Damar Hamlin had the American sporting community rooting for him after the Buffalo Bills safety suffered an on-field cardiac arrest, as team-mate Josh Allen pleaded: "Please pray for our brother."

Hamlin was in a critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, having collapsed during Monday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin made a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter, and after briefly returning to his feet, he slumped to the ground.

He was administered CPR on the field, before being loaded into a waiting ambulance and rushed away.

Amid harrowing scenes, the game was suspended while the Bengals were leading 7-3 with 5:58 remaining in the first period.

Allen led the call for prayer for Hamlin, with well-wishers from across sport, entertainment and politics also sending thoughts and best wishes.

Former Chargers and Saints quarterback Drew Brees wrote on Twitter: "Damar Hamlin represents every one of us and every team-mate we've ever had.

"I've never met him, but I know him as a member of our brotherhood. My family and I pray for him and his family as he recovers. God be with him."

Michael Vick and Patrick Mahomes also said they were praying for Hamlin, the latter adding: "Please be okay man."

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill added: "Praying for Damar Hamlin, his family and everyone in Buffalo... no words for a situation like this."

The NFL said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with Damar, his family and the Buffalo Bills."

Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt said: "The game is not important. Damar Hamlin’s life is important. Please be ok. Please."

From basketball, the NBA said: "The entire NBA family's thoughts and prayers are with Damar Hamlin, his family and the NFL community."

That was reflected in post-game comments from a number of leading stars after Monday's NBA action, with Lakers superstar LeBron James saying: "My thoughts and super prayers goes up to the skies above for that kid's family, for him, for that brotherhood of the NFL and everybody a part of the NFL family."

James said it was "definitely the right call" to abandon the game for the night.

He said of the incident: "It was a terrible thing to see and I wish nothing but the best for that kid, for the city of Buffalo, for the franchise of the Bills and like I said, for the rest of the NFL as well and also the Bengals that was there and playing in that game."

Klay Thompson, from the Golden State Warriors, added: "As athletes, sometimes the game can overshadow us as individuals or people.

"On behalf of the organisation, we wish him the best. We're keeping him in our prayers and hoping for the best possible outcome. He's a tremendous person and it's bigger than the sport."

Hollywood actor Ben Stiller, a big sports fan, wrote: "Sending good thoughts and prayers to Damar Hamlin and his family."

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani said: "Our prayers are with Damar Hamlin."

Amid the focus on Hamlin's plight, there was a surge in donations to a Christmas fundraiser the Bills star organised in 2020, to raise money to buy toys for children hit hard by the pandemic.

The fundraiser's target had been $2,500, but its running tally passed $3million by the early hours of Tuesday.

After a year away from the sport and with his broadcast career seemingly suffering a setback, Drew Brees teased a potential NFL return on Sunday.

Future Hall of Famer Brees posted on Twitter that he was "undecided" on his future amid reports of his time as an analyst for NBC coming to an end.

He wrote: "Despite speculation from media about my future this fall, I’m currently undecided.

"I may work for NBC, I may play football again, I may focus on business and philanthropy, I may train for the pickleball tour, senior golf tour, coach my kids or all of the above. I'll let you know."

Brees called it a career after the 2020 season - his 15th with the New Orleans Saints - and, while the competitive fire may still burn for an all-time great, the numbers suggest the correct course of action for the 43-year-old would be to stay retired.

Unlike Tom Brady, who swiftly unretired 40 days after announcing his decision to quit in the wake of one of the best seasons of his storied career, Brees endured one of his most underwhelming campaigns in 2020.

Brees remained extremely accurate, completing 70.5 per cent of his passes and delivering an accurate, well-thrown ball on 81.1 per cent of pass attempts.

However, he averaged only 6.41 air yards per attempt, the fourth-fewest among quarterbacks to attempt at least 50 passes.

His 31 completions of 20 yards or more were fewer than that of then-San Francisco 49ers backup Nick Mullens (33). Brees attempted just 21 passes of 21 air yards or more, illustrating an inability to push the ball downfield as his arm strength faded in the final years of his career.

