Drew Bledsoe
Encyclopedia
Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football
quarterback
in the National Football League
, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots
from 1993
-2001
. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise. Bledsoe, a Pro Bowler, All-American for the Washington State Cougars
and #1 overall draft pick in the 1993 NFL Draft
, announced his retirement from the sport on April 11, 2007.
, and was a letterman in football and basketball. In football, he was named a first team All-State selection by the Tacoma News Tribune
.
for 3 years but still managed to put together a record-setting career. After gaining the starting job in the end of the 1990
season as a true freshman, he quickly became the face of the Cougars offense. In 1992
Bledsoe led his team to a 9-3 record (ranking #17 in the coaches poll and #15 in the AP) and a 31-28 win against the Utah Utes
in the Copper Bowl
, Bledsoe completed 30-46 passes for 476 yards and 2 TDs in the game. He also established WSU records in single-game passing yards (476), single-season pass completions (241), and single-season passing yards (3,246). He was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year.
Following an impressive junior year Bledsoe decided to forgo his senior season and enter the 1993 NFL Draft
. In the 28 starts of his collegiate career he amassed 7,373 yards, 532 completions and 46 touchdowns.
by the New England Patriots
. He started right away for the Patriots in his rookie season, as they improved from two to five wins.
On November 13, 1994, the Patriots had won just three of their first nine games and were losing 20-3 to the Minnesota Vikings
at halftime. Bledsoe led a comeback victory in which the Patriots won 26-20 in overtime, as he set single game records in pass completions (45) and attempts (70). By remaining undefeated throughout the succeeding games, the Patriots earned their first postseason appearance in eight years. Bledsoe started all 16 games that season and went on to set a NFL record in pass attempts (691), becoming the second NFL quarterback to complete 400 or more passes in a season (400), and led the league in passing yards (4,555). Due to his performance, Bledsoe was selected to his first Pro Bowl
as an alternate.
Following a difficult 1995 season
, Bledsoe turned it around in 1996
ranking among the top passers in the league with the help of wide receiver Terry Glenn
, thus pushing the Patriots to reach the playoffs again and winning the AFC championship against the Jacksonville Jaguars
20-6. This led to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXI
, where they lost to the Green Bay Packers
by the score of 35-21. Bledsoe completed 25 of 48 passes for 253 yards, with two touchdowns and four interceptions in the loss. He was also named a starter for the Pro Bowl
that season, the second of his career.
During the 1997 season
, Bledsoe helped the Patriots win five of their final seven games to once again qualify for the playoffs, the fourth time in eight years as a Patriots starter he would lead the team to a postseason appearance. The Patriots lost in the second round to the Pittsburgh Steelers
, however Bledsoe built a career-high 87.7 passer rating, passed for 3706 yards, tossed 28 Touchdowns, and earned his third Pro Bowl
invitation.
The following year, he became the first NFL quarterback to complete game-winning touchdown passes in the final 30 seconds of two consecutive games. In doing so, he propelled New England into the postseason for the third straight year. He completed these come-from-behind efforts while playing with a broken index finger on his throwing hand, an injury that would later sideline him for the postseason.
Bledsoe started the 1999 season
very strongly, with 13 touchdowns and only four interceptions as the Patriots held a 6-2 mid-season record. However, Bledsoe subsequently threw only six touchdowns versus 17 interceptions, and the team faltered to an 8-8 record. The slide continued into 2000's 5-11 season. While Bledsoe threw a career low 13 interceptions that year, he was sacked 45 times.
Nonetheless, in March 2001, Bledsoe was signed to a then-record ten-year, $103 million contract. Bledsoe did not, however, finish his career with the Patriots, nor even see the opening of the new Gillette Stadium
. During the second game of the 2001 season, Bledsoe was hit by New York Jets
linebacker Mo Lewis
and suffered a sheared blood vessel in his chest. Replacing Bledsoe at quarterback, soon-to-be superstar All-Pro quarterback Tom Brady
led the Patriots to an eventual Super Bowl
championship. Though he never regained his starting role, Bledsoe nevertheless proved integral to his team's playoff run when he replaced a hobbled Brady in the AFC Championship Game against Pittsburgh. Bledsoe, starting from the Steelers 40 yard line, capped a scoring drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to David Patten
to seal a 24-17 victory. In gaining the conference title Bledsoe completed 10 of 21 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions.
