METAIRIE, La. – Drew Brees said he is “very confident” he will play Sunday and “there’s not anything that’s going to keep me off the field on Sunday” during an appearance on Ellen Degeneres’ talk show that was taped Wednesday evening.

The New Orleans Saints quarterback made a guest appearance via satellite to join two men he inspired by posing for pictures with cardboard cutouts of them.

But DeGeneres, a New Orleans-area native, also made sure to grill Brees about whether he will return this week from a bruised rotator cuff that kept him out of last week’s loss at Carolina.

“For you, absolutely,” Brees said.

Then when asked if he seriously expects to play Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys, Brees said, “Yeah, I do. I’m very confident I will be able to. I practiced today, I feel good. So we’ll see how it progresses. But there’s not anything that’s gonna keep me off the field on Sunday.”

UPDATED: Brees was officially listed as limited in Thursday's practice, just as he was on Wednesday when he said he took most of the team snaps. Neither Brees nor coach Sean Payton addressed the media following Thursday's practice.

Brees then chatted with the two men who recently had shared their story of how Brees had inspired them during difficult times – Jackson Smith, a Marine officer who served in Afghanistan, and Brian McKenna, his friend who was paralyzed from the neck down in a biking accident.

The two friends each tracked down Brees at separate times to have him pose for pictures with cardboard cutouts of the other.

They both told Brees what an inspiration he has been to so many people in New Orleans. But Brees told Smith he was the “true hero” both for serving his country and for what a good friend he is to Brian.

Brees then announced that he and his wife, Brittany, and DeGeneres and Shutterfly had pitched in to purchase a high-tech wheelchair for McKenna. And both men were presented with all-access Saints passes and invited to come to New Orleans whenever McKenna is able to attend a game and a practice and “maybe even call a play on game day.”