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Katherine Terrell
Multiple Authors
NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees and Tyler Shough traded in their bats and baseball gloves for football a long time ago, but the two New Orleans Saints quarterbacks went back to their roots this weekend.
Brees and Shough made appearances during the Savannah Bananas exhibition games at the Saints’ Caesars Superdome. The Savannah Bananas are a traveling team that plays its own style of “Banana Ball.” The exhibition games feature singing, tricks and surprise guests ranging from Mickey Mouse to 50 Cent.
Brees, who played for the Saints from 2006 to 2020, was introduced as “a Super Bowl champion and Hall of Famer from your New Orleans Saints,” and he got a rousing ovation in the venue where he played for 15 seasons. The Superdome was transformed into a baseball field for the first time since 2004.
The former high school baseball player, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer, grounded out in his only at-bat on Sunday.
Brees also led the Bananas in his famous pregame chant that began during the Saints’ Super Bowl-winning season in 2009.
Drew Brees takes an at bat for the Savannah Bananas in a sold out Superdome🤝 pic.twitter.com/zb4jNWF707
— Savannah Bananas (@TheSavBananas) March 15, 2026
Drew Brees leading a pregame huddle in the Dome on a Sunday 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mD04M7dkha
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) March 15, 2026
Shough, who also played baseball growing up, made his appearance Saturday. He was introduced in a black Saints jersey before taking it off to reveal a yellow Savannah Bananas jersey underneath. Shough gathered his temporary teammates in a huddle and ran a play where he threw a “touchdown” and took a selfie with the group.
TOUCHDOWN @tylershough2 🙌#Saints | @TheSavBananas pic.twitter.com/JwSilxYCve
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) March 15, 2026
“Words don’t describe it — this is like Saints playoffs right here,” Shough said in an interview at the sold-out event. “This is where we’ve got to get to; this is an unbelievable atmosphere.”