Appreciative of his lengthy tenure with the team, Patriots fans cheered Bledsoe in each of his three returns to New England as a visiting player.
Bledsoe's #11 jersey was not re-issued until the 2009 season, when Julian Edelman
took the number.
On May 16, 2011, Bledsoe was voted by Patriots fans into the Patriots Hall of Fame. He was formally inducted in a public ceremony outside The Hall at Patriot Place
on September 17, 2011. Bledsoe beat former head coach Bill Parcells
and defensive lineman Houston Antwine
in a fan vote.
, Bledsoe set a team record with 463 yards passing in an overtime win. He continued his strong play in 2003 as the Bills began the year 2-0. However, a flurry of injuries stymied the Bills offense; they failed to score a touchdown in three consecutive games en route to a 6-10 season. In 2004, they fell one game short of making the playoffs; a late season winning streak went for naught when Bledsoe and the Bills performed poorly against the Pittsburgh Steelers backups in the season finale.
, where he was reunited with former coach Bill Parcells
. During his tenure with the Cowboys, he threw for over 3,000 yards in a season for the ninth time in his career, tying Warren Moon
for fourth in NFL history. That season, Bledsoe led five 4th quarter/OT game-winning drives to keep the Cowboys’ playoff hopes alive until the final day of the season. Though the team ultimately failed to reach the playoffs, Bledsoe had led them to a 9-7 record, an improvement over the 6-10 mark that Vinny Testaverde
had finished with in 2004.
However, in 2006, his final season with the Cowboys, Bledsoe's play became erratic, so much so that six games into the season he was replaced by then-backup and soon to be Pro Bowler Tony Romo
. Shortly after the end of the 2006 season, Bledsoe was released by the Cowboys. Unwilling to be relegated to a backup position, Bledsoe announced his retirement from the NFL on April 11, 2007.
When Bledsoe retired in April 2007, he left fifth in NFL history in pass attempts (6,717) and completions (3,839), seventh in passing yards (44,611), and 13th in touchdown passes (251).
and have four children: sons Stuart, John and Henry, and daughter Healy. He coaches his sons', Stuart and John's, football team named the Seahawks.
While playing for the New England Patriots, Drew Bledsoe lived in Medfield
, Massachusetts
in the house that is currently owned by retired Major League Baseball
player Curt Schilling
. Right before his departure from the New England Patriots, and the town of Medfield, he donated football cleats to the entire Medfield High School football team.
After his retirement in 2007, Bledsoe founded the Doubleback Winery along with close friend Chris Figgins. The company's grapes are harvested from McQueen Vineyards and Flying B Vineyards, located in and around Walla Walla, Washington. The wine has had success recently, placing 53rd overall in Wine Spectator
's Top 100 wines. His first vintage which was 2007 vintage quickly sold out of its initial 600 cases.
Bledsoe also has a vested interest in Bledsoe Capital Group, which is committed to facilitating the capitalization, development, and marketing of its diverse holdings and investments.
In his spare time, he also works with many philanthropic organizations.
While Bledsoe's has thrown for a high number of yards and attempts, a frequent criticism is that they are based on volume (attempts, completions, yards) rather than efficiency (passer rating, TD-to-INT ratio, yards per attempt) proving only that he has thrown a great number of times, not that he has thrown well. According to Don Banks of Sports Illustrated
, Bledsoe's large career totals "reveal more about his longevity than about his excellence".
Bledsoe ranks fifth all-time in completions (3,839), seventh in passing yards (44,611), and 13th in touchdown passes (251). Bledsoe's career (57.2) completion percentage is lower than all recent Hall of Fame quarterbacks with the exception of John Elway
. Bledsoe's NFL career passer rating of (77.1) surpasses nine Hall of Fame Quarterbacks. Bledsoe's 37 regular season 300-yard passing games ranks 9th in league history. He also ranks 6th (with 6) in most career regular season 400-yard passing games by NFL quarterback. He was selected to the Pro Bowl four times (in 1994, 1996, 1997, 2002). Bledsoe will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 2011.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
from 1993
1993 New England Patriots season
The New England Patriots finished the National Football League's 1993 season with a record of five wins and eleven losses, and finished fourth in the AFC East division.-Season summary:Amid year-long rumors that the team would move to St...
