What is Drew Bledsoe's Net Worth?
Drew Bledsoe is a former American football player who has a net worth of $35 million. Drew Bledsoe is a former professional football quarterback who played 14 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played in the NFL for 14 seasons, eight of which were played in New England. He was a major force with the team, helping end a seven-year postseason drought, clinching two division titles, and making it to the Super Bowl in 1997. After suffering and recovering from a near-fatal injury in 2001, Bledsoe went on to finish his NFL playing career with the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys.
Early Life and High School
Drew Bledsoe was born on February 14, 1972 in Ellensburg, Washington to parents who were both school teachers. The family moved often during Bledsoe's youth, finally settling in Walla Walla. Attending high school there, Bledsoe was coached by his father on the football team; he also lettered in basketball and track.
Collegiate Career
Heavily recruited out of high school, Bledsoe ultimately chose to attend the nearby Washington State University. He went on to have a record-setting collegiate football career during his three years at the school, becoming the face of the Cougars' offense. In 1992, Bledsoe led his team to a 9-3 record and a victory over Utah in the Copper Bowl. Moreover, he set WSU records in multiple categories, including single-game and single-season passing yards, and was named Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year.
New England Patriots
Forgoing his senior year at WSU, Bledsoe entered the 1993 NFL Draft and earned the first overall selection by the New England Patriots. He quickly proved himself a major force on the team, drastically improving the Patriots' fortunes. In 1994, he led the team to a 10-6 record and a wild card spot. Following a disappointing 1995, Bledsoe performed strongly in 1996, leading the Patriots to an AFC championship title and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXI. The team ultimately fell to the Green Bay Packers in the tournament. In 1997, Bledsoe again helped lead the Patriots to the playoffs, although they lost in the second round to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Still, Bledsoe came away from the season with a career-high 87.7 passer rating. He continued his success in 1998, becoming the first-ever NFL quarterback to complete game-winning touchdown passes in the final 30 seconds of two consecutive games. One again, the Patriots made it to the playoffs.
Bledsoe's performance declined in 1999, as he was sacked a career-high 55 times and the Patriots finished the season with an 8-8 record. The following year was even worse, with the team posting a dismal 5-11 record. Bledsoe re-signed with the Patriots in 2001 on a ten-year contract worth a then-record $103 million. However, things didn't go as he would have liked; in the second game of the season, he suffered a near-fatal injury after he was rammed into by New York Jets linebacker Mo Lewis. Bledsoe consequently lost his starting role to Tom Brady, although he did return to win the AFC championship game. The Patriots went on to win Super Bowl XXXVI with Brady as quarterback.
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Buffalo Bills
In 2002, Bledsoe was traded to the Patriots' division rival, the Buffalo Bills. His first season with the team was a huge success, as he passed for 4,359 yards and 24 touchdowns. One of his best games came in a Week 2 overtime win against the Minnesota Vikings, when he set a team record with 463 yards passing. Bledsoe performed well in 2003, but the Bills were beleaguered by numerous injuries to their offense. The following year, Bledsoe's last with the team, the Bills fell just one game short of advancing to the playoffs.
Dallas Cowboys
After being released by the Bills, Bledsoe signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2005. In his strong first season with the team, he threw for over 3,000 yards and led multiple fourth-quarter or overtime game-winning drives. Bledsoe led the team to a 9-7 record. His second and last season with the Cowboys in 2006 was far less successful, to the point that he was replaced by Tony Romo just six games into the season. Bledsoe was ultimately released by the team following the end of the season. He announced his NFL retirement in April of 2007.
Personal Life
With his wife Maura, Bledsoe has four children named Stuart, Henry, John, and Healy. In Bend, Oregon, where the family used to live, Bledsoe coached Stuart and John at Summit High School.
Following his retirement from the NFL in 2007, Bledsoe co-founded the Doubleback Winery with his friend Chris Figgins. In 2014, Figgins left the business and granted his interest to his protégé Josh McDaniels. Bledsoe and McDaniels later purchased an 80-acre property in Oregon's Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Doubleback Winery produces mostly Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.
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