Latest news with #DrewBrees
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa faces massive pressure in 2025
Editor's note: This story is a part of a series by USA TODAY Sports called Project: June. We will publish at least one NFL-themed story every day throughout the month because fans know the league truly never sleeps. In many ways, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is a dream player. Advertisement He's talented and tough. He's a strong leader. He's a good person. There are no issues off the field. He's thrown 73 touchdowns total over the last three seasons. Tagovailoa has done a solid job of being the face of a proud franchise trying to regain greatness it hasn't seen in decades. Offensive lineman Terron Armstead, who before going to Miami played with quarterback Drew Brees in New Orleans, said Tagovailoa and Brees have similar games. Armstead was, of course, careful to say that Tagovailoa has a lot more to prove. He made his comments on the "Rich Eisen Show." "I see similarities. I'm not saying they're the same player or same person, no two people are,' Armstead said. 'The anticipation, the accuracy, timing of throws, the ability to knock a wing off a fly repeatedly. Those guys throw darts. They don't throw to areas, they are very precise. And that's an elite talent, it's an elite trait. Very few people possess (it). He's one of them and Drew Brees is another." That's all the good part. And it's all quite good. Advertisement The problem is that Tagovailoa hasn't broken through as an elite player. Lots of players aren't elite but Tagovailoa was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 draft. He's been injury prone, missing key games with a variety of ailments, most notably some frightening head injuries. Tagovailoa just hasn't broken through as a great player. A solid one. At times a really good one. But not a consistently great one. He's not alone. Look at some other quarterbacks in the league like Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence and the Chargers' Justin Herbert. But I have an obsession with Tagovailoa (a healthy one, promise) because he perfectly embodies all of the complexities of both the NFL overall and the quarterback position. He's been good, but not outstanding. He's had, at best, OK head coaches. Good receivers but one of them, Tyreek Hill, is a massive problem away from the field. Running game has had its moments. Same for the defense. But there's little that would cause you to look at the Dolphins and say: that team is on its way. They are extremely average and Tagovailoa hasn't been able to lift them above that mediocrity. All of this leads to a crucial juncture for him and the Dolphins. What will Miami do if Tagovailoa struggles in 2025? Advertisement 'Yeah, he has narratives in front of him that have to be answered,' Armstead said. 'Not necessarily by me or in an interview form, it's from him, and his play, and getting the job done. Any quarterback or any team that (doesn't) hoist that trophy at the end of the year, you have questions, you have narratives, you have challenges, you have adversity, you have things to answer. Only team that don't really have that is Philly. Everybody else, they have their questions going into the season. Tua has his questions, and it's up to him to answer these questions — not me. 'Do I believe he can? I do. Do I believe he will? I do.' Coach Mike McDaniel spoke about the larger goals for Tagovailoa this coming season at one of the Dolphins' recent OTAs. 'He's the franchise quarterback of a team," said McDaniel. "His job is to lead men on each and every play, and find different ways to continue the process of evolution for him. That's always been the name of the game for him, whether that's getting the offense to the line of scrimmage faster out of the huddle or whether that's adjusting protections, doing sight adjustments, growing his game, working on progressions, escaping the pocket and getting rid of (the ball).' Advertisement He added: 'All of the things a quarterback is asked to do, I think that's where he's at. He's dipped his toe in the water with everything, and now it's consistency and mastery. That's why it's a never-ending exercise.' More: Tyreek Hill says he doesn't deserve to be Dolphins captain, has to prove himself again McDaniel is saying exactly what I am except in a fancier, more coach-speak way. It's time for Tagovailoa to show true captaincy of the position. Miami has paid Tagovailoa well (and he's earned it). He'll make almost $150 million through 2026. The contract is costly but far from impossible to walk away from. Which makes this coming season for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins an interesting one to watch. All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tua Tagovailoa faces big pressure in 2025
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
How Hall of Fame QB Drew Brees' career-ending injury left his throwing arm permanently damaged
This one hurts and not just for Saints fans. Drew Brees, one of the greatest quarterbacks in history, recently resurfaced in headlines after an old interview clip went viral again. