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Robert Meachem can’t help but feel that he was a part of history on Monday night. The New Orleans Saints wide receiver has been a part of quarterback Drew Brees’ record-setting season, catching 38 passes for 590 yards and six touchdowns for a team that improved to 12-3 by beating the Atlanta Falcons this past Monday night.
Brees set the NFL’s single-season passing record in the game. He’s just two years removed from being the Super Bowl MVP and Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year. Despite the accolades, Meachem says he still feels like Brees is underrated. Robert Meachem joined ESPN Radio with The Doug Gottlieb Show to discuss being a part of Brees’ record-setting performance, what Brees is like both on the field and off, Brees still being underrated, what his first impressions of the quarterback were when they first met and whether this Saints team is as good as the one that won it all.
What was the scene like in the Saints locker room after the victory and Drew Brees setting the record?
“Words can’t really describe that feeling. We was all a part of history. Yes, his name will go down in the stat books, but for us, we was all a part of history.”
What’s Brees like as a teammate?
“He’s a great teammate. He’s a helper. The thing that gets me about him is when he throws a bad ball, he gets on himself. That’s rare, really, with quarterbacks. A lot of times they tell you they need to get your depths or get over faster. If he throws a low ball, high ball, throw a ball where you get blew up, he’s the first person to say, ‘Are you OK? Everything’s all right? My bad.’”
What’s he like as a guy off the field?
“He’s a competitor, I know that. Every little game we play, he’s trying to win. … We play a little game called Trash Can Football. Whoever is on his team, they know, you better play your hardest. If you’re out there just going through the motions, he’s going to be pretty mad at you.”
Is there a chance that, even at this point, he’s still kind of underrated?
“I think so. I think he has a lot to offer, for any team. I think if he was on any team, he’d be doing the same things that he’s doing now. One thing … is what he does in the community as far as helping people rebuild homes and trying to give out toys during Christmastime. He’s just an all-around great guy.”
He doesn’t exactly have the look of an NFL quarterback. What was your first impression of him?
“I was excited to work with a guy like him because the first thing he said was, ‘You’re the rookie, I’m the veteran, but I will help you. I will try to do my best to help you be the best player that you can be in this league. Since Day One, he’s been helping me.”
How good is your team right now? Good as you guys were when you won the Super Bowl?
“Our team is pretty good. We still have a lot to work on, but our team is pretty good. … Only time will tell. If we win the Super Bowl, then yes, we were just as good.”
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