Around the NFL, Drew Brees is known for a lot of things. He's a record-breaking quarterback, a world-class philanthropist and a Super Bowl champion. Lots of people love Brees for how he carries himself, both on and off the field, so here are nine reasons to love him even more.
1. He called the birthmark on the right side of his face a blessing rather than a burden.
In his best-selling autobiography, "Coming Back Stronger," Brees revealed that as a child, his mom told him that an angel kissed him where his birthmark was. Despite cruel taunts from his peers at school, Brees kept his birthmark rather than removing it and found it to be one of his unique traits.
2. He proposed to his wife Brittany on Valentine's Day, 2002, in Paris.
And if that wasn't romantic enough, Drew proposed to her in French. They were married on February 8, 2003, at a beach in Coronado, California, a resort city seven miles south of San Diego.
3. His daughter, Rylen, is named after one of Brittany's aunts that died of cancer.
Drew and Brittany's daughter, Rylen Judith, was born in New Orleans last August. Her middle name came from Brittany's aunt, Judith Zopp. "Aunt Judie," as Drew called her, passed away in 2000 after a long battle with cancer.
4. He appeared in a Pepsi commercial with One Direction in 2012.
1D + DB = 1DB.
5. His younger brother Reid played for Baylor in the 2005 College World Series.
Drew supported his brother (third person from the right) by traveling to Omaha to see him play in Rosenblatt Stadium. Playing in the College World Series was a huge dream for both of them as baseball became their first love. Unfortunately, the Bears fell to the eventual-champion Texas Longhorns in the semifinals.
6. He was one of the key figures in ending the NFL lockout in 2011.
On July 25, Brees and other members of the NFL Players' Association reached an agreement with the NFL to end the 132-day lockout, making the upcoming regular season come back in full swing.
7. Even as a Super Bowl champion, he never forgot where he came from.
Here's a picture of Brees at the elementary school he attended from second through fifth grade in his hometown of Austin, Texas.
8. He falls more and more in love with New Orleans every day.
Brees and his family are constantly seen at Pelicans games and various other New Orleans attractions. Last April, he assisted Anthony Davis after he tumbled into the stands during a playoff game against the Warriors.
9. He was a part of one of the cutest moments of not only Super Bowl history but of television itself.