Were Brees to make a comeback, he may not be able to do so with the Saints, who re-signed Jameis Winston to a two-year deal this offseason.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen said of Brees' tweet about a possible comeback: "I think it was a comment made in jest, and we certainly haven't had any conversations in that regard."

Given the age and the numbers from his most recent season, talk of a Brees return is indeed tough to take seriously.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers superstar Tom Brady revelled in his "very cool record" after becoming the all-time passing yards leader during his emotional Foxborough homecoming against the New England Patriots.

Brady broke Drew Brees' NFL record and led Super Bowl champions the Buccaneers (3-1) past former team the Patriots (1-3) 19-17 on Sunday.

All eyes were on Brady as the seven-time Super Bowl champion made his first appearance in New England since leaving the Patriots for the Buccaneers ahead of the 2020 season, having won six rings at Gillette Stadium.

Brady received a warm welcome from Patriots fans, with the 44-year-old going on to eclipse Brees' mark of 80,291 yards and join Brett Favre, Peyton Manning and Brees as the only QBs to defeat all 32 NFL franchises.

"I just think it's amazing statistic in that so many people can share in it with me," Brady told reporters after finishing 22-of-43 passing for 269 yards without a touchdown or interception, while he rushed for three yards on four carries.

"Quarterback doesn't throw and catch. Quarterback can just throw it. It's yards. Passing yards have to be caught, so I just hope that everybody who caught passes from me over the years just had a little smile on their face tonight knowing they contributed to a very cool record."

"It's not that I would predict what would happen," Brady said. "There were a few emotional moments thinking about the people that meant so much in my life. My football journey took me somewhere else."

Brady shared an embrace with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick following the game, which saw a desperate 56-yard field-goal attempt from Nick Folk bounce off the upright in the final minute as the former got the better of New England.

"All of that is personal," Brady said when asked about what was said between him and Belichick. "We've had a lot of personal conversations that should remain that way.

"So much is made of our relationship... nothing is really accurate that I ever see. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and this organisation."

"It was a tough, hard-fought game. It was a very typical Patriot-type weather. Very tough to come into the environment. I thought the fans did a great job. That little, what do they call that horn? That foghorn or whatever? That thing's loud," Brady said of the noise that plays before opponents' third-down plays.

"You don't think about it much when your defense is on the field. I just had to be on the field when that thing was going off."

It remains to be seen whether Brady will play another game in Foxborough as the five-time Super Bowl MVP said: "It's been a great stadium for me for a long time. I don't know what the future holds, obviously. So there could be an opportunity to come back here. So we'll see."

After the reunion, Belichick added: "We went against Tom Brady every day, every day in practice defensively. So it's not like we've never seen Tom Brady before."

Drew Brees said he is not surprised by Tom Brady's form after watching the evergreen Tampa Bay Buccaneers superstar break his NFL record.

Brady eclipsed Brees' passing yards record in Super Bowl champions the Buccaneers' 19-17 victory at the New England Patriots on Sunday.

In his first appearance in Foxborough since leaving the Patriots for the Buccaneers after 19 seasons and six Super Bowls ahead of the 2020 season, Brady surpassed Brees' mark of 80,291 yards in the opening quarter.

Brees – who retired at the end of last season – hailed the 44-year-old quarterback, who continues to defy 'Father Time'.

"Congratulations @tombrady on breaking the NFL All-Time Yardage Record!," Brees wrote via Instagram.

"We have had some epic battles over the years, but more importantly, have been able to develop a great friendship along the way.

"Some may be surprised what you are doing at age 44, but I am not. Your commitment and dedication to this game, your team, and to being the very best, are second to none.

"Very few realise the stress, sacrifice and struggle it takes to play the QB position for so many years.

"You continue to put greatness on display and bring out the best in those around you. Enjoy the moment as you have earned it!"

Brady – a seven-time Super Bowl champion – got the better of the Patriots and Bill Belichick to join Brett Favre, Peyton Manning and Brees as the only QBs to defeat all 32 NFL franchises.

