Drew Brees sat in the passenger seat as his father-in-law drove through the drive-thru of an Arby’s in Birmingham, Alabama.

The year was 2006, and Brees was in Alabama with his in-laws while he rehabbed a right shoulder that he wasn’t so sure would ever function well enough for him to throw again.

An unknown number popped up on Brees’ cell phone while they waited to place their order.

Brees replied.

The man on the other end of the line introduced himself as “Sean Payton, head coach of the New Orleans Saints.”

Brees immediately hit the mute button, looked at his father-in-law and asked a simple question: “Who the hell is Sean Payton?”

The rest, as they say, is history.

Payton had found his quarterback, one who would help lead the New Orleans Saints into uncharted territory for the next 15 years.

For the man who wore No. 9, it was the start of a record-breaking career that would eventually become a two-stop Hall of Fame tour.

The first stop was Thursday afternoon at the Hilton Riverside in downtown New Orleans, where Brees was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame. The next stop will be the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where Brees will undoubtedly be one of the first inductees when he becomes eligible in 2026.

“My time here has been special, beyond my wildest dreams and beyond what I could ever be blessed with,” Brees said.

Brees spoke for 48 minutes on Thursday and relived some of his fondest memories from his playing days.

If there was a storytelling hall of fame, the 750 people in attendance Thursday would certainly have voted Brees into that hall of fame, too.

Here are some of the stories he told in addition to the one about the call he received in the drive-through window at Arby’s:

• The brutal training camps in the scorching heat at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss.

• Teammate Scott Fujita suffered an injury during training camp while the team was visiting a water park.

• The time the team stopped a player just before a game in London and ended up signing the first player they could find who had a pass.

And perhaps the best story of all?

• The time before the 2007 season when Sean Payton directed the team to dig a grave next to the team facility and bury all the trophies and plaques from the previous season when the Saints reached the NFC title game. It was Payton’s way of burying the past and looking forward. Well, the Saints started the 2007 season 0-4. So Brees and three of his teammates, along with their wives, decided to dig up the coffin and remove all those awards.

“We had to get our mojo back,” Brees explained.

They won their next four games but finished just 7-9 that season.

The real mojo came two seasons later when Brees led the Saints to the Super Bowl title.

Brees, who gave Saints fans so many great memories during his playing days, wanted to give them a few more on Thursday. That’s why he told so many stories.

“I wanted to make it fun and entertaining and give fans a real look at a lot of the things that go on behind the scenes,” Brees said. “Honestly, that’s what the team is all about. That’s what the culture is about. You wonder why you invest so much time in this game. It’s moments like these that stay in your memory forever. They might make you laugh. They could make you cry. But at the end of the day, it made you better, brought you together, and allowed you to achieve something you never thought possible.”

Many of Bree’s former teammates who helped make those goals possible were in attendance at Thursday’s ceremony. Payton, whose Denver Broncos were in town to play the Saints on Thursday night, also stopped by.

Former Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, one of Brees’ favorite targets during their playing days together, introduced Brees.

“You gave us all hope,” Graham said. “You didn’t just lead the team. You ran the city.”

Graham said Brees made him better. That’s why he took time out of his busy schedule to fly in to introduce the guy who gave him so many touchdowns.

“I would fly to the moon so I could praise him for the man he is,” Graham said. “One of the greatest compliments to a leader is the people he has around him and the way he makes them better. You can’t tell me anyone who played with him who wasn’t better because of him. It’s just the way he played and practiced. I have spoken in many places, even the White House. But being able to introduce him was much more important to me.”

Saints owner Gayle Benson presented Brees with his black Saints Hall of Fame jacket at halftime Thursday night in a ceremony that ended with a parade from the second row on the field. He was joined by his wife Brittany and children Baylen, Bowen, Callen and Rylen.

In two years he will receive a gold jacket in Canton, Ohio.

And one day his name will appear in the rafters of the Superdome when the team decides to induct him into the prestigious Ring of Honor.

Until then, he will have more stories to tell about the team and the city that will forever be close to his heart.

“No matter where I am, where I live, where I travel, New Orleans is my home,” Brees said. “When I enter the Dome, the Dome is my home. It just feels like I belong there. This is one of those cities, one of those communities that once you’re a part of it, it’s in your blood forever.”