Coming off of his fifth 5,000-yard season, it is no surprise that the future Pro Football Hall of Famer is at the top of the list. Year in and year out Drew Brees is the top player to watch on the New Orleans Saints roster. The Saints quarterback since 2006 has helped redefine what it means to be great at his position.
The Super Bowl XLIV MVP has thrown for 66,111 yards and 465 touchdowns. With a little under 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns in 2017, the 16-year veteran could reach 70,000 passing yards and 500 touchdowns.
Brees reached his level of greatness through the way he trains and prepares for games. Watching the 10-time Pro Bowler lead the offense is always a sight to behold. During warmups or practice, Brees will throw the ball to one of the receivers, then go through his progressions and look to see where the other receivers were. The former Purdue quarterback owns the huddle with confidence which helps unite the offensive unit to produce successful plays. Famous for changing the play at the line of scrimmage, Brees reads the defenses and makes sure the team is running a play that will go for a positive gain.
Saints Coach Sean Payton praised Brees' preparation:
"At 211 degrees, water is just scalding hot. But at 212, it boils. It's the significance of one degree. Everything about Drew Brees' preparation is about that one extra degree."
Where Brees truly separates himself from the other quarterbacks in the NFL, is his accuracy. The two-time AP Offensive Player of the Year has the ability to complete throws that others would not even consider throwing. The Saints offensive captain has the highest career completion percentage of all time. At training camp, he shows off his accuracy by dominating the daily QB challenges.
New Saints running back Adrian Peterson praised his new quarterback during minicamp:
"Yeah, it's definitely a perk to play with Drew Brees. Just being able to watch him, I know why he's performed at such a high level for 15 years now."
"Winning the day" is an approach that Brees has taken and it shows in the way he handles each practice and game.
"When you wake up, think about winning the day. Don't worry about a week or a month from now – just think about one day at a time," Brees said. "If you are worried about the mountain in the distance, you might trip over the molehill right in front of you. Win the day!"
To see what it means to "Win the Day" come out to 2017 New Orleans Saints Training Camp presented by Verizon. Get your free tickets here.
