There aren’t many NFL players who accomplished as much as Drew Brees while still feeling like an underappreciated talent. The former New Orleans Saints quarterback was chosen for ESPN’s list of the top 25 NFL players of the 21st century, and his credentials stand apart even in a great era favoring modern passing offenses.
Here’s why ESPN’s NFL Nation reporter Katherine Terrell argues Brees belongs on the list at No. 15 overall:
Key accomplishments: 13-time Pro Bowler, one-time first-team All-Pro, seven-time NFL passing yards leader, four-time NFL passing TDs leader, two-time Offensive POY, Super Bowl XLIV MVP
While Brees’ command of the two-minute drill became famous, he also was renowned for his accuracy with the ball — something that only got better with age. Brees completed 67.7% of his passes, which is second behind Joe Burrow on the all-time list. Brees holds six of the top 10 spots for single-season completion percentage, setting four of those marks between the ages of 38 and 41. Teammates and coaches have attributed that success over the years to multiple factors, including Brees’ ability to read a defense and quickly get the ball out, his legendary work ethic and a memory that allowed him to recall almost every play he ever ran.
Brees was one of six quarterbacks on the list, and he beat three of them head-to-head on the way to a Super Bowl XLIV championship in 2009. He outdueled Brett Favre (No. 17 on this top-25 list, just behind Brees at No. 15) in the NFC championship game and defeated Peyton Manning (No. 4) with the whole word watching to win the Lombardi Trophy. That happened months after Brees and the Saints thumped Tom Brady (No. 1) so badly in prime time that he watched the last seven minutes of regulation from the New England Patriots bench.
It won’t be long before Brees joins Manning and Favre in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — he’s eligible for enshrinement in 2026, so he’ll get in before Brady in 2028 — but it’s tough to look back at his career and not wonder how much more he may have accomplished had he had a stronger team around him. Ah well. It’s all in the past now, but so are all of Brees’ big plays, inspiring pregame speeches, and electrifying comebacks. And those are all worth remembering as he waits patiently for enshrinement at Canton.
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