NFL

Drew Bledsoe to Retire

Posted Apr 11, 2007 9:59PM By Michael David Smith (RSS feed)

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Former Cowboys, Bills and Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe will retire from the NFL, ESPN has reported.

The Cowboys benched Bledsoe during the 2006 season in favor of Tony Romo, and if Bledsoe had found a team willing to give him a job for 2007, it would have been as a backup.

It's hard to assess Bledsoe's career. On the one hand, he finishes with nearly 45,000 passing yards and 251 touchdowns. He accomplished a lot in his nine years in New England, three in Buffalo and two in Dallas.

But on the other hand, his career might best be remembered for the fact that he was benched for Tom Brady, and being best known for a benching isn't the way a player wants to go out. He had so much promise as a young player in New England that it's hard not to think of Bledsoe as a disappointment. Bledsoe's career could have been great. Instead it was just good.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

4-11-2007 @ 10:27PM

one part vodka, one part cranberry juice said...

The MVP of the Patriot's first Super Bowl season was the well-remembered Sir Mo Lewis.

4-11-2007 @ 10:28PM

Cix said...

I live in Dallas; Bledsoe was terrible.

4-11-2007 @ 10:38PM

jscott554 said...

Sirius was reporting this w ahile ago. Why is everythign attributed to ESON, when they're not always the one to break the news.

All that aside, Bledsoe needs to walk away. He's not going to get a contract to start, so better to move on to the next phase of what to do with all that money.

4-11-2007 @ 11:13PM

slek said...

Could be an alltime great?

4-12-2007 @ 12:16AM

George B Vieto said...

Drew Bledsoe will not be remembered as Johnny Unitas but he wasn't Ryan Leaf either. Drew did an excellent job with the Patriots as their quarterback going to two Super Bowls.

4-12-2007 @ 1:00AM

Duane said...

Everything is timing. Drew could have been one of the great ones, but it wasn't to be.
On the other hand, it's kind of harsh for someone to call someone a disappointment.
But sports writers are like that, they know more than anyone else, so that gives them the right to say anything they want

4-12-2007 @ 7:37AM

Sweet Lou said...

Retirement was just an oversight for Bledsoe. It should have come two years ago. His warning came in New England when he lost his job to Brady. Great QBs don't lose their jobs to back-ups. Good ones might, and marginal ones surely do. He had two oppurtunities to pick up a clipboard and mentor young QBs. He may have found some greatness in that. Some vets come back to support when a young Qb goes down, and rekindle that spark for which they were remembered. Some become Drew Bledsoe. It is a shame that he will be remembered for what didn't do, as opposed to what he did do.

4-12-2007 @ 9:58AM

eskimo_22 said...

None of you are giving bledsoe enough credit. he should be recognized for the hall of fame. he was a great quarter back on and off the field.

4-12-2007 @ 11:19AM

chet said...

drew who if i remember correctly he stated when he got drafted he really didnt care for football he just happened to be able to play the game and if someone wanted to pay him it was fine with him

4-12-2007 @ 4:28PM

tim said...

Well could have would have did'nt

Was very happy that he came to New England and sorry that he ended up in Dallas

hay cix go back to the malls you don't know what you are talking about

so stick to what people in dallas know about the malls

4-12-2007 @ 8:44PM

rick said...

bledsoe saved nfl football in new england. there are to many so called pats fans that never saw this man play in his prime because games were not seen on tv due to blackouts. the pats didnt always sell out there games. drew never had a quality wr to throw to while at ne. he is an hof better stats than fouts and moon both in the hall. did he stay to long maybe but he left as a starter untill romo took his place. he never was benched in ne ,, belicheck never gave him a chance after his injury. drew is the most respected player in nfl in my eyes he could come back as back up and make a few more bucks but he has to much pride for that. good luck drew and thanks for making me proud to be a new england patriot fan god bless

4-12-2007 @ 8:48PM

rick said...

cix your defence sucks not your qb. bledsoe avg 25 pts per game before romo game in at 24pt per game. if you score that much in nfl you should win. qb are easy targets for people who dont know the game

4-13-2007 @ 7:55PM

Don said...

I'll always remember Drew coming off the bench in the playoff game against Pittsburgh enroute to the first superbowl win. He hadn't played since Brady started and he threw that beautiful touch pass over the defense to keep the drive going and get the win. The class with which he handled being on the bench that year and how he departed New England for Buffalo. It takes more than one guy to win the game. You made us proud to be Patriots fans.

4-13-2007 @ 8:23PM

Tom said...

I watched Bledsoe throw for over 250 yards in a college game, in a snow storm. Remember the Washington-Washington State game back in '92?

He was the perfect guy for NE - "the bad weather QB."

He can now take a seat at the table with Archie Manning, Jim Hart, Dan Fouts, Boomer Esiason and Vinnie Testaverde. Not bad company, not bad company, at all.

Good Luck Drew - thanks for the memories.

4-16-2007 @ 9:16AM

Thomas said...

Bledsoe was a good quarterback! I am a Dallas Fan and the year before he came on our team our record was a low 6-10 but the year he came in and started for us we were 9-7 and just missed the playoffs! He also had a great career in New England! He landed in a couple superbowls! And when Tom Brady was injured in the playoffs Drew Bledsoe won those playoff games and got them to the super bowl! I think Bledsoe was a good player, but he was just getting old and coaches like to have a young quarterback.

4-16-2007 @ 9:42AM

Wayne Manwaring said...

Drew Bledsoe......What can we say about a guy who came out of Washington State University, home of the Cougars. My oldest son and I have watched Drew through college football and into his NFL career. We have met his father, Mac, here in our hometown several years ago and my son was ecstatic to meet him. My son was truly a Drew Bledsoe fan throough and through. We have followed him and he has accomplished quite a lot of good things. Too bad he isn't being recognized for those fine things he does through the Drew Bledsoe Foundation along with his NFL accomplishments. Not every pro-football player gets to go to the Super Bowl either. My son and I wish you the best in retirement, Drew!!! My son will always cherish the 11x15 phot of you that you autographed for him a year before you left New England. You are still one of his top 2 NFL Quarterbacks. The other is Brett Favre, so you are in good company here!! Good luck, Drew!!

4-16-2007 @ 11:01AM

franchise said...

Drew Bledsoe stinks,he was the most overrated qb of his time,Im glad he is gone.

4-16-2007 @ 1:45PM

Manuel Chavallo said...

Drew Bledsoe did great while in the NFL. My son and I have always been fans and enjoyed watching Drew no matter what team he was on. We live in a small town, Kennewick WA. I watched Drew play high school ball going from Lampson Stadium to the Superbowl. Don't worry Drew, you'll always have us fans from the Tri-Cities. Good luck in your retirement. Manuel.

4-16-2007 @ 5:05PM

joe V said...

Living in NE, Drew was the most over rated, QB of all time. Drew was great if the game was meaningless. If the gameas on the line, he would blow it. ( All the time) I watched every game he played in NE, and except for a game with the Vikings in 93 or 94, I can't remember a game where he didn't throw an INT when the game was on the line.

Sure he had 45K yards, I'll bet 20 K of them came during garbage time .