158 Facts About Drew Brees

Drew Christopher Brees is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 20 seasons.

Drew Brees holds the record of consecutive games with a touchdown pass, breaking the record held by Johnny Unitas for 52 years.

Drew Brees played college football at Purdue University, where he set the Big Ten Conference records for completions, attempts, and yards.

Drew Brees initially struggled before having a breakout season in 2004, earning him Pro Bowl and Comeback Player of the Year honors.

From 2006 to 2020, Drew Brees led the Saints to nine playoff appearances, seven division titles, three NFC Championship Game appearances, and the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts, earning him the game's MVP award.

Drew Brees led the NFL in passing yards a record seven times.

Drew Brees retired after the 2020 season and spent the 2021 season as an analyst on NBC Sunday Night Football.

Drew Christopher Brees was born on January 15,1979 in Dallas to Eugene Wilson "Chip" Brees II, a prominent trial lawyer, and Mina Ruth, an attorney.

When Drew Brees was seven, his parents divorced and shared custody of the boys, who split their time between both parents' homes.

Drew Brees's maternal uncle, Marty Akins, was an All-American starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns college football team from 1972 to 1975, and his maternal grandfather, Ray Akins, had the third-most victories as a Texas high school football coach, in his three decades at Gregory-Portland High School.

Drew Brees's younger brother, Reid, was an outfielder for the Baylor Bears baseball team, which made the 2005 College World Series; Reid now resides in Colorado, where he works in sales.

College recruiters quickly ran after Drew Brees blew out his knee in the 11th grade.

Drew Brees was given honorable mention in the state high school all-star football team and the USA Today All-USA high school football team, alongside former San Diego Chargers teammate and longtime friend LaDainian Tomlinson.

Drew Brees received offers from only two colleges, Purdue and Kentucky, choosing Purdue for its highly rated academics.

Drew Brees graduated in 2001 with a degree in industrial management, and is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

Drew Brees had the option to make himself available for the 2000 NFL Draft but chose to return for his senior year to complete his studies.

Drew Brees was a finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's best quarterback in 1999.

Drew Brees won the Maxwell Award as the nation's outstanding player of 2000 and the NCAA's Today's Top VIII Award as a member of the Class of 2001.

Drew Brees was fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1999 and third in 2000.

Drew Brees was awarded Purdue's Leonard Wilson Award for unselfishness and dedication.

Drew Brees left Purdue with Big Ten Conference records in passing yards, touchdown passes, total offensive yards, completions, and attempts.

Drew Brees tied an NCAA record with the 99-yard pass to receiver Vinny Sutherland against Northwestern on September 25,1999, and held the NCAA record for pass attempts in a game for 15 years, until Washington State quarterback Connor Halliday broke it in October 2013.

In 2009, Drew Brees was inducted into Purdue's Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame.

Drew Brees was named the Big Ten's best quarterback of the 1990s and ranked number 48 on the 2010 documentary Big Ten Icons, featuring the conference's top fifty student-athletes.

Drew Brees was the second quarterback selected in the 2001 NFL Draft behind Michael Vick of Virginia Tech.

Drew Brees was chosen by the San Diego Chargers with the first pick of the second round with the 32nd overall pick.

Drew Brees played in his first professional game on November 4,2001, against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8.

Drew Brees came into the game to relieve Flutie, who had suffered a concussion.

Drew Brees finished with 221 passing yards and his first career passing touchdown, a 20-yard pass to Freddie Jones.

Drew Brees finished the 2002 season with 3,284 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions.

The Chargers won the AFC West for the first time in 10 seasons and Drew Brees was selected to the 2004 Pro Bowl.

Drew Brees was named 2004 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

Drew Brees became a free agent after the 2004 season and was not expected to return to San Diego, which had already committed a large sum of money to Rivers.

Under the terms of the franchise player contract, Drew Brees was eligible to be traded or to sign with another team, but the Chargers would receive two future first-round draft choices in return.

Drew Brees was not traded and continued as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the 2005 season.

Drew Brees was 19 of 24 for 248 passing yards and two touchdowns and earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the effort.

Drew Brees posted a career-high in passing yards with 3,576.

However, in the last game of the 2005 season against the Denver Broncos, Drew Brees tore his labrum while trying to pick up his own fumble after being hit by Broncos safety John Lynch.

