Insane stat illustrates how long Tom Brady, Drew Brees have been playing

Tom Brady and Drew Brees will square off in arguably the most intriguing Week 1 NFL matchup, but it is certainly not the first time the two quarterbacks have faced one another. To trace that history, you have to go back a very, very long time.

As Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network noted, Sunday’s game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints will mark the fourth different decade in which Brady and Brees have faced one another. Their first matchup came in the 1990s when both were playing for Big Ten schools.

Today's Buccaneers – Saints game will mark the 4th DECADE in which Tom Brady has faced Drew Brees. Their first meeting, last CENTURY, was a 38-12 Michigan win over Purdue in 1999.

— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) September 13, 2020

People make so much of Brady’s age that they forget the 41-year-old Brees is less than two years younger. While Brees doesn’t quite have the championship resume Brady has, both continue to play at a high level and should contend for playoff spots in 2020.

Brees had a great quote recently about his approach this season. Both he and Brady are well aware that they have been playing for what feels like forever. At this point, that is what motivates them to keep proving people wrong.