Who is Drew Brees, really?
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TwitterStirring up a hornets' nest, in the middle of a group of men clad in black and gold, you will find Drew Brees. Shouting out his pre-game chant with his teammates of the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints, getting everyone fired up for what is sure to be an amazing game to come. While football is what he's known most for, there is a side to Drew that only those in New Orleans, San Diego and Purdue University may know about. His need to help. Having founded The Brees Dream Foundation in 2003 to advance research in fighting cancer and find care for children afflicted with cancer, his efforts have not stopped there. The foundation helps to rebuild homes with Habitat for Humanity, supporting Children's Hospital, and rebuilding schools and parks in New Orleans, San Diego and the area around Purdue University. Drew takes time for anyone and everyone, being more than happy to sign a few autographs for fans or put in as much time with his foundation as he can.
Born Andrew Christopher Brees on January 15, 1979, Drew attended
Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, lettering in baseball,
basketball and football. Winning a 5A State Championship and
Offensive Player of the Year for 5A in 1996, Drew took his talents
to Purdue University where he earned a bachelor's degree in
Industrial Management and lettered in football from 1997-2000.
During his college career, Drew was twice a candidate for the
Heisman Trophy, led the Boilermakers to a Big Ten Championship and
a Rose Bowl appearance, won the Maxwell Award as the nation's
outstanding player of 2000 and named the Academic All-America
Player of the Year.
Drafted late first-round in 2001 by the San Diego Chargers, Drew
played his first professional game November 4, 2001 against Kansas
City. The next season, he beat out Doug Flutie for the starting job
but was replaced by Flutie later that season. After San Diego
drafted Philip Rivers in 2004, Drew's future with the team was in
jeopardy. Fortunately for him, Philip held out in training
camp and Drew was given another chance to lead the team. Taking
advantage of the opportunity to prove himself, Drew did so and was
named 2004 Comeback Player of the Year and was selected to the 2005
NFL Pro-Bowl and was tagged as a franchise player. At the end of
the 2005 season, Drew injured his shoulder after trying to recover
a fumble and was hit while he was on the ground, needing surgery to
repair a torn labrum.
In 2006, San Diego offered Drew a 5-year, $50 million contract
which relied heavily on performance incentives due to his recent
surgery. Not liking the offer, he asked for a "top 5"
quarterbacks salary, which the Chargers refused. Drawing interest
from the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints, Drew ended up
signing with New Orleans after the Dolphins weren't confident his
shoulder would hold up and they didn't want to pay him his worth.
Drew ended up signing a 6-year, $60 million deal with the Saints
and he hasn't looked back. Drew's performances have tied or passed
numerous team and league records, his Saints won Super Bowl XLIV
and he was named Super Bowl MVP. It's going to take more than a
hurricane to stop Drew and the beautiful city of New Orleans.
