Report: Saints reached out to Philip Rivers, Drew Brees about unretiring for Week 16

The New Orleans Saints found themselves in desperate need of quarterback help this week and apparently made an effort to call in some retired quarterbacks on an emergency basis.

The Saints reached out to Philip Rivers and Drew Brees to gauge their interest in coming back for the team’s Week 16 game against Miami, according to Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com. Brees was the team’s first call and spoke to head coach Sean Payton about possibly coming back, and apparently legitimately considered the idea.

Ultimately, both quarterbacks turned down the opportunity. Neither Rivers nor Brees wanted to come back if they were not going to start. In addition, Brees simply did not feel confident he could play well enough to help the team on such short notice.

The Saints were on the hunt for quarterback help after both Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian landed in the NFL’s health and safety protocols, leaving rookie Ian Book as the team’s lone option. After Rivers and Brees declined the team’s overtures, the Saints ultimately brought in Blake Bortles as an emergency backup.

Book had a pretty funny line about learning of his starting duties this week, but it turns out the Saints legitimately looked at other options. Ultimately, none of it came to fruition, intriguing as it would have been.