Drew Brees suffered a thumb injury during the New Orleans Saints’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2. Brees did not return to the game after suffering the injury in the first half, and now we know the severity of the injury on his throwing hand.
Brees suffered the injury in the first quarter after his right hand was hit by Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald.
After seeing a hand specialist following the game, NFL insiders have been sharing updates on Brees’ status and a timetable for his return. Unfortunately for the Saints, the injury news is not good.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Brees suffered a torn ligament in his thumb which will require surgery. The initial estimates are that Brees could spend six weeks on the sideline.
“Saints’ QB Drew Brees is expected to undergo thumb surgery as early as today that would be expected to sideline him approximately 6 weeks, per leagues sources,” Schefter wrote on Twitter. “If the Saints decide to put Drew Brees on IR for the thumb surgery that is required, he would be unable to practice for six weeks and would to miss eight games. Saints also could not place him on IR and bring him back when ready.”
It will be the first time that Brees has missed a start due to injury since Week 3 of the 2015 season. It is the only game that Brees has missed due to injury since high school. If Brees does miss out on six games, he will not play against the Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals.
But now, the Saints will turn the offense over to Teddy Bridgewater, who was 17-of-30 for 165 yards against the Rams.
Up next for the Saints is a meeting with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, September 22.