Former NFL quarterback Drew Brees wants to make sure everyone has a game plan for responding to a severe allergic reaction. The Super Bowl champion’s top playmakers in managing his own food allergies are awareness and epinephrine.
Brees, who navigated his pro football career with food allergies, says preparation is key. The 2026 Hall of Fame inductee is teaming up with ARS Pharmaceuticals, the makers of the epinephrine nasal spray neffy, to raise awareness about food allergies.
“I think a lot of people with allergies feel like they are isolated,” Brees tells Allergic Living. “The more people that know in your circle the better, because they can help you. The preparedness of everybody can give you peace of mind.”
His partnership with ARS Pharma highlights the importance of epinephrine to combat a severe allergic reaction, Brees says. Neffy became the first needle-free epinephrine treatment in the United States when it was approved by the FDA in August 2024.
Neffy’s ability to provide lifesaving medication without an often fear-inducing needle, along with the ease of use, appeals to Brees. He also notes: “It provides a great option that is designed to be easy to carry in your backpack, your golf bag or your gym bag.”
By using his high profile as a successful professional athlete, Brees hopes to raise awareness about living with food allergies.
“Drew brings a powerful combination of credibility and authenticity to this collaboration,” says Donn Casale, ARS Pharma’s president and CEO. “By sharing his experience living with peanut and other food allergies, he helps elevate the conversation around severe allergic reactions.”
Allergies on the Football Field
Drew Brees, who retired in 2021 after 20 seasons in the NFL, played most of his career while navigating food allergies. When he was first diagnosed in 2004, peanuts and eggs were the most severe, he says.
Throughout the course of his career with the San Diego Chargers and then the New Orleans Saints, the quarterback also needed to avoid gluten and dairy.
Brees was sure to keep on top of his health, as he didn’t want to risk having his body fight unwanted allergens. A reaction could take a toll on his body’s recovery from the physical grind on the football field, putting him at a higher risk for injury, he explains.
“You want your body to perform at the highest level, and your body is already going through a lot as a professional football player,” he says.
So Brees developed habits to ensure he had the strength to perform at the highest level as an NFL quarterback, but also avoid food triggers. For example, he relied on dairy-free milk and yogurt among his protein options.
His ability to perform at the highest level while navigating food allergies was on display in 2010. Brees was crowned Super Bowl XLIV MVP after he led the Saints to victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Drew Brees: Preparation is Key
Now, Brees wants to make sure others are prepared for an allergic emergency. “The level of awareness and education and preparedness is not just for those with food allergies, but for those around you,” Brees says.
The dad of four, who coaches his sons’ high school football team, wants to make sure teens with food allergies get the message about the importance of carrying epinephrine. The convenience of the needle-free neffy is certainly a selling point, he says.
“We don’t want to think about the worst case scenario. But the worst case scenario is that an allergic reaction can be a life-or-death event,” Brees says. “So the more prepared you are to combat that and to prevent a bad outcome, that’s the point of this medication.”
At their home in California, the Brees family is always conscious about their diets. In addition to dad’s allergies, one of the Brees’ children must avoid gluten for celiac disease. Two of his children also avoid dairy and gluten, he says.
As fans watch the former Saints quarterback’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 8, they will see a member of the food allergy community. Brees will be showing the world that allergy preparation doesn’t stand in the way of success.
“We’re going to go live our life and we’re going to be aware and make sure that those around us are aware,” Brees says. “And there should be peace of mind knowing that you’re prepared.”
Related Reading:
Neffy Epi Spray Works Even If You Sniff, Stands Up Well to Extreme Heat
Anaphylaxis But No Epinephrine: Inside an Epidemic of Hesitation