Tom Brady made history in his Foxborough homecoming as Super Bowl champions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers held off the New England Patriots 19-17.

Brady returned to New England for the first time since leaving the Patriots for the Buccaneers ahead of the 2020 season, having won six Super Bowls during his 19 years at Gillette Stadium.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion received a warm reception in his homecoming as the Buccaneers superstar broke Drew Brees' NFL passing yards record.

Brady, who finished 22-of-43 passing for 269 yards without a touchdown or interception, eclipsed the 80,291-yards mark in the opening quarter – the 44-year-old's 28-yard completion to Mike Evans seeing him surpass Brees.

Bill Belichick's New England (1-3) led 7-6 at half-time thanks to Mac Jones' 11-yard pass to Hunter Henry in the second quarter.

Ronald Jones II's eight-yard run helped the Buccaneers (3-1) reclaim the lead before Mac Jones' second TD pass of the night – a short completion to Jonnu Smith – tipped the contest back in the Patriots' favour to start the final period.

Mac Jones completed 19 consecutive passes, tying the longest streak in a single game by a Patriots quarterback in the last 30 years. That run was posted by Brady in Week 1 of the 2015 season.

The topsy-turvy clash continued as Ryan Succop and New England's Nick Folk traded field goals before the former converted a 48-yard kick to put Tampa Bay ahead inside the final two minutes following a seven-play, 45-yard drive led by Brady.

A desperate 56-yard field-goal attempt from Folk bounced off the upright in the final minute as Brady got the better of the Patriots and Belichick to join Brett Favre, Peyton Manning and Brees as the only QBs to defeat all 32 NFL franchises.

Tom Brady broke Drew Brees' NFL passing yards record on Sunday as he returned to play the New England Patriots with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Legendary quarterback Brady came into his first game back in Foxborough on 80,291 yards in the regular season, needing 68 to pass Brees.

The 44-year-old reached that mark with a 28-yard completion to Mike Evans in the opening quarter, which led to the game's opening score and a 3-0 Buccaneers lead.

The Patriots, who won six Super Bowls with Brady under center, acknowledged his achievement, although the game quickly resumed.

Given New Orleans Saints great Brees retired at the end of last season, Brady will now own the record for the foreseeable future. Fellow veteran Ben Roethlisberger is his closest challenger among active players on 61,149 prior to the Pittsburgh Steelers' loss to the Green Bay Packers. [before Packers game].

Brees had taken top spot from Peyton Manning (71,940) in October 2018, while Manning only himself passed Brett Favre (71,838) in the final regular-season start of his career in November 2015.

Brady already owned the record for the most passing TDs, which now stands at 591.

The seven-time champion, who added his latest ring in his first season with the Bucs in 2020, tallied 74,571 of his passing yards and 541 of his passing TDs across 20 seasons with the Pats.

Facing New England and Bill Belichick for the first time, Brady was looking to become the fourth starting QB to beat all 32 teams in the league, alongside Brees, Manning and Favre.

Future Hall of Famer Drew Brees welcomed the possibility of Tampa Bay Buccaneers superstar Tom Brady breaking his NFL record on Sunday.

Brady is on the cusp of history, with the 44-year-old Buccaneers quarterback requiring just 68 yards to surpass Brees' NFL career passing yardage record of 80,358 yards.

Brees retired at the end of last season following 14 years with the New Orleans Saints and 20 years in the NFL, and the 42-year-old is all for Brady eclipsing his feat.

"I'm a firm believer that records are meant to be broken," Brees said, with seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady due to face former team the New England Patriots in Week 4.

Brees set the record in 2018 with a 62-yard touchdown and he added: "I'd be all for Brady just launching the first play of the game, just go ahead and get it out of the way.

"You said he needs, what? Sixty-eight yards? Let's have New England kick it in the end zone, start at the 25 and have him launch one to Mike Evans and let's just be done with it.

"There's no doubt I think that's gonna get knocked down pretty quick. I can't think of a guy who has invested more into his career and his preparation and kind of what he's meant for the game. It's definitely a special record because it speaks to the longevity that he's been able to experience and the level that he's been able to play at."

