A very strange rumor hit social media right before the Broncos opened the season at Arrowhead against the Chiefs: Drew Brees nearly returned to Denver in January before the AFC Championship Game after Bo Nix went down with a season-ending injury.

Let that sink in. A 47-year-old Drew Brees was reportedly working out to play for Sean Payton's team against the Patriots with a chance to play the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.

That's what ESPN's Adam Schefter conveniently reported right as Monday Night Football hit ESPN airwaves.

"After the Denver Broncos lost starting quarterback Bo Nix to a fractured ankle in their overtime playoff victory against the Buffalo Bills, Denver's then-offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and offensive assistant Pete Carmichael had discussions with Brees about the former star quarterback coming out of retirement to be ready for the AFC Championship Game, sources told ESPN," Schefter wrote.

Ultimately, Brees realized after working out that his wrist was having too many nagging issues to take a workout.

Even still, this wouldn't have been legal. Brees was still on the New Orleans Saints' reserve-retired list and would've had to have been released by the Saints front office. There might've also been tampering concerns.

This rumor inspired some fun hypotheticals, though, at least.

What Would a Drew Brees Return Have Looked Like in 2026?

Brees last played in 2020 and was unable to get the ball downfield much for the Saints. He had 4.8 intended air yards per pass attempt. The once mighty-armed Brees was reduced to a checkdown-heavy game-manager because of wear-and-tear on his arm and shoulder, plus multiple rib fractures and a collapsed lung.

Brees would've been a somewhat desperate option. Payton was not in a desperate spot, though, making this rumor a strange and somewhat divisive one in the Broncos' locker room.

Jarrett Stidham cannot appreciate this news. The Colts only signed Philip Rivers at 44 years old because Indianapolis was down Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson, and Riley Leonard. Stidham was perfectly healthy enough to play, even if he didn't get any snaps throughout the 2025 season. Nix was an iron man until the most inopportune of times.

Seahawks Had Broncos or Patriots' Number in the Super Bowl Either Way

Once Nix went down with a season-ending ankle injury, the NFC Championship became the toughest test for Mike Macdonald's football team en route to a ring.

The Seahawks and Rams got to find out that the Patriots would be the opponent in the Super Bowl right before the instant classic at Lumen Field.

Had it been Stidham and the Broncos instead, there probably would've been similar struggles to Drake Maye. While Denver's pass protection was vastly superior to New England's, Stidham didn't have the pocket presence Maye did. Maye struggled with two interceptions, but he nearly topped 300 yards passing. Stidham likely doesn't come anywhere near that.

Nix's injury is the only legitimate what-if worth thinking about for the 12s. Brees certainly wouldn't have changed the outcome.