Longtime New Orleans Saints superstar Drew Brees is likely to retire after this season. Jay Glazer confirmed the news during Sundays broadcast of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Saints game on FOX. Brees had a successful college football career at Purdue University, becoming one of the most decorated players in Purdue and Big Ten Conference history. Brees set two NCAA records, 13 Big Ten Conference records, and 19 Purdue University records during his college career. He remains the Big Ten record-holder in several passing categories, including completions (1,026), attempts (1,678), and yards (11,792). Brees is regarded as one of the best passers in NFL history and has been hailed as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
Brees was chosen by the San Diego Chargers with the first pick in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Brees earned the starting job with the Chargers in 2002 and made the Pro Bowl in 2004. Nine months after suffering a dislocation in his right shoulder joint and a tear of the labrum and rotator cuff, Brees signed with the Saints as a free agent in 2006, where he has played since. He experienced immediate success in New Orleans, leading the Saints to their first-ever Super Bowl in Super Bowl XLIV and helping the team to a 31–17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
To me, this look back here from Drew Brees as he exits says it all. pic.twitter.com/poxx29V5Oy
— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) January 18, 2021
Since joining the Saints, Brees has led all NFL quarterbacks in touchdowns, passing yards, and 300-yard games. As of the end of Week 10 of the 2020 NFL season, Brees holds the NFL records for career pass completions, career completion percentage, and career passing yards. He is also second in career touchdown passes, second in career pass attempts, third in regular season career passer rating and fourth in postseason career passer rating. In 2012, he broke Johnny Unitas’s long-standing record of consecutive games with a touchdown pass.
He has led the NFL in passing yards a record seven times and in passing touchdowns a record-tying four times. Brees has made the Pro Bowl 13 times, was the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2004, was the Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2011, and was the MVP of Super Bowl XLIV. Sports Illustrated named Brees its 2010 Sportsman of the Year.
After the Chargers refused to increase their offer, Brees met with other teams. The New Orleans Saints and the Miami Dolphins were interested in Brees. New Orleans made an offer that included $10 million in guaranteed money the first year and a $12 million option the second year. Miami was unsure whether Brees’ shoulder was completely healed and doctors suggested the team should not sign him because of the injury. The Dolphins ended negotiations and traded for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper instead. Brees signed a six-year, $60 million deal with the Saints on March 14th, 2006.
New Orleans #Saints QB Drew Brees reportedly will retire after this playoff run. All-time ranks entering today 👇👇
80,358 Pass yds (1st)
7,142 Comp (1st)
67.7 Comp% (2nd)
571 Pass TD (2nd)#Saints #TBvsNO #NOLA #Purdue #NewOrleans #Touchdown pic.twitter.com/bf5ue0VYNZ— Gabriel Schray (@schrayguy) January 18, 2021
In 2009 Drew Brees and the Saints won the Super Bowl. The Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31–17 in Super Bowl XLIV on February 7th, 2010. Brees tied a Super Bowl record with 32 pass completions and won the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award. He threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first league championship in Saints franchise history. Brees was named the 2010 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, both for his winning the Super Bowl and his charitable work towards the reconstruction of New Orleans.
Brees put up some unbelievable numbers throughout the course of his career. He ranks number one in passing yards all-time with 80,358. He is first all-time in pass completions with 7,142. He is also second all-time in both completion percentage, which he has a composite 67.7% rate for his career, and for passing touchdowns, which he has 571 of in the course of his career. Hats off to one of the finest athletes to ever play of the game of football. Brees is one of my personal idols, and one of my childhood heroes. I will truly miss watching him play.
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