Brady leads the NFL this season in attempts (141), completions (97), passing touchdowns (10) and completions per game (32.3) for the Buccaneers (2-1).

"You're so locked into the game. You really can't allow yourself to go there too much," Brees said of Brady being able to enjoy the record. "It's really something that you try to get out of the way emotionally prior to the game.

"I'll be honest with you. ... I know the way I felt, leading up to games like this, whether it was playing an old team or chasing a record, I would visualise being in that moment, I would visualise breaking the record, I would visualise everything that was gonna happen.

"I would always get the tears and the emotions out of the way on a Monday or a Tuesday. Like literally cry it out on a Monday or a Tuesday, so that by the time it got to Sunday, it was all about business, it was all about the game, it was all about getting the job done."

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."

Drew Brees deserves more recognition for his NFL career accomplishments, says his former New Orleans Saints team-mate Jermon Bushrod.

The 42-year-old quarterback has announced his retirement after 20 seasons in the pro game, 15 of which were with the Saints.

Brees made the Saints perennial contenders and also had a huge impact off the field, credited with helping the city to recover after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Two-time Pro Bowler Bushrod won a Super Bowl with Brees at the end of the 2009 season as part of an initial six-year run on the Saints offensive line.

He also spent the last season of his NFL career protecting Brees in 2018, when the Saints went 13-3 before ultimately falling to a controversial NFC Championship Game defeat to the Rams.

Bushrod believes Brees deserves to be remembered among the very best, despite having frustratingly ended his career with just one Super Bowl title.

"It is frustrating that he doesn't get the recognition that he deserves," Bushrod said to Stats Perform News.

"You know a lot of people tend to leave him out of their top 10 or top five list and to me [he should be in].

"Maybe I'm a little biased because I had the best of him. I put myself on the line for him and I would do it again if the situation ever came up.

"He is a Super Bowl MVP, he got us to win the Super Bowl, he has broken so many records.

"Those memories last, he is going to be a Hall of Famer and the career he has had is kind of going to be forever etched in stone."

Brees extended his career chasing a second Lombardi Trophy that ultimately did not arrive and his final Super Bowl tally of one remains a regret to those associated with the Saints.

Bushrod, who also played with the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears, added: "It is frustrating, I'll be honest, because I was a part of the one Super Bowl with him but we should have had [more]. 

"We had two more opportunities while I was on the team [in my first run]. We had opportunities in the 2011 and 2012 season.

"And we had opportunity in the no call game [against the Rams in 2018], and they [the Saints] had an opportunity in the year or so before that.

"But Drew Brees was a huge part of the reason that we [won the Super Bowl] because when you have a guy like that who can march the ball up and down the field, everybody else just has to do their part. 

"Just do your part and don't make this game any harder than it really should be because we had this gunslinger back here who is extremely accurate and could get the ball all over the field. 

"It took pressure off of our defense. Our defense could take more chances, our special teams were great too because they put us in position.

"When you have Drew and you had that type of play caller in Sean Payton, if you give us a short field or you give us an extra possession we would light the scoreboard up and that was really cool to see."

While the Saints still went 9-3 in regular season games he played, Brees struggled to match his previous heights in 2020 and missed four games due to injury, so his retirement was widely expected.

Bushrod added: "Everyone kind of figured it was coming, based on his last year and the injuries that he was going through, to deal with something like that throughout the whole season.

"Being a guy who's 42 years old, who really pours a lot into this game, everybody kind of expected it.

"But I was sitting in my car when I got the alert on my phone and it took me back for a second that, 'Man, this guy is really done, but he had such an impact, not just on myself but on that city as well'.

"I just think of professionalism at its highest level [with Brees]. The amount of focus, the amount of detail, the amount of passion. His competitive spirit would pour out every day.

"You need to get the job done at a higher level because you see what this individual is doing, he knows what every single player on the offense is doing and it is pretty special to see.

"To be hand in hand, locked on with him and inside that huddle for seven out of my 12 years was truly a tremendous experience.

