Who Dat Say Drew Brees Isn’t the GOAT?

Last night, at home against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football, Drew Brees completed 29 of 30 passes for 307 yards and 4 touchdowns — bringing his career total to 541 and passing Peyton Manning for the most touchdown passes in NFL history.

It was the kind of performance that not so long ago would have prompted an immediate blog from Chris. There would have been a follow-up by Barry first thing Tuesday morning to unpack the accomplishment a bit further. It was the kind of good sports moment that resounds and lingers like a good meal.

Brees’ incredible consistency last night — his 96.7% completion rate was itself a record — is a neat summation of his recent career. After a decade of attempting well over 600 passes a season, Brees’ attempts have dropped each of the last three, including this season’s injury-shortened campaign, while his completion percentage has only climbed steadily upwards.

As of this morning, Brees’ career completion percentage of 67.6% on 10,093 attempts is tops all-time. Along with Brett Farve (10,169), he is one of only two members in the 10,000 Attempts Club, although Tom Brady (9,926) should join them shortly. It will not surprise you to learn that among this trio there are 6 NFL MVP awards; it may, however, surprise you to learn that exactly none of them belong to Brees.

Brees’ GOAT case seems to end before it begins. Unlike Marino, he has a Super Bowl ring and a matching Super Bowl MVP trophy, but his trophy case pales in comparison to Brady’s, whose gauntlet of stones would make Thanos blush. At least in Brady, Brees has a worthy career to measure against.

Early returns are always awkward in hindsight, but consider: Ron Dayne, Joe Hamilton, Michael Vick, Chris Wienke, Josh Heupel. This is a list of Guys who got more votes for the Heisman trophy than Brees, who was a finalist in 1999 and 2000.

Nineteen years later, the company Brees keeps is Hall of Famer’s Hall of Fame — Brady, Farve, Manning, Marino. Last night’s record-breaking touchdown pass — a short toss to tight end Josh Hill — will ultimately be just one more in another awesome offensive performance in a career celebrated for them. In every way, Brees is the measure of a GOAT. Who says no?!