Drew Brees Announced FedEx Annual Awards Goes To 49ers, Says Purdy Has 'Mental Toughness' And HBCU Donations

Drew Brees announced the FedEx Air and Ground Players of the Year on HBCU Legends. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy won the FedEx Air Player of the Year honor, and the FedEx Ground Player of the Year recognition went to running back Christian McCaffrey.   

Over the past 20 years of FedEx bestowing the awards, it was the first time players from the same team won the awards. "I was fortunate to win this award four times my playing career. It's a tremendous honor," Drew Brees said.

On behalf of each winner, "they also get $20,000, that they get to allocate to the HBCU of their choice for scholarship programs for deserving students," Brees noted. 

Christian McCaffrey was named the AP 2023 Offensive Player of the Year at the NFL Honors Awards program on Thursday night in Las Vegas. He led the league with 1,459 rushing yards, over 2,000 yards from scrimmage, and 21 touchdowns in the 2023-24 season.

McCaffrey's teammate, Brock Purdy, is highly thought of by Drew Brees, who won Super Bowl LIV with the New Orleans Saints over the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17, on Feb. 7, 2010. "Brock established himself as a guy who can not only execute that offense to perfection, but I think what we saw last week was he really played outside the system." Brees continued, "The comeback against the, the Lions, I think it just shows a lot of the fortitude and, I think, the mental toughness and just the belief in his team, and looks like it may be their time."

FedEx Supports HBCUs

FedEx has been an ardent supporter of HBCUs, from the FedEx Air & Ground Players Awards scholarships to the HBCU Scholarship of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

Last season, FedEx Ground Player of the Year, Jonathan Taylor, gifted South Carolina State University a $20K donation. Mainly because of his relationship with former Indianapolis Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard.