Drew Brees enters Sunday’s NFL opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just nine passes short of the league record for pass attempts.
When Brees makes that ninth pass for the New Orleans Saints, it will be number 10,170 of his career, passing Hall of Famer Brett Favre for No. 1 on the all-time list.
It will be just the latest No. 1 milestone for Brees, in his 20th season. The 41-year-old already holds the all-time lead in passing yards (77,416), passing touchdowns (547), passing yards per game (281.5), completion percentage (67.6) and completions per game (25.0).
This season, he could pass Peyton Manning for the all-time lead in one of the few the Saints QB doesn’t own: game-winning drives. Brees is the active leader with 50; Manning had 54.
It’s only fitting that the Saints are playing the Bucs, whose new quarterback, 43-year-old Tom Brady, is in the top five of most of the quarterback statistical career categories.
Sunday’s game is the first meeting between two starting quarterbacks age 40 or older. Brees has the most touchdown passes ever in Week 1 with 39, while Brady is second on the list with 37, according to NFL Research.
–Field Level Media