Editing Drew Brees (section)

==Early life==
Brees was born on January 15, 1979<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 15, 2021 |title=Happy Birthday, Drew Brees! |url=https://wgno.com/sports/happy-birthday-drew-brees/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128044844/https://wgno.com/sports/happy-birthday-drew-brees/ |archive-date=January 28, 2021 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |website=WGNO ABC}}</ref> in [[Dallas, Texas]], to Eugene Wilson "Chip" Brees II, a prominent trial lawyer, and Mina Ruth (née Akins; died 2009), an attorney. His grandfather fought in the [[Battle of Okinawa]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Machota |first=Jon |date=December 19, 2012 |title=Former Cowboys fan Drew Brees has 'extra motivation' this week |url=https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboysheadlines/2012/12/19/former-cowboys-fan-drew-brees-has-extra-motivation-this-week |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143418/https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboysheadlines/2012/12/19/former-cowboys-fan-drew-brees-has-extra-motivation-this-week |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |access-date=February 12, 2019 |website=SportsDay}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Erickson |first=Joel A. |date=December 27, 2017 |title='He taught me so much': Drew Brees remembers his grandfather, legendary Texas coach Ray Akins |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/article_d0453acc-2327-5778-947f-246beed7b40c.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802191025/https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/article_d0453acc-2327-5778-947f-246beed7b40c.html |archive-date=August 2, 2019 |access-date=August 2, 2019 |website=[[The Times-Picayune]]}}</ref> A ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' article stated he was named for [[Dallas Cowboys]] wide receiver [[Drew Pearson (American football)|Drew Pearson]]<ref name="SI1999">{{Cite magazine |last=Layden |first=Tim |date=August 16, 1999 |title=Drew Brees: About Face |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1999/08/16/6-drew-brees-about-face-a-quarterback-from-texas-is-marked-for-greatness-and-leading-a-turnaround-at-of-all-places-purdue |magazine=Sports Illustrated |volume=91 |issue=6 |pages=62–68 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205172531/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1016599/index.htm |archive-date=December 5, 2009 |access-date=May 15, 2022}}</ref> but in a 2014 interview Brees said this story was "just legend".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morale |first=Amos |date=December 2, 2014 |title=Drew Brees says reports about the Saints replacing him have 'absolutely no validity' |url=https://www.nola.com/saints/2014/12/drew_brees_tells_show_reports.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221054745/https://www.nola.com/saints/2014/12/drew_brees_tells_show_reports.html |archive-date=February 21, 2019 |access-date=February 20, 2019 |website=[[The Times-Picayune]]}}</ref> He has a younger brother, Reid (born 1981). When Brees was seven, his parents divorced and shared custody of the boys, who split their time between both parents' homes. Today, he admits that it was a very tough and challenging life after the divorce; however, Brees and his younger brother, Reid, supported each other and became very close.<ref name="LaydenT">{{Cite magazine |last=Layden |first=Tim |date=2010 |title=Sportsman of the Year |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2010/12/06/sportsman-of-the-year-drew-brees |url-status=live |magazine=Sports Illustrated |volume=113 |issue=21 |page=56 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204164416/https://vault.si.com/vault/2010/12/06/sportsman-of-the-year-drew-brees |archive-date=February 4, 2021 |access-date=April 29, 2022}}</ref> They have a younger half-sister, Audrey, from their father's remarriage to Amy Hightower, daughter of the late U.S. Representative ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]]-[[Texas|TX]]) [[Jack English Hightower]].<ref name="SI2010">{{Cite magazine |last=Layden |first=Tim |date=December 6, 2010 |title=Sportsman Of The Year Drew Brees |url=https://www.si.com/vault/2010/12/06/106012891/sportsman-of-the-year-drew-brees |url-status=live |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327161839/https://www.si.com/vault/2010/12/06/106012891/sportsman-of-the-year-drew-brees |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |access-date=April 29, 2022}}</ref><ref name="TXMonthly">{{Cite magazine |last=Cohen |first=Jason |date=January 2003 |title=The Joy of Sacks |url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/joy-sacks |url-status=live |magazine=[[Texas Monthly]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027013034/http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/joy-sacks |archive-date=October 27, 2014 |access-date=October 17, 2020}}</ref> Brees was raised [[Baptist]].<ref name="SportsSpectrum2017" />

