WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University awarded an honorary doctorates to distinguished Boilermaker alum Drew Brees during the Spring 2026 Commencement ceremonies May 14-16 at Elliott Hall of Music.
Brees — legendary quarterback, entrepreneur and philanthropist — received an honorary Doctor of Business from the Mitch Daniels School of Business during Saturday evening’s Division IX ceremony.
Brees is a Super Bowl MVP quarterback who led the New Orleans Saints to victory in Super Bowl XLIV, and a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee who will be enshrined in the Class of 2026 on Aug. 8 in Canton, Ohio. During his career, he spent 20 seasons in the NFL — five with the San Diego Chargers and 15 with the New Orleans Saints — earning 13 Pro Bowl selections, two Offensive Player of the Year awards and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. He retired after the 2020 season as the league’s all-time leader in regular season passing yards, completions and completion percentage, and remains second all-time in touchdowns.
Brees earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management from Purdue University in 2001, where he lettered in football from 1997-2000 and led the program to a Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl berth.
Off the field, Brees is a dedicated philanthropist and entrepreneur. He and his wife, Brittany, founded the Brees Dream Foundation in 2003, contributing more than $55 million to support cancer patients and advance education and community development initiatives. He manages a diverse portfolio spanning franchise brands and real estate, and he serves as a partner and board member for two of the largest youth sports organizations in the country, Pioneer Sports and Unrivaled Sports. He has also participated in multiple USO tours supporting U.S. service members worldwide.