Four-time Super Bowl winner. College and Pro Football Hall of Famer. Broadcaster. Actor. Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw has done it all. Let’s dive into the life and career of one of the most fascinating personalities in media as Bradshaw prepares to cover Super Bowl 57 for FOX NFL Sunday.
Terry Bradshaw’s Career on the Football Field
After he starred at Louisiana Tech, the Steelers selected Bradshaw with the first overall pick in the 1970 NFL Draft. He split snaps with veteran quarterback Terry Hanratty in his first pro season and struggled into his second campaign, throwing 19 touchdowns against 46 interceptions in his first two years in Pittsburgh.
Bradshaw had settled down by 1972, when he helped the Steelers to an 11-3 record and threw the “Immaculate Reception” to running back Franco Harris in the AFC Divisional Round.
In 1974, Pittsburgh named Joe Gilliam starting quarterback to begin the season, but Bradshaw took over in Week 7. He went 5-2 down the stretch as the Steelers won their first Super Bowl in franchise history. The following season, Bradshaw posted the highest passer rating of his career and helped Pittsburgh to a second consecutive Lombardi Trophy.
1978 was the high-water mark of Bradshaw’s time with the Steelers. He won the MVP award after leading the league in touchdowns (28) and yards per attempt (7.9), finished second in Offensive Player of the Year voting, and won his third Super Bowl.
Bradshaw was excellent again the following season, finishing fourth in MVP voting and leading Pittsburgh to the fourth Super Bowl of his career. He was named Super Bowl MVP for the second consecutive year and became Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsman of the Year.”
Bradshaw played through elbow pain for the rest of his career, but he still made the playoffs one more time in 1982 before losing to the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card Round. He underwent offseason surgery the following offseason and didn’t play until Week 15. Bradshaw injured his elbow on a 10-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Sweeney and never played again.
Bradshaw became the first NFL quarterback to win three and four Super Bowls and remains one of only three signal-callers with three Lombardis (Tom Brady, Joe Montana). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1989 and entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
What Teams Did Bradshaw Play For?
Bradshaw spent his entire 14-year career with the Steelers. Buoyed by the “Steel Curtain” defense and a strong rushing attack, Bradshaw helped Pittsburgh to eight AFC Central titles.
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Ben Roethlisberger now holds nearly all of the Steelers’ passing records, but he played in 81 more games than Bradshaw and starred during a far more pass-friendly era of football. Bradshaw is second to Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh attempts, completions, yards, and touchdowns.
Bradshaw’s Career in TV
Bradshaw had served as a guest analyst for CBS Sports even before his playing career ended, and he signed a contract to join the network full-time once he retired. He was a game analyst until 1990, when he was promoted to studio analyst for The NFL Today.
Four years later, Bradshaw was one of FOX’s initial hires when they stepped into NFL coverage. Bradshaw has co-hosted FOX NFL Sunday for nearly 30 years, often serving as the comedic presence on the show. He has won three Sports Emmy Awards for his performance.
In addition to his work as a broadcaster, Bradshaw is also active in film and television. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he appeared in movies such as Hooper, The Cannonball Run, and Smokey and the Bandit II. Bradshaw returned to film in 2006 in Failure to Launch.
Bradshaw has made numerous cameo appearances on TV shows. He’s appeared as himself on Everybody Loves Raymond, Married…with Children, Modern Family, Malcolm and the Middle, and The League, among others.
What’s Bradshaw’s Net Worth?
Bradshaw’s net worth is believed to be in the range of $45 million.