Rashid Shaheed has one of the coolest Drew Brees autographs you'll ever see

Rashid Shaheed is hardly the first New Orleans Saints player to ask a favor from Drew Brees, but his story is special. Brees was one of several members of the Saints’ Super Bowl XLIV-winning team to visit training camp this week. And when Brees was making the rounds to shake hands and exchange words, Shaheed stopped him with an autograph request — of a photo of themselves.

Shaheed grew up in San Diego, where Brees and his family have spent their summers for years, and their paths happened to cross way back when. Brees was a dad making a grocery run to what appears to be a Costco big-box store, and Shaheed was a schoolchild asking for a photo to show off to his fifth-grade elementary school class. Of course Brees obliged.

A lot has happened in the years since. Brees won the Super Bowl that year, and Shaheed eventually went on to play college football at Weber State before earning a rookie contract with the Saints. He was rewarded with an extension this summer, and now they’ve reunited.

Brees is going into the Saints team Hall of Fame this season and Shaheed is coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance. When Brees visited Saints practice on Tuesday in Irvine, Shaheed brought a printed copy of their photo from 15 years ago, and asked Brees to sign it. How’s that for a unique souvenir?