Terry Bradshaw
Encyclopedia
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football
quarterback
with the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the National Football League
(NFL). He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday
. In a six-year span, he won four Super Bowl
titles with Pittsburgh (1974
, 1975
, 1978
and 1979
), becoming the first quarterback to win three and four Super Bowls, and led the Steelers to eight AFC Central championships. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 1989, his first year of eligibility.
A tough competitor, Bradshaw had a powerful – albeit at times erratic – arm and called his own plays throughout his football career. His physical skills and on-the-field leadership played a major role in Pittsburgh Steelers history. During his career, he passed for more than 300 yards in a game only seven times, but three of those performances came in the post-season, and two of those in Super Bowls. In four career Super Bowl appearances he passed for 932 yards and 9 touchdowns, both Super Bowl records at the time of his retirement. In 19 postseason games he completed 261 passes for 3,833 yards.
Bradshaw is now suffering from short-term memory loss from his experiences as a pro football player.
, Louisiana
, the second of three sons of Bill and Novis Bradshaw. He attended Woodlawn High School and led the Knights to the 1965 AAA High School Championship game where they lost to the Sulphur Tors 12-9. While at Woodlawn, he set a national record for throwing the javelin
245 feet. His exploits earned him a spot in the Sports Illustrated
feature Faces In The Crowd.
Bradshaw decided to attend Louisiana Tech University
in Ruston, Louisiana
. He has much affinity for his alma mater. He is a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon
fraternity. He was active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
and spoke before many athletic banquets and other gatherings.
In 1969, he was considered by most pro scouts to be the most outstanding college football player. As a junior, he amassed 2,890 total yards, ranking #1 in the NCAA
, and led his team to a 9-2 record and a 33-13 win over Akron
in the Rice Bowl. In his senior season, he gained 2,314 yards, ranking third in the NCAA, and led his team to an 8-2 record. His decrease in production was mainly because his team played only ten games that year, and he was taken out of several games in the second half because his team had built up a huge lead. As quarterback, Bradshaw threw his passes principally to teammates Larry C. Brewer
(1948–2003) of Minden
, the offensive end, and Thomas Allen "Tommy" Spinks
(1948–2007), the split end who had also been Bradshaw's Woodlawn High School teammate. As a result, Brewer and Spinks were recorded among the top pass receivers in Louisiana Tech history. In 1996, Bradshaw was voted into the hall of fame.
Bradshaw was the first player selected in the 1970 NFL Draft
by the Pittsburgh Steelers; the Steelers drew the first pick in the draft after winning a coin flip tiebreaker
with the Chicago Bears
due to both teams having identical 1-13 records in 1969
. In either case, Bradshaw was hailed at the time as the consensus number one pick, regardless of which team drafted him.
Bradshaw became a starter one year after he was drafted in 1970. During his first several seasons, the 6'3", 215 lb. quarterback was erratic, threw many interceptions (he threw 210 interceptions over the course of his career) and was widely ridiculed by the media for his rural roots and perceived lack of intelligence.
It took Bradshaw a few seasons to adjust to the pro game but once he did, he eventually became the premier quarterback in the NFL, leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to eight AFC Central championships and an unprecedented collection of Super Bowl rings. The Pittsburgh Steelers featured the "Steel Curtain
" defense and a powerful running attack led by Franco Harris
, but Bradshaw's strong arm gave them the threat of the deep pass, helping to loosen opposing defenses. In 1972
, he threw the pass leading to the "Immaculate Reception
", among the most famous plays in NFL history.
Bradshaw temporarily lost the starting job to Joe Gilliam
in 1974, but Bradshaw took over again during the regular season and in the 1974 AFC Championship Game against the Oakland Raiders
, his fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Lynn Swann
proved to be the winning score in a 24-13 victory. In the Steelers’ 16-6 Super Bowl IX
victory over the Minnesota Vikings
that followed, Bradshaw completed 9 of 14 passes and his fourth-quarter touchdown pass put the game out of reach and helped take the Steelers to their first Super Bowl victory.
Bradshaw acknowledged in his first autobiography, Man of Steel, that by 1974, he felt as if he was bottoming out. His first marriage to Melissa Babich had failed, his shoulder had been injured, and he was often sullen and depressed. The turnaround came when, according to his memoir, Bradshaw, already a born-again Christian, had a revelation: "I had separated myself from God
. I lived only for Terry Bradshaw, not for God. I tried to be one of the boys and went to every honky-tonk I could find and chased women and behaved in a way that was totally alien to anything I had ever known before … my whole life was out of control … I was trying to be someone else and was doing a rotten job of it."
What happened to Bradshaw amounted to a second "conversion" experience. "I just put my head in my hands and began to cry and tremble all over and finally I blurted out, 'Here I am, God. I've tried to handle it all by myself and I just can't get the job done. So I'm placing my life in Your hands. I need some peace of mind and I know You can give it to me.'" The quarterback recalls feeling suddenly "stronger mentally and physically.… Being a starting quarterback didn't matter.… What mattered was that I was myself again and I was determined to stay that way."
In Super Bowl X
following the 1975
season, Bradshaw threw for 209 yards, most of them to Lynn Swann, as the Steelers beat the Dallas Cowboys
, 21-17. His 64-yard touchdown pass to Swann (that travelled roughly 70 yards in the air)-- which was released a split-second before defensive tackle Larry Cole
flattened him causing a serious concussion—late in the fourth quarter is considered one of the greatest passes in NFL history.
Neck and wrist injuries in 1976 forced Bradshaw to miss four games. He was sharp in a 40-14 victory over the Baltimore Colts
, completing 14 of 18 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns, but the Steelers' hopes of a three-peat ended with a 24-7 loss to Oakland in the AFC Championship game.
Bradshaw had his finest season in 1978
when he was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player by the Associated Press
after a season in which he completed 207 of 368 passes for 2,915 yards and a league-leading 28 touchdown passes. He was also named All-Pro
and All-AFC that year.
Before Super Bowl XIII
, a Steelers-Cowboys rematch, Cowboys linebacker
Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson famously ridiculed Bradshaw by saying, "He couldn't spell 'Cat' if you spotted him the 'c' and the 'a'." Bradshaw got his revenge by winning the Most Valuable Player
award, completing 17 of 30 passes for a then-record 318 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-31 win. Years later, Henderson, who struggled for years to conquer drug addiction, admitted he was high on cocaine
at the time of the interview. Bradshaw has in later years made light of the ridicule with quips such as "it's football, not rocket science."
Bradshaw won his second straight Super Bowl MVP in 1979 in Super Bowl XIV
. He passed for 309 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 31-19 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Bradshaw also shared the Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsmen of the Year" award with Willie Stargell
that season.
