Former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe is perhaps best known as the answer to a trivia question these days. After all, it was his injury that propelled a then little-known Tom Brady into the starting lineup and permanently altered the course of NFL history.
But what some folks are maybe too quick to forget is that Bledsoe had a pretty phenomenal career of his own. The 52-year-old Bledsoe ranks in the top 25 all-time in terms of both passing yardage (44,611) and passing touchdowns (251).
Yes, Bledsoe may be best known in the present day for getting Wally Pipp-ed. Nonetheless, you need not feel too bad for him. After all, he made a pretty penny during his 14-year playing career.
What Is Drew Bledsoe’s Net Worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Bledsoe’s net worth is in the neighborhood of $35 million. That puts him in line with several contemporaries of his era like Donovan McNabb ($30 million) and Kurt Warner ($30 million).
Bledsoe, who played collegiately at Washington State, was selected No. 1 overall in the 1993 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. The team he took over had gone just 14-50 over the previous four seasons. Bledsoe was entrusted with engineering a monumental turnaround, and he was compensated accordingly.
Bledsoe’s rookie deal with New England was for a modest-sounding three years and $8 million, per Spotrac. He proved himself early, guiding New England to a playoff berth in his second season and an AFC Championship victory in his fourth. He also enjoyed his fair share of personal accolades, racking up three Pro Bowl selections in New England.
His next two contracts with New England reflected his success. Bledsoe re-upped with the Pats for seven years and $42 million in 1995. He got another whopper of a deal in 2001, committing to New England for 10 years and $103 million. It was a league record at the time.
Ironically, 2001 wound up being Bledsoe’s last season in New England. As mentioned, he was usurped by Brady. Soon thereafter, he was shipped to the Buffalo Bills. A few years into his Bills tenure, Bledsoe agreed to make the difficult concession of restructuring the megadeal he inked with New England, signing a more modest three-year, $18.5 million pact with the Bills.
Bledsoe came on strong in Year 1 with Buffalo, earning Pro Bowl honors for the fourth and final time in his pro career in 2002. His production took a slight dip in his next two seasons, prompting the team to release him in favor of the up-and-coming J.P. Losman, but he earned one more pro payday.
MORE: Revisiting Drew Bledsoe’s 14-Year NFL Career
Bledsoe’s last pro contract came from the Dallas Cowboys. It was a three-year, $14 million deal. He enjoyed modest success in Year 1 with Dallas, guiding the team to a 9-7 record and throwing 23 touchdown passes.
Ironically, his tenure in Dallas ended much like the way his time in New England did. In 2006, Bledsoe went down with an injury and was replaced by a little-known backup by the name of Tony Romo. Not content with being an understudy, Bledsoe opted to call it a career.
Nowadays, Bledsoe can joke about the benching, as he displayed during Netflix’s ‘The Greatest Roast of All Time.’ The roast opened with Bill Belichick telling Bledsoe that this isn’t his night (essentially benching him for Brady once again). Later, Bledsoe took the stage and delivered some barbs at Brady.
"I've experienced a couple of things that you'll never experience:
The feeling of being the No. 1 overall draft pick in the NFL.
And a 28th wedding anniversary; it was yesterday." – Drew Bledsoe to Tom Brady 🏈📺 #TomBradyRoast pic.twitter.com/snGChu4yDa
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 6, 2024
In all, Bledsoe earned about $80 million during his 14-year pro career. He’s remained profitable in retirement, operating a profitable winery by the name of Doubleback in his hometown of Walla Walla, Wash.
KEEP READING: Best of the Tom Brady Roast: Hilarious and Shocking Moments
Fret not for Bledsoe, even though Brady took his job, he’s got nothing to Walla Walla wallow about.