Drew Brees was the big winner at the ESPY Awards, collecting four trophies, including male athlete of the year on Wednesday night.

The New Orleans Saints quarterback also won best championship performance, NFL player and shared the team award with his Super Bowl champion colleagues.

“It’s hard to beat the Lakers in LA,” Saints coach Sean Payton said, hoisting the silver team trophy. “We were playing more than just football. We were playing for the region, for our city.”

New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees signs his memoir Saturday at Books A Million in Covington. Brees won the ESPY award for best male athlete, championship performance and NFL player Wednesday night at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. DAILY NEWS PHOTO/Peter Silas Pasqua Advertisement

Brees was chosen male athlete over Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Jimmie Johnson and Albert Pujols. All but James picked up trophies in other categories.

“I’d like to thank all those that sacrificed so much for me along the way,” Brees said. “I’d also like to thank the Who Dat nation. We love you.”

Gold medal-winning skier Lindsey Vonn won female athlete of the year honors during the show hosted by “Saturday Night Live” comic Seth Meyers that aired live on ESPN from the Nokia Theatre.

Landon Donovan of the U.S. national soccer team won best moment over the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV

Phil Jackson of the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers was named best coach over Payton.

Minnesota Vikings teammates Brett Favre and Greg Lewis shared the best play for Favre’s last-second pass to Lewis early last season.

“At 40, I still felt like I could do it,” Favre said. “You guys made me believe. It was just a magical year.”

Favre hasn’t announced whether he’ll play this season.

The Arthur Ashe Courage award went to the Ed Thomas family of Parkersburg, Iowa, for their courage to forgive. In June 2009, Thomas was shot and killed in the high school football team’s locker room by Mark Becker, one of his former players. Favre presented the award to Thomas’ wife Jan and sons Aaron and Todd.