Miami was unsure whether Drew Brees' shoulder was completely healed and doctors suggested the team should not sign him because of the injury.

Drew Brees signed a six-year, $60 million deal with the Saints on March 14,2006.

The Dolphins' decision to not sign Drew Brees was the reason why Nick Saban resigned and left for Alabama.

Drew Brees's 510 passing yards marked a single-game franchise record and was the sixth most for a single game in NFL history at the time.

Drew Brees threw a league-leading and franchise record 4,418 passing yards, finished third in the league with 26 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions, and had a 96.2 passer rating.

Drew Brees was named starting quarterback for the NFC in the 2007 Pro Bowl and was named as a First-team All-Pro.

On January 5,2007, Drew Brees was named first runner-up behind former teammate Tomlinson for league MVP by the Associated Press.

Drew Brees dislocated his left elbow during the first quarter of the Pro Bowl.

Drew Brees set the NFL record previously held by Rich Gannon for pass completions in a single season with 440.

In 2008, the Saints again missed the playoffs but Drew Brees had a strong year statistically, finishing 15 yards short of the NFL record for passing yards thrown in a single season set by Dan Marino in 1984.

Drew Brees passed for 421 yards and a passing touchdown in the loss.

Drew Brees finished the season with 5,069 yards and became the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 5,000 yards in a season.

Drew Brees passed for 300 yards ten times during the 2008 season, tying Rich Gannon's 2002 record.

Drew Brees was named FedEx Air Player of the Week for his performances during Weeks 8 and 12 and was named the AP 2008 Offensive Player of the Year.

Drew Brees was named to his third career Pro Bowl for his 2008 season.

Drew Brees started to serve on the executive committee of the National Football League Players Association this season.

Drew Brees remained on the committee through the 2014 season.

Drew Brees earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Lions.

Drew Brees tied the record for most touchdown passes by the end of Week 2 with nine touchdowns.

Drew Brees totaled 371 yards passing, posting a perfect passer rating of 158.3, and became the first player to throw for five touchdowns against a team coached by Bill Belichick.

Drew Brees earned his third NFC Offensive Player of the Week nod for the 2009 season.

The Saints lost their last two games, with Drew Brees sitting out the Week 17 finale against the Carolina Panthers.

Drew Brees finished the season with a completion percentage of 70.62, establishing a new NFL record.

Drew Brees completed 17 of 31 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns.

Drew Brees tied a Super Bowl record with 32 pass completions and won the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award.

Drew Brees was named the 2010 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, both for his winning the Super Bowl and his charitable work towards the reconstruction of New Orleans.

Drew Brees finished with 404 passing yards and two passing touchdowns in the loss.

Drew Brees was selected to his fifth Pro Bowl-fourth with the Saints.

Drew Brees had a less successful season statistically, throwing a career-high 22 interceptions, tying the franchise record held by Aaron Brooks, although he managed to throw for 4,620 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Drew Brees was ranked ninth on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011 players' list.

Drew Brees broke Dan Marino's 27-year-old record for most passing yards in one season in the 15th game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons at home in New Orleans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome with a touchdown pass to Darren Sproles.

Drew Brees set a new Saints franchise record for passing touchdowns in a season with 46.

In Week 2, during the Saints' home-opener, Drew Brees defeated the Chicago Bears for the first time in his career as a starting quarterback, leaving the Baltimore Ravens as the only remaining NFL team which Drew Brees had never beaten to that point.

Drew Brees earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Colts.

Drew Brees's performance gave him 4,031 yards on the season, making him the first quarterback in NFL history to eclipse the 4,000-yard mark in the first 12 games of a season, and the first quarterback to reach four consecutive seasons with 4,000+ yards and 30+ touchdown passes.

In Week 15, against the Minnesota Vikings, Drew Brees threw for 412 yards with five passing touchdowns.

In Week 16, against the Atlanta Falcons at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Drew Brees broke Dan Marino's longstanding record of passing yards in a single season of 5,084 with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Darren Sproles with just under three minutes left in the fourth quarter of the game.

Drew Brees needed 305 yards to break the record entering the game and exceeded that mark with 307.

Drew Brees ended the game having thrown for 5,087 total passing yards for the regular season with one game remaining.