After two seasons of missing the playoffs, Bradshaw played through pain — he needed a cortisone shot before every game because of an elbow injury sustained during training camp — in a strike-shortened 1982 NFL season
. He still managed to tie for the most touchdown passes in the league with 17. In a 31-28 playoff loss to the San Diego Chargers
, Bradshaw's last postseason game, he completed 28-of-39 passes for 325 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
After undergoing offseason elbow surgery, Bradshaw was idle for the first 14 games of the 1983 NFL season. Then on December 10 against the New York Jets
, he felt a pop in his elbow while throwing his final pass, a ten yard touchdown to Calvin Sweeney
in the second quarter of the Steelers' 34-7 win. Bradshaw later left the game and never played again. The two touchdowns Bradshaw threw in what would be the final NFL game played at Shea Stadium
(and the last NFL game in New York City
to date) allowed him to finish his career with two more touchdowns (212) than interceptions (210) for his career.
In his 14-season career, Bradshaw completed 2,025 of 3,901 passes for 27,989 yards and 212 touchdowns. He also rushed 444 times for 2,257 yards and 32 touchdowns. He was 107-51 as the starting quarterback and the Steelers reached the playoffs 10 times. His career postseason record as a starter was 14-5. He was also selected to play in three Pro Bowl games.
While the Steelers no longer officially retire uniform numbers (with the exception of Ernie Stautner
's #70), they have not reissued Bradshaw's #12 since he retired, and it is generally understood that no Steeler will wear that number again.
In 1999, he was ranked number 44 on The Sporting News
' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.
In 2006, despite the Steelers being one of the teams playing in the game, Bradshaw did not attend a pregame celebration for past Super Bowl MVP's during Super Bowl XL
in Detroit, Michigan
. According to reports, Bradshaw (along with three time MVP and close friend Joe Montana
) requested a $
100,000 guarantee for his appearance in the Super Bowl MVP Parade, and associated appearances. The NFL could not guarantee that they would make that much and refused. A representative for Bradshaw has since denied this report. After an appearance on The Tonight Show (February 6, 2006) Bradshaw stated that the reason why he did not attend the MVP parade was because he was spending time with family, that he hates the crowds and the Super Bowl media circus, and also that the only way he would attend a Super Bowl is when Fox is broadcasting the game (it was ABC
who broadcasted Super Bowl XL), though Bradshaw attended several press conferences in Detroit days earlier. Bradshaw also stated that money was not an issue.
In April 2006, Bradshaw donated his four Super Bowl rings, College Football Hall of Fame ring, Pro Football Hall of Fame ring, Hall of Fame bust, four miniature replica Super Bowl trophies, and a helmet and jersey from one of his Super Bowl victories to his alma mater, Louisiana Tech.
, and quickly signed a television contract with CBS
to become an NFL game analyst in 1984
, where he and play-by-play announcer Verne Lundquist
had the top rated
programs. Prior to his full-time work for them, he served as a guest commentator for CBS Sports
' NFC postseason broadcasts from 1980
–82
.
Bradshaw was promoted into television studio analyst for The NFL Today
in 1990
(which he hosted with Greg Gumbel
through the 1993 season
), and Fox NFL Sunday, where he normally acts as a comic foil
to his co-hosts. On Fox NFL Sunday he hosts two semi-regular features, Ten Yards with TB, where he fires random questions at an NFL pro, and The Terry Awards, an annual comedic award show about the NFL season. He appeared on the first broadcast of NASCAR on FOX
where he took a ride with Dale Earnhardt
at Daytona International Speedway.
On June 19, 2008, Terry Bradshaw revealed on The Dan Patrick Show
that he took therapeutic corticosteroid
steroid injections, per his doctors' orders, during the 1970s to "speed healing." Corticosteroids, which are different from anabolic steroid
s and are used to reduce inflammation, are not banned from the NFL.
Bradshaw has the reputation of being the "ol' redneck" but, in co-host and former NFL coach's Jimmy Johnson
's words, the act is a "schtick." According to Johnson, Bradshaw deflects such criticism by stating that "he's so dumb that he has to have somebody else fly his private plane."
during the offseason to supplement his income, as this was still during the days when most NFL players didn't make enough money to focus solely on football.
In the late 1970s/early 1980s, Terry Bradshaw Peanut Butter was introduced with Bradshaw's likeness on the jar.
Bradshaw has also written or co-written five books and recorded six albums of country/western and gospel music
. His cover of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" hit Top 20 on Billboard's country chart (and #91 on the Hot 100) in 1976; two other tunes ("The Last Word In Lonesome Is Me" and "Until You") also made the country charts.
In 2001, Bradshaw entered the world of NASCAR
by joining with HighLine Performance Group racing team to form FitzBradshaw Racing
. He also is the spokesman for Jani-King international, Inc.
At the NASCAR 2001 Speedweeks
, Bradshaw did a variety of on air trackside spoofs for Fox who was covering the Speedweeks and that year's first race, the Daytona 500
. On the night of February 17, 2001, the night before the race, Bradshaw and Dale Earnhardt
(Sr.) did a spoof for Fox-TV in which Earnhardt raced around Daytona International Speedway
in a pace car with Bradshaw as a passenger, going at max 150 mph, scaring Bradshaw in a laughing way. The spoof finished with Earnhardt doing burnouts on pit road, and the two jumping on top of the car, as if they had won. Earnhardt also visited with Bradshaw's family. Little did either know that it would be Earnhardt's last night, as the next day on February 18, 2001, Earnhardt would be killed in a last lap crash
at the Daytona 500. Bradshaw was the honorary starter for that race.
In November 2005, Bradshaw announced that he and a group of investors from Louisiana
were interested in buying the New Orleans Saints
. The Saints, who had been forced out
of the Louisiana Superdome
for the 2005 season
by Hurricane Katrina
, were operating out of San Antonio, Texas
, and had to play most of their 2005 home games at the Alamodome
there and at LSU
's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge
. Several actions and statements by Saints owner Tom Benson
and several San Antonio and Texas
officials fueled speculation that Benson wanted to move the team to San Antonio permanently. While the NFL opposed a move to San Antonio, there were rumors that they may allow the team to move to Los Angeles
, which has been without an NFL team since 1995
. Bradshaw, a Louisiana native, said that he did not want his home state to lose the Saints because of Katrina, and was willing to purchase the team to see to it that that would not happen. However, his plans fell through, as Benson was unwilling to sell the team. Despite Bradshaw's failed attempts to buy the team, the Saints ultimately remained in New Orleans and have been a key contributor in rebuilding New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
In August 2007, Bradshaw was announced as a co-owner and spokesperson for Pay the Fan a fantasy sports football and racing site.
Among U.S. consumers, Bradshaw remains one of pro football's most popular retired players. As of September 2007, Bradshaw was the top-ranked former pro football player in the Davie-Brown Index (DBI)
, which surveys consumers to determine a celebrity's appeal and trust levels.
