The New Orleans Saints have yet to make the playoffs in the post-Drew Brees era, and that stretch will likely continue into a fourth year this season.

After a recent loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Saints fell to 2-7 and fired Dennis Allen as their head coach.

Brees knows what it takes to win. He is a Super Bowl champion and was 172-114 in his record-breaking Hall of Fame career. 

And unfortunately, that’s why axing Allen was a move that “needed to be made.”

“You never want to let a coach go midseason, but at the end of the day, the business is about winning. And if you’re not winning, there’s disappointment and changes made,” Brees told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. 

However, Brees has confidence in the veteran leadership on both sides of the ball, saying the franchise is still a “very functional organization.”

“An organization that knows what it means to put the best product on the field, have a great culture, be able to overcome adversity. Unfortunately, they were on a trend where they had a lot of losses in a row, it wasn’t working, a change needed to be made. Those things happen, but if you ask the leadership on the team, they’re all trending in the right direction right now if they can stay healthy.”

Health has been a huge issue. Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed have both been out, and now Derek Carr is slated to miss the rest of the season. As Brees says, “You take the starting two receivers off the team, you’re going to struggle.”

Drew Brees (Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images/File)

And for the Saints, Brees says they are close to getting back to the glory days.

“When you look at the entirety of a season, it’s going to come down to one or two games where you look back on and say, ‘We missed the playoffs because of those two. If we got the job done, we could have potentially made the playoffs and totally changed the complexion of the entire season.’ And within those two games, it’s one play here, one play there,” he said.

In retirement, Brees has become an owner, investor and ambassador for Sports Illustrated Tickets, with his goal to make it the best secondary marketplace in the ticketing industry.

Launched in 2021 as the exclusive licensed operator of Sports Illustrated’s live events vertical, Sports Illustrated Tickets struck a deal with the New York Red Bulls to have the SI name on its stadium, and Brees, who was on six Sports Illustrated covers, wants to make it easier for fans to get to sporting events by nixing hidden fees.

“It’s one of the most iconic brands in all of sports. I think it’s something that resonates with all of us, especially for my generation and beyond. …” Brees said. “I think what we saw is a great need and opportunity in the ticketing marketplace, both in the primary and secondary ticketing marketplace. … So we felt like there was an opportunity to step in and create a clean and transparent ticketing process that would allow people to see exactly the price they’re going to pay, no hidden fees, never trying to trick anybody. We want to be that ticketing solution across every live sporting event, every live concert at every venue in the country behind an iconic brand like Sports Illustrated.”

“I think there’s some incredible nostalgia that comes with the brand,” he added. “It stands for credibility and something that people can trust. So, while Sports Illustrated started off as a publication, now there’s a lot of different avenues that it’s going. It’s being licensed to groups that are great operators.”

Saints quarterback Drew Brees runs off the field after a game against Washington, Oct. 8, 2018, in New Orleans. (Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports)

TUA TAGOVAILOA SAYS HE HAS ARMED SECURITY AFTER BURGLARIES AT NFL PLAYERS’ HOMES: ‘THINK TWICE’

While the Saints have not found success post-Brees, the quarterback’s former right-hand man, Sean Payton, has with the Denver Broncos. After winning just eight games with Russell Wilson in 2023 in his return to the sidelines, Payton is now 8-5 with rookie Bo Nix, and Brees loves what he sees.

“It’s been awesome. I know the way Sean Payton wants to build a program. He’s an incredible teacher, and what Sean always does a great job of week to week is just creating the key to victory, the vision to win this game. And each game might be a little different, but he creates that vision and gets everyone to buy in and recognize what it’s going to take and just kind of narrow the focus and block out the noise,” Brees said.

“He takes the young quarterback who you’re going to have growing pains with – to watch Bo continue to progress and gain a level of comfort, you see a guy who’s mature beyond his years, very poised, can do everything, great athlete, highly competitive, but make him process the game. Defense has played well, you have playmakers emerge on offense, they’re going to be tough down the stretch.”

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Brees will be eligible for the Hall of Fame next year, and with his 80,000-plus passing yards and 13 Pro Bowls, he is all but ensured of a bust in Canton.

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Long each other’s biggest basketball rival in the Pac-12, UCLA and Arizona will meet again Saturday at the Footprint Center in Phoenix as newly estranged.

It will be a nonconference game. On a neutral court. In an NBA arena that as of midweek was not sold out.

“The whole thing’s weird,” Bruins coach Mick Cronin said Wednesday of a game that always drew one of the biggest home crowds of the season for each team but is now being staged elsewhere as a name, image and likeness fundraiser. The teams are scheduled to meet again next season at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and in 2027 in Los Angeles at a site to be determined.

Adding to the bizarre-ness is Arizona’s early season stature. The Wildcats (4-4), now members of the Big 12 Conference, fell out of the national rankings last week for the first time since November 2021 and briefly had a losing record for the first time since early in the 2009-10 season.

