Countdown to Kickoff: Profile on New Orleans Saints QB No. 9 Drew Brees
By Jeremy Klump
The NFL Spin Zone ‘Countdown to Kickoff’ series continues with 9 days until kickoff, profiling New Orleans Saints quarterback No. 9, Drew Brees.
Today is August 30, 2016, which means there are exactly nine days until the NFL season kicks off.
As we wait for the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers to start the NFL season, the team at NFL Spin Zone has decided to profile a player whose number is associated with the amount of days until that first kickoff.
With that in mind, there are nine days until football, so I will profile New Orleans Saints quarterback, No. 9 Drew Brees.
Related Story: Where is Brees ranked in the QB Power Rankings?
We are finally in single digits as we patiently wait for the 2016 NFL season to kickoff. It has felt like an eternity since we have last seen a regular season NFL game, but we get back to football in nine days. It has also felt like an eternity watching Brees dominate while playing quarterback in the NFL.
Brees enters his impressive 16th NFL season in 2016. Playing 16 years in the league, you would think a player’s ability would regress, however Brees has been as consistent as they come.
Since becoming a free agent after his time in San Diego and signing with the Saints in 2006, Brees has yet to throw for under 4,300 yards in a single season. He has led the NFL in passing yards six times (2006, ’08, 2011-12, 2014-15). Along with his impressive yardage numbers, Brees has at least thrown for 26 or more touchdowns in each of those 10 seasons, leading the league four of those years (2008-09, 2011-12).
The nine-time Pro Bowler has arguably been one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time while he has played this game.
Before he steps onto the field for his 16th NFL season, Brees currently sits third all-time in completions (5,365), fourth for passing yards (60,903), third for passing touchdowns (428), seventh for passer rating (95.8), first for passing yards per game (280.7), first for completion percentage (66.4), first for passes complete per game (24.7) , and sixth for game-winning drives (38).
Brees also is second all-time for passing yards in a single season (5,476), but also sits at fourth (5,177), fifth (5,162), seventh (5,069), 10th (4,952), and 14th (4,870) on that list. He is the only quarterback to ever throw for 5,000 yards more than once, doing it four times.
The 2004, 2011, and 2015 AP Comeback Player of the Year is an easy first-ballot Hall of Fame player today. Brees also is a great person off of the field, winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2006.
Not only does Brees put the Saints on his back, but he puts the city of New Orleans on there as well. The last two seasons have been rough for the Saints, as they finished 7-9 in both seasons and missed out on the payoffs. However, the 2009 Super Bowl MVP will be the one trying to get them back on track and get the city of New Orleans rocking again.
At 37 years old and entering his 16th season, Brees is a living legend in the NFL. Writing all of his accomplishments down and showing where he is in the record books doesn’t even do him the justice he deserves. Brees is as elite as they come and in nine days we will get to see No. 9 back in action.