Veteran defensive backs and team leaders Richard Sherman of the 49ers and Malcolm Jenkins of the Eagles are among the 32 nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
Drew Brees threw for 465 yards in the Saints' 41-38 victory over the Panthers, setting an NFL record with the 15th 400-yard passing game of his career.
It took Saints quarterback Drew Brees two attempts to fully pass Dan Marino for third place on the NFL career yardage list.
Drew Brees' 98-yard TD pass to Brandin Cooks in the third quarter of Sunday's 35-34 loss to the Oakland Raiders was the longest offensive play in the 50-year history of the New Orleans Saints.
Drew Brees and the Saints reached an agreement on an extension, beating the quarterback's self-imposed Week 1 deadline to get a deal done.
The Saints and veteran quarterback Drew Brees are "relatively close" on a contract extension, sources told ESPN's Ed Werder
