Overshadowed by all the pomp and circumstance of the homecoming of all homecomings on Sunday night, Tom Brady is a virtual lock to become the NFL's all-time leading passer.
A week removed from becoming the second quarterback to surpass the 80,000-yard milestone in a 432-yard showing against the Rams, Brady needs just 68 yards to unseat longtime contemporary Drew Brees for most career passing yards.
No stranger to Brady taking his spot in the record books, the retired Brees is happy to see his passing standard surpassed by TB12.
"I'd be all for Brady just launching the first play of the game, just go ahead and get it out of the way," Brees said, via ESPN's Jenna Laine. "You said he needs, what? Sixty-eight yards? Let's have New England kick it in the end zone, start at the 25 and have him launch one to Mike Evans and let's just be done with it.
"There's no doubt I think that's gonna get knocked down pretty quick. I can't think of a guy who has invested more into his career and his preparation and kind of what he's meant for the game. It's definitely a special record because it speaks to the longevity that he's been able to experience and the level that he's been able to play at."
Whether it's on the first drive or in the second quarter, Brees' record is almost a certainty to fall and that's fine by him.
"I'm a firm believer that records are meant to be broken," he said.
Brees' precarious grasp on the all-time passing standard sits at 80,358 yards with Brady entering Week 4 with 80,291.
Brady and Brees previously exchanged the career record for touchdown passes, but Brady's current tally of 591 TD throws has distanced itself from Brees' final showing of 571.
Brady's 115 wins at Gillette Stadium are also the most quarterback wins of all time in a single stadium, but if he posts a big showing of 350 yards or more Sunday, he'll knock down another Brees standard. Brees' 35,506 yards within the confines of the Superdome are the most passing yards in a single stadium, but Brady isn't far behind at 35,157 in Gillette.
Already having said he's not walking into Gillette looking to reminisce, but rather to win a ballgame, it's unlikely Brady will drink in the accomplishments of the passing record.
Brees doesn't believe Brady will be able to rejoice in the record and he can speak from experience.
"You're so locked into the game. You really can't allow yourself to go there too much," Brees said. "It's really something that you try to get out of the way emotionally prior to the game. I'll be honest with you. ... I know the way I felt, leading up to games like this, whether it was playing an old team or chasing a record, I would visualize being in that moment, I would visualize breaking the record, I would visualize everything that was gonna happen.
"I would always get the tears and the emotions out of the way on a Monday or a Tuesday. Like literally cry it out on a Monday or a Tuesday, so that by the time it got to Sunday, it was all about business, it was all about the game, it was all about getting the job done."
Indeed, for Brady and the Buccaneers, along with the New England Patriots, it will be all about business on Sunday night, but there will be myriad other storylines and factors before, during and after that will make taking care of said business all the more difficult and intriguing.
