Drew Brees Set for Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Saturday in Canton
Drew Brees will officially become a Pro Football Hall of Famer this Saturday. The former New Orleans Saints quarterback headlines the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, capping a 20-year NFL career that reshaped what the Saints franchise could be.
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at noon Eastern and will air on ESPN and NFL Network. Brees enters alongside running back Roger Craig, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, linebacker Luke Kuechly and kicker Adam Vinatieri, forming a five-man class that spans four decades of NFL history.
Sean Payton Reunites With Brees for the Presentation
Former Saints head coach Sean Payton will present Brees onstage, unveiling his bronze bust after the two spent 15 seasons together building what became the most successful era in franchise history. Payton and Brees arrived in New Orleans together in 2006, inheriting a team coming off a 3-13 season, and turned it into an NFC title contender within a single year. Together they posted a 144-85 regular- and postseason record, tied for the second-most wins by any head coach-quarterback pairing in league history.
Brees was selected in his first year of eligibility, becoming the first player primarily associated with the Saints to earn first-ballot induction. He retired following the 2020 season with 80,358 passing yards, 571 touchdown passes and an NFL-record five separate 5,000-yard passing seasons — a mark no other quarterback has hit more than twice.
A Franchise Statue Gets a New No. 9 Jersey
Ahead of the ceremony, Saints owner Gayle Benson surprised Brees with a moment that tied his enshrinement directly back to the franchise’s history. She placed one of his jerseys — sized “extra, extra large” to fit — on the statue of her late husband, former Saints owner Tom Benson, outside the Hall of Fame venue.
New Orleans Saints posted on X: “Mrs. Benson surprised Drew Brees with his jersey on Tom Benson’s statue at the @ProFootballHOF”
Mrs. Benson surprised Drew Brees with his jersey on Tom Benson’s statue at the @ProFootballHOF ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/9deD5L94EL
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 6, 2026
Members of the Brees family, Payton and a large contingent of Saints fans known as the Who Dat Nation are expected throughout Hall of Fame weekend, according to WAFB. One fan told the outlet the event felt like “the second-best day of my life after the Super Bowl.”
What Brees Meant to New Orleans
Brees signed with the Saints in 2006 as a free agent coming off a shoulder injury that had teams wary of committing to him. He led New Orleans to a Super Bowl XLIV title over the 2009 season and was named the game’s MVP. Along the way, he led the NFL in passing yards seven times and passing touchdowns four times, finishing his career second all-time in both categories. He made 13 Pro Bowls and remained a fixture in the Saints organization even after stepping away from playing.
Saints Enter a Very Different Era
The team Brees built into a perennial contender looks nothing like the one taking the field this fall. New Orleans has struggled significantly over the past several seasons, and expectations for 2026 remain modest. Second-year quarterback Tyler Shough is being counted on to build off flashes he showed late last season as the Saints try to find stability at the position again.
New Orleans opens the regular season on the road against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Sept. 13, at noon Central time, according to the team’s official schedule release. It will be the Saints’ first season-opening road game since 2022.
