by D Server

Created on: August 26, 2010

Terry Bradshaw has been a major figure in football for over 40 years. He was a star in high school in Louisiana, then in college at Louisiana Tech, then he played 14 years for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In retirement, he has been broadcasting NFL games for more than 25 years. Wherever he’s played or broadcast, he has reached the highest level possible.

About the only time Bradshaw didn’t get high marks was in high school. But, according to his story, he intentionally failed classes so he could get out of his commitment to LSU, where he didn’t think he would get enough playing time. No one except Bradshaw knows if that story is true, but he did get to play regularly at Louisiana Tech, where his talents made him the first choice of the 1970 draft. He was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers who had the first pick for the second straight year (they had drafted Mean Joe Greene with their first pick the year before)..

The fact that the Steelers had the top pick in the draft for two straight years should tell you how low their fortunes had fallen. But with Greene, Bradshaw and many more outstanding draft picks, the fortunes of the team soon turned dramatically. Within a few years, the Steelers added many more players destined for the Hall Of Fame, and it was not surprising that they became the dominant team of the decade, winning four Super Bowls.

In the early years of the Steelers’ dynasty, the offense featured the running attack, primarily with Franco Harris. With their great defense shutting down other teams, there was no need for Bradshaw at quarterback to take many chances. But as the seventies went by, the defense became a little less airtight and Franco Harris, though still effective, was not quite what he had been early in his career. Plus, the Steelers had two future Hall Of Fame receivers in Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, so the team started passing more. Bradshaw had always been known for his strong, powerful and accurate throwing arm and with the Steelers’ offense playing a much more wide-open game, he was able to display his considerable talents.

Age and injuries gradually caught up with Bradshaw as they did with the rest of the championship Steelers. Bradshaw’s last full year was 1982, when the Steelers had a strong team but lost in the playoffs to San Diego. Bradshaw only played sparingly in 1983, then he announced his retirement.

Terry Bradshaw was elected to the Hall Of Fame as soon as he was eligible, though this turned into a controversy. The NFL has a policy at their Hall Of Fame ceremonies which   allows a new inductee to choose someone to introduce them. Most players pick their coach, but Bradshaw intentionally shunned his coach, Chuck Noll, who had been in charge of the Steelers the whole time Bradshaw played there. Apparently, hard feelings had developed between the two over the years in Pittsburgh. So Bradshaw instead chose his broadcast partner at the time, Verne Lundquist. Considering all the success the coach and quarterback had with the Steelers, Bradshaw grew to regret that decision, but he and Noll have since patched up their differences.

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