. The decision to part ways was mutual.

A recent report claimed Brees is a candidate to become FOX’s top game analyst now that Troy Aikman and Joe Buck have left for ESPN. That plan seemingly hit a snag when Tom Brady agreed to a massive contract with FOX. However, Brady is playing at least one more season. That means FOX still needs another game analyst in the meantime.

Greg Olsen is the favorite to become FOX’s No. 1 analyst in 2022 alongside Kevin Burkhardt. That could open up a spot with the network for Brees, though it is unclear what would happen once Brady enters the mix.