Back at the end of the 2005 season, Drew Brees was broken and battered. His shoulder was in bad shape, and the Chargers were going to move in another direction with a new player. Even though Brees was completely capable of returning from the injury with great success, San Diego wanted to let Phillip Rivers have a chance with uncertainty surrounding Brees’ effectiveness upon his return. Here begins one of those stories, you know, those ones they make movies about 20 years from now.
Down and out, Brees is welcomed with open arms to a horrible team in New Orleans, a city that is rebounding from a terrible disaster. The city was in shambles, and new coach Sean Payton wanted Brees to help build the walls back up. He wasnt sure where Brees would be coming opening weekend, but he had faith in him to get the team on track. Although the Saints wasted their number 2 pick (in hindsight) on a player that still has yet to pan out, they were fortunate to draft players like Marques Colston, Jahri Evans, and Roman Harper to bolster their ranks.
In a last to first miracle of sorts, the Saints went all the way to the NFC Championship game with the team on Brees’ injured shoulder, thus silencing any critics for bringing him in. Since that time, Brees has been one of the Best QBs in the NFL, even coming close to breaking Dan Marino’s single season yardage mark.
Now that the Lombardi Trophy has come to NOLA, Brees career now has a bullet point that is hard to ignore. Collectors have been on board for a long time, with his Contenders rookie auto prices well above 300
. Now that he has won the big one, the raws are selling as high as 450-480. That is elite territory, outselling Adrian Peterson, Ladanian Tomlinson, and of course Phillip Rivers. Im sure that it wouldnt make a single bit of difference to Brees, but it should make quite the difference to his collectors. I would say that this card is great investment, but that is a given among everyone right now. Brees is primed to be the best for many years to come, and now that he is part of the QB Super Bowl winners club, his value is assured. If he wins again, expect crazy things from those prices.
Remember, performance, dominance, and team popularity drive price, and right now, he is it. Although his off season price should settle in around 425, the contenders card will not stay there. The SPX isnt a bad shot either, as it is a little cheaper, and is part of a widely collected set.
For me to say that Brees is worthy of his popularity is like saying Jerry Rice was just an okay receiver. What he has done for the city and for the team is remarkable, and to have him as your collecting target is not a bad idea, especially considering how much hobby focus he is about to receive.
