If you are a fan of American football, you may have wondered if Joshua Bledsoe, the safety for the New England Patriots, is related to Drew Bledsoe, the former quarterback who played for the same team from 1993 to 2001. After all, they share the same last name and play for the same franchise. Is there a family connection between them? The answer is no. Joshua Bledsoe and Drew Bledsoe are not related by blood or marriage.
Who is Joshua Bledsoe?
Joshua Bledsoe is a rookie safety who was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He played college football at Missouri, where he was a four-year starter and a team captain. He recorded 130 tackles, one interception, and one sack in his collegiate career. He also earned second-team All-SEC honors in 2020.
Joshua Bledsoe was born on December 30, 1998, in Houston, Texas. He attended Dekaney High School, where he played safety, cornerback, and running back. He chose to play at Missouri over offers from Louisiana-Monroe, North Texas, Rice, and Tulane. He wears number 24 for the Patriots.
Who is Drew Bledsoe?
Drew Bledsoe is a retired quarterback who played in the NFL for 14 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He was the first overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft by the Patriots, and he led them to four playoff appearances, two division titles, and a Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XXXI. He was also named to four Pro Bowls and became the youngest quarterback to play in the NFL’s all-star game in 1995.
Drew Bledsoe was born on February 14, 1972, in Ellensburg, Washington. He attended Walla Walla High School, where he was a star in football, basketball, and track. He played college football at Washington State University, where he won Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year as a junior. He wore number 11 for the Patriots.
Despite having the same last name and playing for the same team, Joshua Bledsoe and Drew Bledsoe are not related by blood or marriage. They have different parents, siblings, spouses, and children. They also have different ethnic backgrounds. Joshua Bledsoe is African American, while Drew Bledsoe is Caucasian.
According to Wikipedia, Bledsoe is an English surname that derives from Old English blæd (blade) and hus (house). It may refer to a person who lived near a house with a sign of a sword or knife. It is also possible that it is a variant of Blaydes or Blades, which are also English surnames with similar meanings.
Bledsoe is not a very common surname in the United States. According to Ancestry.com, there are about 18,000 people with the last name Bledsoe in the country, which ranks it as the 2,110th most common surname. It is most prevalent in Tennessee, where it originated from a colonial settler named William Bledsoe.
Therefore, it is unlikely that Joshua Bledsoe and Drew Bledsoe are related by any close degree of kinship. They may share some distant ancestors who came from England centuries ago, but they have no direct or recent family ties.
Conclusion
Joshua Bledsoe and Drew Bledsoe are not related by blood or marriage. They are both professional football players who play for the New England Patriots, but they have different personal histories and backgrounds. They share the same last name because it is an English surname that means “house of blades”. They are both talented athletes who have made their mark in the NFL, but they are not family members.