On November 5, 2007 during a nationally-televised Monday Night Football
game, Bradshaw joined former teammates including Franco Harris
and Joe Greene
to accept their position on the Pittsburgh Steelers
75th Anniversary All-Time Team.
from 1976–83; and from 1983–99, to Charlotte Hopkins, who is the mother of his two daughters, Rachel and Erin. His daughter Erin shows horses. His daughter Rachel is a graduate of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee and had appeared on Nashville, a reality show about musicians trying to make it in Nashville. All three of Bradshaw's marriages have ended in divorce, a subject he ridicules frequently on his pre-game show. For example, on October 2, 2005, he began a Ten Yards with TB piece on the Eagles
' Jeremiah Trotter
by discussing Trotter's ejection from a game prior to the kickoff and joking, "Nobody's been thrown out of a house that quickly since my last divorce." Also, on October 5, 2008, he compared the relationship between new Washington Redskins
head coach Jim Zorn
and starting quarterback Jason Campbell
to a good marriage. Jimmy Johnson
immediately joked, "What would you know about a good marriage?"
After his NFL career ended, Bradshaw disclosed that he had frequently experienced anxiety attacks after games. The problem worsened in the late 1990s after his third divorce, when he said he "could not bounce back" as he had after the previous divorces or after a bad game. In addition to anxiety attacks, his symptoms included weight loss, frequent crying, and sleeplessness
. He was diagnosed with clinical depression
. Since then he has taken Paxil
regularly. He chose to speak out about his depression to overcome the stigma associated with it and to urge others to seek help.
Bradshaw's anxieties about appearing in public, away from the controlled environment of a television studio, led to an unintentional estrangement from the Steelers. When team founder and owner Art Rooney
died in 1988, Bradshaw did not attend his funeral. A year later, during his Hall of Fame induction speech, Bradshaw made a point of saluting his late boss and friend, pointing to the sky and saying, "Art Rooney... boy, I tell you, I loved that man."
Still, Bradshaw never returned to Three Rivers Stadium
for a Steelers game. When the last regular-season game was played there on December 16, 2000, Bradshaw was with the Fox NFL Sunday crew, doing their pregame show aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman
, while Fox covered the game live. Bradshaw expressed regret that he could not be there, but would later say privately that he did not feel he could face the crowds. It would not be until September 2002 when fellow Hall of Fame teammate and longtime friend Mike Webster died that Bradshaw finally returned to Pittsburgh to attend his friend's funeral.
In October 2002, Bradshaw returned to the Steelers sideline for the first time in 20 years for a Monday night
game between the Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts
. In 2003
, when the Steelers played the 1,000th game in franchise history, Fox covered the game at Heinz Field
, and Bradshaw returned to cover the game. In addition to appearing to take his position on the Steelers All-Time Team in 2007 as part of the team's 75th anniversary festivities, he also was on the sideline for the 2007
home opener, where the Steelers earned their 500th regular season win.
Bradshaw has said he is interested in performing on Dancing with the Stars
, on the condition that Paula Deen
also appear.
ad. Bradshaw also had cameo appearances in many shows as himself, including Everybody Loves Raymond
, Married... with Children
and The League
; He also appeared on Malcolm in the Middle
with Howie Long
as the trashy coach of a women's ice hockey team. He hosted a short-lived television series in 1997 called Home Team with Terry Bradshaw.
In addition to his television work, Bradshaw has appeared in several movies, including a part in the 1978
film Hooper
which starred Burt Reynolds
, Jan-Michael Vincent
, and Sally Field
, and 1981
's appearance in The Cannonball Run. In 1980
, he had a cameo in Smokey and the Bandit II
which starred Burt Reynolds, Jerry Reed
, and Sally Field. He made a guest appearance in The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
in 1994, playing Colonel Forrest March, a rogue U.S. Army officer who gave orders to his squad (played by NFL members Ken Norton, Jr.
, Carl Banks
and Jim Harbaugh
) in a huddle using football diagrams.
Bradshaw appeared on Jeff Foxworthy
's short-lived sitcom, The Jeff Foxworthy Show
as a motivational speaker for people needing to change their life. Bill Engvall
's character is affected by Bradshaw's ranting speakings of witchcraft and voodooo in his pre-game warm-ups.
On October 11, 2001, Bradshaw received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
, the first and only NFL player (as of May 31, 2008) to do so.
In 2006
, Bradshaw returned to the silver screen in the motion picture Failure to Launch
. He and Kathy Bates
played the parents of Matthew McConaughey
's character. In one notable scene he appeared nude, a move which Jay Leno
spent an entire segment mocking during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He mentioned on May 23, 2008, on The Tonight Show that he has been a guest 37 times, and that 34 of them were on a Friday, which happens to be the lowest watched night of television. He pleasantly joked with Jay about being a 'filler' guest. He made a similar reference in an appearance on March 15, 2010, stating he was asked to guest because of a cancellation. Jay stated that at least he wasn't appearing on Friday, which hosts the more famous celebrity guests. He is also a devout Christian and wrote the book Terry Bradshaw: Man of Steel. In 2009 he was featured in a New Yorker
magazine piece that satirized the recent scandal over a fake Holocaust memoir written by Herman Rosenblat
. Since 2010 Terry Bradshaw has been hosting television shows produced by United States Media Television
. He is currently host of Today in America with Terry Bradshaw, a cable television show that features information on new trends in business and lifestyles.
}}
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday
FOX NFL Sunday
Fox NFL Sunday is the pregame show for the TV show NFL on Fox. The program is broadcast on Fox television affiliates nationwide. The audio portion of the show is broadcast over the Fox Sports Radio network, distributed by Premiere Radio Networks...
. In a six-year span, he won four Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
titles with Pittsburgh (1974
Super Bowl IX
Super Bowl IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium...
, 1975
Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
, 1978
Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
and 1979
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
), becoming the first quarterback to win three and four Super Bowls, and led the Steelers to eight AFC Central championships. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 1989, his first year of eligibility.
A tough competitor, Bradshaw had a powerful – albeit at times erratic – arm and called his own plays throughout his football career. His physical skills and on-the-field leadership played a major role in Pittsburgh Steelers history. During his career, he passed for more than 300 yards in a game only seven times, but three of those performances came in the post-season, and two of those in Super Bowls. In four career Super Bowl appearances he passed for 932 yards and 9 touchdowns, both Super Bowl records at the time of his retirement. In 19 postseason games he completed 261 passes for 3,833 yards.
Bradshaw is now suffering from short-term memory loss from his experiences as a pro football player.
High school and college
Bradshaw was born in ShreveportShreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, the second of three sons of Bill and Novis Bradshaw. He attended Woodlawn High School and led the Knights to the 1965 AAA High School Championship game where they lost to the Sulphur Tors 12-9. While at Woodlawn, he set a national record for throwing the javelin
Javelin throw
The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
245 feet. His exploits earned him a spot in the Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
feature Faces In The Crowd.
Bradshaw decided to attend Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
in Ruston, Louisiana
Ruston, Louisiana
Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
. He has much affinity for his alma mater. He is a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon is a college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University with chapters in the United States, and Canada, and affiliation with a German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren Convent...
fraternity. He was active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-profit interdenominational Christian organization founded in 1954 and that has been based in Kansas City, Missouri since 1956. It falls within the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Although established by evangelical Protestants, the concept has...
and spoke before many athletic banquets and other gatherings.
