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Drew Christopher Brees (born January 15, 1979 in Austin, Texas) is an American football quarterback who formerly played for the San Diego Chargers in the NFL. In 2006 he signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints.

Drew Brees was the Texas Class 5A Most Valuable Player in 1996 while leading Westlake High School to a 16-0 record. Brees attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He left Purdue with Big Ten Conference records in passing yards (11,792), touchdown passes (90), total offensive yards (12,693), completion percentage (.611), completions (1,026), and attempts (1,678). He also led the Boilermakers to the 2001 Rose Bowl, Purdue's first appearance in Pasadena since 1967. Brees was a finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's best quarterback in 1999. Brees won the Maxwell Award as the nation's outstanding player of 2000. Brees was also fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1999 and 3rd in 2000. As a senior Brees was named the Academic All-America Player of Year, the first Purdue Boilermaker since Bruce Brineman (1989) to earn national academic honors. Brees also was awarded for his humble and productive attitude when he was the recipient of Purdue’s Leonard Wilson Award for unselfishness and dedication. Additionally, Brees guided the Boilermakers to their first Rose Bowl appearance in over a quarter-century. Brees locked up the bowl berth by leading Purdue to a hard-earned October victory over Ohio State, capping the Big Ten battle with a long touchdown pass to wideout Seth Morales.

Brees was drafted by the San Diego Chargers with the first pick in the second round (32nd overall) in 2001. Brees was the second quarterback selected (behind Michael Vick) and San Diego's second selection of 2001, after San Diego traded the first overall pick to Atlanta Falcons for the 5th overall pick, which they used to select LaDainian Tomlinson. This particular draft is notable for San Diego and Brees. Firstly, San Diego forfeited the opportunity to select Michael Vick in favor of Tomlinson, despite the fact that the quarterback position was the more pressing one. It was expected that the Miami Dolphins or Detroit Lions would select Brees in the first round, however both teams allowed Brees to slip to the second round, where San Diego happily drafted the QB. Additionally, the draft was significant for Brees because, while Brees was a senior at Purdue and attending the Heisman awards ceremony with the then TCU runningback Tomlinson, the two joked about how it would be great if they could be on the same team. Evidently as it turned out they did end up on the same team. During the draft, Tomlinson and Brees greeted each other and made a vow to turn the Chargers team around. [1]. He played in his first-career game on November 4, 2001, against the Kansas City Chiefs. Brees won the starting job over Doug Flutie during training camp before the start of the 2002 season, but was later replaced during the 2003 season by Flutie.

In his rookie season, Brees played only one game under head coach Mike Riley but did arguably well, garnering a passer rating of 94.8. In his second year, Brees wasn't able to silence critics who complained about his poor arm strength. Brees posted reasonable numbers, passing for 3284 yards and 17 touchdowns under new head coach Marty Schottenheimer. The Chargers looked to turn Brees' second season into a successful one as they started 4-0 against a difficult schedule. However, a series of losses forced the Chargers into a .500 at 8-8, and forced Brees to settle for a 76.9 rating on the season. Brees was named the starter of 2003, but failed to prove himself worthy of the job as he posted his worst season ever, with a career low 2108 yards and 67.5 rating. The Chargers went 4-12 under the poor leadership of both Brees and Flutie. San Diego earned the first overall pick with said record, and through a deal with the New York Giants got Philips Rivers for Eli Manning. However, due to long contract negoatations between Rivers and the Chargers Brees started the following season and had a break out year.

Drew's career with the Chargers was briefly put in jeopardy after San Diego acquired N.C. State's Philip Rivers. The Chargers selected Eli Manning with the first overall draft pick and just an hour later made a trade with the New York Giants in exchange for Philip Rivers, who they selected with the fourth overall pick. After the trade, it was almost certain Brees' days as the Chargers' starting QB were over. However, Rivers held out nearly all of training camp for big money. He eventually settled for pretty much what was offered prior to the opening of training camp. This forced the Chargers coaching staff to give Brees one last look and Drew persevered to remain the starter throughout the 2004 season and jump to near the top of the league's statistical rankings. Brees held the third best rating in the NFL, at 104.8 (behind Peyton Manning and Daunte Culpepper) and posted the best single season record in Chargers history, easily breaking the previous record held by Dan Fouts. Brees was selected to the 2005 NFL Pro Bowl as a reward for his impressive 2004 season. He was also named 2004 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

Brees became a free agent after the 2004 season and was not entirely expected to return to San Diego, which had already committed a large sum of money to Rivers. However, the team eventually designated Brees as a franchise player, giving him a one-year contract that quadrupled his pay to $8 million for the 2005 season.

