Drew Brees has become synonymous with the New Orleans Saints. So synonymous, in fact, that it's easy to forget that he actually played for the San Diego Chargers for the first few years of his career.
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Brees was good in San Diego, throwing for 12,348 yards and 80 touchdowns in five seasons, but he's become an NFL legend for the Saints. He brought a Super Bowl to New Orleans and has played a huge role in the city's emotional revival in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He's also kept the Saints' offense among the top in the league year-after-year.
The quarterback has been elite for New Orleans, but the facts of life may be catching up with him sooner rather than later. Those facts are the same for all NFL players, and they state that eventually — and especially with age — it becomes easier to move on from you.
That may seem like a dirty thought right now in New Orleans, but NFL.com's Ian Rapoport has reported that the franchise is unsure about Brees' long-term status. Making that sentiment a bit more murky is the fact that Brees, at 38-years-old, is in the final year of his contract.
Things could get tricky between Brees and New Orleans, especially with large sums of money involved, but for his part, the quarterback made it clear that he intends to stick with the Saints.
Here's what he said on the radio, as passed on by NFL.com:
"I'll handle 2018 when 2018 gets here, but right now I'm in the moment, I'm in 2017," Brees said during an appearance on Hardwick & Richardson XTRA 1360-AM. "We're trying to get a little bit better each and every week. I feel like we've got a great opportunity ahead of us and I don't plan on leaving New Orleans ever.
"Hopefully, I know all of that stuff takes care of itself when it's supposed to. I have not approached them about any contract. We just have a great understanding here. Listen, we're going to go through this season and we'll revisit it in the offseason. Right now, I'm in the moment."
At the moment, the Saints are 7-2 and first in the NFC South. Brees has thrown for 2,329 yards so far and 13 touchdowns, and he's helped lead New Orleans to a seven-game win streak.
Contract talks currently don't seem like a high priority.
That doesn't mean the future still isn't a bit murky, though, even for a quarterback like Drew Brees.
