Drew Brees passes Peyton Manning as All-Time Pass Leader in the NFL

NEW ORLEANS – Drew Brees became the leader of the NFL passers on Monday night, and he did it spectacularly.

Brees broke Peyton Manning's record with 71,940 yards in career with a 62-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Tre Quan Smith in the second quarter of a 43-19 loss to the Washington Redskins.

Better yet, the 39-year-old New Orleans Saints quarterback had one of the best performances of his 18-year career, completing 23 of 26 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns. His achievement percentage of 89.7 was a career best. And he did it in front of the local Mercedes-Benz Superdome crowd and in front of the Monday Night Football crowd.

"It played even more than I could have imagined," said Brees, who added that he had tried to repeat what he had in mind during the week, but that he was still taken by the emotion when the NFL stopped the match planned to recognize his feat. Brees kissed his teammates on the field and pointed and kissed the fans. He then handed the ball over to David Baker, president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and shared his kisses with his wife Brittany, four children and coach Sean Payton, among others.

"There are so many people responsible and who have contributed to that," Brees told ESPN's Lisa Salters after the match when asked what the record meant for him. "The two people who are most responsible for my football career, my mother and my grandfather, are in heaven.

"There were a lot of people I wanted to prove, but nothing more than them, I know they're watching me."

Brees, who was ready for the match, was captured on the edge of the track saying to his kids immediately after the play: "You can accomplish everything you are ready to work in life, is not it? this not? "

His three sons also joined him in the locker room and the post – game press conference.

Brees said that he had 178 text messages and was counting at that time.

"It's hard for me to think too hard because my career is not over," Brees said. "There are still goals to be achieved, there are still challenges to be met, so I'm always very focused on that, and yet when something like that happens, and so many people are responsible, it can be a part of that, it makes me happy.

"This makes me proud and I am extremely grateful to be able to play this game and have it played as long as I could play, to be found in New Orleans, which you know all the story So it was an amazing trip and I am very grateful to you for it. "

Manning also congratulated Brees with a hilarious and sincere video message. He joked that he held the record for 1,000 days and that it was the best 1,000 of his life – and "you ruined it for me". Manning also presented a photo that he and Brees took together in 2000 and said that they had come a long way.

"In the Peyton style," said Brees. "He is always very creative."

The piece itself was the only part of the moment the script was started.

Smith was not actually the intended recipient of the coin. But Payton attributed to Brees the "launch of the alert" after seeing the reaction of the defense.

Smith said the Saints had staged a similar game earlier in the game – but the pass went to Cameron Meredith. Brees said it was a new play that the saints had imagined to flood an area and that "maybe someone opens up."

It was Smith's first career touchdown. But he said that he was perfectly happy to have to go to Canton, in Ohio, to see the ball.

Brees, meanwhile, now has 499 TD passes – a fourth in NFL history and one behind Tom Brady.

Brees is one of the best quarterbacks of all time: barely 6 feet tall, barely recruited in high school, he fell to the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the NFL draft at Purdue in 2001 in the league when he became a free agent after a shoulder injury that threatened his career in 2005.

But it was at that time that he came to New Orleans and his career took off. Brees and Payton have formed one of the most prolific duos in NFL history over the last 13 years, including a Super Bowl win after the 2009 season.

Brees also holds the NFL records for most career supplements and the highest percentage of completion. He set the season pass record in one season in 2011 with 5,476 (before Manning surpassed it by one meter in 2013). And he has ridden more than 5,000 yards five times over the last ten years – something no other quarter has ever done more than once.

"He deserves it," said Payton. "An amazing race and we do not feel like it's 12 or 13 years ago, it seems like it was a lot shorter than that.

"I think what inspires us the most is what is most important to him and what is our common goal of winning in another championship … All the current gear, the different poles [to signify big games or moments], these all have dust. But it's about these memories right now. Someone like that, as special as tonight and what he's accomplished, is what you miss when you're done. "