Saints QB Drew Brees says he’ll ‘be back in no time’ after injuries to ribs, lung

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees “will be back in no time,” he said in an Instagram post in his first public comments since he reportedly received word that he has at least five broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

Brees posted a photo of him blowing into a spirometer — a device that’s used to measure the air going in and out of the lungs — while being surrounded and tended to by three of his children.

The optimistic forecast for Brees to return to play is 2-3 weeks, but that depends on healing time — which varies from person to person — according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano. The realistic hope, Graziano said, is that Brees will be back in time for the playoffs; the Saints (7-2) are tied with the Green Bay Packers for the best record in the NFC and lead the Buccaneers by a half-game in the NFC South.

Brees broke at least two ribs on his right side Sunday after being tackled by San Francisco 49ers defensive end Kentavius Street, and doctors believe that those broken ribs punctured the lung on his right side, creating what’s called a pneumothorax, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder.

However, medical imaging showed that Brees also has at least three broken ribs on his left side, Werder reported; those fractures likely stem from last week’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brees had X-rays done last week, according to Werder, but nothing of concern appeared on the film.

Brees said Sunday that he wasn’t necessarily dealing with pain but that cramping/stiffening was “a good way to put it,” and that “it’s a cumulative thing. Probably not just one” rib.

Moments after New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees took a hit that left him grimacing on the turf, rookie guard Cesar Ruiz walked over to…

Brees missed only that one play in the immediacy of his hit, then came back in to hand the ball off to running back Alvin Kamara for a touchdown.

Brees, while feeling “terrible,” returned to orchestrate another two-minute drill, going 5 of 6 with a touchdown pass to Kamara before halftime.

“I had to find a way,” Brees said Sunday.

However, when he came back out of intermission and was going through his warmup throws, he knew he wouldn’t be able to perform effectively and handed the game to quarterback Jameis Winston.

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