Drew Brees Bio: A New Orleans Saints Hero

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Drew Brees is a renowned football player from Texas who has played for 20 years in the NFL — 5 with the Chargers and 15 with the New Orleans Saints. Brees is known to have remarkable throw stats — NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards and completions— and for winning the XLIV Super Bowl. The quarterback officially retired in June 2021. Let’s take a look at some facts about his life inside and outside the field.

Drew Brees Quick Facts

  • Full Name: Drew Brees
  • Birth Date: January 15, 1979
  • Birthplace: Austin, Texas
  • Nickname: Breesus
  • Nationality: American
  • Siblings: 2 – 1 brother, 1 half-sister.
  • Children: 4
  • Spouse: Britanny Brees
  • Profession: Football player
  • Salary: 25M
  • Net worth: ≈160M
  • Social media: @drewbrees (Instagram and Twitter)
  • Awards: Super Bowl Champion XLIV, Super Bowl XLIV MVP, Offensive Player of the Year (2008, 2011), Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2006).
  • Last Updated: 07/15/2021

Drew Brees’ Birthplace and Early life

Drew Brees was born and raised in Austin, Texas, by Mina and Eugene Brees. Both parents were professionally involved in law. Eugene is an attorney from Alabama, and he has worked for around 4 decades as a personal injury defense lawyer. Mina was also a lawyer, and she was a cause of scandal in Texas because she started threatening restaurant owners across the state due to their expired brand names.

Drew and his brother Reid grew closer due to their parents’ divorce when they were 5 and 7 years old, respectively. In the Coming Back Stronger book, Drew reflects on his family life and states that his parents’ divorce was one of the most difficult stages he experienced as a child. The parents had shared custody.

Drew and Reid spent 2 days at each house. It was a very emotional time for Drew and his brother. Their escape from that reality was going to a creek near their home to catch minnows and crawdaddies. Even though Drew had a tough time dealing with his parent’s divorce, he thinks of his childhood as a great one.

Drew had an athletic background. His mother was all-state in high school track, basketball, and volleyball. Eugene, his father, was a freshman basketball player. One of Drew’s uncles was a quarterback at the University of Texas, and Drew’s grandfather on his mother’s side coached high school football for nearly 40 years.

Drew Brees and his trouble choosing sports in high school

Brees attended Westlake High School in Austin. His mother thought this public school mixed academics and sports in a way it would help him strive. Drew was very interested in playing football in high school, but he was aware that the only experience he had back then was in flag football. As a freshman, he was the 4th quarterback of the team.

He thought he would not have the chance to be the first any time soon. He even considered looking for a baseball scholarship because he did not want to be benched, but a conversation with his mother made him change his mind. After a while, the opportunity to be the starting quarterback finally came, but he tore his ACL, and his opportunities started to shrink.

Even though the quarterback felt devastated, he chose to keep playing after recovery and came back to the field stronger than ever. In his senior year, Brees was named Texas 5A Most Valuable Offensive Player, and he led his high school team to a state championship, which he remembers and holds close to his heart. Brees completed 63.4% of his passes, and the team was at the top of the list of the state’s average yards per game (465).

Drew’s time at Purdue

While Drew’s and his high school team’s stats were good, not many universities were determined to have him on their team. In the end, it was Purdue, the one that made an offer and took the Texan under its wing.

Brees did not play that much on his freshman year, just 7 games. He did see some action later on and had many recognitions. As a sophomore, he was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year by the media. When Brees was in his junior year, he was the first recipient of the Socrates Award, which is given to the college athlete who best applies Thales’ “sound mind in a sound body.” That same year, Drew Brees led the Big Ten in attempts (554), completions (337), and passing yards (3,909). As a senior in 2000, the quarterback was the recipient of the Maxwell Award, which is given to the best collegiate football in the country.

Brees also completed 60.4% of his passes. By the end of his college career, Brees had a major in industrial management/manufacturing, had a total of 1,678 passing attempts, 1,026 passing completions, 11,792 passing yards, and 90 passing touchdowns.

Drew Brees’ Professional Career

Brees and the Chargers against all odds

Drew Brees was picked first in the second round of 2001’s NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, now known as Los Angeles Chargers. At the moment, the public was not so sure about Brees’ possible success in the NFL, especially because of his height (6 ft), but he was ready to prove everyone wrong.

Drew’s debut was against the Kansas City Chiefs in November 2001. The quarterback substituted Doug Flutie, the first QB at the moment. But Brees did not play in any other regular-season game until September 2002.

The San Diego Chargers finally gave Brees the chance to be a starter, but the team was not doing that well. 2002 and 2003 were tough years for the quarterback and the team. They couldn’t reach the playoffs. Brees and the Chargers finally made it to playoffs in 2004 after winning 12 games and losing only 4.

But the team could not move any further after their defeat against the NY Jets. That same year, the Chargers decided to pick another quarterback, and that meant competition for the Texan. But that backup would remain as such until 2006. It was announced on March 16 that the quarterback would be a New Orleans Saints player.

