What looked like a sure move to the Miami Dolphins turned into one of the most consequential decisions in NFL history—and according to Drew Brees, it happened because he believed God was leading him somewhere else.

The former New Orleans Saints quarterback recently reflected on his dramatic 2006 free agency journey during an appearance on the “New Heights” podcast, revealing that faith ultimately guided his decision to sign with New Orleans after Miami’s doctors questioned whether he would ever fully recover from a devastating shoulder injury.

At the time, Brees admitted there seemed to be every reason to choose the Dolphins.

“On paper, it was Miami all the way,” he said. The team had head coach Nick Saban, a talented defense and an offensive system he already knew. Former Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga even treated Brees to dinner aboard his yacht while painting a picture of life in South Florida.

“He’s talking about playing golf in Scotland every summer. No state income tax. I’m like, ‘Dude, this is wallpaper. Miami, here I come,'” Brees recalled.

But everything changed during the team’s medical evaluation.

After spending hours undergoing MRIs and nerve testing on his injured shoulder, Brees sensed the organization had lost confidence in him.

“I got this feeling of doubt. They don’t really think I will be able to play,” he said. According to Brees, Miami’s doctors believed he had only a 25 percent chance of returning to the NFL.

Rather than taking the risk, the Dolphins passed. The Saints, however, saw something different.

Just months after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, the franchise had hired an unproven head coach in Sean Payton and was searching for a quarterback to help rebuild both the team and a city still struggling to recover.

“I go to New Orleans, and it was like, ‘You are our guy,'” Brees said. “Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis said, ‘We’re building this offense around you.'”

While touring the city with his wife, Brittany, Brees witnessed scenes that left a lasting impression.

“Houses were off their foundations. There was a Chevy truck upside down in a living room,” he recalled. “The car stops, and there’s a tugboat in the middle of the road.”

Looking around at the destruction, Brees realized the opportunity before him was about far more than football.

“It was one of those moments where it’s like this is so much bigger than just football,” he said. “We get to be part of the resurrection of one of America’s greatest cities.”

That conviction became the turning point.

“This is God’s calling in our life,” Brees said. “And that was the determining factor.”

History proved the decision would reshape both the Saints and the NFL. Brees went on to become the greatest quarterback in franchise history, leading New Orleans to its first Super Bowl championship while setting numerous passing records. His leadership on and off the field also made him a symbol of hope during the city’s recovery from one of the nation’s worst natural disasters.

Meanwhile, Miami traded for quarterback Daunte Culpepper, while Saban left the NFL after two seasons to return to college football, where he built a legendary dynasty at Alabama.

Looking back nearly two decades later, Brees sees what once appeared to be a crushing setback as something much greater: a closed door that ultimately led him to the place where he believes God had been calling him all along.