NEW ORLEANS - Drew Brees has been a perennial underdog since he came to the Saints in 2006 having suffered what was nearly a career-ending injury. But, 2018 seems to be the year that the 39-year-old Super Bowl-winning quarterback gets the credit he's due.

The cover of Sports Illustrated's next issue made its debut Tuesday, and it features the man who will inevitably go down as the greatest athlete in New Orleans Saints history. Bearing the image of Brees winding up for a pass, the cover also features the title text It's Time to Rethink Drew Brees. Below that title, in parentheticals, is the tagline reading, "Please Stop Calling Him an Underdog."

The praise comes in a season where Brees has not only broken the all-time passing record but in which he's making his best case yet for an NFL MVP award. Additionally, Brees has led the Saints to a league-best 10-1 record, and he's also on pace to shatter the single-season completion percentage record he set previously.

Though he's been snubbed in the past, many pundits in the sports world agree this is his season to win it.

"Every time the man throws the ball, he's setting another record," former all-pro Deion Sanders said on NFL Network. "77-percent completion percentage?! You can't even throw a piece of paper in a trashcan 7 out of 10 times!"

While he's been snubbed in the past for the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning, most agree Brees is a clear favorite in the MVP race this season, with Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes a solid second at this time.

With five games left in the season, including a primetime match-up with the Dallas Cowboys this Thursday night, Brees will have plenty of opportunities to show the league why he is no longer the underdog.