"He's done so much by investing millions of dollars from his philanthropic efforts but he's also created jobs in the city of New Orleans, he's leant a helping hand, in helping building homes and playgrounds. 

"What he did on the field was truly tremendous, but what he's done off the field is truly legendary. God gives you these platforms and you've got to be able to help and inspire the next person - he's done that."

Drew Brees is a "legend" who will be sorely missed after announcing his retirement, fellow New Orleans favourite Zion Williamson said. 

Brees called time on his glittering 20-year NFL career on Sunday, with glowing tributes pouring in for the quarterback. 

And Pelicans star Williamson, fresh from a 135-115 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, praised someone whose welcoming words have stuck with him. 

Williamson was the top pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and received a special message from Brees, who has had a lasting impact on the 20-year-old.

"He's a legend in the game, I think everybody knows that he's a legend," said Williamson, who is 22 years Brees' junior. 

"He gave his heart and soul to the game. I know a lot of people are sad to see him go. 

"Drew told me I think the truest thing anybody has ever told me, my first game in New Orleans – you love your city, they'll love you right back. 

"Whenever new people come and visit, that's the same thing I tell them. That's the kind of influence he's had on me." 

Brees is a 13-time Pro Bowler and was MVP in the Saints' Super Bowl win over the Indianapolis Colts in February 2010. 

The 42-year-old retires as the all-time leader in passing completions (7,142) and passing yards (80,358).

Tom Brady led the tributes to Drew Brees after the New Orleans Saints quarterback announced his retirement from the NFL.

Brady and Brees have spent the past two decades at the summit of American football, but the latter has now called time on his career.

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady sits second in the list of all-time passing yards (79,204), trailing only Brees (80,358).

Brady, who this week extended his contract with champions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will almost certainly pass that mark in 2021, but Brees' extraordinary achievements over a 20-year career will not be forgotten.

Although his time in the NFL ended with defeat to Brady's Bucs in the 2020 playoffs, the Saints icon's great rival was keen to hail his outstanding achievements.

"Congrats my friend on an incredible career," Brady wrote on Twitter.

"Thank you for the inspiration and dedication on and off the field! Look forward to seeing what's next @drewbrees."

Congratulations followed from around the NFL, including from NFC South rivals Tampa Bay, who accompanied a picture of Brees and Brady with the message: "Congratulations on an incredible career, @drewbrees."

The Atlanta Falcons, another NFC South opponent, were glad to see the back of a great, posting: "We thank you, @drewbrees. But we won't miss you."

Tributes from within the Saints organisation were as heartfelt as anticipated, with Brees having complemented his on-field success – a single Super Bowl ring – with off-field contributions, playing a huge role in the relief effort following Hurricane Katrina.

New Orleans head coach Sean Payton said: "When I was hired by the Saints as head coach in 2006, the very first goal was to establish a functional and winning culture.

"In doing so, it was vital to know what we were looking for in a player; talent, work ethic, make-up, intelligence and leadership are all qualities we found in Drew Brees.

"We also found a player with a burning desire to win. Within a year, he helped lead our team to the club's first NFC Championship appearance.

"Throughout his career, his consistency and dedication to excellence were unparalleled.

"In a very short period of time, he would help lead a region to recovery and a team to a Super Bowl Championship.

"He was a magnificent leader both on and off the field. His attention to detail and competitive spirit were infectious.

"For all of us that have had the chance to coach him, it has been our privilege, we are better for it.

"I am forever grateful for what he has done for our team, our community and for me personally."

Owner Gayle Benson said Brees was "much more valuable than all the records, awards and accolades". Saints president Dennis Lauscha described him as "remarkable in all facets of his career".

"He has developed a lasting legacy not only as a player, but more importantly as a person," said general manager Mickey Loomis.

As expected, Drew Brees has announced his retirement, a decision that puts the full stop on a 20-year story that has seen the quarterback set numerous NFL passing records. 

Pick number 32 in the 2001 draft, Brees started out with the San Diego Chargers but will be best remembered for his time with the New Orleans Saints. 

He sits as the all-time leader with 80,358 passing yards, though should not get too comfortable on top of the pile, considering Tom Brady sits right behind him on the list.  

