Drew Bledsoe facts for kids
Bledsoe in 2012
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | February 14, 1972 Ellensburg, Washington, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 238 lb (108 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Walla Walla (Walla Walla, Washington) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Washington State (1990–1992) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1993 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Drew McQueen Bledsoe (born February 14, 1972) is a former American football quarterback. He played for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), mostly for the New England Patriots. After a successful college career with the Washington State Cougars, he was chosen as the first overall pick in the 1993 NFL draft.
Bledsoe became the star player for the Patriots. He led the team to the playoffs four times and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXI. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times as a Patriot and was the youngest quarterback to ever play in the game at the time.
In 2001, Bledsoe suffered a serious injury. His backup, Tom Brady, took over as the starting quarterback. Brady's success led the Patriots to win Super Bowl XXXVI. Even though he was no longer the starter, Bledsoe played a key part in the AFC Championship game that year, helping the team reach the Super Bowl.
After leaving the Patriots, Bledsoe played for the Buffalo Bills, where he made a fourth Pro Bowl, and the Dallas Cowboys. He is remembered for helping to make the Patriots a winning team. In 2011, he was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and High School
Bledsoe grew up in Washington state. He attended Walla Walla High School, where he was a star athlete in football, basketball, and track. In football, he was chosen as a top player in the state. In track, he was skilled at throwing events like the discus throw and the javelin throw.
College Career at Washington State
Bledsoe played college football for the Cougars at Washington State University. He became the starting quarterback as a freshman and was soon the star of the team's offense.
In 1992, his junior year, Bledsoe led the Cougars to a 9–3 record and a victory in the Copper Bowl. In that game, he threw for 476 yards and two touchdowns. He set school records for most passing yards in a game and a season. He was named the Pac-10 Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
After his amazing junior year, Bledsoe decided to leave college early to enter the 1993 NFL draft.
College Statistics
| Washington State Cougars | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
| Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||||
| 1990 | Washington State | 92 | 189 | 48.7 | 1,386 | 7.3 | 9 | 4 | 121.8 | 49 | -67 | -1.4 | 4 | ||
| 1991 | Washington State | 199 | 358 | 55.6 | 2,741 | 7.7 | 17 | 15 | 127.2 | 104 | −94 | −0.9 | 2 | ||
| 1992 | Washington State | 211 | 386 | 54.7 | 2,770 | 7.2 | 18 | 14 | 123.1 | 78 | −53 | −0.7 | 4 | ||
Professional Career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Wonderlic | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
233 lb (106 kg) |
33+1⁄4 in (0.84 m) |
9+5⁄8 in (0.24 m) |
4.54 s | 32.5 in (0.83 m) |
36 | ||||||
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
New England Patriots (1993–2001)
The New England Patriots selected Bledsoe with the first overall pick in the 1993 NFL draft. He became the starting quarterback right away and helped the team improve.
In 1994, he led the Patriots to a 10–6 record and a spot in the playoffs. In one amazing game against the Minnesota Vikings, he set records for most passes completed (45) and attempted (70) in a single game. For his great season, he was selected to his first Pro Bowl.
In 1996, Bledsoe led the Patriots all the way to Super Bowl XXXI. Although they lost to the Green Bay Packers, Bledsoe had a fantastic season and was named a starter for the Pro Bowl. He continued to play well, leading the Patriots to the playoffs again in 1997 and 1998.
In March 2001, Bledsoe signed a large 10-year contract with the Patriots. However, in the second game of the season, he suffered a serious chest injury after a hard hit from a New York Jets player. The injury was severe and required him to be rushed to the hospital.
While Bledsoe recovered, backup quarterback Tom Brady took over. Brady played so well that he kept the starting job for the rest of the season. Bledsoe returned to play a heroic role in the AFC Championship Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. When Brady was injured, Bledsoe came in and threw a key touchdown pass, helping the Patriots win 24–17 and advance to the Super Bowl. The Patriots went on to win Super Bowl XXXVI.
Buffalo Bills (2002–2004)
After the 2001 season, Bledsoe was traded to the Buffalo Bills, a rival of the Patriots. He had a great first season with the Bills in 2002, throwing for over 4,000 yards and making his fourth trip to the Pro Bowl.
He played for the Bills for three seasons. In 2004, the team just missed making the playoffs with a 9–7 record. After the season, the Bills released Bledsoe to give their younger quarterback, J. P. Losman, a chance to start.
Dallas Cowboys (2005–2006)
Bledsoe signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2005. He was reunited with his former coach, Bill Parcells. In his first season, he threw for over 3,600 yards and led the Cowboys to a 9–7 record.
In 2006, Bledsoe's performance was inconsistent. After six games, he was replaced as the starter by Tony Romo. The Cowboys released Bledsoe after the season. On April 11, 2007, Bledsoe announced his retirement from the NFL, not wanting to be a backup player.
Life After Football
Legacy
When Bledsoe retired, he ranked among the top quarterbacks in NFL history in several categories, including pass attempts, completions, passing yards, and touchdowns.