-2001
2001 New England Patriots season
The 2001 New England Patriots season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Football League and 42nd season overall. They finished with an 11–5 record and a division title before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVI....
. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise. Bledsoe, a Pro Bowler, All-American for the Washington State Cougars
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
and #1 overall draft pick in the 1993 NFL Draft
1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 25-26, 1993...
, announced his retirement from the sport on April 11, 2007.
High school years
Bledsoe attended Walla Walla High School in Walla Walla, WashingtonWalla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
, and was a letterman in football and basketball. In football, he was named a first team All-State selection by the Tacoma News Tribune
Tacoma News Tribune
The News Tribune is a daily newspaper in Tacoma, Washington, in the United States.-History:It can trace its origins back to the founding of the weekly Tacoma Ledger by R.F. Radabaugh in 1880. The next year, H.C. Patrick founded The News, another weekly. Both papers became dailies in 1883. In 1898,...
.
College years
Bledsoe only stayed at Washington StateWashington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
for 3 years but still managed to put together a record-setting career. After gaining the starting job in the end of the 1990
1990 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a split championship and the ensuing controversy led to the creation of the Bowl Coalition, a precursor to the Bowl Championship Series. The title was split between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets...
season as a true freshman, he quickly became the face of the Cougars offense. In 1992
1992 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1992 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first year of the Bowl Coalition, and ended with Alabama's first national championship in thirteen years—their first since the departure of Bear Bryant...
Bledsoe led his team to a 9-3 record (ranking #17 in the coaches poll and #15 in the AP) and a 31-28 win against the Utah Utes
Utah Utes football
The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
in the Copper Bowl
1992 Copper Bowl
The 1992 edition to the Copper Bowl featured the Washington State Cougars, and the Utah Utes.Washington State scored first on a 3 yard touchdown run by running back Shaumbe Wright-Fair, to take a 7–0 lead. Quarterback Drew Bledsoe fired an 87 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Phillip Bobo,...
, Bledsoe completed 30-46 passes for 476 yards and 2 TDs in the game. He also established WSU records in single-game passing yards (476), single-season pass completions (241), and single-season passing yards (3,246). He was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year.
Following an impressive junior year Bledsoe decided to forgo his senior season and enter the 1993 NFL Draft
1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 25-26, 1993...
. In the 28 starts of his collegiate career he amassed 7,373 yards, 532 completions and 46 touchdowns.
New England Patriots: 1993–2001
Bledsoe was drafted first overall in the 1993 NFL Draft1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 25-26, 1993...
by the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. He started right away for the Patriots in his rookie season, as they improved from two to five wins.
On November 13, 1994, the Patriots had won just three of their first nine games and were losing 20-3 to the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
at halftime. Bledsoe led a comeback victory in which the Patriots won 26-20 in overtime, as he set single game records in pass completions (45) and attempts (70). By remaining undefeated throughout the succeeding games, the Patriots earned their first postseason appearance in eight years. Bledsoe started all 16 games that season and went on to set a NFL record in pass attempts (691), becoming the second NFL quarterback to complete 400 or more passes in a season (400), and led the league in passing yards (4,555). Due to his performance, Bledsoe was selected to his first Pro Bowl
1995 Pro Bowl
The 1995 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 5, 1995, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 41, NFC 13. Marshall Faulk of the Indianapolis Colts was the game's MVP. The coaches were Dallas’ Barry Switzer and Bill Cowher of the Steelers. The game was viewed by 49,121 at...
as an alternate.
Following a difficult 1995 season
1995 New England Patriots season
The New England Patriots finished the National Football League's 1995 season with a record of six wins and ten losses, and finished fourth in the AFC East division.-Staff:-Schedule:-Roster:...
, Bledsoe turned it around in 1996
1996 NFL season
The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end...
ranking among the top passers in the league with the help of wide receiver Terry Glenn
Terry Glenn
Terry Tyree Glenn is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the New England Patriots seventh overall in the 1996 NFL Draft...
, thus pushing the Patriots to reach the playoffs again and winning the AFC championship against the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
20-6. This led to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1996 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers defeated the American...
, where they lost to the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
by the score of 35-21. Bledsoe completed 25 of 48 passes for 253 yards, with two touchdowns and four interceptions in the loss. He was also named a starter for the Pro Bowl
1997 Pro Bowl
The 1997 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 2, 1997 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 26, NFC 23. Mark Brunell of the Jacksonville Jaguars was the game's MVP. In the game, Brunell threw for 236 yards...
that season, the second of his career.
