Drew Brees said he could have kept playing in the NFL, but "it was time" to retire after ending his illustrious career last week.
After 20 seasons and numerous passing records, New Orleans Saints quarterback Brees announced his retirement on Sunday.
The 42-year-old was crowned Super Bowl MVP after leading the Saints to glory in Super Bowl XLIV in 2010.
Brees reflected on his decision to retire on Wednesday, the 13-time Pro Bowler telling reporters: "I felt that it was time.
"Could I keep playing? Yeah, I'm sure I could. But I'm also looking at my kids, my family, the age of my kids.
"And just gauging all of those things, there's a balance there. And I also just felt like I would just feel it -- I would feel when it was time."
Brees sits as the all-time leader with 80,358 passing yards, while he bowed out of the game after 10,551 passing attempts (of which he completed 67.7 per cent), 571 touchdowns throws and 172 wins.
He had five seasons with over 5,000 passing yards, a feat no other quarterback has accomplished more than once. Not Tom Brady, not Peyton Manning, not Patrick Mahomes.
His total of 5,476 yards in 2011 saw him break Dan Marino's longstanding NFL record for a single campaign, though Manning squeezed above him by one solitary yard to take top spot on the all-time list two years later.
Brees has the record for most seasons with at least 30 touchdown passes per year (10). There were once seven in a single game in 2015, against the New York Giants, a feat only eight players have ever achieved in the league's history.
No quarterback has had more career games with at least three scores through the air than his total of 97. Same goes for four or more (37). And five (11), too.
Brees' 54-game stretch with at least one touchdown pass from 2009 to 2012 is also an NFL record, while there were twice nine-game streaks where he posted 300 or more passing yards in each outing.
"That's two-thirds of my life," Brees said after being introduced as a new analyst for NBC midweek. "Of course it's a difficult decision. I understand why guys have such a hard time with the transition from football.
"You can't replicate the locker room, and you can't replicate running out of the tunnel.
"There's just moments and feelings and emotions that are really hard to replicate after you've been a professional football player."
Brees added: "I've always said as long as I could play the game at a high level, I'm having fun doing it and able to stay healthy, then this is something I'll do forever.
"Obviously, I've had some injuries the last two years that have been frustrating -- both of them kind of freak things. [But] I don't think they were injuries that were saying I was getting old.
"Ever since the 2017 season, I have truly approached each season like it could be my last. ... What I started to do was start enjoying the little things maybe more. Smell the roses, so to speak, and stay in the moment.
"So if something happened like an injury and I never played again, I'd know I poured everything into it. I think that served me well. I think I played some of my best football over that time."
Vikings plan to release Pro Bowl RB Cook
Dalvin Cook's run with the Minnesota Vikings appears to be over, as NFL.com reports the team intends to release the four-time Pro Bowl running back after six seasons.
The Vikings plan to make the move official on Friday while they make a last-ditch attempt to find a trade partner for Cook, who is slated to count $14.1 million against the salary cap this season. Releasing the 27-year-old will save Minnesota $9 million.
Cook should have no shortage of suitors once on the open market after putting together another productive season in 2022. The Florida State product rushed for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns while playing in all 17 regular-season games, and added 295 yards and two touchdowns on 39 receptions.
A second-round pick of Minnesota in 2017, Cook is one of two players to record 1,000 or more rushing yards in each of the last four seasons, along with Cleveland Browns standout Nick Chubb. Cook's 5,024 rushing yards since 2019 are the third most in the league behind Chubb (5,345) and Tennessee Titans star Derrick Henry (6,042).
Cook's 5,993 career rushing yards are also the third most among Vikings players behind Adrian Peterson and Robert Smith, the only two other players in franchise history with four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Alexander Mattison, who served as Cook's backup in each of the last four seasons, is expected to take over as the Vikings' No. 1 back after re-signing with the team in March on a two-year, $7 million deal. Minnesota also added UAB's DeWayne McBride in the seventh round of this year's draft.
Bills sign veteran pass-rusher Leonard Floyd to one-year deal
The Buffalo Bills have upgraded their pass rush, agreeing to a one-year deal with veteran outside linebacker Leonard Floyd.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network was the first to report the agreement on Monday.
Drafted with the ninth overall pick by the Chicago Bears in 2016, the 30-year-old Floyd is entering his eighth NFL season after spending the last three with the Los Angeles Rams following his first four years with the Bears.
He won a Super Bowl with the Rams two years ago while playing on the opposite side of the defense as Von Miller, who he'll be reunited with in Buffalo.
The Bills were tied for 14th in the NFL in sacks last season with 40, but their production dipped after Miller tore the ACL in his right knee in November and missed the rest of the season.
Following Miller's injury, Buffalo had two or fewer sacks in five of their final seven games.
Floyd had nine sacks while playing in all 17 games last season and has 47 1/2 sacks in his career.
Since the start of the 2020 season, his 29 sacks rank 10th in the league.
The Bills have lost in the divisional round of the playoffs each of the last two seasons, and hope the addition of Floyd will help them get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1993 season.
Buffalo opens the 2023 season with a highly anticipated Monday night showdown against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on September 11, and Miller is optimistic he'll be able to play.
Bills agree to terms with OLB Leonard Floyd on a 1-year deal. (via @rapsheet) pic.twitter.com/4NKBxj1Lcr
— NFL (@NFL) June 5, 2023
Milan 3-1 Hellas Verona: Leao double condemns visitors to Serie A relegation play-off
Milan signed off the Serie A season with a 3-1 victory as Rafael Leao's double condemned Hellas Verona to a relegation play-off with Spezia.
The Rossoneri wrapped up a frustrating campaign on a winning note at San Siro, with a late Leao brace enough to seal three points.
Milan had already secured Champions League football for another term but struggled at times against the visitors, who cancelled out Olivier Giroud's first-half penalty through Marco Faraoni's 72nd-minute strike.
Yet Leao struck in the 85th minute and again seven minutes later, leaving Verona to face a relegation decider with Spezia, who succumbed to a late 2-1 loss at Roma.
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