While Brady is to keep on playing after winning the Super Bowl in his first year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his fellow forty-something has decided the time is right to move on to a new chapter. 

After 10,551 passing attempts (of which he completed 67.7 per cent), 571 touchdowns throws and 172 wins - plus one Super Bowl ring, of course - Brees bows out an undoubted great of the game. 
 

SAINTS GO MARCHING ON

It could have all been so different, though. Brees suffered a painful end to the 2005 season, injuring his shoulder in Week 17. When it became clear his future would lie away from the Chargers, who had a young Philip Rivers waiting in the wings, there were two possible destinations: Miami or New Orleans.  

The Dolphins, however, had concerns over Brees' recovery. They traded for Daunte Culpepper instead, the first of 15 different quarterbacks they have started since 2006.  

Meanwhile, the one they let get off the hook formed an alliance with head coach Sean Payton, one that turned the Saints from perennial strugglers to persistent winners. 

A franchise that had only made the playoffs five times previously has enjoyed nine postseason trips since 2006, including an unforgettable run in the 2009 season that culminated in winning Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, of all places.  

In the stadium he could well have called home, Brees completed 32 of his 39 attempts for 288 yards and two scores. Those numbers were good enough to see him named MVP as the Saints were crowned champions for the first time in franchise history.

SEVEN IN ONE AND THE HOT STREAKS

Brees' play has been central to the prolonged success for the Saints. He had five seasons with over 5,000 passing yards, a feat no other quarterback has accomplished more than once. Not Brady, not Peyton Manning, not Patrick Mahomes (yet).  

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.  

The former Purdue Boilermaker 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. 

However, no signal-caller 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.

THE TWILIGHT YEARS, COMING CLOSE TO PERFECTION

From 2006 to 2017, Brees threw for over 4,000 yards in each and every season. While there was a downturn in his output in that category in the closing chapters of his NFL tale, he also became more careful with the ball. 

Indeed, in his final 54 starts there were just 23 interceptions, demonstrating his efficiency as part of a Saints offense that began to lean more heavily on the run game. 

In 2018, a 74.4 per cent completion rate for the campaign raised the bar. The following year, in a 34-7 rout of the Indianapolis Colts, all but one of his 30 passes found a fellow Saint. That 96.7 per cent success on his throws is the best posted in a game for a player with at least 20 attempts. 

While his impact as a passer may have dipped, his importance to the Saints remained high. The 42-year-old did not get to ride off into the sunset as a Super Bowl champion, thanks in part to fellow golden oldie Brady, but he can be absolutely certain that he is destined to end up in the NFL's Hall of Fame.

It is about far more than the numbers with Brees, too, as Saints owner Gayle Benson made clear: "Drew is so much more valuable than all the records, awards and accolades that he amassed through a 15-year career with the New Orleans Saints and 20-year NFL playing career, one of the greatest in our league's history."

Next stop: Canton, Ohio.

For the last 15 years, Drew Brees and the city of New Orleans have been synonymous. 

He helped give an emotional lift to the city following the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, transformed the franchise from a pushover to a perennial contender and delivered the city its only professional championship. 

And now after being a part of New Orleans for a generation of Saints fans, the 42-year-old Brees announced on Instagram on Sunday that he is retiring from football after 20 seasons.

"After 20 years as a player in the NFL and 15 years as a Saint, it is time I retire from the game of football. Each day, I poured my heart and soul into being your quarterback. Until the very end, I exhausted myself to give everything I had to the Saints organisation, my team, and the great city of New Orleans. We shared some amazing moments together, many of which are emblazoned in our hearts and minds and will forever be a part of us. You have moulded me, strengthened me, inspired me, and given me a lifetime of memories. My goal for the last 15 years was striving to give to you everything you had given to me and more," he wrote in his post.

"I am only retiring from playing football, I am not retiring from New Orleans. This is not goodbye, rather a new beginning. Now my real life's work begins!"

The future Hall of Famer leaves the game as the NFL's all-time passing leader with 80,358 yards and ranks second only to Tom Brady in touchdown passes with 571 and second in completion percentage (67.7). 

