Heath Evans: Drew Brees played 6 games with knee ligament tear

QBREES9 · 01-24-2011, 09:22 PM

NEW ORLEANS – Did he or didn’t he?

Did New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees suffer significant damage to his left knee in a Week 3 overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons at the Superdome?

According to Saints fullback Heath Evans, Brees played “six weeks with a torn MCL’’ in his left knee, referring to a medial collateral ligament.

Evans made that revelation Monday morning as a guest on ESPN’s “First Take’’ while debating the manhood of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who came out of Sunday’s NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers early in the third quarter with an unspecified knee injury.

Cutler reportedly suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee, according to comments made Monday by Bears' Coach Lovie Smith.

“Sorry Drew, I love you, but Drew Brees played six weeks with a torn MCL,’’ Evans said during a spirited one-on-one debate with “1st and 10’’ panelist Skip Bayless. “I know what Drew Brees did with a torn MCL.’’

It should be noted that Evans made a similar reference to Brees’ injured status for a story published by USA Today in December but did not cite the extent of the knee injury.

Saints right tackle Jon Stinchcomb acknowledged Monday that he was not privy to the extent of Brees' knee injury, only that the quarterback was playing on a bum knee.

"It wasn't a mystery that his knee was bothering him and he was wearinjg a brace for a few weeks,'' Stinchcomb told NewOrleans.Com. "Drew was able to play through it. He's a tough guy. In no way am I saying that he's tough and Jay Cutler is not. I don't want to make that comparison. I've never played with Jay nor am I condemning the fact that he left the game yesterday.

"But we were aware about Drew's knee. But it's not our position to speak on another player's injury.''

Brees injured his left knee during the fourth quarter of his team's 27-24 loss in OT to the Falcons on Sept. 26, then showed up the next week in practice wearing a brace on his left knee. He also played with a brace on the injured knee in subsequent games.

In his Monday press conference after the Falcons’ game Sept. 27, Saints Coach Sean Payton said Brees merely experienced a bruise and some soreness in his injured knee. Despite that acknowledgement and Brees wearing a knee brace, the quarterback was not listed on the league’s injury report leading up to the Carolina Panthers game the next week.

It was widely reported that an MRI revealed no structural damage based on information provided during team-related press conferences.

“There’s no situation,’’ Payton said days before the Panthers game. “His knee is sore from the game. There’s no specific injury other than he’s got soreness. We didn’t put him on the injury report. He took all the reps. There’s not an injury to report.''

In early November, citing unnamed sources, WIST-690 am reported Brees had been playing with a “fractured’’ left knee and torn meniscus and would have to undergo micro-fracture surgery at season’s end. Payton denied the report, labeling it “inaccurate, completely false.’’

Brees, too, dismissed the report and performed jumping jacks and knee lifts in front of his locker at the team’s training facility to illustrate his point. “I’m fine. I am 100 million, billion, trillion percent sure,’’ a smiling Brees told reporters on Nov. 4. “Does it look like my knee is injured?’’

Brees, who threw a career-high 22 interceptions in 2010, eventually played without a brace and did not miss a game snap or practice snap during the final 14 regular-season and playoff games because of the injury.

During his season-ending press conference Jan. 10 following a 41-36 wildcard loss to the underdog Seattle Seahawks at Qwest Field, Payton said Brees would not need surgery.

Payton and Brees could not be reached for comment. Brees currently is in Honolulu, Hawaii, preparing to play for the NFC squad in Sunday's Pro Bowl game. Payton is in Mobile this week with his coaching staff scouting collegiate talent at the annual Senior Bowl.

Saints beat writer Brian Allee-Walsh can be reached at ballee-walsh@neworleans.com

01-24-2011, 09:22 PM	#1
QBREES9 Moderator Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: New Haven Ct Posts: 23,989	Heath Evans: Drew Brees played 6 games with knee ligament tear NEW ORLEANS – Did he or didn’t he? Did New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees suffer significant damage to his left knee in a Week 3 overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons at the Superdome? According to Saints fullback Heath Evans, Brees played “six weeks with a torn MCL’’ in his left knee, referring to a medial collateral ligament. Evans made that revelation Monday morning as a guest on ESPN’s “First Take’’ while debating the manhood of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who came out of Sunday’s NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers early in the third quarter with an unspecified knee injury. Cutler reportedly suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee, according to comments made Monday by Bears' Coach Lovie Smith. “Sorry Drew, I love you, but Drew Brees played six weeks with a torn MCL,’’ Evans said during a spirited one-on-one debate with “1st and 10’’ panelist Skip Bayless. “I know what Drew Brees did with a torn MCL.’’ It should be noted that Evans made a similar reference to Brees’ injured status for a story published by USA Today in December but did not cite the extent of the knee injury. Saints right tackle Jon Stinchcomb acknowledged Monday that he was not privy to the extent of Brees' knee injury, only that the quarterback was playing on a bum knee. "It wasn't a mystery that his knee was bothering him and he was wearinjg a brace for a few weeks,'' Stinchcomb told NewOrleans.Com. "Drew was able to play through it. He's a tough guy. In no way am I saying that he's tough and Jay Cutler is not. I don't want to make that comparison. I've never played with Jay nor am I condemning the fact that he left the game yesterday. "But we were aware about Drew's knee. But it's not our position to speak on another player's injury.'' Brees injured his left knee during the fourth quarter of his team's 27-24 loss in OT to the Falcons on Sept. 26, then showed up the next week in practice wearing a brace on his left knee. He also played with a brace on the injured knee in subsequent games. In his Monday press conference after the Falcons’ game Sept. 27, Saints Coach Sean Payton said Brees merely experienced a bruise and some soreness in his injured knee. Despite that acknowledgement and Brees wearing a knee brace, the quarterback was not listed on the league’s injury report leading up to the Carolina Panthers game the next week. It was widely reported that an MRI revealed no structural damage based on information provided during team-related press conferences. “There’s no situation,’’ Payton said days before the Panthers game. “His knee is sore from the game. There’s no specific injury other than he’s got soreness. We didn’t put him on the injury report. He took all the reps. There’s not an injury to report.'' In early November, citing unnamed sources, WIST-690 am reported Brees had been playing with a “fractured’’ left knee and torn meniscus and would have to undergo micro-fracture surgery at season’s end. Payton denied the report, labeling it “inaccurate, completely false.’’ Brees, too, dismissed the report and performed jumping jacks and knee lifts in front of his locker at the team’s training facility to illustrate his point. “I’m fine. I am 100 million, billion, trillion percent sure,’’ a smiling Brees told reporters on Nov. 4. “Does it look like my knee is injured?’’ Brees, who threw a career-high 22 interceptions in 2010, eventually played without a brace and did not miss a game snap or practice snap during the final 14 regular-season and playoff games because of the injury. During his season-ending press conference Jan. 10 following a 41-36 wildcard loss to the underdog Seattle Seahawks at Qwest Field, Payton said Brees would not need surgery. Payton and Brees could not be reached for comment. Brees currently is in Honolulu, Hawaii, preparing to play for the NFC squad in Sunday's Pro Bowl game. Payton is in Mobile this week with his coaching staff scouting collegiate talent at the annual Senior Bowl. Saints beat writer Brian Allee-Walsh can be reached at ballee-walsh@neworleans.com Attached Thumbnails
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