In 1969, he was considered by most pro scouts to be the most outstanding college football player. As a junior, he amassed 2,890 total yards, ranking #1 in the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
, and led his team to a 9-2 record and a 33-13 win over Akron
Akron Zips football
The University of Akron Zips are a college football program representing the University of Akron that competes in NCAA Division I FBS Mid-American Conference football...
in the Rice Bowl. In his senior season, he gained 2,314 yards, ranking third in the NCAA, and led his team to an 8-2 record. His decrease in production was mainly because his team played only ten games that year, and he was taken out of several games in the second half because his team had built up a huge lead. As quarterback, Bradshaw threw his passes principally to teammates Larry C. Brewer
Larry C. Brewer
Larry Clinton Brewer was the offensive end for the Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs during the 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969 football seasons. In the latter two years, he served primarily as one of two main receivers for Terry Bradshaw, the Shreveport native who subsequently embarked on a highly...
(1948–2003) of Minden
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a city in the American state of Louisiana. It serves as the parish seat of Webster Parish and is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The population, which has been stable since 1960, was 13,027 at the 2000 census...
, the offensive end, and Thomas Allen "Tommy" Spinks
Tommy Spinks
Thomas Allen "Tommy" Spinks was an American football wide receiver for the Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs who played from 1966—1969. A native of Shreveport, Spinks and Larry C...
(1948–2007), the split end who had also been Bradshaw's Woodlawn High School teammate. As a result, Brewer and Spinks were recorded among the top pass receivers in Louisiana Tech history. In 1996, Bradshaw was voted into the hall of fame.
NFL career
Bradshaw holds the record for most games with a QB rating of 0, with 3 games.Bradshaw was the first player selected in the 1970 NFL Draft
1970 NFL Draft
The 1970 National Football League Draft was held on January 27–28, 1970.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
by the Pittsburgh Steelers; the Steelers drew the first pick in the draft after winning a coin flip tiebreaker
Tiebreaker
In games and sports, a tiebreaker or tiebreak is used to determine a winner from among players or teams that are tied at the end of a contest, or a set of contests.-In matches:In some situations, the tiebreaker may consist of another round of play...
with the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
due to both teams having identical 1-13 records in 1969
1969 NFL season
The 1969 NFL season was the 50th regular season of the National Football League, and the last one before the AFL-NFL Merger. To honor the NFL's 50th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season.As per the...
. In either case, Bradshaw was hailed at the time as the consensus number one pick, regardless of which team drafted him.
Bradshaw became a starter one year after he was drafted in 1970. During his first several seasons, the 6'3", 215 lb. quarterback was erratic, threw many interceptions (he threw 210 interceptions over the course of his career) and was widely ridiculed by the media for his rural roots and perceived lack of intelligence.
It took Bradshaw a few seasons to adjust to the pro game but once he did, he eventually became the premier quarterback in the NFL, leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to eight AFC Central championships and an unprecedented collection of Super Bowl rings. The Pittsburgh Steelers featured the "Steel Curtain
Steel Curtain
The Steel Curtain was the nickname given to the front four of the famous defensive line of the American football team Pittsburgh Steelers during their 1970s dynasty years. This defense was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won 4 Super Bowls...
" defense and a powerful running attack led by Franco Harris
Franco Harris
Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall...
, but Bradshaw's strong arm gave them the threat of the deep pass, helping to loosen opposing defenses. In 1972
1972 NFL season
The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied when they beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.-Major rule changes:...
, he threw the pass leading to the "Immaculate Reception
Immaculate Reception
The Immaculate Reception is the nickname given to one of the most famous plays in the history of American football. It occurred in the AFC divisional playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on December 23, 1972...
", among the most famous plays in NFL history.
Bradshaw temporarily lost the starting job to Joe Gilliam
Joe Gilliam
Joseph Gilliam, Jr. was an American football player.-Biography:Joe Gilliam was born in Charleston, West Virginia, and was the third of four children of Ruth and Joe Gilliam, Sr....
in 1974, but Bradshaw took over again during the regular season and in the 1974 AFC Championship Game against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, his fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
proved to be the winning score in a 24-13 victory. In the Steelers’ 16-6 Super Bowl IX
Super Bowl IX
Super Bowl IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium...
victory over the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
that followed, Bradshaw completed 9 of 14 passes and his fourth-quarter touchdown pass put the game out of reach and helped take the Steelers to their first Super Bowl victory.
Bradshaw acknowledged in his first autobiography, Man of Steel, that by 1974, he felt as if he was bottoming out. His first marriage to Melissa Babich had failed, his shoulder had been injured, and he was often sullen and depressed. The turnaround came when, according to his memoir, Bradshaw, already a born-again Christian, had a revelation: "I had separated myself from God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. I lived only for Terry Bradshaw, not for God. I tried to be one of the boys and went to every honky-tonk I could find and chased women and behaved in a way that was totally alien to anything I had ever known before … my whole life was out of control … I was trying to be someone else and was doing a rotten job of it."
What happened to Bradshaw amounted to a second "conversion" experience. "I just put my head in my hands and began to cry and tremble all over and finally I blurted out, 'Here I am, God. I've tried to handle it all by myself and I just can't get the job done. So I'm placing my life in Your hands. I need some peace of mind and I know You can give it to me.'" The quarterback recalls feeling suddenly "stronger mentally and physically.… Being a starting quarterback didn't matter.… What mattered was that I was myself again and I was determined to stay that way."
In Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
following the 1975
1975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
season, Bradshaw threw for 209 yards, most of them to Lynn Swann, as the Steelers beat the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, 21-17. His 64-yard touchdown pass to Swann (that travelled roughly 70 yards in the air)-- which was released a split-second before defensive tackle Larry Cole
Larry Cole
Larry Rudolph Cole is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League who played his entire professional career with the Dallas Cowboys. He played in five Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl VI and XII...
flattened him causing a serious concussion—late in the fourth quarter is considered one of the greatest passes in NFL history.
Neck and wrist injuries in 1976 forced Bradshaw to miss four games. He was sharp in a 40-14 victory over the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, completing 14 of 18 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns, but the Steelers' hopes of a three-peat ended with a 24-7 loss to Oakland in the AFC Championship game.
Bradshaw had his finest season in 1978
1978 NFL season
The 1978 NFL season was the 59th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded the regular season from a 14-game schedule to 16. Furthermore, the playoff format was expanded from 8 teams to 10 teams by adding another wild card from each conference...
when he was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
after a season in which he completed 207 of 368 passes for 2,915 yards and a league-leading 28 touchdown passes. He was also named All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
and All-AFC that year.
Before Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
, a Steelers-Cowboys rematch, Cowboys linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson famously ridiculed Bradshaw by saying, "He couldn't spell 'Cat' if you spotted him the 'c' and the 'a'." Bradshaw got his revenge by winning the Most Valuable Player
Super Bowl MVP
The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
award, completing 17 of 30 passes for a then-record 318 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-31 win. Years later, Henderson, who struggled for years to conquer drug addiction, admitted he was high on cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
at the time of the interview. Bradshaw has in later years made light of the ridicule with quips such as "it's football, not rocket science."
