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New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is set to return under center for a showdown against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, as first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Brees, 41, missed four games due to 11 fractured ribs and a punctured lung, but he has now been cleared to play after having no setbacks in practice:
Since Wednesday when #Saints QB Drew Brees went out there and threw, the team believed he would start. He took the majority of reps, did not feel pain, and Brees told his teammates he planned to start. https://t.co/aipZMkr6Az
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 18, 2020
Saints head coach Sean Payton had this to say Thursday about Drew Brees' status:
“It's pretty simple. It's just functionality, strength, throwing without soreness,” Payton said, via ESPN's Mike Triplett. “I mean, there's a process, and last week with the trainers he had one throwing day, then yesterday the same way. So it's really [whether Brees is] asymptomatic, feeling good, strong and like he can function and be an asset and play well.”
In Brees' absence, New Orleans turned to multi-hyphenate backup QB Taysom Hill, who produced eight touchdowns (four rushing) against five turnovers (three fumbles) over his first four career starts under center. New Orleans won its first three games with Hill before falling in Week 14 to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now that Drew Brees is back in the lineup, Jameis Winston will return to his role as the No. 2 quarterback, with Hill back in his Swiss Army knife role, per Schefter. Brees has tossed 18 touchdowns against three interceptions this season, completing 73.5% of his passes and winning seven of his nine starts.
At 10-3, the Saints are currently tied with the Green Bay Packers for the top seed in the NFC playoff picture, though the Packers currently have the edge In the new playoff format introduced for the 2020 season, in which seven teams qualify for the postseason, only the No. 1 seed will receive a first-round bye.
