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Five Foot Eleven Drew Brees Casts a Tall Shadow
October is a great time for sports nuts like us. The NHL is skating. The NBA is about to roll. MLB playoffs are in full swing. And football, from pee wee to pro, is everywhere.
So yesterday while a 27 time World Series champion NY Yankees team was getting pasted by a Boston Red Sox team that can come at you in many ways, the defending World Champion Houston Astros busily had their brooms out sweeping the Cleveland Indians. All the while a proud LA Dodgers organization was showing continued excellence dispatching the young, upstart Atlanta Braves.
Oh, yes. And there was a Monday Night Football game. The Washington Redskins came to New Orleans to play the role of the Washington Generals getting worked by The Harlem Globetrotters. The Redskins played the role perfectly as Drew Brees took the national stage and was crowned the all-time NFL passing yardage leader. He needed 201 yards to pass Payton Manning. He got the crown, a standing O, a kiss from his wife, and a hug from his coach by halftime.
All five foot eleven inches of Drew Brees casts a tall shadow indeed. His 26-29 and 3 td performance brought his career total yards to 72,103. He also ranks as number one ever for completion percentage. Twenty-six for twenty-nine last night is almost his norm.
| Rank | Player | Yards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drew Brees* | 72,103 |
| 2 | Peyton Manning | 71,940 |
| 3 | Brett Favre^ | 71,838 |
| 4 | Tom Brady* | 67,418 |
Once more, that’s 72,103 yards and counting. That’s all but 41 miles.
He played QB at a football factory high school in football crazy Texas. No prominent college team in Texas offered him a scholarship. So, he “took his talents” to Purdue. Purdue. On draft night 2001 San Diego traded out of the very first pick. With it the Atlanta Falcons took Michael Vick. With the first pick in the second round the San Diego Chargers took Drew Brees. His first pass attempt ever for them ended in a sack and a fumble. San Diego chose Phillip Rivers, QB, in the first round in 2004. The proverbial handwriting was on the wall.
As a free agent in 2006 Drew wanted to go to the Miami Dolphins and play for some coach named Nick Saban. Miami doctors feared that his rotator cuff injury was too risky to pay money for a starting QB. New Orleans and a new head coach named Sean Payton came calling. Saban’s loss, a rarity, was Payton’s gain. The city was absolutely reeling at the time due to Katrina and the terror she brought.
Twelve years, 41 miles of passing yards, lots of rebuilding, and one Super Bowl win later Drew, the Saints, and its fans share a rabid passion and common bond. Drew is the Saints. Drew owns the town. And the town owns Drew.
So, where to from here? He keeps himself in great physical shape. He’ll turn 40 on January 15, roughly the time he hopes he is leading his team to another deep playoff run and a shot at ring number two. It would not surprise anyone if Drew will play into his mid forties. It would not surprise anyone if he got to 88,000 passing yards. That’s 50 miles in case you wondered.
And, it says here that Brees will become even more of an off of the field leader than he already is. His charitable work is great. He founded the Drew Brees Foundation that helps cancer patients live better lives. He has others that he is involved in as well. His investments, local and national, in various business ventures employ many.
It says here that a successful run for mayor of the city is very possible if he wants it. He already is king of the city.
Anyone who doubts that misses who he really is. Drew says,” nothing is given, everything is earned.” Indeed.
Comment section
The Washington Generals reference is kind!
The Redskins did get worked over. When Brees is cooking NOLA is eating, and the Superdome is serving.
…and the Generals are washing dishes
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