Basically, they’re feeling the same sort of pain UCLA did a year ago amid massive roster churn. Guard Caleb Love is the only returning starter on an Arizona roster heavy on transfers that will be seeking its first quality win when it faces the No. 24 Bruins (8-1).

“They’ve had a lot of change in their personnel,” said Cronin, whose latest roster makeover has been an early success. “But they’re still the same, nothing really different as far as what they run offensively and the things that they do and how they play.”

Cronin said Arizona’s struggles are largely a function of a brutal schedule that has included Wisconsin, Duke, Oklahoma and West Virginia, not to mention a lengthy trip to the Bahamas for the latter two games.

Some metrics support Cronin’s assertion that the Wildcats remain a top-25 team despite their record. According to basketball analyst Ken Pomeroy, Arizona’s offensive efficiency is No. 24 nationally and its defensive efficiency is No. 37. (By comparison, UCLA’s offensive ranking is No. 48 and its defensive ranking is No. 4.) Pomeroy projects the Wildcats to win the game, 75-74.

UCLA is agonizingly familiar with Love. A transfer from North Carolina, his late barrage of three-pointers lifted the Tar Heels to a come-from-behind victory over the Bruins in the 2022 NCAA tournament after a quiet first half. He continues to be an erratic shooter in his second season at Arizona, making 18 of 61 three-pointers (29.5%).

But there are other signs that the Wildcats are trending in the right direction. Forward Trey Townsend, a transfer from Oakland University, has averaged 14.5 points over his last four games after a slow start. Center Motiejus Krivas appears to be rounding into form following a preseason foot injury. And guard Anthony Dell’Orso, a transfer from Campbell, has provided a reliable weapon off the bench by making 50% of his three-pointers.

The crowd inside the Footprint Center likely will skew heavily in the Wildcats’ favor but probably won’t resemble what the Bruins are used to facing inside the McKale Center.

“The old days, that just didn’t happen, right?” Cronin said of playing a familiar opponent in unfamiliar territory. “You played home-and-homes. But the old days, that’s why they’re called the old days.”

Etc.

Cronin on forward Eric Dailey Jr. making 47.4% of his three-pointers: “He’s as dedicated a player as I’ve ever coached, so [it’s] a product of … his work ethic.” … Cronin said a breakdown in fundamentals by guard Sebastian Mack contributed to the failed box-out on a free throw late in the Oregon game that led to a Ducks offensive rebound and three-pointer. “He didn’t pinch,” Cronin said of Mack. “Little things, which are not little things, they’re big things.”

SAN FRANCISCO — If shooting is an art form, then Chris Hines is a sculptor of gilded frames. A basketball craftsman. A steward of strokes.

As an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves, he watches his latest masterpiece from the sideline: the shooting of Anthony Edwards.

“The crazy thing now, and it sucks for me,” Hines said, “I know when it’s not going in. So I’m watching from the bench like, ‘Damn it!’ as soon as it leaves his hands.”

His pupil doesn’t have such issues.

“I think I’ma make that b—- every time. I’m not gon’ lie,” Edwards said, flashing that soda-commercial smile from the visitors locker room at Chase Center on Sunday.

Embedded in the braggadocio is evidence of his sophistication. To be clear, Edwards can feel when his form goes awry and a miss is likely. But he’s gotten his mechanics to a point where he doesn’t feel that often.

“The majority of the time,” he said, “when it leaves my hand, I’m like, ‘Damn, that b—- felt good.’ Because I’ve been working on it, man. I’m not even being funny. I’ve been working on my trey ball so much. … I’m happy where it’s at.”

Behind all of his flair, Edwards’ diligence is visible in his form. Though his magnetism suggests superstardom comes easy, his vastly improved shooting underscores a maniacal work ethic.

This art has functionality. Edwards left the Bay Area this week — after splitting a two-game series at the Golden State Warriors — with the most made 3-pointers in the NBA at 103, and his 241 attempts were one behind the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum for the most 3s taken as of Tuesday morning. Just over a quarter of the way through the season, Edwards is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league — a potent counter to his reputation for attacking the rim.

But do not miss the aesthetics of his polished jumper. Appreciate the artistry of Edwards, the engineering of Hines.

It perhaps goes missed because of Edwards’ highlight dunks and viral quotes. But he has developed quite the picturesque shot.

“Hell yeah,” Edwards said. “Super pretty. Shout out to C. Hines.”

3rd player in NBA history to hit 100 threes in first 23 games.

special. 🐜 pic.twitter.com/S9JCNRq95s

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 9, 2024

The springs hidden in his legs are already alluring. He just floats, or so it seems, as if time slows when he’s in the air. Edwards rising for a jumper looks as if something cool is unfolding. He has already developed a classically attractive midrange.

The mechanics of his jumper have gotten much cleaner. It’s an efficient transition from pickup to release. Smooth. Effortless. Contrary to the shot of typical leapers, who reach the peak of their jump before unfurling something clunky. Edwards has worked on his form until it’s one fluid motion, consistently replicated, capped with a portrait-worthy follow-through and a snap of the net.

