It was fitting that New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees served as the keynote speaker for the 69th National Athletic Trainier's Association (NATA) convention: The man is familiar with rehabilitation.
Dressed smartly in a navy coat over a white shirt, Brees frequently hit on that theme during a wide-ranging question and answer session at the New Orleans Convention Center.
The room was jammed with athletic trainers from around the country -- roughly 12,000 showed up for this year's event, according to NATA president Tory Lindley -- as Brees told them stories about hardship and triumph.