Drew Brees Talks Relationship With Joe Burrow, Calling LSU Star's First Playoff Game
The Drew Brees-Joe Burrow relationship dates back to Burrow's days growing up in Athens, Ohio.
Those who live in Louisiana and followed Burrow and his LSU career know that his admiration for Brees began at a young age watching him play for the New Orleans Saints. The accuracy, the way he prepared and carried himself on and off the field are elements to Brees’ game Burrow has tried to implement. As a result, Burrow’s been very successful in his two years at LSU and in the NFL.
"I always watch Drew Brees. I think he's the best at what he does," Burrow said at the NFL Combine ahead of the 2020 draft. "We had very similar offenses so I watched a lot of his film. That was my idol growing up."
On Saturday, the two will be in a unique situation with Brees set to call his first playoff game as a color commentator when Burrow and the Bengals take on the Las Vegas Raiders. What Brees sees in Burrow is a lot of the great traits you look for in a young, emerging quarterback in the NFL.
"He plays with a confidence. He's got great command of the offense and has great trust with his receivers," Brees told Bengals.com about what he's seen from Burrow as an NFL quarterback.
The two had an opportunity to meet prior to LSU's national championship win over Clemson, a memorable moment for both Burrow and Brees, two of Louisiana's greatest sports figures. The two talked and Burrow threw the football around with Brees' sons for a few minutes before ultimately parting ways.
"There were some coaches who had been with us and were at LSU and they said he was a phenomenal young man," Brees said. "We talked a little bit, but I didn't want to be a distraction. They were there to win a national championship and I just wanted to be there to support him and the team."
Burrow of course would go on to cap off the greatest season a college quarterback has ever had, tossing for 5,671 yards, 60 touchdowns and completing over 76 of his passes. Now with Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon as his weapons in Cincinnati, Burrow has lived up to the No. 1 pick hype, leading the Bengals back to the playoffs in just year two as the franchise QB.
Reflecting a bit on Burrow's final season in Baton Rouge, Brees couldn't help but be extremely impressed with how perfectly executed that offense was in 2019.
"It's arguably the best season a quarterback ever had in college. I don't know if the stats would say that," Brees said of Burrow's 2019 season. "But just knowing the offense and knowing how it is supposed to be executed, it was to perfection. The thing that he didn't get enough credit for is how well he scrambled and made some plays with his legs at times. Obviously he had some great talent around him.
"There were plenty of times he would extend the drive by scrambling on third down, or scrambling for 10 yards. He just did all the little things to perfection that most people wouldn't notice, but a guy like me would notice."