Bradshaw won his second straight Super Bowl MVP in 1979 in Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
. He passed for 309 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 31-19 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Bradshaw also shared the Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsmen of the Year" award with Willie Stargell
Willie Stargell
Wilver Dornell "Willie" Stargell , nicknamed "Pops" in the later years of his career, was a Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
that season.
After two seasons of missing the playoffs, Bradshaw played through pain — he needed a cortisone shot before every game because of an elbow injury sustained during training camp — in a strike-shortened 1982 NFL season
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
. He still managed to tie for the most touchdown passes in the league with 17. In a 31-28 playoff loss to the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Bradshaw's last postseason game, he completed 28-of-39 passes for 325 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
After undergoing offseason elbow surgery, Bradshaw was idle for the first 14 games of the 1983 NFL season. Then on December 10 against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, he felt a pop in his elbow while throwing his final pass, a ten yard touchdown to Calvin Sweeney
Calvin Sweeney
Calvin Eugene Sweeney is a former professional American football wide receiver in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played Football at Perris High in Perris, CA before playing college football at the University of Southern California...
in the second quarter of the Steelers' 34-7 win. Bradshaw later left the game and never played again. The two touchdowns Bradshaw threw in what would be the final NFL game played at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
(and the last NFL game in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to date) allowed him to finish his career with two more touchdowns (212) than interceptions (210) for his career.
In his 14-season career, Bradshaw completed 2,025 of 3,901 passes for 27,989 yards and 212 touchdowns. He also rushed 444 times for 2,257 yards and 32 touchdowns. He was 107-51 as the starting quarterback and the Steelers reached the playoffs 10 times. His career postseason record as a starter was 14-5. He was also selected to play in three Pro Bowl games.
While the Steelers no longer officially retire uniform numbers (with the exception of Ernie Stautner
Ernie Stautner
-References:* * *-External links:*...
's #70), they have not reissued Bradshaw's #12 since he retired, and it is generally understood that no Steeler will wear that number again.
In 1999, he was ranked number 44 on The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.
After football
In July 1997, Bradshaw served as the presenter when Mike Webster, his center on the Steelers' four Super Bowl title teams, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.In 2006, despite the Steelers being one of the teams playing in the game, Bradshaw did not attend a pregame celebration for past Super Bowl MVP's during Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. According to reports, Bradshaw (along with three time MVP and close friend Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
) requested a $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
100,000 guarantee for his appearance in the Super Bowl MVP Parade, and associated appearances. The NFL could not guarantee that they would make that much and refused. A representative for Bradshaw has since denied this report. After an appearance on The Tonight Show (February 6, 2006) Bradshaw stated that the reason why he did not attend the MVP parade was because he was spending time with family, that he hates the crowds and the Super Bowl media circus, and also that the only way he would attend a Super Bowl is when Fox is broadcasting the game (it was ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
who broadcasted Super Bowl XL), though Bradshaw attended several press conferences in Detroit days earlier. Bradshaw also stated that money was not an issue.
In April 2006, Bradshaw donated his four Super Bowl rings, College Football Hall of Fame ring, Pro Football Hall of Fame ring, Hall of Fame bust, four miniature replica Super Bowl trophies, and a helmet and jersey from one of his Super Bowl victories to his alma mater, Louisiana Tech.
Broadcasting career
Bradshaw retired from football in 19831983 NFL season
The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
, and quickly signed a television contract with CBS
NFL on CBS
The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
to become an NFL game analyst in 1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
, where he and play-by-play announcer Verne Lundquist
Verne Lundquist
Merton Laverne "Verne" Lundquist, Jr. is an American sportscaster, currently employed by CBS Sports television.-Early life and career:Lundquist was born in Duluth, Minnesota...
had the top rated
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
programs. Prior to his full-time work for them, he served as a guest commentator for CBS Sports
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
' NFC postseason broadcasts from 1980
1980 NFL season
The 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws...
–82
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
.
Bradshaw was promoted into television studio analyst for The NFL Today
The NFL Today
The NFL Today is an American sports series that precedes the American football program The NFL on CBS on CBS Sports. The program usually airs at noon on Sundays of the National Football League regular season...
in 1990
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
(which he hosted with Greg Gumbel
Greg Gumbel
Greg Gumbel is an American television sportscaster. He is best known for his various assignments on the CBS network...
through the 1993 season
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
), and Fox NFL Sunday, where he normally acts as a comic foil
Foil (literature)
In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of another character....
to his co-hosts. On Fox NFL Sunday he hosts two semi-regular features, Ten Yards with TB, where he fires random questions at an NFL pro, and The Terry Awards, an annual comedic award show about the NFL season. He appeared on the first broadcast of NASCAR on FOX
NASCAR on FOX
NASCAR on Fox is the Emmy-winning branding used for Fox Sports's broadcasts of NASCAR races airing on the Fox network since 2001. The production has been in high-definition since 2005.-Background:...
where he took a ride with Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
at Daytona International Speedway.
On June 19, 2008, Terry Bradshaw revealed on The Dan Patrick Show
The Dan Patrick Show
The Dan Patrick Show is a syndicated sports talk show hosted by former ESPN personality Dan Patrick. It is currently produced by DirecTV Sports Group and is syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks. The three-hour program broadcasts live every day beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern/6 a.m. Pacific time on Fox...
that he took therapeutic corticosteroid
Corticosteroid
Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex. Corticosteroids are involved in a wide range of physiologic systems such as stress response, immune response and regulation of inflammation, carbohydrate metabolism, protein catabolism, blood electrolyte...
steroid injections, per his doctors' orders, during the 1970s to "speed healing." Corticosteroids, which are different from anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
s and are used to reduce inflammation, are not banned from the NFL.
Bradshaw has the reputation of being the "ol' redneck" but, in co-host and former NFL coach's Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
's words, the act is a "schtick." According to Johnson, Bradshaw deflects such criticism by stating that "he's so dumb that he has to have somebody else fly his private plane."
Business career
During Bradshaw's early part of his career with the Steelers, he was a used car salesmanAutomobile salesperson
The automobile salesperson is one of many sales professions. The automobile salesman is a retail salesperson, who sells new and/or used cars. Unlike traditional retail sales, car sales are usually negotiable...
during the offseason to supplement his income, as this was still during the days when most NFL players didn't make enough money to focus solely on football.
In the late 1970s/early 1980s, Terry Bradshaw Peanut Butter was introduced with Bradshaw's likeness on the jar.
Bradshaw has also written or co-written five books and recorded six albums of country/western and gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
. His cover of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" hit Top 20 on Billboard's country chart (and #91 on the Hot 100) in 1976; two other tunes ("The Last Word In Lonesome Is Me" and "Until You") also made the country charts.
In 2001, Bradshaw entered the world of NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
by joining with HighLine Performance Group racing team to form FitzBradshaw Racing
FitzBradshaw Racing
Trail Motorsports was a NASCAR team based in Mooresville, North Carolina, which is near Charlotte. The team is owned by Armando Fitz and Art Shelton, and was previously co-owned by Fitz's former wife Mimi...