Both of Brees's parents had athletic backgrounds. His father played basketball at [[Texas A&M]]<!--Sticking with what the source says; there is no evidence he played for the varsity squad or beyond his freshman year-->, and his mother was a former all-state athlete in three sports in high school.<ref>{{Cite web |last=George |first=Brandon |date=February 19, 2013 |title=Why Drew Brees says he's not bitter about being overlooked by UT, A&M in high school |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/texas-am-aggies/2013/02/19/why-drew-brees-says-he-s-not-bitter-about-being-overlooked-by-ut-am-in-high-school/ |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=Dallas News |language=en |archive-date=January 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120200046/https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/texas-am-aggies/2013/02/19/why-drew-brees-says-he-s-not-bitter-about-being-overlooked-by-ut-am-in-high-school/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="purdue1999">{{Cite news |last=Huppke |first=Rex W. |date=April 24, 1999 |title=Focused and Having Fun, Drew Brees Tries to Keep Dreams in Check |url=https://purduesports.com/news/1999/6/21/focused_and_having_fun_drew_brees_tries_to_keep_dreams_in_check.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819102819/http://www.purduesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/042599aaa.html |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |access-date=May 15, 2022 |publisher=[[Purdue Boilermakers|Purdue University Athletics]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> His maternal uncle, [[Marty Akins]], was an All-American starting quarterback for the [[Texas Longhorns football|Texas Longhorns]] college football team from 1972 to 1975,<ref name="TXMonthly" /><ref name="ABC2010" /> and his maternal grandfather, Ray Akins, had the third-most victories as a Texas high school [[Coach (American football)|football coach]], in his three decades at [[Gregory-Portland High School]].<ref name="Saints" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Duncan |first=Jeff |date=December 22, 2012 |title=Drew Brees' greatest influence might be his grandfather, Ray Akins |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/article_11ad95f5-f4ec-5583-b7d5-4ef2f365c3aa.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121223154544/http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2012/12/like_grandfather_like_son_drew.html |archive-date=December 23, 2012 |access-date=May 30, 2024 |work=The Times-Picayune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Duncan |first=Jeff |date=February 2, 2010 |title=Drew Brees the athlete deserves credit |work=[[The Times-Picayune]] |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/article_cb66a08d-d527-5ecc-8dfe-68eee048b605.html |access-date=May 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206130742/http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2010/02/drew_brees_the_athlete_deserve.html |archive-date=February 6, 2010}}</ref> His younger brother, Reid, was an [[outfielder]] for the [[Baylor Bears baseball|Baylor Bears baseball team]], which made the [[2005 NCAA Division I baseball tournament#College World Series|2005 College World Series]]; Reid now resides in [[Colorado]], where he works in sales.<ref name="ABC2010">{{Cite news |date=July 6, 2010 |title=Drew Brees Book Excerpt: 'Coming Back Stronger' |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Books/excerpt-coming-back-stronger-drew-brees/story?id=11090457&singlePage=true |url-status=live |access-date=April 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614202418/https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Books/excerpt-coming-back-stronger-drew-brees/story?id=11090457&singlePage=true |archive-date=June 14, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Reid Brees Biography |url=http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/brees_reid00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810161551/http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/brees_reid00.html |archive-date=August 10, 2014 |website=[[Baylor Bears|Baylor Bears Athletics]]}}</ref>

After moving to the Austin area, Brees did not play tackle football until high school and was on the [[flag football]] team at [[St. Andrew's Episcopal School (Austin, Texas)|St. Andrew's Episcopal School]], where his teammates included actor [[Ben McKenzie]], who was in the same year. In high school, he was a [[varsity letter]]man in baseball, basketball, and football,<ref name="NYTimes">{{Cite news |last=Bishop |first=Greg |date=February 5, 2010 |title=Brees's Colleagues See an Amazing Athlete Within |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/06/sports/football/06brees.html |url-status=live |access-date=December 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109035614/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/06/sports/football/06brees.html |archive-date=November 9, 2020}}</ref> and was considering playing [[college baseball]] rather than football.