During the 1997 season
1997 NFL season
The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
, Bledsoe helped the Patriots win five of their final seven games to once again qualify for the playoffs, the fourth time in eight years as a Patriots starter he would lead the team to a postseason appearance. The Patriots lost in the second round to the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, however Bledsoe built a career-high 87.7 passer rating, passed for 3706 yards, tossed 28 Touchdowns, and earned his third Pro Bowl
1998 Pro Bowl
The 1998 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 1, 1998 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 29, NFC 24. Warren Moon of the Seattle Seahawks, invited to participate because of an injury to John Elway, was the game's MVP. The referee was Gary Lane...
invitation.
The following year, he became the first NFL quarterback to complete game-winning touchdown passes in the final 30 seconds of two consecutive games. In doing so, he propelled New England into the postseason for the third straight year. He completed these come-from-behind efforts while playing with a broken index finger on his throwing hand, an injury that would later sideline him for the postseason.
Bledsoe started the 1999 season
1999 NFL season
The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
very strongly, with 13 touchdowns and only four interceptions as the Patriots held a 6-2 mid-season record. However, Bledsoe subsequently threw only six touchdowns versus 17 interceptions, and the team faltered to an 8-8 record. The slide continued into 2000's 5-11 season. While Bledsoe threw a career low 13 interceptions that year, he was sacked 45 times.
Nonetheless, in March 2001, Bledsoe was signed to a then-record ten-year, $103 million contract. Bledsoe did not, however, finish his career with the Patriots, nor even see the opening of the new Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...
. During the second game of the 2001 season, Bledsoe was hit by New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
linebacker Mo Lewis
Mo Lewis
Morris "Mo" C. Lewis is a former American football player who played linebacker for the New York Jets from 1991 until 2003.-Career:...
and suffered a sheared blood vessel in his chest. Replacing Bledsoe at quarterback, soon-to-be superstar All-Pro quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
led the Patriots to an eventual Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
championship. Though he never regained his starting role, Bledsoe nevertheless proved integral to his team's playoff run when he replaced a hobbled Brady in the AFC Championship Game against Pittsburgh. Bledsoe, starting from the Steelers 40 yard line, capped a scoring drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to David Patten
David Patten
David Patten is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Albany Firebirds as a street free agent in 1996. He played college football at Western Carolina....
to seal a 24-17 victory. In gaining the conference title Bledsoe completed 10 of 21 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions.
Appreciative of his lengthy tenure with the team, Patriots fans cheered Bledsoe in each of his three returns to New England as a visiting player.
Bledsoe's #11 jersey was not re-issued until the 2009 season, when Julian Edelman
Julian Edelman
Julian Francis Edelman is a wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Kent State as a quarterback.-Early years:Edelman was born in Redwood City, California...
took the number.
On May 16, 2011, Bledsoe was voted by Patriots fans into the Patriots Hall of Fame. He was formally inducted in a public ceremony outside The Hall at Patriot Place
Patriot Place
Patriot Place is an open-air shopping center located in Foxborough, Massachusetts built around Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution. Phase 1 opened in fall 2007, which included the construction of a small strip mall containing Bass Pro Shops, Staples,...
on September 17, 2011. Bledsoe beat former head coach Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
and defensive lineman Houston Antwine
Houston Antwine
Houston J. Antwine is a former college and professional American football player from Southern Illinois University. He was drafted by the American Football League's Houston Oilers, then traded to the Boston Patriots in 1961. He is in the Southern Illinois University Athletic Hall of Fame...
in a fan vote.
Buffalo Bills: 2002–2004
A change of scenery—by way of a trade—to Bledsoe's former division rival Buffalo seemed to give him a bit of rejuvenation in 2002. He had one of his best seasons ever, passing for 4,359 yards and 24 touchdowns and making his fourth trip to the Pro Bowl. In Week 2 against the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, Bledsoe set a team record with 463 yards passing in an overtime win. He continued his strong play in 2003 as the Bills began the year 2-0. However, a flurry of injuries stymied the Bills offense; they failed to score a touchdown in three consecutive games en route to a 6-10 season. In 2004, they fell one game short of making the playoffs; a late season winning streak went for naught when Bledsoe and the Bills performed poorly against the Pittsburgh Steelers backups in the season finale.
