Drew Brees made magic in the Big Easy. The man gave the Who Dat Nation a Super Bowl and years of memories under the roof of the Caesars Superdome. But now? The Saints legend has set his eyes on a different kind of game—one that trades helmets for sticks. “Look, I’m a sports junkie, right? I love ping pong, I love tennis, I love racquetball—any sport.” And lately, he’s been all in on lacrosse. Once considered a niche East Coast pastime, lacrosse is now exploding across the country, drawing more fans, more players, and apparently, even NFL legends.
Speaking of roots, lacrosse isn’t just a game — it’s history. The Haudenosaunee (also known as the Iroquois Confederacy) didn’t just play it, they created it. These Native nations, spanning modern-day upstate New York and parts of Canada, treated lacrosse as sacred. To them, it wasn’t a weekend hobby—it was the Creator’s game, central to their identity. While hockey might be the face of Canada now, lacrosse was actually crowned the country’s official sport back in 1859. A few decades later, a Canadian named John Flannery brought the fire down to New York, setting up the U.S. National Amateur Lacrosse Association in 1879.
Naturally, Brees didn’t just hop on the hype train for no reason. He’s not just watching lacrosse—he’s hyping it like it’s the future of football. “I find the best football players are lacrosse players,” Brees declared. Yep, that’s coming from a guy who shared a locker room with elite players like Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas.
Naturally, that bold call raised a few eyebrows. But Brees had his reasons, and they actually make sense. “To me, these are some of the best athletes to play sports. I mean, all of them are built like tight ends, linebackers, fullbacks,” he explained. He pointed out how lacrosse demands a rare combo of strength, agility, and skill. “You have to have unbelievable agility. I think just spatial awareness. You become ambidextrous… A lot of the off-the-ball movement and screens is a lot like basketball.”
Meanwhile, the Midwest has become a breeding ground for lacrosse talent. Illinois, for example, has gone from under 1,000 high school players to over 7,000 in just five years. Ohio? Not far behind. Participation has surged 40%, and the Buckeye State now ranks fourth in the country with 51 NCAA lacrosse programs.
And, Brees sees that kind of depth and foundation pushing the sport into the mainstream spotlight. “The growth of the sport at the youth level is growing to a point where, obviously, these kids in 10, 12 years are going to be the future of this league,” Brees said. And truth is, lacrosse didn’t just catch fire out of nowhere—its East Coast stronghold, especially around New York, helped build elite college programs that have shaped the game.
Finally, those blue-blood roots continue to feed the sport. New York still leads in high school participation. But lacrosse has moved far beyond its northeastern cradle. By 2018, the number of women’s teams more than doubled, while men’s programs also soared. And just when you think Brees couldn’t surprise you anymore—well, let’s just say another sport has caught his eye too.
Drew Brees swaps touchdowns for Pickleball
The man who once lit up the Superdome is now making noise in a different kind of court. Drew Brees has found his post-NFL sweet spot in the fastest-growing sport in America—Pickleball. And it all started during the chaos of COVID. “Pickleball became my wife and my escape at the end of the day, when you’ve been homeschooling four kids and you’re just at your wit’s end,” Brees recalled. “Let’s just go outside, Let’s take a deep breath, Let’s just kind of hit the ball back and forth and just talk.” From a football huddle to paddle therapy, this shift feels refreshingly human.
Moving forward, what started as a breather turned into full-blown passion. Brees isn’t just playing—he’s promoting. “I love the sport because it is something that everyone can do… Any other sport requires some level of maybe experience or athleticism, but pickleball is just very inviting,” he said. For the guy who once battled 300-pound linemen, it’s the simplicity and inclusiveness of the game that hooked him.
Moreover, Brees isn’t just talking the talk. He’s building courts, backing Major League Pickleball, and even started Pickle Fest in NOLA. As he put it, “We’ve got a young girl, nine years old, playing. We’ve got an older woman, 92 years old, playing… They’re on the court at the same time, playing with each other or against each other. And it’s fun.”
Finally, it’s not just about the sport—it’s about giving back. His tournament now helps fund the Brees Dream Foundation, which has already raised over $50 million for causes close to home in the Crescent City. So, Brees is indeed looking at much more than football nowadays.
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