With Patriots quarterback Tom Brady winning Super Bowls and running fast (for him) 40-yard dashes at age 41, it might seem that the quarterback position can be played well into a player’s 40s. But not every player ages like Brady, and it’s fair to raise questions about the NFL’s second-oldest quarterback.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees turned 40 in January, and a look at his performance over the course of last season may suggest that he was showing the signs of age late in the year. In 2018, Brees was an MVP candidate, with 29 touchdowns and only two interceptions through Week 12. But then he struggled over his last four games, managing just three touchdown passes and three interceptions.
That’s reminiscent of Peyton Manning, who began 2014 with 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions in his first 12 games, and then had three touchdowns and six interceptions in his last four games. In 2015 Manning fell apart, and he retired after the season.
Brees is already older now than Manning was when he played his last game.
None of this is proof that Brees is too old and is going to struggle in 2019, but it’s worth keeping in mind. Father Time catches up with every player eventually, and just because it hasn’t caught Brady yet doesn’t mean it hasn’t caught Brees.