Dallas Cowboys: 2005–2006
Bledsoe went on to sign with the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, where he was reunited with former coach Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
. During his tenure with the Cowboys, he threw for over 3,000 yards in a season for the ninth time in his career, tying Warren Moon
Warren Moon
Harold Warren Moon is a former American professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and the National Football League's Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs...
for fourth in NFL history. That season, Bledsoe led five 4th quarter/OT game-winning drives to keep the Cowboys’ playoff hopes alive until the final day of the season. Though the team ultimately failed to reach the playoffs, Bledsoe had led them to a 9-7 record, an improvement over the 6-10 mark that Vinny Testaverde
Vinny Testaverde
Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...
had finished with in 2004.
However, in 2006, his final season with the Cowboys, Bledsoe's play became erratic, so much so that six games into the season he was replaced by then-backup and soon to be Pro Bowler Tony Romo
Tony Romo
Antonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo is a professional American football quarterback in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. Romo's career passer rating - at 95.8 - ranks third-best all time. Tony Romo didn't play in the regular season in 2003, 2004, or 2005...
. Shortly after the end of the 2006 season, Bledsoe was released by the Cowboys. Unwilling to be relegated to a backup position, Bledsoe announced his retirement from the NFL on April 11, 2007.
When Bledsoe retired in April 2007, he left fifth in NFL history in pass attempts (6,717) and completions (3,839), seventh in passing yards (44,611), and 13th in touchdown passes (251).
Personal life
Drew and his wife Maura live in Bend, OregonBend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
and have four children: sons Stuart, John and Henry, and daughter Healy. He coaches his sons', Stuart and John's, football team named the Seahawks.
While playing for the New England Patriots, Drew Bledsoe lived in Medfield
Medfield, Massachusetts
Medfield is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,024 according to the 2010 Census. Medfield is an affluent community about 17 miles southwest of Boston....
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in the house that is currently owned by retired Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player Curt Schilling
Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague "Curt" Schilling is a former American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series in and won World Series championships in with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in and with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a...
. Right before his departure from the New England Patriots, and the town of Medfield, he donated football cleats to the entire Medfield High School football team.
After his retirement in 2007, Bledsoe founded the Doubleback Winery along with close friend Chris Figgins. The company's grapes are harvested from McQueen Vineyards and Flying B Vineyards, located in and around Walla Walla, Washington. The wine has had success recently, placing 53rd overall in Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertainment pieces...
's Top 100 wines. His first vintage which was 2007 vintage quickly sold out of its initial 600 cases.
Bledsoe also has a vested interest in Bledsoe Capital Group, which is committed to facilitating the capitalization, development, and marketing of its diverse holdings and investments.
In his spare time, he also works with many philanthropic organizations.
Career stats
| Year | Team | Att | Comp | Pct | Yds | TD | Int | QB rating Passer rating Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | New England Patriots | 429 | 214 | 49.9 | 2,494 | 15 | 15 | 65.0 |
| 1994 | New England Patriots | 691 | 400 | 57.9 | 4,555 | 25 | 27 | 73.6 |
| 1995 | New England Patriots | 636 | 323 | 50.8 | 3,507 | 13 | 16 | 63.7 |
| 1996 | New England Patriots | 623 | 373 | 59.9 | 4,086 | 27 | 15 | 83.7 |
| 1997 | New England Patriots | 522 | 314 | 60.2 | 3,706 | 28 | 15 | 87.7 |
| 1998 | New England Patriots | 481 | 263 | 54.7 | 3,633 | 20 | 14 | 80.9 |
| 1999 | New England Patriots | 539 | 305 | 56.6 | 3,985 | 19 | 21 | 75.6 |
| 2000 | New England Patriots | 531 | 312 | 58.8 | 3,291 | 17 | 13 | 77.3 |
| 2001 | New England Patriots | 66 | 40 | 60.6 | 400 | 2 | 2 | 75.3 |
| 2002 | Buffalo Bills | 610 | 375 | 61.5 | 4,359 | 24 | 15 | 86.0 |
| 2003 | Buffalo Bills | 471 | 274 | 58.2 | 2,860 | 11 | 12 | 73.0 |
| 2004 | Buffalo Bills | 450 | 256 | 56.9 | 2,932 | 20 | 16 | 76.6 |
| 2005 | Dallas Cowboys | 499 | 300 | 60.1 | 3,639 | 23 | 17 | 83.7 |
| 2006 | Dallas Cowboys | 170 | 90 | 53.3 | 1,164 | 7 | 8 | 69.2 |
| Totals | 6,717 | 3,839 | 57.2 | 44,611 | 251 | 206 | 77.1 | |
Post-season records and statistics
- 4-3 record in post-season
- 3-3 in the post-season as a starter (3-0 at home)
- 252 passes attempted
- 129 passes completed
- 51.1 Completion Percentage
- 54.9 QB Rating
- 1335 passing yards
- 6 passing touchdowns
- 12 passes intercepted
- 21 passing attempts per interception in the post-season
- 42 passing attempts per TD in the post-season
- 2-0 in AFC Championship games (in last Patriots appearance came off bench for injured Brady to win at Pittsburgh January 2002)
- 1 Super Bowl Championship (2001, New England Patriots)
Accomplishments
- His 4,452 pass attempts in his first eight seasons rank second to Brett FavreBrett FavreBrett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
whose 4,456 attempts are the most by a quarterback during any eight-year period in NFL history - He passed for 3,291 yards in 2000, his seventh consecutive season with at least 3,000 yards passing.
