New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees added a few more records to his name after a historic "Monday Night Football" performance against the Indianapolis Colts. Brees was chasing the all-time regular season passing touchdown record, previously owned by future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, who ended his career with 539 passing TDs. Brees passed it in incredible fashion.
He not only broke the record after halftime, hitting that 540 mark, but added some more TDs to the record, further separating himself from the other active players creeping up on the number.
The 40-year-old also had the most accurate game ever by an NFL quarterback, completing 29 out of his 30 passes, breaking Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip River's record of going 28 for 29.
Brees' final stat line was about as good as it gets: a 96.7% competition percentage, 307 yards, 4 touchdowns, no interceptions and a 34-7 win on the primetime stage.
Before it all went down, Brees hyped up his team like only he can, and this one had even greater meaning because they all knew history was on the line.
No one knows how to get his team fired up like Drew Brees 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RvcpJLnx9g
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 17, 2019
NFL players current and former, celebrities and fans all took to Twitter to congratulate No. 9 on his historic night.
Manning no longer holds the record and already had Brees take the most passing yards mark from him previously, but he is a good sport about it all. He got tired of having to make congratulatory videos for Brees, since with a career like his there were so many, so last year he just included a congratulatory message about the passing TDs mark in his original message about the yards mark. Even Peyton knew this was inevitable.
Congrats, again, @drewbrees!
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 17, 2019
We guess. 😅 pic.twitter.com/CzeY50Jc2N
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady currently has 538 career passing touchdowns, meaning we could get a back-and-forth all-time passing TD leader for the rest of this season and beyond, until one of these stars hang up their cleats.
Tom Brady joked around on Twitter about being willing to try to pass his mark.
Congrats drew!! Couldn’t be more deserving. Passing Peyton in anything is an incredible achievement and your records will be tough to beat! But it’s worth trying 😉
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) December 17, 2019
Brees nearly broke the record in the first half, but the touchdown was called back due to an offensive pass interference call. Brady commented that it just means you get to celebrate the achievement twice.
Tom Brady was on the Westwood One #MNF halftime show with Jim Gray JUST after Drew Brees nearly set the TD record at the end of the first half. Here's what he had to say...#INDvsNO pic.twitter.com/mF4VPa8pmT
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) December 17, 2019
After the game, Saints backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who came in for Brees earlier in the season when No. 9 was sidelined due to a hand injury, called QB1 his "Uncle" and "The GOAT."
“@drewbrees is my uncle… And Drew Brees is the 🐐.” - @teddyb_h2o pic.twitter.com/6OV4iqPWIO
— NFL (@NFL) December 17, 2019
Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre congratulated Brees on his "amazing achievement."
Congrats @drewbrees on an amazing achievement 👍💪 https://t.co/wbrBYmYFOc
— Brett Favre (@BrettFavre) December 17, 2019
The NFL took a look back at some of Brees' touchdowns that got him to this point.
.@drewbrees passed Peyton Manning as the leader for career passing touchdowns.
— NFL (@NFL) December 17, 2019
Here's a look back on his magical journey to No. 540!@Saints | #Saints pic.twitter.com/O0Xr8mlV0m
Saints Hall of Famer Lance Moore gave Brees a shoutout.
Got to witness greatness (again) tonight from the 🐐 @drewbrees. Congrats on yet another record!
— Lance Moore (@LanceMoore16) December 17, 2019
There is a reason Brees keeps breaking these records and former teammate Adam Bighill says it is because the veteran is unlike anyone else.
Playing with this guy for the brief time I did was special. I saw first hand the things that makes Drew unlike anyone else. Congrats @drewbrees #savage https://t.co/imRqxv4xBS
— Adam Bighill (@Bighill44) December 17, 2019
Teammate Wil Lutz is just happy his name gets to be alongside Brees' for this moment.
Dominant team win in front of the best fans in the world! Congrats to Drew on another amazing accomplishment. Pretty special to be able to be apart of these moments!⚜️🐐
— Wil Lutz (@wil_lutz5) December 17, 2019
From one legend to another.
Congratulations @drewbrees
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) December 17, 2019
Absolute legend.
Drew just can't stop breaking records.
Drew Brees entering the NFL record books like: pic.twitter.com/FVI0UowJrS
— Joe Horns Cell Phone (@JoeHornsPhone) December 17, 2019
A pair of the biggest celebrities are a fan of Brees as well:
My friend @DrewBrees just broke the record for most touchdown passes by a quarterback in history. 540 of them. That’s crazy. Especially considering none of them have been to me. I love you, Drew.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) December 17, 2019
congrats to @drewbrees breaking record tonight
— Matthew McConaughey (@McConaughey) December 17, 2019
After the game, Brees said he would not be where he is today without his head coach Sean Payton. While he said he would trade all these records for another ring, he did comment that the one incompletion he had on the night would haunt him for a while.
With Brees still playing at the top of his game, it looks like he will have some more time in the league to add to this already impressive stat.