Drew Brees on competing against his Hall of Fame Class of 2026 peers
2026 has provided some spectacular on-field football, but it has also shown us the next NFL Hall of Fame class, consisting of five different players. This seemed to be an extremely strong class compared to previous years as well, with three players who are widely considered among the best at their positions ever, with Drew Brees , Luke Kuechly , Larry Fitzgerald , Adam Vinatieri , and Roger Craig making the cut.
Brees recently went on the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce to discuss his induction and pretty much everything surrounding that, along with his career. One of the notable topics covered was his view on some of his fellow inductees, notably Fitzgerald and Kuechly, whom he played against multiple times within the NFC.
Jason Kelce started off by asking about a familiar opponent: "You're going in with a division rival, Luke Kuechly. Did he give you as many headaches as he did to me? He was calling out our plays! I'm like, what are, how are you this good at knowing what we're about to do?"
That was something Brees appreciated, too. He called Kuechly the "best defensive player I've ever played against, and he was in the division obviously, so like when I truly say iron sharpens iron, guys that just make you better, because you have to be. You knew going into that game, I have to be my absolute best against this dude, and so he just brought out the best in me, in us, and so I really appreciate that about him. Such an unbelievable competitor, but off the field, the most genuine dude, I've spent more time with him over the last 24 hours, I'm like, 'dude, I love this guy.'"
This is enormously high praise, especially when it comes to Kuechly. Brees regarding him as the best defender he ever played against in 20 years at the NFL level is one of the highest honors any player can receive, especially when factoring in just how many outstanding defenders the legend faced.
But Brees didn't just compete against Fitzgerald. That's who he threw his first Pro Bowl touchdown pass to, too: "I'll be honest, I think, again, and you never know how the class is gonna shake out, but especially Larry Fitzgerald and Luke Kuechly, like, I've always had a real special bond with Larry. Funny, because you see each other from afar, I know he was never gonna get out of Arizona , and I was certainly never gonna leave New Orleans , only time we had a chance to play together was in Pro Bowls. I mean, how awesome were Pro Bowls? You have a chance to be with these guys that you have so much respect for."
Hearing Brees say that he and Fitzgerald would never leave their teams was also quite interesting, but expected, given how much both meant to their respective cities. The note about his first Pro Bowl touchdown being to Fitzgerald is also fun, that being during the 2008 Pro Bowl, where Brees hit him for a 46-yarder (can be seen a minute in this highlight reel ). This was also the year Fitzgerald won Pro Bowl MVP, catching five passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns.
Overall, just some fun notes on what were three careers well-deserving of their Hall of Fame enshrinements, as were all five members of this class.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 Hall of Fame Class: Drew Brees on Luke Kuechly, Larry Fitzgerald
