Drew Brees Breaks Johnny Unitas' Record with Strike Against Old Team

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has set a new NFL record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass. The new mark is now 48 games, after Brees surpassed the legendary Johnny Unitas.

In a sweet quirk of fate, Brees clinched the honor by firing his record-setting strike against the team that discarded him, the San Diego Chargers. In a fitting "How you like me now?" moment, Brees lofted a precision pass to wideout Devery Henderson to complete a 40-yard score, drawing the Saints level at seven in the first quarter.

It's just another landmark in a mid-career bloom defined by staggering achievement for Brees. Since moving to the Saints in 2006, Brees has broken Dan Marino's single-season yardage record and now has elevated himself above Unitas in the annals of league history.

That's a fitting reward for a player ditched by the Chargers in favor of first-round draft choice Philip Rivers. While Rivers has enjoyed his own moments of excellence, Brees has elevated his game and put his name firmly in any conversation regarding the best quarterback in the league.

Not to mention the fact that Brees inspired the Saints to their first and only Super Bowl win in franchise history; not bad for a quarterback deemed too short at the start of his career and the victim of a nasty shoulder injury toward the end of his tenure in San Diego.

The Saints have certainly endured their struggles this season and are currently winless, but with Brees under center they can never be written off. If their unerringly accurate record-holder can get back to his best, the Saints surely won't have to wait long for their first win.

No matter how their suspension-blighted season concludes, Brees has certainly cemented his legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks to grace the NFL.