"It's about time": Purdue alum Drew Brees supports Boilermakers as they buckle up to face UConn in 2024 March Madness final
Former Super Bowl champion and Purdue alumnus Drew Brees expressed support for his alma mater in their national championship game against UConn on Monday at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Brees was in attendance to cheer for the Boilermakers, who made it to their first NCAA final in 55 years. He also appeared in the CBS Sports pregame show where host Ernie Johnson noted that the former New Orleans quarterback was 13 months old when Purdue last played in the Final Four:
"It's about time," Brees replied with a laugh.
Brees also described the feeling of a Purdue alumnus upon seeing his alma mater back in the Final Four after several seasons of futility:
"It makes us so proud. I think we've always prided ourselves on having a great basketball program. One that not only prides ourselves on skill development but character and leadership development and graduating our players," Brees said.
The former NFL quarterback also credited Boilermakers coach Matt Painter for motivating his players to come back strong after a heartbreaking 2022-23 season when they got ousted in the first round as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament:
"Carrying that No. 1 tag which is hard to do. You got a bull's eye on your chest but marching our way to the finals. And this is the matchup that everyone wanted to see.. Purdue and UConn," he said.
Also Read: WATCH: Zach Edey booed by UConn fans as Purdue star arrives on the court for intense pregame warmups
Drew Brees commends Purdue players for their excellent contributions this season
Aside from Painter's efforts as coach, Brees also paid tribute to the players who've done a great job in helping Purdue come back from that first-round misstep last year.
He believes that Lance Jones is a good pickup from the transfer portal. Brees praised other key players like Zach Edey, Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer for carrying the team in tough situations this season:
"We have a lot of great players. I feel like Lance Jones, the addition of him as a four-year transfer coming up from Southern Illinois. He's been a huge addition. We just have a bunch of lunchpail guys come to work. [Zach] Edey gets a ton of attention but everyone contributes and that's what I love about this team. Because it is a team," Brees said.
Purdue is locked in a tight game with UConn in the final as it tries to finally claim its first-ever national title in the program's history.
Read More: I'm not afraid to lose anymore": Dan Hurley vows to remain unfazed in 2024 as last year's championship success inspires UConn to defend its title
Will the Purdue Boilermakers finally win its first NCAA title? Let us know in the comments below.