Drew Brees seeks a $1 million tournament invitation as the Saints great goes from NFL giant to business magnate.

Before retiring as one of the NFL’s most prolific quarterbacks, Drew Brees rewrote the record books with career passing yards second only to Tom Brady and earned a Super Bowl MVP title, amassing over $160 million in on-field earnings. Since hanging up his cleats in 2021, he has parlayed that competitive drive into thriving business ventures—spanning fitness franchises, restaurants, and adventure parks—while maintaining an active presence in golf’s celebrity circuit. Now, Brees has publicly demanded an invitation to Barstool Sports’ much‑hyped $1 million “Internet Invitational,” set for August 12–16, 2025, at Big Cedar Lodge, underscoring his relentless desire to compete at the highest level and reinforcing his evolution from gridiron legend to multifaceted entrepreneur.

From Saint to Superstar: Brees’s NFL Legacy

Drew Brees concluded his 20‑year NFL career in 2021 as the all‑time leader in career passing yards with 80,358—surpassed only in 2023 by Tom Brady—which he piled up across stints with the San Diego Chargers and the New Orleans Saints .
A seven‑time passing yards leader and a 13‑time Pro Bowler, Brees delivered on the grandest stage with a Super Bowl XLIV victory over the Indianapolis Colts and a Super Bowl XLIV MVP honor, cementing his status among the game’s elite .
Off the field, he briefly transitioned into broadcasting with NBC Sports, demonstrating the versatility that would later define his entrepreneurial pursuits .

Reinventing the Playbook: Brees as Business Magnate

Retirement did not slow Brees’s ambition; instead, he leveraged his NFL fame and earnings into franchise ownership and equity partnerships across multiple sectors.
He joined Stretch Zone—praised for practitioner‑assisted stretching—as a client turned multi‑unit franchisee, fueling the brand’s national expansion and serving as its ambassador through 2028 .
Beyond fitness, Brees holds stakes in Jimmy John’s (nine stores and counting), Walk‑On’s Sports Bistreaux & Bar, Title Boxing Club, and other restaurant and wellness concepts, illustrating a keen eye for consumer‑driven opportunities .
His portfolio also includes investments in Surge Adventure Parks and the sports bar chain Walk‑On’s, reflecting a strategy to blend active‑lifestyle brands with community‑centered hospitality .

Giving Back: The Brees Dream Foundation

In 2003, Drew and his wife Brittany founded the Brees Dream Foundation to support cancer patients and children facing adversity. Since inception, the foundation has donated over $35 million, including $5 million toward Louisiana healthcare centers during the COVID‑19 pandemic, and has played a pivotal role in Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts .
This philanthropic commitment underscores the dual facets of Brees’s post‑NFL identity: one of shrewd business operator and another of community advocate dedicated to long‑term impact.

A New Arena: Celebrity Golf and Competitive Drive

Parallel to his business exploits, Brees has cultivated an impressive presence in celebrity golf.
He has competed in high‑profile events such as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro‑Am—where he tied for sixth alongside former MLB all‑star Mark Mulder—and the Invited Celebrity Classic, boasting a +0.6 handicap that places him among serious contenders .
Golf offers Brees a familiar outlet for competition, channeling the same preparation, precision, and mental toughness that defined his quarterbacking days into each round.

The $1 Million Internet Invitational: A Bold Demand

Fore Play Golf and Barstool Sports have teamed up to launch the “Internet Invitational,” billed as the biggest golf tournament on the internet, featuring pros, influencers, and digital celebrities battling for a $1 million purse from August 12–16, 2025, at Big Cedar Lodge in Arkansas .
Despite the star‑studded invite list—including top content creators and touring pros—Drew Brees found his name conspicuously absent when Fore Play Golf unveiled its initial participant roster on Instagram .
Undeterred, Brees reshared the announcement to his Instagram Story, tagging Barstool’s president Dave Portnoy and quipping, “@stoolpresidente, can I get an invite or what!!!”—a move that instantly went viral across social media platforms .

What This Invitation Means for Brand and Legacy

Brees’s public call for inclusion in the Internet Invitational operates on multiple levels: as a showcase of his competitive spirit, a marketing masterstroke, and a reinforcement of his personal brand.
By directly engaging Dave Portnoy and his Barstool audience, Brees taps into an entirely new demographic of sports and entertainment fans, expanding his reach beyond traditional NFL viewership .
Moreover, the bold ask cements his narrative as an athlete‑turned‑entrepreneur who refuses to relinquish the desire to perform under pressure, whether throwing touchdown passes, negotiating franchise deals, or teeing off in high‑stakes tournaments.

Voices from the Green and Beyond

Industry insiders and fellow competitors have lauded Brees’s initiative. PGA Tour veteran Mark Mulder remarked, “Drew’s work ethic on the course mirrors his NFL preparation—no detail is overlooked” .
Golf analyst Fore Play host Ryan Pepper noted, “Inviting NFL royalty like Brees only amplifies the Internet Invitational’s prestige. It’s the perfect fusion of sport and showmanship” .
Portnoy himself has yet to formally respond, but the public call‑out has already triggered raucous debate among Barstool’s fervent community about who truly merits a spot in the event.

A Blueprint for Athlete Transitions

Drew Brees exemplifies how modern athletes can leverage their competitive capital into diversified post‑career trajectories.
His path—from record‑setting quarterback to franchise investor, philanthropic leader, and competitive celebrity golfer—offers a blueprint for peers seeking to balance business success, community impact, and personal fulfillment .
As sports icons increasingly explore entrepreneurial ventures, Brees’s $1 million tournament invite saga underscores the evolving intersection of athletics, media, and commerce.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Brees?

Whether Brees secures his invite or not, the Internet Invitational episode has already yielded invaluable publicity and reinforced his reputation as a relentless competitor.
In the months leading up to August 2025, all eyes will be on Barstool’s invite list—and on whether one of football’s greatest ever will swap the quarterback’s headset for a golf bag under the bright summer skies of Big Cedar Lodge.
Should he tee up alongside internet phenoms and seasoned pros, expect Brees to bring the same precision, passion, and pursuit of excellence that made him an NFL legend—this time, chasing birdies instead of first downs.

By demanding a place in a $1 million celebrity golf tournament, Drew Brees has not only reasserted his enduring competitive fire but also masterfully bridged his athletic legacy with his business and media endeavors. Whether he ultimately earns that coveted invite, Brees has demonstrated that champions never truly retire—they merely find new arenas in which to compete.