. He also is the spokesman for Jani-King international, Inc.
Jani-King
Jani-King is the world's largest commercial cleaning franchise company reporting more than 12,000 franchisees serving tens of thousands of customers worldwide....
At the NASCAR 2001 Speedweeks
Speedweeks
Hershey's Milk & Milkshake Speedweeks is a name given to a three-week series of auto races held at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States of America in early February...
, Bradshaw did a variety of on air trackside spoofs for Fox who was covering the Speedweeks and that year's first race, the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
. On the night of February 17, 2001, the night before the race, Bradshaw and Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
(Sr.) did a spoof for Fox-TV in which Earnhardt raced around Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
in a pace car with Bradshaw as a passenger, going at max 150 mph, scaring Bradshaw in a laughing way. The spoof finished with Earnhardt doing burnouts on pit road, and the two jumping on top of the car, as if they had won. Earnhardt also visited with Bradshaw's family. Little did either know that it would be Earnhardt's last night, as the next day on February 18, 2001, Earnhardt would be killed in a last lap crash
Death of Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt was an American race car driver who gained fame driving stock cars for NASCAR and winning seven championships. He was involved in a car accident during the last lap of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2001. He was taken to Halifax Medical Center,...
at the Daytona 500. Bradshaw was the honorary starter for that race.
In November 2005, Bradshaw announced that he and a group of investors from Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
were interested in buying the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. The Saints, who had been forced out
Effect of Hurricane Katrina on the New Orleans Saints
After Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans on August 29, 2005 and caused extensive damage to the Louisiana Superdome, the New Orleans Saints were not able to play any home games there for the entire 2005 NFL season...
of the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
for the 2005 season
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
by Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, were operating out of San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, and had to play most of their 2005 home games at the Alamodome
Alamodome
The Alamodome is a domed 65,000 seat, multi-purpose facility that is primarily used as a football/basketball stadium and convention center in San Antonio, Texas, U.S...
there and at LSU
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
. Several actions and statements by Saints owner Tom Benson
Tom Benson
See also Tom Benson and Tom Benson for the Northern Ireland Unionist.Tom Benson is the owner of the New Orleans Saints. He is currently the owner of several automobile dealerships in the Greater New Orleans and San Antonio areas...
and several San Antonio and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
officials fueled speculation that Benson wanted to move the team to San Antonio permanently. While the NFL opposed a move to San Antonio, there were rumors that they may allow the team to move to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, which has been without an NFL team since 1995
1995 NFL season
The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
. Bradshaw, a Louisiana native, said that he did not want his home state to lose the Saints because of Katrina, and was willing to purchase the team to see to it that that would not happen. However, his plans fell through, as Benson was unwilling to sell the team. Despite Bradshaw's failed attempts to buy the team, the Saints ultimately remained in New Orleans and have been a key contributor in rebuilding New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
In August 2007, Bradshaw was announced as a co-owner and spokesperson for Pay the Fan a fantasy sports football and racing site.
Among U.S. consumers, Bradshaw remains one of pro football's most popular retired players. As of September 2007, Bradshaw was the top-ranked former pro football player in the Davie-Brown Index (DBI)
Davie-Brown Index (DBI)
The Davie Brown Index is an independent index for brand marketers and agencies that quantifies consumer perceptions of more than 2,900 celebrities, including TV and film stars, musical artists, reality TV stars, news personalities, politicians, athletes, and business leaders.Developed by the...
, which surveys consumers to determine a celebrity's appeal and trust levels.
On November 5, 2007 during a nationally-televised Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game, Bradshaw joined former teammates including Franco Harris
Franco Harris
Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall...
and Joe Greene
Joe Greene (American football)
Charles Edward Greene, known as “Mean Joe” Greene, is a former all-pro American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. Throughout the early 1970s he was the one of most dominant defensive players in the National Football League...
to accept their position on the Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers
Steelers usually refers to the Pittsburgh Steelers, an American football team which plays in the National Football League. It may also refer to the following sports teams:Association football...
75th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Personal life
Bradshaw has been married three times. He was married to Melissa Babish (former Miss Teen Age America of 1969) from 1972–73; to ice skater JoJo StarbuckJoJo Starbuck
JoJo Starbuck is an American figure skater. With partner Kenneth Shelley, she is a three-time United States pair skating champion and two-time Olympian ....
from 1976–83; and from 1983–99, to Charlotte Hopkins, who is the mother of his two daughters, Rachel and Erin. His daughter Erin shows horses. His daughter Rachel is a graduate of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee and had appeared on Nashville, a reality show about musicians trying to make it in Nashville. All three of Bradshaw's marriages have ended in divorce, a subject he ridicules frequently on his pre-game show. For example, on October 2, 2005, he began a Ten Yards with TB piece on the Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
' Jeremiah Trotter
Jeremiah Trotter
Jeremiah Trotter is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Stephen F...
by discussing Trotter's ejection from a game prior to the kickoff and joking, "Nobody's been thrown out of a house that quickly since my last divorce." Also, on October 5, 2008, he compared the relationship between new Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
head coach Jim Zorn
Jim Zorn
James Arthur "Jim" Zorn is an American quarterbacks coach in the National Football League. He was formerly the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens and now holds that same position with the Kansas City Chiefs...
and starting quarterback Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
to a good marriage. Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
immediately joked, "What would you know about a good marriage?"
After his NFL career ended, Bradshaw disclosed that he had frequently experienced anxiety attacks after games. The problem worsened in the late 1990s after his third divorce, when he said he "could not bounce back" as he had after the previous divorces or after a bad game. In addition to anxiety attacks, his symptoms included weight loss, frequent crying, and sleeplessness
Insomnia
Insomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:...
. He was diagnosed with clinical depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
. Since then he has taken Paxil
Paroxetine
Paroxetine is an SSRI antidepressant. Marketing of the drug began in 1992 by the pharmaceutical company SmithKline Beecham, now GlaxoSmithKline...
regularly. He chose to speak out about his depression to overcome the stigma associated with it and to urge others to seek help.
Bradshaw's anxieties about appearing in public, away from the controlled environment of a television studio, led to an unintentional estrangement from the Steelers. When team founder and owner Art Rooney
Art Rooney
Arthur Joseph "Art" Rooney, Sr. , often referred to as "The Chief", was the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers American football franchise in the National Football League.-Family history:...
died in 1988, Bradshaw did not attend his funeral. A year later, during his Hall of Fame induction speech, Bradshaw made a point of saluting his late boss and friend, pointing to the sky and saying, "Art Rooney... boy, I tell you, I loved that man."
Still, Bradshaw never returned to Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...
for a Steelers game. When the last regular-season game was played there on December 16, 2000, Bradshaw was with the Fox NFL Sunday crew, doing their pregame show aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)
USS Harry S. Truman is the eighth Nimitz-class supercarrier of the United States Navy, named after the 33rd President of the United States, Harry S. Truman. HSTs callsign is Lone Warrior and is currently homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.Harry S...