While Brady followed in the footsteps of Boston legends like Ted Williams, Larry Bird and Bobby Orr, Ben Roethlisberger is held in similar esteem in Pittsburgh with the likes of Terry Bradshaw, Roberto Clemente and Mario Lemieux, and Aaron Rodgers shares the Green Bay spotlight with Brett Favre, Brees is New Orleans' most celebrated professional athlete. 

New Orleans was a one-sport city for the first 35 years of the Saints' existence, and while Archie Manning was the face of the franchise in the 1970s, the team never found success with him at quarterback. 

That changed when Brees came to town. 

Brees joined the Saints in 2006 after not being guaranteed a starting job with the San Diego Chargers – the team that drafted him with the 32nd overall pick of the 2001 NFL Draft – after he suffered a devastating shoulder injury in the 2005 season finale. Despite helping the Chargers capture the 2004 AFC West title while earning his first of 13 Pro Bowl selections, his future with the franchise was uncertain with a shoulder to rehab and a young Philip Rivers waiting in the wings. 

The Saints offered him a starting job, and Brees not only seized that opportunity in rebuilding a struggling franchise, he also took it upon himself to help a proud city rebuild from the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. 

In one of the most intense storms in United States history, Katrina decimated New Orleans when it made landfall in August 2005. A damaged Superdome initially served as a shelter to displaced residents and was in no shape to host NFL games, forcing the Saints to play home games in San Antonio, Baton Rouge and even New York. 

Shortly after arriving in New Orleans, Brees and his wife, Brittany, created the Drew Brees Dream Foundation, raising millions of dollars for rebuilding efforts from Katrina, as well as programmes for children and adults with special needs, and child-care facilities. 

While aiding in the relief efforts of Katrina, his first season in New Orleans coincided with Sean Payton's first as coach, and the two teamed up to create one of the league's most dangerous offenses and galvanize a city that had been battered. 

After the Saints went 3-13 during their nomadic 2005 season, Brees led them to a seven-win improvement and an NFC South Division title, while throwing for a league-leading 4,418 passing yards – his first of seven seasons to lead the NFL in passing yards. Only two other QBs have led the league in passing yards more than once in this span – Brady in 2007 and 2017 and Roethlisberger in 2014 and 2018. 

Brees and the Saints brought joy to a community that had been through so much, but their storybook season ended at the hands of the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game. 

Three seasons later, however, Brees would finally bring a championship to the title-starved city. 

Led by the NFL's number one scoring offense, the Saints were nearly unstoppable, winning their first 13 games while exciting an already excitable city. They marched all the way to the Super Bowl, rallying for a 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts on February 7, 2010.  

Brees was named the game's MVP after tying Brady's Super Bowl record with 32 completions while throwing two touchdowns without an interception.  

If winning a title was not enough for a fervent fanbase, Brees further endeared himself to the people of New Orleans when he popped up in a bar packed with Saints fans after the team's Super Bowl parade and taught them the words to the cheer he would lead his teammates through before every game of their championship season. Video of the call-and-response chant between the quarterback and the fans went viral as he worked the crowd into a frenzy with Brees exchanging high-fives and handshakes. 

Less than 10 months after winning the Super Bowl, Brees was honoured as Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year, a culmination of sorts for his play on the field as well as his charitable work off it. 

In the magazine's Sportsman of the Year article, Saints tackle Jon Stinchcomb was quoted as saying, "People come up to Drew and don't say, 'Congratulations.' They say, 'Thank you. Thank you for coming here.'" 

While Brees was never able to lead the Saints back to a championship, the franchise has consistently been one of the NFL's best. 

Since 2006, only three teams have more regular-season wins than the Saints' 150 – the Patriots (181), the Packers (153) and the Steelers (153) – and New Orleans' 49 victories since 2017 are the most in the NFL. 

Despite being a quadragenarian for the past few seasons, there had been little statistical drop-off in Brees' production. He led the league in completion percentage in 2017, 2018 and 2019 before finishing second this past season, and finished in the top two in passer rating in 2017, 2018 and 2019 before a sixth-placed finish in 2020. 

