Even with a Super Bowl victory and his name in the NFL record books, Drew Brees struggles to see himself in the same class of quarterback as Tom Brady or Peyton Manning.
"As far as those guys on the field, to even be considered in that same category is a tremendous honor, it's humbling,"
Brees said last week. "In my opinion, I'm not quite there yet. Those guys are going to go down as two of the greatest of all time when you look at not only the championships they've won, but the number of personal accomplishments and all those things."
Yet, when labor strife ensued after last season, and what mattered most was leadership, Brees, Brady and Manning were the three quarterbacks called on to represent pro football players in an antitrust lawsuit against the league.
All in their 30s, but seemingly with a number of good years still ahead, Brees, Brady and Manning already have established reputations as the elite quarterbacks of their generation. Now their legacies will be not only enhanced but forever linked because of the leadership roles they took during the NFL lockout.
As a member of the NFL Players' Association's executive committee, Brees was as active as any player in negotiations that produced a 10-year labor agreement. And it was done on time to save not only the 2011 season, but all of preseason except the Hall of Fame game.
"This was such a significant event in the history of our sport and there were so many things about it that were just unprecedented,"
Brees said. "Years from now people will look back on this as a defining moment for this league in a very positive way, because I see the popularity of this
game continuing to grow."
All three quarterbacks played varying roles that suited them.
Brees, who had been actively involved in union matters for the past few years, was perhaps best equipped to take an active role in some of the more technical aspects of the negotiations.
Brady, who is the union representative for his team, also has a close personal relationship with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who has been widely credited for his leadership among the owners. Some saw Brady serving as a bridge-builder between Kraft and NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith.