- Bledsoe was durable during his career, playing in 126 of his first 132 games since entering the league in 1993, and never missing a start after leaving NE until benched in 2006.
- In 2002, his first season in Buffalo, he set single season records for yards, attempts, completions on an offense that had 7 other franchise records.
- In 1998, he directed the Patriots to the playoffs for the fourth time in six seasons.
- In 1994, he set Patriots franchise single-season passing records for attempts (691), completions (400) and yards passing (4,555; surpassed by Tom BradyTom BradyThomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
in 2007). - In 1995, he set a franchise record by attempting 179 consecutive passes without an interception (10/23/95 to 11/26/95; since surpassed by Tom Brady).
- At the age of 23, he became the youngest player in NFL history to surpass the 10,000-yard passing plateau when he connected with Ben CoatesBen CoatesBen Terrence Coates is a former American football tight end in the National Football League and former CIAA football coach and former NFL tight ends coach. Coates didn't play football until his senior year of high school, and was a multi-sport player at Livingstone College located in Salisbury,...
on a 6-yard completion just before the half vs. the Jets (12/10/95). - Prior to 1994, the Patriots' single-season record for passing yards was 3,465 yards. Bledsoe eclipsed that mark six consecutive seasons.
- At the age of 22, he became the youngest quarterback in NFL history to play in the Pro Bowl.
- Bledsoe is the only QB in NFL history with 4 seasons of 600+ pass attempts, including 3 straight from 1994–96
- Led 31 career 4th quarter/OT game-winning drives and holds the record for most TD passes in overtime with 4.
While Bledsoe's has thrown for a high number of yards and attempts, a frequent criticism is that they are based on volume (attempts, completions, yards) rather than efficiency (passer rating, TD-to-INT ratio, yards per attempt) proving only that he has thrown a great number of times, not that he has thrown well. According to Don Banks of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, Bledsoe's large career totals "reveal more about his longevity than about his excellence".
Bledsoe ranks fifth all-time in completions (3,839), seventh in passing yards (44,611), and 13th in touchdown passes (251). Bledsoe's career (57.2) completion percentage is lower than all recent Hall of Fame quarterbacks with the exception of John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
. Bledsoe's NFL career passer rating of (77.1) surpasses nine Hall of Fame Quarterbacks. Bledsoe's 37 regular season 300-yard passing games ranks 9th in league history. He also ranks 6th (with 6) in most career regular season 400-yard passing games by NFL quarterback. He was selected to the Pro Bowl four times (in 1994, 1996, 1997, 2002). Bledsoe will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 2011.
See also
- List of NFL Quarterbacks who have passed for 400 or more yards
- List of 300-Yard Passing Games by NFL Quarterbacks
- List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating
- List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards
- Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL)Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL)This is a list of the most consecutive starts by a quarterback in the NFL. Only six quarterbacks in NFL history have been able to achieve regular season streaks of at least 100 games, with only two of those with a regular season streak of at least 200 games....
External links
- Official web site
- Humanitarian Bio
- Drew Bledsoe at The Internet Movie Database