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Sean Payton wipes away tears after Drew Brees asks him for incredible Hall of Fame honor

A FaceTime call from Drew Brees left Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton in tears after the quarterback asked him to present at his Hall of Fame induction.

Published July 30, 2026, 10:40 PM
Updated July 31, 2026, 12:00 AM3.0K
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Sean Payton wipes away tears after Drew Brees asks him for incredible Hall of Fame honor

Drew Brees reflects on NFL career ahead of Hall of Fame induction

Former Super Bowl champion Drew Brees reflects on his illustrious NFL career and upcoming 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. He discusses proving doubters wrong about his physical attributes and finding new passions in broadcasting for Fox and coaching his three sons. Brees highlights the camaraderie and game day preparation he now fills through these roles.

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Sean Payton may no longer be with the New Orleans Saints, but his ties there still run deep.

Payton is now with the Denver Broncos, but a FaceTime call from an old friend in The Big Easy got him emotional.

Drew Brees got on the horn with his former coach to ask him to present him at next week's Hall of Fame induction in Canton, Ohio.

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Sean Payton and Drew Brees talk during the second quarter of a Saints game.

Head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints talk during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Oct. 26, 2014, in New Orleans. (Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images)

"Honest to God, I can't believe you just did that," Payton said, wiping away tears. "Yeah, absolutely man."

"I can't wait. I love you," Brees said.

Payton said he was "caught...off-guard."

Drew Brees in October 2024

New Orleans Saints retired quarterback Drew Brees (9) reacts during his hall of fame ceremony at halftime against the Denver Broncos at Caesars Superdome on Oct. 17, 2024. (Matthew Hinton/Imagn Images)

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"It was just a lot — 15 years together," Payton said to reporters from Broncos training camp. "A lot of times for a number of reasons, those relationships — quarterback-coach — you kind of take for granted. Yet sometimes, oftentimes, they don't end the way you want them to end. I'm proud that it ended the way he wanted it to. I'm excited for him. As a coach, it's an honor to be asked."

"It was, as a coach, an honor, that somebody would ask you to do that."

The duo spent 15 years together, winning Super Bowl XLIV and being a perennial threat in the NFC. Brees ranks second all-time in passing yards, completions and touchdowns and retired in 2020.

Drew Brees and Sean Payton

Drew Brees #9 and head coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints talk prior to the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Mercedes Benz Superdome on December 08, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

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Brees will join Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri, and Roger Craig as part of the Class of 2026.

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