"Drew Brees said his contract talks with the New Orleans Saints have been tabled until after this season so he can keep his focus on the playing field. Brees, 32, is due to be a free agent after this season, though the Saints can maintain rights to him through the franchise tag.

"You know, I didn't want it to become a distraction," Brees said of the decision that was quietly made sometime in the past month. "And from the discussions we had, going back and forth, there was no progress really being made. I really wanted to just focus on football.

"It's been tabled for now ... and just hopefully will resume when the time is right.""