The NFL community, both past and present, took to social media on Monday to express their admiration for Drew Brees’ history-making night
Drew Brees saves his history-making performances for football’s biggest stages.
A year after setting the all-time passing yards record on Monday Night Football, Brees did the same thing this Monday night against the Indianapolis Colts. His touchdown pass to Josh Hill in the third quarter against the Indianapolis Colts was the 540th of his future Hall of Fame-career, moving him past Peyton Manning for most in NFL history.
Brees appeared to set the record late in the first half before the play was called back due to offensive pass interference, a decision—what else is new in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome—not everyone agreed with.
He still finished the first half 20/21 with two touchdowns, tying Manning’s record. It took him just a half-quarter at the start of the second half to get the score back on the board for the record-breaker.
It’s a monumental achievement for a quarterback who’s been written off numerous times on the road to his moment. Coming into the NFL out of Purdue, the 6’0 Brees was considered too small to play quarterback in the league. “Does not possess the ideal height you look for in a pro passer” and “Lacks accuracy and touch on his long throws” were just some of the things scouts reported on him. He slipped out of the first round before being picked by the Chargers in 2001, where on Nov. 4, coming in to replace Doug Flutie in a game against the Chiefs, he threw his first career touchdown pass to Freddie Jones in the fourth quarter.
Again, in his final game in a Chargers uniform, he tore ligaments in his shoulder while diving to recover a fumble. His prognosis uncertain, the Miami Dolphins decided to sign Daunte Culpepper instead of him. The Saints, with the New Orleans community still reeling from the after-effects of Hurricane Katrina, signed him, and the franchise hasn’t been the same since.
Some of Brees’ contemporaries, players who competed both with him and against him over the past 20 seasons, weighed in on his achievement on Monday.
Brees has thrown touchdowns to 69 different receivers in his career. He’s already the all-time record holder for yards and completions. He’s now up to 28 completions on 29 attempts in Monday’s game, giving him a 75.6 completion percentage this season. That would be a new NFL record, which he already set last year.
Brees threw another touchdown to Taysom Hill later in the third quarter, giving him 541 for his career. No one knows for sure how much longer the 40-year-old quarterback is going to play or how many touchdowns he’ll end up with. His record might also not last much longer; Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is right behind him at 538. Brady also responded to Brees’ history-making throw on Twitter.
The Saints currently lead the Colts 34-0 as they play in the fourth quarter. At 10-3, they’ve already clinched the NFC South title for the third straight year.