Drew Brees said Monday he was glad to be back on the field after working hard to return from the multiple rib fractures and collapsed lung that landed him on injured reserve.
“(I) never want to miss any time,” he said. “Always want to be there to play, play for my teammates. But obviously knowing that I just don’t know how many more opportunities I’ll have, there’s even a greater sense of urgency.”
Brees, who made his first start, after missing four games against the Kansas City Chiefs, said he felt like he was ready to return to action after going through his pregame routine ahead of the Saints' Week 14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“It was very obvious during that Philly week that I was not ready,” he said. “I couldn’t move or throw the ball the way I wanted to and just felt like the healing process was not even close to where it needs to be yet.”
Even so, he decided to attempt his normal pregame routine ahead of the matchup and said he started to feel like he was good to go.
“The game adrenaline was pumping even during the pregame in Philly, even though I wasn’t going to play and I felt like ‘Man I got this next week. I got this,’” he said. “So I still kind of had some benchmarks that I hit Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, just to make myself feel like I had enough and I felt like I had enough.”
Brees has always worn some sort of special quarterback protective equipment when he’s been on the field throughout his career. He tried a custom piece of equipment when he made his return from injured reserve Sunday.
“There’s all kinds of different products out there,” he said. “Everybody comes out of the woodworks when have rib injuries and tells you ‘Hey wear this, you can jump on a grenade and you’ll be OK.’“
Brees said wore that particular piece of equipment Sunday but added that he doesn’t plan on testing that claim. But following his first start after missing four games, Brees said he felt pretty good “all things considered.”
“Obviously day after a game soreness and the normal stuff,” Brees said.
Brees said he and the Saints are now focused on preparing for the quick turnaround for New Orleans’ Christmas Day matchup with the Minnesota Vikings at 3:30 p.m. in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
