NEW ORLEANS—Worried that he would be forced to feign a smile and halfheartedly thank everyone, Saints quarterback Drew Brees told reporters Monday night he hopes his family doesn’t just get him a football for Christmas again. “I appreciate the thought, but nobody seems to realize that I have other interests beyond this one thing,” said the former NFL MVP, noting that his basement was already full of boxes and bags of unused footballs that people have given him but he can’t bring himself to throw away. “I don’t want to insult my wife or kids, but they need to realize this is just my job. I mean, I like football, but I’m so much more than that, and I wish they would take the time to dig a little deeper and get me some hunting gear or books about the Civil War. I’m sure I’ll still just have to grit my teeth as I’m unwrapping another goddamn football again.” At press time, an excited Brees was studying a tall, wrapped rectangular box in his living room containing a display case for all his footballs.

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