Drew Bledsoe’s agent Leigh Steinberg has revealed how ‘helpless’ he felt watching the quarterback suffer a horrific injury that ultimately led to the rise of Tom Brady.
Bledsoe was the face of the New England Patriots franchise after he was selected first overall in the 1993 NFL Draft. He has been widely credited with turning the team’s fortunes around during his nine-year career in Foxborough.
Under Bledsoe, the Patriots returned to the playoffs after a seven-year drought, winning the AFC East division twice while also reaching Super Bowl XXI where they were defeated 35-21 by the Green Bay Packers. Bledsoe was also named to three Pro Bowls and he became the youngest quarterback to play in the NFL's all-star game when he took part in 1995.
Ahead of the 2001 season, Bledsoe signed a then-NFL record 10-year contract worth $103 million and appeared set to lead the Patriots for the foreseeable future. However, in the second game of the season against the New York Jets, Bledsoe was ferociously drilled by linebacker Mo Lewis.
The quarterback had appeared to have suffered a concussion and was replaced by Brady for the remained of the game - but his condition was far worse.
Bledsoe was rushed to the hospital where it was discovered that Lewis' hit had sheared a blood vessel in his chest, causing a hemothorax that had him bleeding a pint of blood an hour. It was a near-fatal injury and Steinberg revealed the effect such incidents have on agents and people within the player’s close circle.
“The worst part of my job over these years has been the injuries because you may be able to protect a player from the standpoint of financial security, but we're not playing croquet or chess,” Steinberg exclusively told Mirror Sport . “The human body, even though these athletes are extraordinary in terms of recuperative powers, is taking the equivalent to a traffic accident on every play in the sport of football.
“I feel helpless. There have been parts of this, like concussions, that I've been able to to fight really hard for changes and more safety but by and large, it's not a safe game.
“You sit there every Sunday with physicians desk reference on your table where every part of the body gets broken down.”
Despite recovering from his tragic injury, Bledsoe was unable to regain his starting position for the remainder of the season due to Brady's immense success. Brady ultimately led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl title at the end of the 2001 season, kickstarting an unparalleled era of dominance as the Patriots won six championships across the GOAT's two decade tenure in New England.
Bledsoe subsequently played three seasons with the Buffalo Bills, where he made a fourth Pro Bowl appearance before ending his career with two seasons at the iconic Dallas Cowboys franchise. His legacy with the Patriots was ultimately eclipsed by Brady, but Bledsoe is still widely regarded in New England.
He rebuilt the franchise throughout the 1990s and even played a crucial role in their maiden Super Bowl title win, replacing an injured Brady to lead the Patriots to the AFC Championship over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bledsoe was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2011.
