NFL PLAYER NEWS

Saints QB Brees leaves with thumb injury

Field Level Media

September 15, 2019 at 9:43 pm.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees left Sunday’s game against at Los Angeles Rams in the first quarter with an apparent right thumb injury.

Brees hit his right hand on Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald’s right hand while following through on an incomplete pass to Jared Cook on third-and-8 midway through the quarter. He went to the sideline and tried a couple of throws before getting the thumb taped.

The team officially called it a hand injury and deemed Brees questionable to return.

Teddy Bridgewater entered with 3:29 remaining in the first quarter, and Brees remained on the sideline watching without a helmet.

Brees opened the game 3 of 5 for 38 yards and an interception before leaving.

The 40-year-old has missed just one game due to injury since joining the Saints in 2006, which came in 2015 due to a shoulder issue. He has missed just two other contests of a possible 210 with the Saints, both while resting in Week 17 with the team’s playoff position secure.

Meanwhile, Donald left with his own injury later in the first half but returned before the break.

Donald pulled up and grabbed at his back in the final minute of the first quarter while pursuing wide receiver Deonte Harris in the backfield. Early in the second quarter, he remained on the ground after getting a quarterback hit. He went back to the locker room, and the team announced he was questionable to return, before he came back late in the second quarter.

The two-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Donald had one tackle for loss and a quarterback hit before leaving. He is still looking for his first sack of the season.

Donald, 28, had 20.5 sacks, 41 QB hits and 25 tackles for loss last season.