It turns out Drew Brees wasn't joking about his foray into pickleball

When news first leaked that Drew Brees was leaving NBC after one year, the New Orleans Saints legend created quite the buzz when he posted on social media that he was pondering his next step.

He appeared to jokingly say that he might play football again, and he added, "I may train for the pickleball tour." He also mentioned the possibilities of coaching his kids or becoming more focused on business and philanthropy.

The pickleball reference seemed to be the former quarterback's biggest joke of all, but it turns out Brees will be involved in a sport that most people associate with senior citizens.

Major League Pickleball - yes, that is a thing - announced Thursday that Brees has joined the ownership group for the "Mad Drops Pickleball Club," which includes Los Angeles Lakers part-owner Jim Buss.

Brees seems passionate about the the fast-growing game of pickleball.

“I am an avid pickleball player, fan and student of the game,” Brees said in a press release. “The opportunity to be a part of the ownership group of the Mad Drops PC is something I’m extremely excited about, and I look forward to helping raise awareness around the incredible players and competitions in MLP, helping grow the sport of pickleball and fostering overall fan engagement.

"As a long-time professional athlete and competitor, myself, I look forward to working with the Mad Drops PC team in our relentless quest to win many championships in the years to come.”

Major League Pickleball is a team-based league with a co-ed format.

“Pickleball is the fastest-growing and most accessible sport in America, and MLP has created a uniquely compelling team-based professional league that will continue to drive its growth,” MLB co-founder Zubin Mehta said in a release. “We are excited to partner with a terrific group of strategic investors as owners of Mad Drops PC and look forward to supporting MLP’s mission to be the premier provider of pickleball content.”