Mr Brees’ thumb injury is a fairly common one amongst athletes at all levels. Commonly referred to as gamekeeper’s or skier’s thumb, it involves a rupture of one of the key stabilizing ligaments to the thumb MCP joint (knuckle). This ligament is critical for activities that involve strong pinch or grip or grasp. This used to be a season-ending injury, however recent advancements in surgical techniques have greatly reduced recovery times. More recently multiple high-level professional athletes, including Mike Trout in 2017, have been able to return to play within the 6-8 week range.