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Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees proved to be one of the best locker-room leaders in the NFL during his playing days in New Orleans. His career on the gridiron might be over now, but on Sunday, he decided to bring his knack for motivating others to a baseball diamond in Baton Rouge.
Before the LSU baseball team took the field for its game against No. 16 Georgia at Alex Box Stadium, Brees gave the players a rousing pre-game speech. Donning a No. 9 LSU jersey and with his three sons standing nearby, the former Super Bowl champion led the Tigers in a chant from his days on the field, hyping them up before the first pitch.
Brees also imparted some wisdom on the LSU players, encouraging them to play hard for one another and to set an example for all of the aspiring young athletes in the bleachers.
“I know the brand of baseball we play here. I know the reputation this place has. I know the expectations each and every year. Take one step forward, find a way to get back to the College World Series and win a damn championship. That’s why you came here,” Brees said. “You’ve got a bunch of young kids here [in the crowd] and they’re going to be watch your every move today. You’re setting the example and you’ve got to set it high. You do that each and every play.”
“Most importantly, you play for each other. Best team I was ever a part of, the guys cared about each other the most. That’s the kind of atmosphere we have to create here on this team as we set the journey moving forward.”
Brees’s impassioned speech clearly left a lingering effect as LSU’s leadoff hitter, centerfielder Dylan Crews, hit a 433-foot home run off the top of the stadium’s scoreboard in the team’s first at-bat of the day.
The Tigers (28–14), who are second all-time with six national titles, are trying to get back to the College World Series in Omaha for the first time since 2017. Perhaps if they do, Brees can provide them with a little pre-game juice once again.
