New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees gifts commemorative footballs to 174 former teammates, coaches, and others

Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images(NEW ORLEANS) — After he set the NFL career passing yards record earlier this season, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees set out to do something special to recognize all of the players who played a part in the record.

So, he surprised nearly 200 former teammates, coaches and mentors with commemorative footballs this week.

“I wanted to do something for everybody,” Brees said. “You just start thinking about all the guys that had a hand in that.”

Among the big names who received a football from Brees, former San Diego Chargers teammate LaDainian Tomlinson,