Brees becomes all-time passing yards leader

Drew Brees has become the NFL’s all-time leader in yards passing — and he did it in style.

The 39-year-old Brees eclipsed Peyton Manning’s previous record of 71,940 yards with a 62-yard touchdown pass to rookie Tre’Quan Smith during the second quarter of Monday night’s 43-19 win against the Washington Redskins.

After the record-breaking completion, officials stopped the game and the game ball was handed over to Pro Football Hall of Fame officials on the sideline while the Superdome crowd offered a standing ovation. Brees removed his helmet, held out his arm to salute the crowd and hugged his wife, Brittany, and children on the sideline.

“I love you guys so much,” Brees said while hugging his three boys as Brittany held their daughter nearby. “You can accomplish anything in life if you’re willing to work for it.”

Brees entered the game needing 201 yards for the record. He passed for 250 by halftime, completing 17 of 20 passes, including two touchdown tosses and no interceptions, as his fellow athletes saluted him on social media.

“Congrats on the achievement/milestone. Sheesh that’s a lot of passing yards!!” LeBron James tweeted.

In a victory at Atlanta earlier this season, Brees broke Brett Favre’s career record of 6,300 completions. Brees still needs 42 touchdown passes to surpass Manning’s record of 539, something the Saints quarterback could achieve next season if he maintains his current level of play. But Brees also would have to outpace New England’s Tom Brady, who has 500 touchdown passes, the only active player with more than Brees in that category. Brees threw No. 499 in the third quarter on Monday night.

Manning, a NewOrleans native whose father, Archie, starred for the Saints, could not attend the game because of a scheduling conflict. However, he had pre-recorded a congratulatory message played on the Superdome’s video boards. Shown on the video slicing tomatoes, Manning deadpanned that his time as the career yards passing leader have been “the greatest thousand days of my life.”

“Thanks to you, that’s over now,” Manning continued as the laughter erupted in the stands. “You’ve ruined that for me.”

“Also, let this serve as the congratulations for the touchdown record because as you can see I’m very busy,” Manning added. “I don’t have time to keep doing these videos for you.”

The Eagles placed running back Jay Ajayi on injured reserve with a knee injury, ending the season of the Eagles’ top rusher — and maybe his Eagles career. Ajayi tore his ACL, according to a league source.

TheJets activated CBRashard Robinson and released S J.J. Wilcox. ... The Jaguars placed TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins and RB Corey Grant on injured reserve. Coach Doug Marrone says Seferian-Jenkins will have core muscle surgery but could return later in the season. Grant will miss the rest of the year with a foot injury. ... Titans T Taylor Lewan is having tests on his right foot after leaving a loss against the Bills. Lewan played 17 snaps before being replaced by Tyler Marz.