Ant-Man has authored another avenue for awe. One of the league’s most captivating players added to a bag of brilliance already brimming with personality.

“It’s not the prettiest,” he declared, giving the nod to Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. “They’ve got some pretty-ass jumpers. I’m not trying to have the prettiest jumper. I just want it to go in. Yeah, it looks good. But as long as it goes in, it looks better.”

However, beauty comes with a cost. For Edwards, it was paid through a process as methodical as it has been relentless.

Hines and Edwards pieced it together as a long-term project. Like so much with Edwards, his capacity was obvious. The talent drips off him like Jheri curl juice. The last four years were dedicated to harnessing his all-world abilities, as will be the next 10 years.

Edwards resisted at first. Some days, he would despise Hines, the torturous teacher.

“He hated me,” Hines said with a proud smile. “From the beginning. He’s like, ‘C. Hines, you not finna change my game.’ I’m not trying to change your game. Let me fine-tune it, and you’ll be fine.”

Hines earned Edwards’ trust by not changing the canvas but appreciating it. Edwards often heard what he couldn’t do, how he had to change — people steadily telling him how to paint his game. Hines instead affirmed Edwards only needed refinement, not reconstruction. They went to work on the structure, framing his shot around the game that made him special.

Hines began by cleaning up Edwards’ strengths. His handle. His finishing packages. His footwork. His touch at the rim. Those were foundational elements on which to build.

“He already had a pretty decent, solid, strong shot,” Hines said. “We just wanted to tighten up everything around his shot. Small stuff. … How is he picking up into his pocket? Is it clean? How do you find the laces without looking for ’em? Small things of that nature. So tightening all that stuff up, it’s been really fun to watch the process.”

The shots are too incessant to be counted, the hours too blurred to be logged. Shooting is a meticulous craft. It’s feel and form. Technical and creative. It remains true to the uniqueness of the shooter while beholding universal laws.

Hines went to work simplifying Edwards’ shooting stroke. First, they had to break his habit of dropping the ball too low. Now, by sheer muscle memory, his process begins with the ball near his navel.

Then they amended his high release. Edwards had a long range of motion, lifting the ball from his crotch to behind his head, creating plenty of opportunity to disrupt the result. The longer one’s form, the harder to replicate.

So by raising the starting point and bringing forward the release point, his motion became more efficient.

Another thing Hines fixed: Edwards’ habit of bringing the ball close to his body, restricting his range of motion. Hines drilled him to keep his elbows L-shaped instead of V-shaped so as not to lose power and flow. Hines ingrained in Edwards the need to keep his elbow over his eyebrows at the top of his form.

The follow-through was another significant component. Edwards now has a pronounced snap of his wrist, as if he’s dipping his hand into the rim. It gives his ball an emphatic spin that splashes the net.

“We be in the gym four or five times a day just shooting,” Edwards said. “Just shooting. Just shooting. So I’ve been trying — trying to perfect it. Because when I came in the league, the main thing was, ‘He could get downhill, but he can’t shoot. He can’t shoot. He can’t shoot.’ So I’ve been trying to knock that off my name for a long time. It’s still kind of on it a little bit, but I feel like I’m trending in the right direction.”

Last month, Edwards sent a voice message to Curry, seeking to glean some off-the-ball wisdom from his Team USA homie. This was after a summer of picking the brain of Durant, his favorite player.

The threat of Edwards’ aggressive drives, which have produced a montage of highlights, prompted defenders to back off him, conceding the jumper to prevent the poster. His rise to an MVP candidate increased the amount of double-teams he faces.

Thus, his next level of growth is being a threat off the ball. The cadence of dribbling into a shot is much different without the rock. Keeping the same form while catching and shooting requires repetition and precision drilling.

Edwards said he wants to shoot well enough for long enough that his pump-fakes get defenders in the air, opening lanes for his drives.

“In order for me to be able to score without the ball,” Edwards said, “I’ve got to be able to shoot. You know what I’m saying? Make ’em respect it. … Just being ready to shoot on the catch, that makes you another threat on the offensive end. Because guys gotta respect it now because I want to catch and shoot. So now if you run me off the line, now I’ma get to where I really want to go, which is downhill.”

This takes thousands of shots, hours and hours, for years and years. Hines didn’t want to rush the process. He was intentional about not skipping steps, mastering a skill before advancing to the next one.

The pursuit of grandeur is antithetical to haste. A masterpiece transcends time by being committed to quality.

A player has to want this. Really want it. For this level of improvement, the grind is inescapable. The amount of work Edwards invests is illustrated when he pulls up. Suspended in air. Fluid mechanics. Pretty rotation. Silky splash. His weakness has become a work of art. You can tell by how it was framed.

(Top illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic; photo: Adam Pantozzi / NBAE via Getty Images)