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In it, he admitted that his right arm, the one that threw for 80,000+ yards and 571 touchdowns 'doesn't work anymore. ' Yeah, read that again. It turns out the damage from that brutal 2005 shoulder injury never really healed the way we thought. And now, Brees says that when he's just casually tossing the ball in his backyard, he has to throw left-handed. It's heartbreaking, and fans are only now realizing how much that man gave to the game. Drew Brees says his 2005 injury left him with a degenerative shoulder that ended his arm for good Let's rewind for context. Back in 2005, Brees suffered a nasty shoulder injury with the Chargers, a complete 360-degree labrum tear and a partial rotator cuff tear. Doctors weren't sure if he'd ever play again. But Brees shocked the world with a comeback that led him to New Orleans and to football immortality. Fast forward to a 2023 interview on ESPN Radio, and Brees opened up about what that injury did long-term. He said: 'I don't throw with my right arm anymore. My right arm does not work. So, when I throw in the backyard right now, I throw left-handed.' He added that the shoulder has developed arthritic changes and has degenerative issues that forced him to call it quits even though mentally, he felt he had more football left. Fans are calling it 'heartbreaking,' 'gutting,' and 'a reminder of what players sacrifice.' Others are pointing out that this is exactly why Brees retired when he did not because he was done mentally, but because his body simply gave out. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The man gave everything to the game and the damage was permanent Brees may have walked away with a Super Bowl ring and a Hall of Fame legacy, but he also walked away with a right arm that's no longer functional. That's the trade-off. And now that fans are hearing it directly from him again, it's hitting differently. It's easy to forget what NFL players put their bodies through until someone like Drew Brees casually reminds us that he can't even play catch with his kids using the arm that made him a legend. This isn't just a football story. It's a reminder of the toll greatness takes. Also read -
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
This 87-yard TD from Drew Brees to Brandin Cooks is the Saints Play of the Day
This 87-yard TD from Drew Brees to Brandin Cooks is the Saints Play of the Day Drew Brees threw for 465 yards and still almost lost We're continuing to count down the days remaining until the New Orleans Saints kick off their 2025 season with Day 87, which makes this 87-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Brandin Cooks our choice for the Saints Play of the Day. Every yard and point gained on the play ended up counting in a last-second win against the Carolina Panthers. Sure, things got off to a good start. The Saints offense banged out 21 unanswered points to take a quick lead, including this great pass from Brees to Cooks down the sideline (which you can see here). Cam Newton threw an interception to Sterling Moore in the New Orleans end zone in response. Then things got goofy. Carolina orchestrated five scoring drives of 50-plus yards each and put the Saints defense on its heels; they kept up a frenzied pace and scored 21 points of their own in the fourth quarter to close the gap. It took a 52-yard field goal from Wil Lutz with just 11 seconds left in regulation to break the 38-38 tie and put the game away. That was the way games went for the Saints in the mid-2010's. Brees threw for 465 yards and four scores, with Cooks accounting for 173 of those yards, and New Orleans still nearly lost at home. This was Dennis Allen's first year as the full-time defensive coordinator after Rob Ryan was ousted midway through the 2015 season, and they still had a lot of work to do on that side of the ball. Things would eventually settle down and even turn into a strength, defensively, but in the meantime New Orleans needed every deep shot from Brees to Cooks they could connect.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brandin Cooks' record-breaking touchdown catch is the Saints Play of the Day
There's a 98-day stretch between us and the start of the New Orleans Saints' 2025 regular season, and we're counting down the days by looking back on some of the most iconic plays in franchise history. This time, our Saints Play of the Day is the 98-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Brandin Cooks back in 2016, which you can watch here. It was a classic grab-and-go reception by Cooks streaking down the left sideline. Brees dropped back to throw from his own end zone and found Cooks in one-on-one coverage against cornerback Sean Smith. Once Cooks put a step on his opponent, he was gone, and safety Reggie Nelson wasn't able to make up the distance in the open field. Advertisement Cooks broke a Saints record that had stood since their inaugural 1967 season on this play, outgaining Walter Roberts' 96-yard catch to achieve the longest play from scrimmage in team history. And he just returned to the Saints this offseason after spending time with the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Texans, and Dallas Cowboys. They're hoping he can still uncork some big plays downfield like this one. This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2025 Saints season countdown: Brandin Cooks' TD is the Play of the Day
USA Today
11-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
All 8 Saints QB's who have started since Drew Brees retired, ranked by their record
All 8 Saints QB's who have started since Drew Brees retired, ranked by their record It's been four long years since Drew Brees retired. The New Orleans Saints didn't have a plan for life without him, and their record is proof of it: 31-37, with just 14 wins in front of the home crowd at the Caesars Superdome. They've drafted quarterbacks, signed them as free agents, and held onto Sean Payton passion projects without success. That goes for Derek Carr, too. The 11-year pro announced his own retirement from pro football on Saturday, leaving the Saints with a big question to answer at QB (which rookie second-round pick Tyler Shough appears eager to answer). So which quarterbacks have won the most games in the post-Brees era? Here's a quick look at the records of every Saints quarterback who started a game since No. 9 hung up his cleats, ranked by winning percentage: Spencer Rattler: 0-6 (.000) Ian Book: 0-1 (.000) Jake Haener: 0-1 (.000) Trevor Siemian: 1-3 (.250) Andy Dalton: 6-8 (.429) Derek Carr: 14-13 (.519) Jameis Winston: 6-4 (.600) Taysom Hill: 4-1 (.800)
