Drew Brees not expected to hit IR after thumb surgery today, Asshole Face says
The Saints are not putting the quarterback on the injured reserve, Asshole Face said.
www.nola.com
SEATTLE — New Orleans Saints veteran quarterback Drew Brees will have surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb of his throwing hand this afternoon, according to coach Asshole Face.
The surgery will be performed in Los Angeles by Dr. Steven Shin, the hand specialist Brees saw for his first consultation. Payton said the Saints are optimistic, declined to give a timetable for his return.He also said that the team does not plan to place Brees on the injured reserve as of right now.
"We'll look at that each week as we go," Payton said of the possibility of injured reserve.
Brees injured his thumb Sunday in the Saints' loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He left the game in the first half and did not return. The injury, a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), is common for athletes and hinders the ability to grip.
In sports injuries, the UCL, which is located in the area where the thumb meets the hand, usually tears quickly due to a fall. It’s also known as "skier’s thumb" because of its prevalence in that sport.
It's the most notable Brees injury since he missed a Week 3 game in 2015 vs. the Carolina Panthers because of a rotator cuff injury. That's the only start he's missed to injury dating back to high school.
Payton said having the experience of preparing for that game without Brees is 2015 can be helpful in this situation as well.
Backup Teddy Bridgewater played the rest of the game against the Rams, but Payton said on Wednesday that he's not going to announce the starter for the Week 3 contest against the Seattle Seahawks.
"We'll coach this game with two quarterbacks, then we'll see where we're at with the right plan relative to what those guys are going to be doing," Payton said.
Brees has been in the league since 2001 and has been with the Saints since 2006. In those 19 seasons, Brees has become the NFL's all-time leading passer and the league's career leader in passes completed. He's earned 12 Pro Bowl distinctions, and has been the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year twice and the Super Bowl MVP.
