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New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees watches from the sidelines after getting hurt during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in Los Angeles. Brees has been diagnosed with a torn ligament near the thumb of his throwing hand that is expected to sideline him at least six weeks, said a person familiar with the situation. Brees has elected to have surgery, but it is not yet clear when the operation will take place or who will perform it, the person said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday, Sept. 16, 2019.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees watches from the sidelines after getting hurt during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in Los Angeles. Brees has been diagnosed with a torn ligament near the thumb of his throwing hand that is expected to sideline him at least six weeks, said a person familiar with the situation. Brees has elected to have surgery, but it is not yet clear when the operation will take place or who will perform it, the person said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday, Sept. 16, 2019.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Saints' Drew Brees to Undergo MRI, X-Rays on Rib Injury Suffered vs. 49ers

Timothy RappNov 15, 2020

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Breesย will undergo an MRI and X-rays after suffering a rib injury during the first half of Sunday's 27-13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, head coach Sean Payton announced.

Brees told reporters after the game he did not feel he would have been able to be effective had he tried to play through the injury:

Jameis Winston replaced the 41-year-old Brees, who was ruled questionable to return, to start the second half.

Brees never returned to the field on Sunday, with Winstonโ€”who went 6-of-10 for 63 yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptionsโ€”finishing the game under center.

Brees missed five games in the 2019 season after tearing a ligament in his right thumb. Backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater filled in admirably in his stead, leading the team to a 5-0ย record in his starts. But Bridgewater is in Carolina now, and potentially losing Brees again to injury is a huge blow to the Saints' 2020 Super Bowl aspirations.

The veteran quarterback has maintained a high level of play, even into his 40s. In the 2019 season he threw forย 2,979 yards, 27 touchdowns and just four interceptions, completing an incredibleย 74.3 percent of his passes, breaking his own NFL single-season record.

it was his fourth straight seasonโ€”and fifth overallโ€”completingย at least 70 percent of his passes.ย He's thrown at least 30 touchdown passes 10 times and 40 or more touchdown passes twice. He threw for 4,000 yards 12 straight seasons between 2006 and '17. He's also thrown for 5,000 or more yards five times in his career.ย ย 

Suffice to say, Brees will be an easy selection to the Hall of Fame. But it appears as though his age might finally be catching up to him, as the famously durable quarterbackโ€”he missed just four games between the 2004 and '18 seasons, an incredible runโ€”has two injuries in the span of two seasons. Before last year you had to go back to 2003 to find the last time Brees didn't play in 15 or more games in a season.

So the Saints turn to Winston andย human Swiss Army knife Taysom Hill. And with Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas and a stout defense, they still remain a contender.ย 

But without Brees, their marginย for error diminishes significantly.

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