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Saints quarterback Drew Brees offered an update on his recovery on Wednesday and it included word that he’s back to working with a regulation-sized football.

Video of Brees throwing a football surfaced earlier this month, but the ball was smaller than the one used in NFL games. During an appearance on WWL Radio, Brees shared that he’s now back to the bigger ball as he continues rehabbing his right thumb injury.

“I’ve graduated to the NFL ball,” Brees said. “I have a really kind of disciplined plan for what I need to do for strength and flexibility and then my throwing and all that stuff. So really starting to get back into it, doing football stuff, and just trying to get back as quick as I can.”

Brees said that he will be wearing a splint on his thumb when he does return to action “because it does take a while for that ligament to actually heal.” Week Eight has been the target date for that return to action, although nothing has been set in stone with a Week Seven game against the Bears on the horizon.