Drew Brees pledges $5 million to help those in need amid coronavirus crisis

Eight days after agreeing to a two-year, $50-million contract with the New Orleans Saints, quarterback Drew Brees is putting a chunk of that money to good use.

Brees announced Wednesday that he and his wife, Brittany, are committing $5 million to the state of Louisiana, which now has more than 1,700 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and 65 deaths since the state's first COVID-19 diagnosis March 9.

"The priority now is helping our communities get through this tough time," Brees wrote in an Instagram post Wednesday.

Through the Brees Dream Foundation, the family has already donated more than $33 million to benefit cancer patients worldwide. Arriving in New Orleans just months after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area in 2006, Brees was a leading figure in relief efforts. The fact that he led the beloved Saints to a Super Bowl victory in 2010 also helped endear Brees to residents.

In his post, Brees pledged to work with several corporate sponsors to deliver more than 10,000 meals to those in need around the state "for as long as it takes."

He added: "Let’s all do our part, maintain hope, and get through this together."