Sean Payton provides some clarity on Drew Brees’s status for Sunday against Chiefs

With the New Orleans Saints set to host the reigning Super Bowl champions in the Kansas City Chiefs, all eyes are on starting quarterback Drew Brees. The 41-year-old left the Week 10 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at halftime due to injury. The days succeeding the game brought more information to light regarding the injury and would end up revealing that Brees suffered 11 fractured ribs and a collapsed lung.

Brees has now sat out of four games due to the injury, and backup quarterback Taysom Hill has lead the team admirably to a 3-1 record in Drew’s absence. However, this New Orleans offense is tailor-made for Brees and there is no one better that can operate it.

With the Chiefs up next and the Saints back to holding the second seed in the NFC, a win, or at least a good performance against a very good team, would help with morale and momentum. Brees offers the team the best chance at all of those, but will he be ready to play in time?

New Orleans head coach Sean Payton helped shed some light on Brees’s status and whether or not he could be ready for Sunday afternoon’s game during his press conference on Thursday:

“It’s pretty simple. It’s just functionality, strength, throwing without soreness. I mean there’s a process, and last week with the trainers he had one throwing day, then yesterday the same way.

“So it’s really asymptomatic, feeling good, strong, and like he can function and be an asset and play well.”

This bodes well for a possible Brees return because it seems like a lot of it is how Brees responds to practice and work. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football has a fantastic article (subscription required) about the odds of Brees playing on Sunday and what would have to happen in order to see that come to fruition.

If there is one thing for certain, it is that Drew is an absolute and fierce competitor. Just like last season with his thumb injury, the quarterback is itching to get back on the field. If he feels like he can be an asset to the team then he will likely take the field on Sunday.

Do you think Drew Brees should take the field on Sunday? Let us know in the comments. Make sure you follow Canal Street Chronicles on Twitter at @SaintsCSC, “Like” us on Facebook at Canal Street Chronicles, follow us on Instagram at @SaintsCSC and make sure you’re subscribed to our new YouTube channel. As always, you can follow me on Twitter @KadeKistner.