How Hall of Fame QB Drew Brees' career-ending injury left his throwing arm permanently damaged
history, recently resurfaced in headlines after an old interview clip went viral again.
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In it, he admitted that his right arm, the one that threw for 80,000+ yards and 571 touchdowns 'doesn't work anymore.
' Yeah, read that again.
It turns out the damage from that brutal 2005 shoulder injury never really healed the way we thought. And now, Brees says that when he's just casually tossing the ball in his backyard, he has to throw left-handed. It's heartbreaking, and fans are only now realizing how much that man gave to the game.
Drew Brees says his 2005 injury left him with a degenerative shoulder that ended his arm for good
Let's rewind for context. Back in 2005, Brees suffered a nasty shoulder injury with the Chargers, a complete 360-degree labrum tear and a partial rotator cuff tear. Doctors weren't sure if he'd ever play again.
But Brees shocked the world with a comeback that led him to New Orleans and to football immortality.
Fast forward to a 2023 interview on ESPN Radio, and Brees opened up about what that injury did long-term. He said:
'I don't throw with my right arm anymore.
My right arm does not work. So, when I throw in the backyard right now, I throw left-handed.'
He added that the shoulder has developed arthritic changes and has degenerative issues that forced him to call it quits even though mentally, he felt he had more football left.
Fans are calling it 'heartbreaking,' 'gutting,' and 'a reminder of what players sacrifice.' Others are pointing out that this is exactly why Brees retired when he did not because he was done mentally, but because his body simply gave out.
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The man gave everything to the game and the damage was permanent
Brees may have walked away with a Super Bowl ring and a Hall of Fame legacy, but he also walked away with a right arm that's no longer functional. That's the trade-off. And now that fans are hearing it directly from him again, it's hitting differently.
It's easy to forget what NFL players put their bodies through until someone like Drew Brees casually reminds us that he can't even play catch with his kids using the arm that made him a legend. This isn't just a football story. It's a reminder of the toll greatness takes.
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