- Born
- Birth nameDrew McQueen Bledsoe
- Height6′ 5″ (1.96 m)
- Drew Bledsoe was a standout quarterback at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash., then became the top pick in the 1993 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. New head coach Bill Parcells drafted Bledsoe with the top pick, and Bledsoe assumed the starting quarterback job almost immediately. During his nine years in Foxborough, Mass., Bledsoe led the Patriots to four playoff appearances (and was there for a fifth but not as a starter). In a 1994 overtime game against Minnesota, he set NFL records for most passes completed (45)and attempted (70) in a game as the Patriots rallied from down 20-0 to win, 26-20. Three times in his career he has exceeded 4,000 passing yards in a season.
Bledsoe's career took a permanent turn on September 23, 2001. He suffered a devastating hit by NY Jet linebacker "Mo Lewis", a hit which sheared a blood vessel deep inside Bledsoe's chest. He played in one more series before being lifted in favor of Tom Brady. Brady then embarked on an unbelievable career of his own, leading the Patriots to the Super Bowl championship that year and denying Bledsoe his old starting job back when he became healthy. Bledsoe did play briefly in the AFC Championship game that year when Brady went down with an ankle sprain, and helped the Patriots gain entry into Super Bowl XXXVI with a 24-17 win at Pittsburgh.
Following that Super Bowl win which Bledsoe had to watch on the sidelines, the Patriots traded Bledsoe to the Buffalo Bills for a 2003 first-round draft pick. Bledsoe had a tremendous 2002 season where he had his second-highest passing yardage total (4,359 passing yards) and second-best passer rating (86.0). But in three seasons with Buffalo, Bledsoe saw his career take a downturn, partially brought on by a decline in his pass blockers and questionable personnel decisions. Bledsoe was released after the 2004 season. He will play in 2005 in Dallas, reunited with his first head coach, Parcells. He currently (as of the end of the 2004 season) is 192 yards shy of 40,000 career passing yards.
Wherever he has played, Bledsoe has been a solid citizen and community figure. He and his wife Maura have given lectures on good parenting skills. He has always conducted himself with class and dignity, especially during the most difficult times. He remains a well respected professional, and one of the great NFL quarterbacks of his time.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Bob George - Drew Bledsoe is a former American football quarterback who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with New England Patriots. He served as New England's starting quarterback from 1993 to 2001 and was considered the face of the Patriots franchise during his nine seasons with the team.
The first overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, Bledsoe helped improve the fortunes of the Patriots, who had fallen on hard times. Under his tenure as starting quarterback, the Patriots ended a seven-season postseason drought, qualified for the playoffs four times, and appeared in Super Bowl XXXI. He was also named to three Pro Bowls and became the youngest quarterback to play in the NFL's all-star game at the time with his 1995 appearance.
Following a period of declining success and two consecutive seasons when the Patriots missed the playoffs, Bledsoe suffered a near-fatal injury early in the 2001 season and was replaced as starter by backup Tom Brady, a 6th round, 199th overall pick in the 2000 draft. After he was medically cleared to play, Bledsoe was unable to regain his starting position due to Brady's success during the season, which led to the Patriots winning their first Super Bowl title in XXXVI and began a dynasty for the franchise that would appear in 9 additional Super Bowls and winning 6 of them since the 2001 season. Bledsoe subsequently retired after stints with the Buffalo Bills, where he made a fourth Pro Bowl appearance, and the Dallas Cowboys, where he was reunited with former Patriots head coach Bill Parcells.
While his tenure with the Patriots would ultimately be eclipsed by Brady, Bledsoe is recognized for helping rebuild the franchise and his role during their first Super Bowl-winning season when he led the team to victory in the 2001 AFC Championship after Brady was injured. For his accomplishments in New England, he was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2011.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tango Papa
- SpouseMaura Healy(May 4, 1996 - present) (4 children)
- Professional football player
- Played on two Patriot Super Bowl teams (1997 and 2002).
- Was selected with the first pick in 1993 by the New England Patriots.
- New England Patriots trade Bledsoe to the Buffalo Bills for Buffalo's first-round pick in 2003 after a 9-year career in which he rewrote the record books but watched from the sideline while his backup, Tom Brady, led the team to its first Super Bowl championship.
- He and wife, Maura, have three sons, Stuart McQueen (b. 16 October 1997), John (b. 5 May 1999) and Hank and a daughter, Healey Elizabeth.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content