The San Diego Chargers probably regret giving up on Drew Brees after just five seasons with the success he's had in New Orleans. Which is not to be taken as a slight to Philip Rivers, both are quality quarterbacks, but as of right now Drew Brees is the clear bred-winner out of the two. Drew Brees attended Purdue University from 1997 to 2000 where he broke nineteen school records including touchdown passes (90), passing yards (11,792), total offensive yards (12,693), and more. Despite his success at Purdue, Brees finished third in Heisman Trophy voting his senior year.
In the 2001 NFL Draft, Drew Brees was selected 32nd overall in the second round by the San Diego Chargers. While Brees was able to lead the Chargers to the postseason one time in 2004, but after contract disputes with the Chargers, Brees took his talents to New Orleans where he has led the Saints to seven playoff berths. The 12x Pro Bowl nominee also led the Saints to their first Super Bowl (XLIV) victory in 2009 where he was also named the Super Bowl MVP. In 2006, Brees signed a five-year contract with the New Orleans Saints and a five-year extension with the team in 2012 worth $100 million. Brees' latest contract extension with the team was in 2018, for $50 million for two years of service.
When we think of inventors, the image that comes to mind is usually that of a frazzled scientist toiling away in a lab, not celebrities pulled from the pages of Us Weekly. However, a number of well-known public figures hold patents for various innovations. Some are related to the work that made them famous, while others are offshoots of hobbies or just a single great idea.
Part of guitar wizard Eddie Van Halen's signature sound was his two-handed tapping technique, but letting all ten fingers fly while simultaneously holding up the guitar's neck could get a bit tricky. Van Halen came up with a novel way to get around this problem, though; he invented a support (top) that could flip out of the back of his axe's body to raise and stabilize the fretboard so he could tap out searing songs like "Eruption." While Van Halen was obviously interested in improving his guitar work, the patent application he filed in 1985 notes that the device would work with any stringed instrument. Want to tap out a scorching mandolin solo? Find someone selling Eddie's device.
It’s probably not surprising that James Cameron—who designed a submersible to take him to the deepest known part of the ocean—will often invent technology to make his films if what he needs doesn’t exist. He holds a number of patents, including US Patent No. 4996938, “apparatus for propelling a user in an underwater environment,” that he and his brother, Michael, created to film The Abyss and patented in 1989. The device is basically an underwater dolly equipped with propellers that makes it easy for a camera operator to maneuver in the water—and allowed Cameron to capture the shots he wanted for the 1989 film, part of which was filmed in an abandoned nuclear reactor.
In 1987 Jamie Lee Curtis designed and patented a disposable diaper that included a waterproof pocket that held baby wipes. She hasn't profited from her idea yet, though, since she refuses to license the patent until diaper companies make biodegradable products.
You know him as a rock legend, but Neil Young also loves trains—so much that he owns a stake in a model train manufacturing company and has an extensive collection. He also holds seven patents related to model trains, including Patent No. US5441223, "Model train controller using electromagnetic field between track and ground."