Drew Brees Chargers quarterback Drew Brees in the second half as the San Diego Chargers defeated the Oakland Raiders by a score of 27 to 14 at McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, California, October 16, 2005. (Photo by Robert B. Stanton/NFLPhotoLibrary)

Drew Brees is finally making his return to San Diego, and isn’t exactly hiding his feelings about Sunday’s matchup with the Chargers.

Brees told ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett that he’s been waiting for the moment to return to the team which drafted him in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft.

“I’m trying to make this just like any other game,” Brees said with a laugh. “It’s hard to do that, obviously, because it’s meaningful. I’m not gonna sit here and tell you that this one may not mean a little bit more. But my preparation remains the same.”

The 37-year-old hasn’t played in San Diego for more than a decade after the Chargers low-balled him in free agency following shoulder surgery. Brees spent five seasons with the franchise, throwing 80 touchdowns, before San Diego opted to go with Phillip Rivers, allowing Brees to sign a six-year deal with the Saints.

With a Lombardi trophy and an incredible decade-spanning run in New Orleans, Brees probably doesn’t lament about what unfolded in 2005, but did admit to ESPN shock over San Diego’s paltry contract offer.

“I realized that, ‘They expect me to come back and be a backup. And that’s not who I am. I’m going to go be a starting quarterback and win a championship somewhere. And if it’s not there, it’s not there,’” Brees said. “And it probably didn’t set in until I signed with the Saints, and it was, ‘All right, this is happening. I didn’t think it would happen, but it’s happening. And move on.’”

The rest is history. Brees has dominated with the Saints, consistently putting up insane passing numbers while becoming an icon in the city. That doesn’t mean he won’t try a little bit harder on Sunday to show San Diego they made the wrong decision when passing him up so long ago.

[ESPN]

About Liam McGuire

Social +Staff writer for The Comeback & Awful Announcing. Liammcguirejournalism@gmail.com