<ref name="BaltimoreSun">{{Cite web |last=McMullen |first=Paul |date=September 1, 2000 |title='Cool Brees' is hot commodity |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2000-09-01-0009010276-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105033642/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2000-09-01-0009010276-story.html |archive-date=November 5, 2019 |access-date=December 4, 2019 |website=[[The Baltimore Sun]]}}</ref> College recruiters quickly ran after Brees blew out his knee in the 11th grade.<ref name="LaydenT" /> After overcoming the [[Anterior cruciate ligament injury|ACL tear]], he was selected as Texas High School 5A Most Valuable Offensive Player in 1996 and led the [[Westlake High School (Austin, Texas)|Austin Westlake High School]] football team to a 16–0 record and a state championship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Texas High School Football Hall of Fame Inductees: Drew Brees |url=https://www.texasfootball.com/hof-drew-brees?ref=search |access-date=May 29, 2024 |website=Dave Campbell's Texas Football}}</ref><ref name="TXMonthly" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Drew Brees NFL.com bio |url=http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=BRE229498 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101210142241/http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=BRE229498 |archive-date=December 10, 2010 |access-date=January 2, 2011 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> As a high school football player, Brees completed 314 of 490 passes (64.1 percent) for 5,461 yards with 50 touchdowns, including in his senior season, 211 of 333 passes (63.4 percent) for 3,528 yards with 31 touchdowns.<ref name="Purdue" /> When Brees started for two seasons, Westlake went 28–0–1 and beat a [[Dominic Rhodes]]-led [[Cooper High School (Abilene, Texas)|Abilene Cooper]] 55–15 in the 1996 title game.<ref name="Saints">{{Cite web |title=Drew Brees Biography |url=http://www.neworleanssaints.com/team/roster/Drew-Brees/09634fe8-9ab7-4f47-a5ea-c0fb5ad343a9 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218094308/http://www.neworleanssaints.com/team/roster/Drew-Brees/09634fe8-9ab7-4f47-a5ea-c0fb5ad343a9 |archive-date=December 18, 2010 |access-date=January 2, 2011 |website=New Orleans Saints}}</ref><ref name="Purdue">{{Cite web |title=Drew Brees Profile |url=http://www.purduesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/brees_drew00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411190603/http://www.purduesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/brees_drew00.html |archive-date=April 11, 2018 |access-date=January 2, 2011 |website=[[Purdue Boilermakers|Purdue University Athletics]]}}</ref><ref name="UIL">{{Cite web |title=Football State Archive |url=http://www.uiltexas.org/football/archives/P144 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210203423/http://www.uiltexas.org/football/archives/P144 |archive-date=December 10, 2018 |website=University Interscholastic League}}</ref> He was given honorable mention in the state high school all-star football team and the ''[[USA Today]]'' [[USA Today All-USA high school football team|All-USA high school football team]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 9, 1997 |title=All-USA high school football |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/football/sfhs96st.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821005138/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/football/sfhs96st.htm |archive-date=August 21, 2014 |access-date=December 4, 2019 |website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> alongside former [[San Diego Chargers]] teammate and longtime friend [[LaDainian Tomlinson]].<ref name="SI2010" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Football All-Stars |url=http://thsca.pointstreaksites.com/files/uploaded_documents/386/AS-FB_6.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107145827/http://thsca.pointstreaksites.com/files/uploaded_documents/386/AS-FB_6.pdf |archive-date=January 7, 2016 |access-date=April 29, 2022 |website=Texas High School Coaches Association}}</ref> Brees had hoped to follow in his father's and uncle's footsteps and play for the [[Texas Longhorns]] or [[Texas A&M Aggies]], but was not heavily recruited despite his stellar record.<ref name="TXMonthly" /><ref name="statesman2013">{{Cite web |last=Bohls |first=Kirk |date=February 19, 2013 |title=Bohls: Brees left home, but made it proud |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2013/02/20/bohls-brees-left-home-but-made-it-proud/9918213007/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130223024602/https://www.statesman.com/news/sports/football/bohls-brees-left-home-but-made-it-proud/nWSt6/ |archive-date=February 23, 2013 |access-date=May 15, 2022 |website=[[Austin American-Statesman]]}}</ref>