Terry Bradshaw

Terry Bradshaw is a legend in the NFL and for Pittsburgh Steelers fans. The dynamic quarterback was known for his powerful arm which helped set the Steelers’ domination in the NFL during the 1970s. The four-time Super Bowl champion quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers and member of the NFL Hall of Fame, Terry Bradshaw, is largely regarded as the top NFL studio personality in the present day. He co-hosts and provides analysis on FOX NFL SUNDAY and THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL. Outside of football, Bradshaw has pursued a successful acting career, appearing in movies such as ‘Failure to Launch’.

Terry Bradshaw’s Early Life and Background

Bradshaw was born in 1948 to Novis and William Marvin "Bill" Bradshaw in Shreveport, Louisiana. Bradshaw also has two brothers: Craig, his younger brother, and Gary, his older brother. His family lived in Camanche, Iowa, where he first set out to become a professional football player. Bradshaw visited Shreveport once again with his family when he was a teenager.

He attended Woodlawn High School there, played for assistant coach A. L. Williams' Knights, and guided them to the AAA state title game in 1965. However, they fell short of the Sulphur Golden Tornadoes, losing 12-9. He established a national record for javelin throwing at Woodlawn, going 245 feet (74.68 meters), and for his achievements, he was included in a Sports Illustrated article, 'Faces in the Crowd'.

Bradshaw decided to attend Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. He was initially a second-choice quarterback to Phil ‘Roxie’ Robertson. He was a second choice for two seasons before being hailed as one of the best prospects in college football (1969). He led his team to a 9-2 record and a 33-13 victory over Akron in the Rice Bowl as a junior in 1968, compiling 2,890 total yards, and ranking first in the NCAA. He was third in the NCAA in yardage during his senior year with 2,314 and helped his team to an 8-2 record. His output decreased mostly due to the fact that his squad only played 10 games that season and that he was substituted out of numerous games in the second half after his side had established sizable leads. Bradshaw left Louisiana Tech with almost every passing record at the time. Bradshaw was given the American Academy of Achievement's Golden Plate Award in 1970. He was admitted to the Louisiana Tech athletics hall of fame's first class in 1984. He was admitted into Louisiana's sports hall of fame four years later.

Terry Bradshaw NFL Draft

Terry Bradshaw was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970 NFL Draft as the first pick in the first round. Bradshaw was deemed to be a unanimous choice for the first pick of the Draft, owing to his exemplary performances in college. The Steelers had drawn the first pick in the draft after winning a coin flip tiebreaker with the Chicago Bears due to the teams having identical 1–13 records in 1969.

Terry Bradshaw’s NFL Journey

Bradshaw became the starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1971, after spending his rookie season sharing spots with Terry Hanratty. Bradshaw needed a few seasons to get used to the NFL, but he eventually helped the Steelers win four Super Bowls and eight AFC Central championships. The "Steel Curtain" defense and a potent ground game led by Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier were strengths of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Bradshaw's strong arm allowed them the ability to threaten opponents' defenses with deep passes. One of the most well-known plays in NFL history was the "Immaculate Reception" pass he fired to Franco Harris in 1972 to defeat the Raiders in the AFC Divisional Playoffs. Joe Gilliam briefly replaced Bradshaw as the starter in 1974, but he regained it throughout the regular season. His touchdown throw to Lynn Swann in the fourth quarter of the 1974 AFC Championship Game against the Oakland Raiders proved to be the game's deciding point as the team won 24-13. Bradshaw completed 9 of 14 passes in the Steelers' 16-6 victory against the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX. His fourth-quarter touchdown throw effectively ended the game and helped the Steelers win their first Super Bowl. After the 1975 season, Bradshaw passed for 209 yards in Super Bowl X, most of it to Swann, helping the Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Dallas Cowboys 21-17. NFL Films named his late-game split-second64-yard touchdown throw to Swann in the fourth quarter as the "Greatest Throw of All Time" before defensive lineman Larry Cole crushed him.