In Week 17, against the Carolina Panthers, Drew Brees closed out the season by setting six NFL records, finishing the year with 468 completions for 5,476 yards, edging out Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, who surpassed Marino's record with 5,235 yards.

Drew Brees averaged 342.25 yards passing per game, which broke Dan Fouts's record of 320.3 in a strike-shortened 1982 season.

At the time, Drew Brees's 466 passing yards marked the second-most in a playoff game in NFL history.

Drew Brees did set the NFL record for passing yards in a regulation playoff game.

Drew Brees was ranked as the second-best player in the league by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.

In Week 5, Drew Brees threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Devery Henderson against his former team, the San Diego Chargers.

Sean Payton, Joe Vitt and Mickey Loomis, who were all serving suspensions due to the "Bountygate" scandal, were granted permission to watch the Week 5 game against the San Diego Chargers due to Drew Brees potentially breaking Unitas' record.

Drew Brees earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his 370-yard, four-touchdown, and one-interception effort against the Chargers.

In Week 14, against the New York Giants, Drew Brees threw for 354 yards, giving him his seventh straight 4,000-yard passing season, surpassing Peyton Manning's record of sixth straight seasons.

Drew Brees was ranked 11th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.

In Week 12, Drew Brees passed Warren Moon for fifth on the career passing yards list with 49,566.

Drew Brees extended his NFL record to a sixth straight season of at least 30 touchdown passes with 4,000 passing yards, his third straight 5,000-yard season, and his eighth straight 4,000-yard season.

Drew Brees finished ranked sixth by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014.

Drew Brees admits that the 2014 season was his "most frustrating".

Drew Brees was named to his seventh consecutive and ninth career Pro Bowl.

Drew Brees was ranked 30th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015.

Drew Brees earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his effort against the Cowboys.

Drew Brees completed his 5,000th pass with a touchdown to tight end Josh Hill.

Drew Brees became the second player in NFL history to have multiple 500-yard passing games.

Drew Brees earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his historic performance against the New York Giants.

Drew Brees was ranked 30th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.

Drew Brees reached another milestone in the game, becoming the sixth player to record 50,000 passing yards with one team.

Drew Brees threw for 471 completions, breaking his NFL record of 468 set in 2011, and a career-high 673 attempts.

Drew Brees finished third in touchdown passes with 37, the fourth most of his career.

Drew Brees was named to his tenth career Pro Bowl for his 2016 season.

Drew Brees was ranked 16th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.

On December 19,2017, Drew Brees was named to his 11th career Pro Bowl.

Drew Brees finished the 2017 season by setting a then-NFL record 72.0 completion percentage.

Drew Brees led the league in number of completions and yards per pass attempt, and came in second in passer rating.

Drew Brees was ranked eighth by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.

On March 13,2018, Drew Brees signed a two-year, $50 million contract extension with the Saints with $27 million guaranteed.

In Week 3, against the Atlanta Falcons, Drew Brees broke Brett Favre's record for career pass completions in the second quarter with his 6,301st career completion.

In Week 5, on Monday Night Football against the Washington Redskins, Drew Brees surpassed Peyton Manning for the NFL's all-time passing yardage record with a 62-yard touchdown pass to Tre'Quan Smith late in the second quarter.

Drew Brees finished the season with 364 completions, 489 attempts, 3,992 passing yards, 32 passing touchdowns and five interceptions over 15 games.

Drew Brees set an NFL record for completion percentage, breaking his previous record set in 2017, and led the league in passer rating.

Drew Brees led the league with six fourth quarter comebacks and seven game-winning drives.

Drew Brees completed 28 of 38 passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the win.

Drew Brees became the first and only player in NFL history to throw touchdown passes to 15 different players in a single season, including the playoffs.

Drew Brees finished second in the MVP voting to Patrick Mahomes.

Drew Brees was ranked as the second best player in the NFL by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019.

The next day, an MRI revealed that Drew Brees had suffered a torn ligament in the thumb of his right hand, which would require surgery and reportedly cause him to miss six to eight weeks.

Drew Brees earned his 13th career Pro Bowl nomination after Russell Wilson gave up his spot.

Drew Brees was ranked 12th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.

On March 17,2020, Drew Brees signed a two-year, $50 million contract extension with the Saints.

