Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been one of the most durable players in the NFL for many years now. But a thumb injury will keep him sidelined for quite some time.
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported Monday morning that Brees tore a ligament in his right thumb Sunday in the Saints' 27-9 loss to the Rams. The 12-time Pro Bowl QB is expected to miss at least six weeks.
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Brees was injured early in the loss when Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald hit his right hand on a pass attempt. The Saints QB was replaced by Teddy Bridgewater, who completed 17 of his 30 pass attempts for 165 yards but failed to throw a touchdown.
Losing Brees for an extended period of time will be a big blow to the Saints (1-1). New Orleans entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations and now will be without the future Hall of Famer for at least the next six weeks. Brees, however, is expected to return before the Saints face the 49ers.
San Francisco travels to New Orleans in Week 14. By that time, Brees should be back in the shotgun of Sean Payton's offense. He could still be rusty, though, and this matchup comes in the middle of a six-week stretch where the 49ers will face playoff hopefuls.
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The last time the 49ers faced the Saints, Brees carved up San Francisco's defense in a 41-23 loss to New Orleans in 2016. Brees completed 28 of his 39 pass attempts in that Week 9 contest while gaining 323 yards in the air and three touchdowns.
Brees' injury could play a big role in the playoff picture, but he should still be trying to fire on all cylinders when the 49ers come to town.