This past season, however, was one of the most trying for Brees. Although he got off to a stellar start to his 20th professional season, he suffered multiple rib fractures and a collapsed right lung in Week 10, putting his future in the NFL into question. Although he missed only four games and played well at times during the final three weeks of the regular season, he had one of the worst performances of his postseason career in New Orleans' 30-20 loss to Brady the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a Divisional Round game on January 17. 

Hours after throwing three interceptions and a playoff career-low 134 yards, Brees was back on the Superdome turf in street clothes with his wife and four children soaking in what would be the end of a long and emotional ride with the Saints.   

Brees achieved sainthood in New Orleans through his inspirational work in the community in helping a city rebuild, along with transforming the city's beloved football team into a winner. 

An iconic image from the Saints' celebration on the field following their Super Bowl win was Brees lifting his one-year-old son Baylen – who was wearing giant noise-cancelling headphones and a Saints jersey with his dad's name and number on the back – high over his head as confetti fell on them.  

Nearly 11 years later, Brees and Baylen shared another poignant father-son moment. 

Following the playoff loss to the Buccaneers, the quarterback dad played catch with his kids on the Superdome turf - a lasting images of Brees before he exited the Superdome leaving behind an unparalleled legacy.

Drew Brees has called time on his remarkable NFL career, announcing his retirement after 20 seasons.

The New Orleans Saints great posted on Instagram on Sunday: "After 20 years as a player in the NFL and 15 years as a Saint, it is time I retire from the game of football.

"Each day, I poured my heart and soul into being your quarterback. Until the very end, I exhausted myself to give everything I had to the Saints organisation, my team, and the great city of New Orleans.

"We shared some amazing moments together, many of which are emblazoned in our hearts and minds and will forever be a part of us.

"You have moulded me, strengthened me, inspired me, and given me a lifetime of memories.

"My goal for the last 15 years was striving to give to you everything you had given to me and more.

"I am only retiring from playing football, I am not retiring from New Orleans. This is not goodbye, rather a new beginning. Now my real life's work begins!"

Brees' retirement comes on the back of a 2020 season that ended with the Saints' Divisional Round playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

His 134-yard performance in that loss marked a meek conclusion for a quarterback who is a certainty to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame after a record-breaking two decades in the league.

Brees threw a touchdown and three interceptions at the Superdome as the Bucs prevailed 30-20, again falling short of a second Super Bowl title.

But Brees will forever be remembered as the quarterback who helped turn the Saints franchise around in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, leading them to glory in Super Bowl XLIV at the end of the 2009 season.

His was also a career in which he defied those who doubted his ability to perform at the highest level following a torn labrum suffered in 2005.

That injury led to his exit from the team that drafted him, the then-San Diego Chargers, while the Miami Dolphins opted against signing Brees over fears his shoulder had not fully healed.

Instead, it was the Saints that pounced, with Brees going on to lead the league in passing yards in seven of his seasons with New Orleans. He led the league in passing touchdowns four times and set the high watermark in passer rating twice and completion percentage six times.

A 13-time Pro Bowler, Brees was MVP in the Saints' Super Bowl triumph over the Indianapolis Colts. He also won Offensive Player of the Year twice in his career.

The 42-year-old retires as the all-time leader in passing completions (7,142) and passing yards (80,142), though Tom Brady will likely surpass him in the latter category next season.

Though he has a host of records in his possession, the drop-off in Brees' play has been obvious in recent seasons, with his display against the Bucs indicative of a player who now lacks the arm strength to elevate those around him.

His exit leaves the Saints with a massive decision to make this offseason, with Taysom Hill the only senior quarterback under contract for next season.

Head coach Sean Payton and the Saints' hierarchy will have to decide whether Hill's four-game audition in 2020 was enough for him to be named the starter or if they will aim to re-sign Jameis Winston or bring in a new face to step into Brees' sizeable shoes.

Drew Brees has called time on his remarkable NFL career, announcing his retirement after 20 seasons.