Bradshaw missed four games in 1976 as a result of wrist and neck problems. Bradshaw's best season came in 1978, the year the Associated Press awarded him the NFL's Most Valuable Player after he completed 207 of 368 passes for 2,915 yards and a league-high 28 touchdown passes. Despite throwing 20 interceptions that season, he was also awarded All-Pro and All-AFC. After winning Super Bowl XIII, in Super Bowl XIV in 1979, Bradshaw received the MVP award for the second time in a row. He defeated the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 31-19 while passing for 309 yards and two touchdowns. With Pittsburgh behind 19-17 early in the fourth quarter, Bradshaw once more looked to the big throw to help his team come out on top: a 73-yard touchdown pass to John Stallworth. In a 1982 NFL season that was cut short by a strike, Bradshaw played through agony despite needing a cortisone shot prior to every game due to an elbow injury he acquired during training camp. With 17 touchdown passes, he still managed to tie for the league lead. Bradshaw's final postseason contest, a 31-28 playoff defeat to the San Diego Chargers, saw him complete 28 of 39 passes for 325 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Bradshaw had to cut his career short in the 1983 NFL season after undergoing elbow surgery. He missed a large part of the season and finally announced his retirement at the end of it, which was a surprise to the Steelers also. Although the Steelers have not officially retired Bradshaw's number 12, they have not reissued it since his retirement; it is understood that no Steeler will ever wear it again.

Terry Bradshaw’s Teams

Pittsburgh Steelers (1970-1983)

Pro Football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw redefined his role as a quarterback. Bradshaw is a Pittsburgh Steelers legend and is famous for calling his own plays throughout his career. Drafted in 1970 by the Steelers, Bradshaw went on to win four Super Bowls with them in his 13-year career. Bradshaw won Super Bowl IX (1975), Super Bowl X (1976), Super Bowl XIII (1979), and Super Bowl XIV (1980). Bradshaw helped the Steelers reach 10 NFL playoffs.

In postseason games, Bradshaw was at his best. He led Pittsburgh to Super Bowl victories over Minnesota (16–6 in 1975), Dallas (21–17 in 1976), Dallas (35–31 in 1979), Dallas (31–19 in 1980), and Los Angeles Rams (31–19 in 1975). This gave him a perfect 4-0 record in Super Bowl competition. He completed 49 of 84 passes attempted over those four spectacular outings, nine of them for touchdowns, for 932 yards (third all-time), and just three were intercepted.

He continues to maintain the Super Bowl passing record for a game's average gain (14.71 yards in Super Bowl XIV vs. Los Angeles, in which he completed 21 passes for 309 yards).

Following the 1978 season, the Maxwell Club of Philadelphia, "Sport Magazine," and the Associated Press all awarded Bradshaw the NFL Player of the Year.

He and Willie Stargell of the Pittsburgh Pirates split the 1979 Man of the Year honor from Sports Illustrated. Bradshaw's first year of eligibility saw him elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

Terry Bradshaw Awards and Honors

Awards

Terry Bradshaw's Super Bowl wins

Bradshaw has won a total of four Super Bowls. He participated in all of his Super Bowl victories with the Pittsburgh Steelers, helping them to their first-ever championship. Bradshaw earned a perfect record in his four Super Bowl appearances. His Super Bowl throwing record stands at 932 yards, 49 completions from 84 attempts, and 9 touchdown passes.

Read more about Terry Bradshaw’s Super Bowl wins here

Terry Bradshaw's Net Worth

Terry Bradshaw has had an illustrious career in the NFL and has also pursued a broadcasting and acting career. He has accumulated a net worth of $45 million. They include his NFL salary and fees from acting and TV broadcasting.

Get an in depth look into Terry Bradshaw’s Net Worth, here

Terry Bradshaw Contract

Terry Bradshaw’s exact contract details with the Steelers are not available. However, he signed with the Steelers for $25,000 back in 1970. He received a $5000 raise in his second year and a bonus worth $100,000 which was spread over 10 years. In his final NFL season, he had a huge contract worth $470,000. He is estimated to earn $5 million a year from his contract with FOX.

Terry Bradshaw Family

Tammy Bradshaw and Terry Bradshaw have been together in matrimony since 2014.

His fourth wife is Tammy. From 1972 to 1973, he was married to Melissa Babish in his first marriage. With figure skater JoJo Starbuck, he once more discovered love. She and he were wed from 1976 until 1983. He later wed Charla Hopkins, a family lawyer. From 1983 through 1999, they lived together. They got divorced before the year 2000. Bradshaw got medical treatment for depression following this divorce. He has been candid about his difficulties.

He once more fell in love in 1999. It was his present wife Tammy this time. After spending 15 years together, they were married in Hawaii in 2014.

Terry and Tammy Bradshaw have three children between them, all daughters. He has two daughters from his previous marriage to Charla Hopkins.

His eldest daughter, Rachel, is a successful country music artist. She has won many awards and received a lot of acclaim. Erin, the younger daughter, has achieved success on her own.

She fell in love with horseback riding while hanging out with Terry Bradshaw at his ranch and turned it into a career. 2010 saw her win a world championship on John Simon, a stud horse.

It's not Terry Bradshaw's biological daughter who is their third child. She is Tammy and her ex-husband’s child.