Brees was a Charger for 5 years, played in 59 games, had over 1,800 pass attempts and completed more than 1,100, and had over 12,000 passing yards. The quarterback left the Chargers with a few more recognitions: NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2004), and he played in the Pro Bowl game (2004).

Brees and a 15-year life with the Saints

The Saints ignited a fire in Drew’s skills and stats. He played regularly and had many more passing yards under his name. It was not easy for the Saints to choose Drew because of the shoulder injury he had in the New Year’s Eve game against Broncos.

After months of recovery, Brees played his first regular-season game with the Saints in September 2006, which ended up being a win for his team against the Browns. The final result was 19-14. Brees had 170 passing yards and 30 passing attempts, from which 16 were completed.

The 2006 season was the first in which Brees had the opportunity to play in an NFC Championship final. Sadly, the Saints lost to Chicago 39-14. The Texan also won several awards and had many recognitions during that season: Walter Payton NFL Player of the Year, NFL Passing Leader, and was part of the Pro Bowl game. In 2007 and 2008, the Saints were not impressing their fans with their strategies. They failed to reach the postseason both years, but Drew’s stats and skills were improving.

He earned a few acknowledgments along the way: several NFC Offensive Player of the Week topped his record of passing yards, became the second quarterback in the history of the NFL to throw more than 5,000 yards in just one season.

Then came 2009 with a season full of honors, awards, and recognitions —the Super Bowl XL1V was the best of them. The New Orleans Saints won 13 games in the regular season and managed to beat Arizona and Minnesota before facing the Colts in the Super Bowl in February 2010.

The result was 31-17, and the quarterback from Texas had 2 touchdown passes, completed 32 of 39 passing attempts, and had 288 passing yards. Among Brees’ recognitions were Super Bowl XLIV MVP, NFL passing touchdowns leader, NFL passer rating leader, NFL completion percentage leader.

From 2010 until his retirement in 2021, Drew Brees kept playing for the New Orleans Saints. He could not acquire another Super Bowl title, but from that year on, he earned several awards and acknowledgments for his outstanding individual stats and consistency:

  • NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2011)
  • NFL passing yards leader (2011, 2012, 2014-2016)
  • NFL passing touchdowns leader (2011, 2012)
  • NFL passer rating leader (2018)
  • NFL completion percentage leader (2011, 2017-2019)
  • Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (2010), and more.

Brees had started winning this type of recognition since 2006.

Drew Brees’ Best Moments

Brees’ throws were enviable. His long and accurate passes gave him the honor of being the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards and completions. Here are a few of his outstanding moments.

Drew Brees’ retirement and post-professional

After 20 seasons playing in the NFL, Drew Brees announced his retirement in March 2021, but it went into effect in June. The quarterback let everyone know about his retirement most sweetly. He had his 4 children announce it in a short but heartwarming Instagram post.

Brees was quick to look for other things to do after football. He signed a contract with NBC to join Sunday Night Football in 2022. He will be appearing as a studio analyst. The former Saints player is also part of the board of directors of B1Bank, and he keeps doing charity work.

Drew Brees’ family: Spouse and kids

Brees married Brittany Dudchenko, who is highly involved in his charity work, on February 8, 2003. They have 4 children —3 boys named Baylen, Bowen, and Callen; and 1 girl named Rylen. Brees has made sure to involve his kids in football as much as he can. Even his son Callen is seen mimicking his moves. 

Brittany Brees also gets involved in Drew’s sports life and the Brees Dream Foundation to also have her opinion heard. When Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem Drew found it disrespectful. Years after that happened, Brittanny went ahead and posted a lengthy explanation on the foundation’s Instagram about why Kaepernick’s kneeling meant so much more and how Drew’s opinion was part of the problem. Brittany ended the post by saying it is everybody’s job to educate themselves and do better.

Drew Brees’ mother died in 2009 from a prescription drug overdose. Her death was ruled a suicide. Drew has one younger brother named Reid. He was also into sports when he was young.  Reid played baseball during his time at Baylor University Texas, but he did not pursue a career in sports and he now works in sales. Brees’ father remarried and had a daughter named Audrey.

Drew Brees’ net worth and career earnings

Drew Brees’ net worth is an estimated USD 160,000,000.00, and his career earnings amount to nearly USD 270,000,000.00.

Frequently asked questions

Question: Who is Drew Brees?

Answer: Drew Brees is a renowned football player from Texas who has played for 20 years in the NFL — 5 with the Chargers and 15 with New Orleans Saints. Brees is known to have remarkable throw stats — NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards and completions— and for winning the XLIV Super Bowl. The quarterback officially retired in June 2021.

Question: When was Drew Brees drafted?

Answer: Drew Brees was picked first in the second round of 2001’s NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, now known as Los Angeles Chargers. The 66th NFL draft took place on April 21 and 22.

Question: Will Drew Brees play in 2021?

Answer: Drew Brees officially retired in June 2021, so it is not expected he will be playing in the 2021 season.

References

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