Drew Brees lands Purdue Boilermakers job ahead of Citrus Bowl, two weeks after getting 'struck' by lightning
Drew Brees is back in business, it would appear. The New Orleans Saints legend has reportedly been appointed as the interim assistant coach of the Purdue Boilermakers, his alma mater.
According to Sports Illustrated, Brees wanted to help Purdue with the coaching transition with the team kicking off Ryan Walters' coaching regime. Brees will now help the Boilermakers with preparations for their bowl game matchup against the LSU Tigers.
Drew Brees, the former NFL quarterback, is being hired as an interim assistant coach at Purdue, source tells @SINow.
He wanted to help during the coaching transition. He’ll assist team in prep for the Citrus Bowl and coach in the game. He can also recruit via an NCAA waiver.
Mike Bobinski, vice president and director of athletics at the university, had this to say about Brees coming on board:
"Purdue University is fortunate to have alumni who are impactful leaders in industries and careers across a wide spectrum, including professional football. For more than two decades, Drew Brees has shown the world what makes the Boilermakers special."
He continued:
"He was an elite football player, but most of all, Drew is an extraordinary leader. Gaining his insights on the football field and in our coaching offices during this time of transition will be of great value to our student-athletes and staff."
Upon being appointed as the interim coach for the Boilermakers, the 13-time Pro Bowler said he was extremely excited to work with Purdue ahead of the Citrus Bowl in early January.
The Saints legend said he sees this as an opportunity to mentor the team and also embark on a new journey with the program under new head coach Ryan Walters:
"I had a great conversation with Coach Walters last night, and love the energy, passion and detail he will bring to our program. The future is bright, and there is no better time to be a Boilermaker!"
Drew Brees' lightning incident in Venezuela
Earlier this month, Brees courted a fair bit of controversy while filming a commercial for PointsBet Sportsbook. Footage went viral of the former Saints QB getting struck by lightning.
Even as fans expressed concern for Brees, it turned out the whole incident was simply a publicity stunt to drum up interest in PointsBet's lightning bets offering.
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The sportsbook later released a statement saying:
"We are aware of the media coverage regarding PointsBet brand ambassador Drew Brees. We are in communication with Brees' team and will continue to monitor events throughout the coming hours. At this stage we will not be making any further comment."
NFL fans, however, turned on the popular former Saints QB for pulling such a stunt.