<Tr> <Th> Passer rating: </Th> <Td> 96.7 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Player stats at NFL.com </Td> </Tr> <P> Drew Christopher Brees (/ briːz /;) (born January 15, 1979) is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). After a prolific college football career at Purdue University, he was chosen by the San Diego Chargers with the first pick in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft . He left college as one of the most decorated players in Purdue and Big Ten Conference history, establishing two NCAA records, 13 Big Ten Conference records, and 19 Purdue University records . As of 2017, he remains the Big Ten record - holder in several passing categories, including completions (1,026), attempts (1,678), and yards (11,792). </P> <P> Brees started his professional career with the San Diego Chargers, earning the starting job in 2002 and making the Pro Bowl in 2004 . Nine months after suffering a bad dislocation in his shoulder joint and a 360 degree tear of his labrum and rotator cuff, Brees signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent . He met immediate success in New Orleans, earning ten trips to the Pro Bowl and leading the Saints to their first Super Bowl in Super Bowl XLIV, a 31--17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts . </P>

When did drew brees start playing in the nfl