Drew Brees returned to Purdue earlier this month to serve as an interim assistant coach for his alma mater’s upcoming Cheez-It Citrus Bowl game against LSU. The move has had many wondering if the former NFL quarterback is considering making a full-time career shift.
However, for the second time since his hire, Brees maintained that his stint as a coach will only last a single game.
“I’m just doing this because I love my university and the opportunity to coach young men like Austin and our team and to just get this program through the whole game,” Brees said Saturday, per Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel.
The response echoes what the former Saints star told WWL radio in New Orleans earlier this month when it was first announced that he’d be returning to assist the program. Adam Kuffner, Purdue’s director of communications, also said that Brees’s role with the team would be very straightforward.
Though both Brees and the Boilermakers have been steadfast in the 13-time Pro Bowler’s standing with the program, the former Purdue quarterback did reveal that he’s been reached out to by a few people about various coaching opportunities. Nevertheless, Brees has been clear about his intentions for the future.
“Obviously I want to get us prepared to go out there and play well against LSU on Monday and after that, I turn back into a pumpkin,” he joked.
Purdue finished the 2022 season with an 8–5 record while winning the program’s first-ever Big Ten West division title. The Boilermakers will now seek to cap off the banner year with a victory over the Tigers in the Citrus Bowl, set to kickoff at 1 p.m. ET on Jan. 2.