Under the terms of the "franchise player" contract, Brees was eligible to be traded, but the Chargers would have had to receive two future first round draft choices in return. Brees was not traded and continued to start the remainder of the 2005 season.

In the Halloween 2004 matchup versus the Raiders, he completed 22 out of 25 passes for 281 yards and 5 TDs in a 41-14 romp. He followed that excellent performance the next week versus the Saints, where he went 22 of 36 for 257 yards and 4 TD in a 43-17 triumph. He would finish the season with 3159 passing yards, 27 TD, and only 7 INT giving him a QB rating of 104.8. In the postseason, he unfortunately lost his first playoff game, however he threw for 319 yards and 2 TD with 1 INT on 31 of 42 passing.

Brees continued his excellent play in 2005, as he posted a career high in passing yards with 3576. Brees also posted the 10th best rating in the NFL at 89.2 That season he led the Chargers to a win over the New England Patriots at New England, thus breaking a home-winning streak held by the Patriots at Gillette Stadium while posting a 137.5 rating resulting from 19 of 24 passing, 248 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT. Later that season, Drew led the Chargers to a 48-10 dismantling of a Buffalo defense ranked in the top 5 against the pass, ripping off 339 yards and 4 TDs on 28 of 33 passing. Brees battled through 3 turnovers (2 INT, 1 fumble) to throw a 54 yard pass that would set up a field goal which regained the lead in a crucial game against the previously undefeated Indianapolis Colts. [2].

In the last game of the 2005 season against the Denver Broncos, Brees injured his shoulder while trying to pick up a fumble of his after being hit by Denver Broncos safety John Lynch, Denver tackle Gerard Warren hit Brees while he was on the ground, a legal but questionable hit, that caused the injury. Brees underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair the torn labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder on January 5th, 2006. Subsequent reports mention rotator cuff damage as well, making the injury much more serious than it was originally described. Then in an interview given in July 2006, he acknowledged that the labrum injury was much worse than originally known and he had also suffered a partially torn rotator cuff.

Brees was selected as first alternate to the AFC Pro Bowl team in 2006, he would have played in his second consecutive Pro Bowl due to the injury to Carson Palmer; however, his own injury dictated that the AFC Pro Bowl roster would have to be filled by second alternate Jake Plummer.

After his injury, San Diego Chargers General Manager, A.J. Smith told Brees the team wanted him back to full strength and that they wanted him to lead them to a championship. Brees, an eligible free-agent saw the request as a sign that he would be back in a Chargers uniform. He stated in a local San Diego radio interview that he was willing to take less than "franchise-type" money to be with a Super Bowl contender. However, as negotiations began between Brees, his agent Tom Condon and the Chargers, it became apparent that the Chargers were more concerned about Brees' injury then they had previously let on. The team offered Brees a 5-year, $50 million contract that paid $2 million in base salary the first year and the rest heavily based on performance incentives, notably that he line up under center 75% of the season. Brees took the incentive-based offer as a sign of no-confidence by the Chargers and promptly demanded the type of money a top 5 "franchise" quarterback would receive.

After the Chargers refused to increase their offer, he met with other teams. New Orleans and Miami were interested in him. New Orleans made him a large offer that included $10 million in guaranteed money the first year and a $12 million option the second year. Miami asked Brees if he would be willing to take less guaranteed money so they could fit him under their salary cap, but Brees refused and also did not accept the suspicious results of a grueling 6-hour physical in Miami. The Dolphins ended negotiations with him and traded for Minnesota Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper instead.

Drew Brees then quickly signed a 6-year, 60 million dollar deal with the New Orleans Saints on March 14, 2006. The Saints hope the former Comeback Player of the Year can improve the team and lead them in to the playoffs. And Brees claims he is impressed by the teams newfound commitment to winning and their confidence in him as a player.

• 4th in 1999 Heisman trophy voting

• 3rd in 2000 Heisman trophy voting

• 2000 Maxwell award

• Socrates Award for top college athlete in terms of academics

• Won 3 AFC Player of the week awards

• Won 4 FedEx quarterback of the week awards

• 2004 Comeback player of the year

• 2004 Pro Bowl selection.

• 2004 San Diego Chargers team MVP

• 2005 Pro Bowl first alternate

• Brees has the 14th best passer rating in NFL history behind Jeff Garcia

• Brees has the best quarterback rating in San Diego Chargers history

• Drew Brees fantasy news and stats from Sandbox Fantasy News
• Pro-Football-Reference.com: Drew Brees