Gerry Boehme - Drew Brees: Record-Breaking Quarterback

Opposite: Quarterback Drew Brees kisses the Vince Lombardi Trophy after leading his New Orleans Saints to the Super Bowl XLIV championship on February 7, 2010.

Introduction

A Star On and Off the Field

D rew Brees is a great football player. A star quarterback for many years in the National Football League (NFL), Brees has thrown for more yards, more completions, and more touchdowns than any other player in league history as of 2019. Brees has been chosen for more than ten Pro Bowls, and, as of 2019, he has twice won NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

In perhaps his greatest achievement, Drew Brees led his New Orleans Saints teammates to their first and only NFL championship, winning Super Bowl XLIV after the 2009 season. Not surprisingly, Brees capped his performance by winning the Super Bowls Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award.

The Drew Brees story extends far beyond on-field heroics, however. Brees has overcome personal adversity to help redefine what it means to be a successful quarterback in todays NFL, and he has helped revolutionize footballs offensive strategy. Even more impressively, Brees has used his fame to become a role model and dedicate much of his life to helping those in need.

Setting the Standard

Some have described playing quarterback in the NFL as the most difficult job in sports. Quarterbacks need to be athletic, of course, with powerful, accurate arms and a quick release. They require enough speed to avoid pass rushers, gain yards, and make plays. Quarterbacks also need to be intelligent and poised, calm yet competitive, and able to function effectively under intense scrutiny and pressure.

Size has always been an important factor in judging a quarterbacks potential. From the time 6-foot (1.8 meters) Drew Brees first stepped on a football field, many considered him to be too short to become an elite quarterback. Brees, however, proved them wrong at every level, setting records and winning championships in high school, college, and professional football. Breess success helped pave the way for other short quarterbacks like Russell Wilson to be drafted and star in the NFL.

Facing Adversity

Drew Breess climb to the top did not come easily. Brees overcame many setbacks along the way, including serious knee and shoulder injuries that could have ended his career. He also experienced deep personal loss when his mother suddenly passed away just before his Super Bowl season.

Brees rose to the challenge of leading poor teams to greatness. In fact, he did it three times. After Brees joined a losing program at Purdue University, they posted winning records and qualified for postseason bowl games in all four of Breess college years.

Drafted into the NFL by the last place San Diego Chargers, Brees first led them to respectability, then to the top spot in their division and a playoff appearance. When he later signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints, Brees took them even farther, helping the team rise from the bottom of the NFL to a Super Bowl championship.

Devotion to Service

The Drew Brees legacy encompasses much more than football, however, and his influence on the community extends well beyond the record book.

While he was still in high school, Brees decided to follow his faith and try to make life better for other people. Brees worked with many charities while attending Purdue University, and he remains involved with its community more than eighteen years after he graduated.

When Brees turned professional, he continued to devote much of his personal time to helping people, especially children, improve their lives. Working closely with his wife, Brittany, Brees established his own charitable organization, which is called the Brees Dream Foundation. It has now raised more than $25 million for worthy causes.

In recognition of his work on and off the field, Brees has received many honors and awards, including being named the NFLs Walter Payton Man of the Year. President Barack Obama also appointed Brees cochair of the Presidents Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition.

Immediately after joining the Saints, Drew Brees took a hands-on role in helping to rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city.

Accepting the Challenge

Many people think that Drew Brees has performed his greatest charitable work right at home in New Orleans. When the Saints recruited Brees to join them as their quarterback, the city had not yet recovered from Hurricane Katrinas deadly impact. Brees witnessed Katrinas destructive effects before he decided to play for the Saints, and he made a commitment to help rebuild his new city as well as his team.

In the foreword for Drew Breess book Coming Back Stronger, former teammate Mark Brunell called Brees a modern-day hero who brought hope as well as a football championship to New Orleans. His leadership and generosity have made him a role model for many. Today, Drew Brees continues to make a difference, both as an athlete and as a human being.