Undersized and overlooked at the onset of what would become a hugely successful career, Drew Brees was a statistical giant whose right arm and extraordinary talents transformed the New Orleans Saints into a winner.
Pinpoint in his accuracy, quick in his release and sensational across 20 autumns of NFL play, Brees officially announced his retirement Sunday, beginning the countdown to his arrival in Canton.
The announcement was a family affair that came via social media and following a lengthy wait after the end of the Saints' season.
It's a decision many believed was coming, though that hardly lessens the gravity of it all, as one of the all-time greatest quarterbacks has concluded his career, his name etched across record books and his impact on the Saints franchise forever entrenched.
Left behind by Brees are 13 trips to the Pro Bowl, two AP Offensive Player of the Year accolades, a 2006 Walter Payton Man of The Year honor, an NFL-record 80,358 yards passing, 571 touchdown passes and a 67.7 completion percentage that accentuated the accuracy that was his trademark. And, of course, he leaves New Orleans a 2009 season to cherish until the sun grows cold, having marched the Saints to their only Super Bowl and coming away with a victory and the Super Bowl MVP.
"When I was hired by the Saints as head coach in 2006, the very first goal was to establish a functional and winning culture," Saints head coach Sean Payton said in a statement. "In doing so, it was vital to know what we were looking for in a player, talent, work ethic, makeup, intelligence and leadership are all qualities we found in Drew Brees. We also found a player with a burning desire to win. Within a year, he helped lead our team to the club's first NFC Championship appearance.
In 2006, Brees signed a six-year deal with the Saints and forever changed professional sports in Louisiana.
"Drew is so much more valuable than all the records, awards and accolades that he amassed through a 15-year career with the New Orleans Saints and 20-year NFL playing career, one of the greatest in our league's history," Saints owner Gayle Benson said in a statement.
"When Drew first joined the Saints in 2006, my late husband Tom was determined to deliver a team to New Orleans that would win a championship on the field and become a leader in the community following the setbacks that Hurricane Katrina dealt our region. Over and above his outstanding performance, Drew came to represent the resolve, passion and drive that resonates not only with Saints fans and football fans, but our entire community. He played the game and played the position at its highest level, but just as important, represented our organization and region in the highest fashion. We will forever be grateful to him for what he brought to our club and the entire Gulf South community, showing everybody what can be accomplished by putting our sleeves up and showing leadership, determination and hard work. As we grew as a region and as a football team, it was also a pleasure to watch him grow as a husband to Brittany and become a father to four incredible children."
The Saints, who never finished with a record worse than 7-9 in Brees' tenure, rebounded from two playoff-less seasons to win their first and only Super Bowl in their first and only appearance.
Brees was destined for New Orleans. Short in stature, Brees' career and its accomplishments stand tall with gigantic numbers and the transformation of a franchise from an also-ran to a perennial division champion and title contender.
The greatest era in Saints chronicle -- the Brees era -- has concluded. The greatest Saint of them all has called it a career.
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