Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Brees rebuffs head coaching speculation ahead of Citrus Bowl

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 12/31/22

When former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees agreed to serve as an interim assistant coach for his alma mater Purdue leading up to its Cheez-It Citrus Bowl matchup with LSU, he knew the questions were coming.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Brees again reiterated that his venture into coaching is a one-time thing and that he’s simply helping out the university that he called home from 1997-2000.

Brees is on record stating he has no interest in getting into coaching in the future.

“I’m just doing this because I love my university and the opportunity to coach young men like (quarterback) Austin (Burton) and our team and to just get this program through the whole game,” Brees recently said, via Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel.

Drew Brees emphasized this is an interim gig and he'll step away from coaching after the Citrus Bowl.

"After that, turn back into a pumpkin."
— Wilson Alexander (@whalexander_) December 31, 2022

Brees threw for 11,792 yards, 90 touchdowns and 45 interceptions in four years at Purdue.

He left with 19 school records and was named the Big Ten’s best quarterback of the 1990s. Brees was inducted to the university’s Hall of Fame in 2009, and the Big Ten’s Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year award is named after him.

During his 20-year NFL career with the Chargers and Saints, Brees threw for 80,358 yards, 571 touchdowns, and 243 interceptions while posting a 172-114 record as a starter.

He was a First Team All-Pro, a four-time Second Team All-Pro, a 13-time Pro Bowler, and a Super Bowl champion. He led the NFL in passing seven times.

After retiring from playing following the 2020 season, Brees took an analyst job with NBC Sports in 2021, which lasted just one season.

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