On November 15,2020, Drew Brees left the Saints' Week 10 game against the San Francisco 49ers following the first half with a rib injury suffered on a sack attempt from Kentavius Street.

Drew Brees completed 8 of 13 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game.

The next day, it was revealed Drew Brees had suffered multiple broken ribs and a collapsed lung from the hits he had taken during the game.

On November 20,2020, Drew Brees was placed on injured reserve, thereby ruling him out for at least the following three games.

On March 14,2021, exactly 15 years to the day that Drew Brees signed his first contract with the New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees announced his retirement after twenty seasons.

Drew Brees has earned several awards in both college and the NFL, including:.

Drew Brees married his college sweetheart Brittany Dudchenko in February 2003.

Drew Brees moved to New Orleans not long after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

Drew Brees admits that it was tough moving to a city that was still in shambles from the hurricane; however, he and Brittany immediately fell in love with the culture and "soul" of the city.

Drew Brees admits in an interview that he thinks his family is completed especially because three boys and one girl were always the couple's dream.

The four priorities in Drew Brees's life are faith, family, football, and philanthropy; otherwise known as the "four F's" by Drew Brees.

Drew Brees kept a home in San Diego until he sold the property in 2012.

Drew Brees was raised as a Christian but stated that he became committed at age 17 when he was at church with a torn ACL and was wondering who he was and what his purpose was in life.

Drew Brees later faced other trials such as tearing the labrum in his shoulder in 2005; however, he maintains that these setbacks only strengthened his relationship with God.

Drew Brees was twice voted "Most Outstanding Camper" by his peers during his tenure at the camp.

On July 6,2010, Drew Brees released his first book, entitled Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity, co-authored by Chris Fabry.

In 2010, Drew Brees appeared in the Season 7 finale of Entourage.

Drew Brees was briefly excused from training camp for a "family matter".

In 2006, Drew Brees described their relationship as "nonexistent" ever since he refused to hire his mother as his agent when he entered the NFL, saying that she undercut his dealings with other agents and tried to sell a book about him to Sports Illustrated without his knowledge, and later that year he told her to stop using his picture in TV commercials during her campaign for the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals.

On March 30,2010, Drew Brees became the national spokesperson for AdvoCare International, a multi-level marketing company, which produces weight management, nutritional supplement, and personal care products.

When Drew Brees broke the NFL record for all-time passing yards, he sent a personalized football and letter to those players that helped him reach the milestone.

Drew Brees utilizes former Major League Baseball player and coach Tom House as his mechanics coach.

In 2019, Drew Brees partnered with San Diego Surf Sports to help with the local youth sports scene in the San Diego area.

Drew Brees follows a strict diet, avoiding gluten, dairy, and nuts due to food allergies.

Drew Brees has a regimented daily exercise routine, focusing on core strength exercises rather than heavy weight training.

Drew Brees was a Republican, but later changed his party affiliation to Independent.

On June 3,2020, during the George Floyd protests, Drew Brees told Yahoo Finance that he stood by his 2016 opinion that kneeling during the national anthem was disrespectful to the flag and to the US.

Since Drew Brees' move to New Orleans, the foundation has expanded to provide assistance for Hurricane Katrina rebuilding projects.

The foundation continues to fund and support various programs in San Diego, California, where Drew Brees usually spends his offseasons, and West Lafayette, Indiana, where the couple's alma mater, Purdue, is located and where Drew Brees returns to visit yearly.

Drew Brees has been on multiple USO tours throughout his career.

In June 2008, Drew Brees participated in the Pro Sports Team Challenge, a competition for professional athletes to help raise money for charities.

On February 18,2007, Drew Brees was honored by the Krewe of Bacchus, a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade organization, as the 2007 Grand Marshal of the Bacchus parade.

Drew Brees presided as Bacchus XLII for the 2010 parade on February 14,2010, one week after the Super Bowl during Mardi Gras season.

In June 2010, President Obama appointed Drew Brees to be co-chair of the newly renamed President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, along with former Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes.

In October 2010, Drew Brees appeared in an It Gets Better video, in which he gave an anti-bullying message in the wake of a series of suicides committed by gay teenagers.

On June 21,2019, Drew Brees was awarded $6 million in the lawsuit.

In March 2019, Drew Brees partnered with Brandon Landry, co-founder of Walk-On's, launching a new restaurant.