{"id":79473,"date":"2020-03-17T10:21:40","date_gmt":"2020-03-17T14:21:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/?p=79473"},"modified":"2020-03-17T10:21:40","modified_gmt":"2020-03-17T14:21:40","slug":"drew-brees-saints-agree-to-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2020\/03\/17\/drew-brees-saints-agree-to-deal\/","title":{"rendered":"Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints Agree to Deal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The 13-time Pro Bowl quarterback <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/B\/BreeDr00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Drew Brees<\/strong><\/a> has signed a two-year deal with the New Orleans Saints. Brees is one of the most prolific passers in NFL history as he has set numerous single-season and career passing records during his 19-year playing career.<\/p>\n<p>Brees had a very productive 2019 season despite missing five games for thumb ligament surgery on his throwing hand. He passed for 2,979 yards, 27 touchdowns with four interceptions and had an NFL-best 74.3 passing completion percentage. For all of his success, Brees still finished in second place behind <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/oti\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tennessee Titans<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/T\/TannRy00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong> Ryan Tannehill<\/strong><\/a> (117.5) with a 116.3 quarterback rating for the entire season.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Saints?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#Saints<\/a> agree to terms with QB Drew Brees, source said. He gets a 2-year deal worth roughly $50M. Never in doubt, but now done. And Brees took less to help the team continue to build.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RapSheet\/status\/1239919011535749121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">March 17, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2>Drew Brees, Saints Agree to Deal<\/h2>\n<p>Speculation began after the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/nor\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New Orleans Saints<\/a> wildcard weekend overtime loss to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/min\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Minnesota Vikings<\/a> about Drew Brees&#8217; immediate future. Several <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nfl\/2020\/01\/12\/drew-brees-new-orleans-saints-return-decision-tv-analyst-interest\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">media reports<\/a> had multiple television sports networks assessing the star quarterback&#8217;s interest in becoming an NFL game analyst.<\/p>\n<p>No one from Brees&#8217; camp would confirm if the quarterback was\u00a0considering retirement and beginning his post-playing career in the TV booth next season. However, the sudden interest gave Brees some leverage in securing a new contract that allowed him to continue playing football.<\/p>\n<p>Brees&#8217; NFL career began as a 2001 second round draft choice by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/sdg\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">San Diego Chargers<\/a>. He became the team&#8217;s full-time starting quarterback in 2002 after spending a season as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/F\/FlutDo00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Doug Flutie&#8217;s<\/strong><\/a> backup. Brees&#8217; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/sports\/nfl\/article223379285.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">time in San Diego<\/a> seemed to be ending after the Chargers acquired rookie quarterback <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/R\/RivePh00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Philip Rivers<\/strong><\/a> in a 2004 draft-day deal that sent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/M\/MannEl00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Eli Manning&#8217;s<\/strong><\/a> rights to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/nyg\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New York Giants<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>However, Brees won the training camp quarterback battle and led the Chargers to a 12-4 mark that earned the team their first AFC West Division title since 1994. In 2005, both Brees and the Chargers struggled on the field that culminated with him injuring his shoulder in the season finale. This ended the future Hall-of-Fame quarterback&#8217;s five-year career with the Chargers as Brees threw for 12, 348 yards, 80 touchdowns and 53 interceptions for 84.9 QB rating.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/mia\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Miami Dolphins<\/a> and the Saints each vied for Brees&#8217; services as he chose to continue his NFL career in The Crescent City. Together with first-year head coach <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/coaches\/PaytSe0.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Sean Payton<\/strong><\/a>, Brees led the Saints to a 10-6 record and a berth in the NFC Championship Game against the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/chi\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chicago Bears<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Payton created a high-powered passing attack that highlighted Brees&#8217; exceptional throwing accuracy in the pocket. In 2008, Brees came within 15 yards of tying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/M\/MariDa00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Dan Marino&#8217;s<\/strong><\/a> single-season passing (5,084) yards record. However, 2009 was the year that everything fell into place for Brees and the Saints. They began the season at 13-0 before losing three straight games to close out the regular campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Questions arose during the bye week if the Saints were going to have another &#8220;one-and-done&#8221; playoff run, but Brees and company proved their skeptics wrong by earning a berth in Super Bowl XLIV. It was supposed to be a dream matchup against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/M\/MannPe00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Peyton Manning<\/strong><\/a>, but Brees was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nfl\/recap?gameId=300207011\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the better quarterback<\/a> on this day. He threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns that earned him Super Bowl MVP honors in a 31-17 victory over the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/clt\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Indianapolis Colts<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In 14 seasons with the Saints, Brees has thrown for 65,068 yards, 467 touchdowns and 184 interceptions for a 101.3 quarterback rating.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"NCqsxCZyTQt4wd9_jjb6zg\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1204897694\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'NCqsxCZyTQt4wd9_jjb6zg',sig:'0Affo88KmtqsjTQBoG2FGTOckGehUMzbN7LBaLEcG4s=',w:'594px',h:'386px',items:'1204897694',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Drew Brees signed a new deal to continue his NFL career that has spanned from San Diego to New Orleans in 19 seasons thus far.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2802,"featured_media":81751,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"Drew Brees free agent stub","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"300","footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[6034,371,61,309,40,362,814,334,512],"class_list":["post-79473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-news","tag-doug-flutie","tag-drew-brees","tag-football","tag-new-orleans-saints","tag-nfl","tag-philip-rivers","tag-ryan-tannehill","tag-san-diego-chargers","tag-sean-payton"],"modified_by":"David Latham, Managing Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2802"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79473"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79473\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}