, while Fox covered the game live. Bradshaw expressed regret that he could not be there, but would later say privately that he did not feel he could face the crowds. It would not be until September 2002 when fellow Hall of Fame teammate and longtime friend Mike Webster died that Bradshaw finally returned to Pittsburgh to attend his friend's funeral.
In October 2002, Bradshaw returned to the Steelers sideline for the first time in 20 years for a Monday night
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game between the Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. In 2003
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
, when the Steelers played the 1,000th game in franchise history, Fox covered the game at Heinz Field
Heinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
, and Bradshaw returned to cover the game. In addition to appearing to take his position on the Steelers All-Time Team in 2007 as part of the team's 75th anniversary festivities, he also was on the sideline for the 2007
2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
home opener, where the Steelers earned their 500th regular season win.
Bradshaw has said he is interested in performing on Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
, on the condition that Paula Deen
Paula Deen
Paula Deen American cook, cooking show host, restaurateur, author, actress and Emmy Award-winning television personality.Deen resides in Savannah, Georgia, where she owns and operates...
also appear.
Acting
He has appeared in numerous television commercials, including a 2004 Radio ShackRadio shack
Radio shack is a slang term for a room or structure for housing radio equipment.-History:In the early days of radio, equipment was experimental and home-built. The first radio transmitters used a noisy spark to generate radio waves and were often housed in a garage or shed. When radio was first...
ad. Bradshaw also had cameo appearances in many shows as himself, including Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
, Married... with Children
Married... with Children
Married... with Children is an American surrealistic sitcom that aired for 11 seasons that featured a dysfunctional family living in Chicago, Illinois. The show, notable for being the first prime time television series to air on Fox, ran from April 5, 1987, to June 9, 1997. The series was created...
and The League
The League
The League is an American sitcom that premiered on FX on October 29, 2009. The series, set in Chicago, is a semi-improvised comedy about a fantasy football league, its members, and their everyday lives.-Synopsis:...
; He also appeared on Malcolm in the Middle
Malcolm in the Middle
Malcolm in the Middle is an American television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. The series was first broadcast on January 9, 2000, and ended its six-and-a-half-year run on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes...
with Howie Long
Howie Long
Howard "Howie" Matthew Moses Long is an American former National Football League defensive end and actor. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000...
as the trashy coach of a women's ice hockey team. He hosted a short-lived television series in 1997 called Home Team with Terry Bradshaw.
In addition to his television work, Bradshaw has appeared in several movies, including a part in the 1978
1978 in film
The year 1978 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 1 - Bob Dylan's film Renaldo and Clara, a documentary of the "Rolling Thunder Revue" tour premieres in Los Angeles, California....
film Hooper
Hooper
The word hooper is an archaic English term for a person who aided in the building of barrels by creating the hoop for the barrel. Hooper may also refer to:Place names in the United States:...
which starred Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon "Burt" Reynolds, Jr. is an American actor. Some of his memorable roles include Bo 'Bandit' Darville in Smokey and the Bandit, Lewis Medlock in Deliverance, Bobby "Gator" McCluskey in White Lightning and sequel Gator, Paul Crewe and Coach Nate Scarborough in The Longest Yard and its...
, Jan-Michael Vincent
Jan-Michael Vincent
Jan-Michael Vincent is an American actor best known for his role as helicopter pilot Stringfellow Hawke on the 1980s U.S. television series Airwolf .-Early life:...
, and Sally Field
Sally Field
Sally Margaret Field is an American actress, singer, producer, director, and screenwriter. In each decade of her career, she has been known for major roles in American TV/film culture, including: in the 1960s, for Gidget or Sister Bertrille on The Flying Nun ; in the 1970s, for Sybil , Smokey and...
, and 1981
1981 in film
-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
's appearance in The Cannonball Run. In 1980
1980 in film
- Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year ....
, he had a cameo in Smokey and the Bandit II
Smokey and the Bandit II
Smokey and the Bandit II is a comedy film released on August 15, 1980 in the United States. It is the sequel to the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit. The film stars Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Jackie Gleason, and Dom DeLuise...
which starred Burt Reynolds, Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed Hubbard , known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, innovative guitarist, songwriter, and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films...
, and Sally Field. He made a guest appearance in The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., often referred to as just Brisco or Brisco County,The series is referred to as just Brisco or by Brisco County by the creator and executive producer Carlton Cuse, actors involved with the show, and by many critics. Some examples include:* Cuse, Carlton, DVD extra...
in 1994, playing Colonel Forrest March, a rogue U.S. Army officer who gave orders to his squad (played by NFL members Ken Norton, Jr.
Ken Norton (American football player)
Kenneth Howard Norton, Jr. is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League, former USC Trojan football team Linebacker Coach and Assistant Head Coach for Defense, and is the current linebackers coach for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks with former USC coach Pete Carroll.He is...
, Carl Banks
Carl Banks
Carl E. Banks is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League from 1984 to 1995 for the New York Giants, the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Browns. He made the Pro Bowl in 1987, had 39.5 career quarterback sacks, and was a member of the NFL's 1980's All-Decade Team...
and Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh
James Joseph "Jim" Harbaugh is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Harbaugh agreed to a five-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on January 7, 2011. Previously, he was the head coach at...
) in a huddle using football diagrams.
Bradshaw appeared on Jeff Foxworthy
Jeff Foxworthy
Jeffrey Marshall "Jeff" Foxworthy is an American comedian, television and radio personality and author. He is a member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, a comedy troupe which also comprises Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall and Ron White. Known for his "you might be a redneck" one-liners, Foxworthy...
's short-lived sitcom, The Jeff Foxworthy Show
The Jeff Foxworthy Show
The Jeff Foxworthy Show is the name of two short-lived television series starring comedian Jeff Foxworthy and based on Foxworthy's stand-up comedy routine...
as a motivational speaker for people needing to change their life. Bill Engvall
Bill Engvall
William Ray "Bill" Engvall, Jr. is an American comedian and actor best known for his work as a stand-up comic and as a member of the Blue Collar Comedy group.-Early life:Bill Engvall was born in Galveston, Texas...
's character is affected by Bradshaw's ranting speakings of witchcraft and voodooo in his pre-game warm-ups.
On October 11, 2001, Bradshaw received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
, the first and only NFL player (as of May 31, 2008) to do so.
In 2006
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
, Bradshaw returned to the silver screen in the motion picture Failure to Launch
Failure to Launch
Failure to Launch is a 2006 American romantic comedy film. In the movie a 35-year-old man lives in the home of his parents and shows no interest in leaving the comfortable life his parents, especially his mother, have made for him there.-Plot:...
. He and Kathy Bates
Kathy Bates
Kathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe...
played the parents of Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey is an American actor.After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused . He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall...
