Drew Brees Biography

Drew Christopher Brees, born January 15, 1979, is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, he ranks second all-time in career passing yards, touchdown passes, and pass completions. Brees holds the record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass, surpassing the record held by Johnny Unitas for 52 years. He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers, winning the Maxwell Award and Big Ten Most Valuable Player in 2000 and setting Big Ten Conference records for completions, attempts, and passing yards. Brees initially struggled before a breakout season in 2004, when he led the Chargers to their first playoff appearance since 1995 and first division title since 1994, earning Pro Bowl and Comeback Player of the Year honors. He retired after the 2020 season and spent the following year as an analyst on NBC Sunday Night Football. A Sports Illustrated article claimed he was named for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Drew Pearson, but in a 2014 interview Brees stated this story was 'just legend'.