Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees Owns Part Of This Popular Sandwich Franchise
Drew Brees has made plenty of money and notoriety from playing football; the retired quarterback spent nearly his entire professional career with the New Orleans Saints. But he's also invested in the food and beverage industry, and owns part of one popular sandwich franchise in particular. In 2011, Brees brought Jimmy John's to New Orleans after realizing how much he missed having the fast food chain around.
"I was ordering that sandwich three times a week during my college days," Brees told QSR Magazine in 2023, referring to one of his favorite Jimmy John's sandwiches while in college, the Italian Night Club — no cheese, add hot peppers. "After I left, I could only get my Jimmy John's when I was visiting Purdue, which was only a couple times a year... I finally said, 'That's it. I have to bring this to New Orleans.'" Jimmy John's first opened in 1983 in Illinois, and it's best known for serving a variety of deli-style sandwiches, though you can also order them as lettuce wraps. Brees eventually made his sandwich dream a reality, opening the first New Orleans-area Jimmy John's nearly 15 years ago and an additional two locations a year later in 2012. Today, Brees owns about 20 Jimmy John's locations throughout multiple states along the Gulf Coast.
Drew Brees has also done charitable work with Jimmy John's
Besides owning franchises, Drew Brees has become a visual part of the brand and used it as a way to give back. In summer 2025, Brees and Jimmy John's launched the #9 Sub, an homage to Brees' favorite order as a college student and a reference to his NFL jersey number. But the sandwich was more than just a fun collaboration. It also raised money for two major charities: The Boys & Girls Club of America and the Brees Dream Foundation. $1 of each sandwich sold in August supported the charities, and if customers ordered the original Italian Night Club, 25 cents was donated.
These days, Brees has shifted from NFL star to food industry investor. Beyond Jimmy John's, he has investments associated with Dunkin', Everbowl, and Smalls Sliders. Smalls Sliders is a chain specializing in sliders that's just starting to grow; it has 39 locations right now, with another opening soon, mostly in the South, especially in Louisiana, but Brees is working hard to expand it. And he isn't the only athlete to invest in the fast casual restaurant industry. Golfer Phil Mickelson owns multiple Five Guys locations, and former MLB star Adrián González owns multiple Jersey Mike's spots, suggesting it's not unusual for professional athletes to diversify their income through the industry.