Drew Brees is one of the most universally-liked professional football players, and has capitalized on that as a player representative for the NFL Players Association. But Brees said something in 2010 that bothered Sam Huff, the former Redskins great and current colorful broadcaster, and Huff responded in kind.
First, here are Brees' comments from 2010, when trying to defend former NFLPA head Gene Upshaw against criticisms from ex-players.
"There's some guys out there that have made bad business decisions. They took their pensions early because they never went out and got a job. They've had a couple divorces and they're making payments to this place and that place. And that's why they don't have money. And they're coming to us to basically say, ‘Please make up for my bad judgment.' In that case, that's not our fault as players."
Fast forward to 2011. Evan Weiner from NewJerseyNewsroom.com decided to ask Huff about those comments. Huff's response?
"Drew Brees should keep his mouth shut," Huff said from West Virginia on Thursday. "We (he and his Giants teammates from the 1950s and 1960s) would put a target on his back. I don't understand all this crap. We formed it (the NFLPA). Kyle Rote (the Giants end), he did it and put it all together."
Huff then called out current union head DeMaurice Smith and commissioner Roger Goodell, saying neither played in the league and therefore don't understand the situation. But he did come back to Brees eventually with this statement:
"If anyone is overpaid, it's Brees," said Huff. "Why did he open his mouth?"
Huff said that if Brees went against his Giants teams of the 1950s and 1960s, the only thing Brees would say is "did someone get the license plate of that truck?"
It's a new era in professional sports, but Sam Huff will always stick to his principles. No matter what, you have to respect him for that.