Before Tom Brady led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl in 2001 and cemented himself as the starter for the next two decades, there was Drew Bledsoe. At 6’5″ with a cannon for an arm, Bledsoe was the face of the franchise for nine seasons after New England drafted him first overall in 1993. With a 10-year, $100 million contract in hand, he looked firmly entrenched as the team’s franchise quarterback, and Brady seemed destined to remain a backup with little chance of ever starting.
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But everything changed when Bledsoe suffered a near-fatal injury, opening the door for the young Brady to step in and seize the job—one he would never relinquish. From that moment on, Bledsoe lived in Brady’s shadow, his own role in helping revive a struggling franchise largely forgotten.
Bledsoe never truly received credit for changing the Patriots’ losing culture alongside a group of leaders who set the foundation for future success. Even Brady benefited from that culture and stability that Bledsoe helped establish.
In a conversation with Gerard Michaels, the former Bills quarterback reflected on the frustration of people remembering him only as “the guy before the guy.” Despite retiring with more than 44,000 passing yards, sixth all-time when he hung up his cleats, and a career that included leading New England to a Super Bowl appearance, his legacy remains overshadowed by Brady.
Bledsoe described his journey as one of improbable beginnings: a kid from a small town who went to a small-state school, then suddenly found himself the first overall pick at age 21, carrying the hopes of a struggling franchise in a city where fans live and breathe sports. Though he’s grateful for his career and the life he leads today, the lack of recognition for his own accomplishments still lingers.
” I’ve lived an amazing life. But it does kind of piss me off when people look at my career like, “Oh, he was the guy that came before the guy”. Well, no, man. When I retired from the NFL, I was like number six in the history of the league in passing yards. I also had a pretty nice career. It was an amazing ride, you know small town kid from the middle of nowhere, went to a small little school. Suddenly, I’m thrown in when I’m 21, thrown in to be the figurehead of a pretty awful franchise in a crazy sports town. It was a hell of a ride.”
Now, Drew Bledsoe is enjoying a quiet, happy life with his wife and kids. These days, he is focusing on the second passion of his life: making wine in his hometown of Walla Walla. While he still loves football, winemaking brings him a different kind of joy, one that doesn’t involve getting hit. For Bledsoe, this is the realization of the dream.
