Could Drew Brees be Considered the Best QB of All-Time if He Does Retire after 2020?
Drew Brees just signed a two year, $50 million contract with the New Orleans Saints. So, why did head coach Sean Payton just say 2020 will be his final season in the NFL?
Payton stunned the football world Tuesday morning by announcing, maybe accidentally, on ESPN’s “Get Up!” that Drew Brees plans to retire after this season. The longtime coach told ESPN that Brees already made an announcement to the team indicating 2020 will be his swan song. Will this really be the last year we get to see the future Hall of Famer in an NFL uniform? If it is, what will Brees’ legacy be when he steps away from the game?
Sean Payton might’ve accidentally revealed Drew Brees’ future plans
Sean Payton might’ve slipped up and revealed Drew Brees’ retirement plans before Brees had a chance to make a public statement. Payton was asked a question about backup quarterback Taysom Hill on the ESPN morning show, but he pivoted to Brees in the middle of his response.
“The unique situation with our team and with our quarterback Drew Brees is he’s announced he’s coming back for his final season,” Payton told Mike Greenberg. He then switched right back to talking about Hill. It almost seemed like a slip of the tongue.
Brees signed a deal to return to New Orleans for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. It’s hard to believe he would sign those papers knowing he only had one year left in the tank. Maybe a change of heart occurred in the last few weeks. Whatever the case, Brees definitely talked to Payton about his upcoming decision. Now the world knows too.
How will Drew Brees be remembered when he does retire?
If it isn’t coming after this season, Brees’ retirement will come soon. He said publicly that he won’t be playing until 45, which would be the 2023 season. Brees is ready to spend more time with his family and move away from the daily grind of the NFL.
When that day does come, it will be the saddening end to a surefire Hall-of-Fame career. Brees will be remembered as the most accurate passer in NFL history. His 67.6 career completion percentage is the highest mark of all time among qualifying quarterbacks. He owns five of the top six completion percentage totals in NFL history. He even went 29-30 (96.6 percent) in one game, another NFL record.
Brees is and always will be a winner. He will go down as one of the most decorated quarterbacks of all time. If this is the last time we get to see him sling it around for the Saints, we must cherish the greatness we’ve witnessed over his 20 years.
Does Drew Brees have a case to be considered the best QB of all time?
Tom Brady is widely considered the ‘GOAT’ among NFL quarterbacks. It’s hard to argue with six Super Bowls, 30 playoff victories, 14 Pro Bowls, and three NFL MVP awards. However, Brees shouldn’t be shut out from the ‘GOAT’ conversation.
Brees has thrown for the most passing yards (77,416) and the most touchdown passes (541) in NFL history, but his NFL records stretch much further than that. Brees also holds the record for most consecutive games with a passing touchdown (54), most 5,000-yard passing seasons (5), and completion percentage in a single season (74.4 percent), among others.
Brees is the NFL’s all-time record holder in career touchdown passes, completions, yardage, completion percentage and ranks third in passer rating. He also won a Super Bowl in 2010. Based on his on-field passing accomplishments, Brees is unmatched, even by Brady.
Brady’s accomplishments in the playoffs and Super Bowls stand above the rest, but Brees bests him in almost every passing category. As a pure thrower of the football and scoring machine, no one has ever done it better than Brees.