's character. In one notable scene he appeared nude, a move which Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
spent an entire segment mocking during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He mentioned on May 23, 2008, on The Tonight Show that he has been a guest 37 times, and that 34 of them were on a Friday, which happens to be the lowest watched night of television. He pleasantly joked with Jay about being a 'filler' guest. He made a similar reference in an appearance on March 15, 2010, stating he was asked to guest because of a cancellation. Jay stated that at least he wasn't appearing on Friday, which hosts the more famous celebrity guests. He is also a devout Christian and wrote the book Terry Bradshaw: Man of Steel. In 2009 he was featured in a New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
magazine piece that satirized the recent scandal over a fake Holocaust memoir written by Herman Rosenblat
Herman Rosenblat
Herman A. Rosenblat, born in Poland in 1929, is a Jewish Holocaust survivor who immigrated to the United States in 1950 and later wrote the Holocaust survival memoir Angel at the Fence...
. Since 2010 Terry Bradshaw has been hosting television shows produced by United States Media Television
United States Media Television
United States Media Television is a multimedia production company that specializes in television programs such as Today in America with Terry Bradsdhaw, The Art of Living with Marilu Henner and Going Green with Ward Burton...
. He is currently host of Today in America with Terry Bradshaw, a cable television show that features information on new trends in business and lifestyles.
Passing stats
| Year | G | Att | Com | Pct | Yards | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 1970 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 1970 Pittsburgh Steelers looked to improve from their league-worst 1–13 record from the previous year.While work would still need to be done, the Steelers did improve somewhat on the field, finishing with a 5–9 record and third place in the newly formed AFC Central... |
13 | 218 | 83 | 38.1 | 1410 | 6 | 24 | 30.4 |
| 1971 1971 Pittsburgh Steelers season -Schedule:- Week 1 : Chicago Bears :at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois* Game time:* Game weather:* Game attendance: 55,049* Referee: Bernie Ulman* TV announcers:Scoring Drives:... |
14 | 373 | 203 | 54.4 | 2259 | 13 | 22 | 59.7 |
| 1972 1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the 40th in franchise history. The team went 11–3 that season, and won their first-ever AFC Central Division title.-Depth chart:-Schedule:- Week 1 : Oakland Raiders :... |
14 | 308 | 147 | 47.7 | 1887 | 12 | 12 | 64.1 |
| 1973 1973 Pittsburgh Steelers season - Week 1 : Detroit Lions :at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Game time:* Game weather:* Game attendance: 48,913* Referee: Fred Wyant* TV announcers:- Game summary :... |
10 | 180 | 89 | 49.4 | 1183 | 10 | 15 | 54.5 |
| 1974 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers season -NFL Draft:In the 1974 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers are the only team in NFL history to select four Pro Football Hall of Fame players in the same draft .* Round 1: Lynn Swann, USC... |
8 | 148 | 67 | 45.3 | 785 | 7 | 8 | 55.2 |
| 1975 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 1975 season defending their AFC Central and Super Bowl IX titles from the 1974 season. Throughout the 1975 season they not only improved on their 10–3–1 record from the previous year, but once again won the AFC Central Division Title and their second franchise... |
14 | 286 | 165 | 57.7 | 2055 | 18 | 9 | 88.0 |
| 1976 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers started the season looking to become the first team in the Super Bowl era to win three-straight league championships... |
10 | 192 | 92 | 47.9 | 1177 | 10 | 9 | 65.4 |
| 1977 1977 Pittsburgh Steelers season - Schedule :- Week 1 : vs. San Francisco 49ers :at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Game time: 9:00 pm EDT* Game weather:* Game attendance: 48,046* Referee: Bernie Ulman... |
14 | 314 | 162 | 51.6 | 2523 | 17 | 19 | 71.4 |
| 1978 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League . The season concluded with the team winning Super Bowl XIII to become the first franchise in the NFL to win three Super Bowl titles. The championship run was led by quarterback Terry Bradshaw and... |
16 | 368 | 207 | 56.3 | 2915 | 28 | 20 | 84.7 |
| 1979 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers season saw the Steelers successfully defend their Super Bowl Championship from the previous year as they achieved a 12–4 record and went on to defeat the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV.-Roster:-Schedule:... |
16 | 472 | 259 | 54.9 | 3724 | 26 | 25 | 77.0 |
| 1980 1980 Pittsburgh Steelers season - Regular season :In 1980, the Steelers had their struggles. The aging defense wasn't as effective in 1978–79, falling from 2nd to 15th in yards allowed and 313 points, 15th in the league, up from 262 5th in the league, while only recording 18 QB sacks. The offense was still plagued with too many... |
15 | 424 | 218 | 51.4 | 3339 | 24 | 22 | 75.0 |
| 1981 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season - Schedule :- Schedule :- Week 1 : vs. Kansas City Chiefs :at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Game time: 1:00 pm EDT* Game weather:* Game attendance: 53,305* Referee: Jim Tunney... |
14 | 370 | 201 | 54.3 | 2887 | 22 | 14 | 83.9 |
| 1982 1982 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 1982 Pittsburgh Steelers saw the team return to the playoffs after a two-year hiatus. This was also the Steelers 50th Anniversary season. Although the season was shortened as a result of the 1982 strike, the Steelers finished a strong 6–3 record, good enough for fourth in the AFC as a whole... |
9 | 240 | 127 | 52.9 | 1768 | 17 | 11 | 81.4 |
| 1983 1983 Pittsburgh Steelers season - Schedule :- Week 1 : vs. Denver Broncos :at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Game time: 1:00 pm EDT* Game weather:* Game attendance: 58,233* Referee: Jerry Seeman... |
1 | 8 | 5 | 62.5 | 77 | 2 | 0 | 133.9 |
| Career Totals | 168 | 3901 | 2025 | 51.9 | 27989 | 212 | 210 | 70.9 |
Albums
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry | Mercury |
| 1981 | Until You | Benson |
| Here in My Heart | Heart | |
| 1996 | Sings Christmas Songs for the Whole World | Dove |
| Terry & Jake (with Jake Hess Jake Hess Jake Hess was an American Grammy Award-winning southern gospel singer.-Life:Hess was born Manchild Hess December 24, 1927, in Limestone County, Alabama... ) |
Chordant |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
CAN Country | |||
| 1976 | "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams in 1949. The song about loneliness was largely inspired by his troubled relationship with wife Audrey Sheppard... " |
17 | 91 | 17 | I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry |
| "The Last Word in Lonesome Is Me" | 90 | — | — | ||
| "Here Comes My Baby Back Again" | — | — | — | ||
| 1980 | "Until You" | 73 | — | — | Until You |
Further reading
- http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlighthealth/2004-01-30-bradshaw_x.htm - Personal Life Section
- http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/bradshwt.shtml - Intro, NFL Career Section
- http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=31 - Intro, NFL Career Section
- http://www.mcmillenandwife.com/bradshaw_fox_bio.html - After retiring section
- http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-4/113169397889570.xml - New Orleans Section
External links
- FoxSports.com - NFL- TERRY BRADSHAW
- Terry Bradshaw Fantasy Football Blog
- Bradshaw's Hall of Fame page
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