METAIRIE, La. -- Drew Brees and Jared Goff were at the Pro Bowl together last year -- a fate both would like to avoid this time around.
But it provided a special bonding opportunity for the quarterbacks, who will now square off when the New Orleans Saints play host to the Los Angeles Rams in Sunday's NFC Championship Game (3:05 p.m. ET, Fox).
Goff, 24, said he appreciated that Brees was willing to share insight on things like his warm-up routine and approach.
Brees, who turned 40 on Tuesday, said he was glad to have the chance to "pay it forward" after so many veteran quarterbacks helped him out early in his career -- even though his Saints and Goff's Rams seemed destined for this type of showdown for NFC supremacy.