In 2011, Patriots fans voted to induct him into the Patriots Hall of Fame. He is remembered for making the Patriots a successful team and for his important role in their first Super Bowl-winning season. In 2018, he was named an honorary captain for the Patriots during the AFC Championship Game.
Personal Life
Drew and his wife, Maura, live in Bend, Oregon, and have four children. He has coached his sons in high school football.
After retiring from the NFL, Bledsoe started a winery called Doubleback Winery in Washington state. His wines have received good reviews. He also spends time working with many charities.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | ||
| 1993 | NE | 13 | 12 | 5–7 | 214 | 429 | 49.9 | 2,494 | 5.8 | 54 | 15 | 15 | 65.0 | 32 | 82 | 2.6 | 15 | 0 |
| 1994 | NE | 16 | 16 | 10–6 | 400 | 691 | 57.9 | 4,555 | 6.6 | 62 | 25 | 27 | 73.6 | 44 | 40 | 0.9 | 7 | 0 |
| 1995 | NE | 15 | 15 | 6–9 | 323 | 636 | 50.8 | 3,507 | 5.5 | 47 | 13 | 16 | 63.7 | 20 | 28 | 1.4 | 15 | 0 |
| 1996 | NE | 16 | 16 | 11–5 | 373 | 623 | 59.9 | 4,086 | 6.6 | 84 | 27 | 15 | 83.7 | 24 | 27 | 1.1 | 8 | 0 |
| 1997 | NE | 16 | 16 | 10–6 | 314 | 522 | 60.2 | 3,706 | 7.1 | 76 | 28 | 15 | 87.7 | 28 | 55 | 2.0 | 8 | 0 |
| 1998 | NE | 14 | 14 | 8–6 | 263 | 481 | 54.7 | 3,633 | 7.6 | 86 | 20 | 14 | 80.9 | 28 | 44 | 1.6 | 10 | 0 |
| 1999 | NE | 16 | 16 | 8–8 | 305 | 539 | 56.6 | 3,985 | 7.4 | 68 | 19 | 21 | 75.6 | 42 | 101 | 2.4 | 25 | 0 |
| 2000 | NE | 16 | 16 | 5–11 | 312 | 531 | 58.8 | 3,291 | 6.2 | 59 | 17 | 13 | 77.3 | 47 | 158 | 3.4 | 16 | 2 |
| 2001 | NE | 2 | 2 | 0–2 | 40 | 66 | 60.6 | 400 | 6.1 | 58 | 2 | 2 | 75.3 | 5 | 18 | 3.4 | 8 | 0 |
| 2002 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 8–8 | 375 | 610 | 61.5 | 4,359 | 7.1 | 73 | 24 | 15 | 86.0 | 27 | 67 | 2.5 | 11 | 2 |
| 2003 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 6–10 | 274 | 471 | 58.2 | 2,860 | 6.1 | 54 | 11 | 12 | 73.0 | 24 | 29 | 1.2 | 11 | 2 |
| 2004 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 9–7 | 256 | 450 | 56.9 | 2,932 | 6.5 | 69 | 20 | 16 | 76.6 | 22 | 37 | 1.7 | 17 | 0 |
| 2005 | DAL | 16 | 16 | 9–7 | 300 | 499 | 60.1 | 3,639 | 7.3 | 71 | 23 | 17 | 83.7 | 34 | 50 | 1.5 | 9 | 2 |
| 2006 | DAL | 6 | 6 | 3–3 | 90 | 170 | 53.3 | 1,164 | 6.9 | 51 | 7 | 8 | 69.2 | 8 | 28 | 3.5 | 11 | 2 |
| Career | 194 | 193 | 98–95 | 3,839 | 6,717 | 57.2 | 44,611 | 6.6 | 86 | 251 | 206 | 77.2 | 385 | 764 | 2.0 | 25 | 10 | |
Postseason
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | ||||||
| 1994 | NE | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 21 | 50 | 42.0 | 235 | 4.7 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 38.3 | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 1996 | NE | 3 | 3 | 2–1 | 59 | 105 | 56.2 | 595 | 5.7 | 53 | 3 | 7 | 54.3 | 3 | 4 | 1.3 | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 1997 | NE | 2 | 2 | 1–1 | 39 | 76 | 51.3 | 403 | 5.3 | 39 | 1 | 2 | 60.4 | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 2001 | NE | 1 | 0 | 0–0 | 10 | 21 | 47.6 | 102 | 4.9 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 77.9 | 4 | 1 | 0.3 | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 2006 | DAL | 0 | 0 | — | DNP | |||||||||||||||||
| Career | 7 | 6 | 3–3 | 129 | 252 | 51.2 | 1,335 | 5.3 | 53 | 6 | 12 | 54.9 | 13 | 7 | 0.5 | 4 | 0 | |||||
See also
In Spanish: Drew Bledsoe para niños
- List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating
- List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards
- List of most consecutive starts by a National Football League quarterback
