Terry Bradshaw, now often heard behind the mic and whose voice streams through Fox NFL Sunday since its inception in 1994 and Thursday Night Football, serves a dual role as co-host and analyst.
Bradshaw, who feared that his mistakes would defenestrate him from the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL), ended up becoming the four-time Super Bowl-winning first-ever quarterback and NFL Hall of Fame.
Despite being tested on clinical wretchedness, he figured out how to lionize himself as a pre-prominent figure in the historical backdrop of the NFL.
Bradshaw was considered a tough competitor and known for having one of the most potent arms in NFL history, who passed more than 300 yards during his career.
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American professional football player who played as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons.
Mr. Bradshaw is a figure whose profession cannot be summarized as just a player because he also serves as a television host, game analyst, author, actor, and businessman.
In February 2023, Terry joked about dying on air ahead of the Super Bowl. He said, “I told FOX, if I could just die on the show, think about the ratings, right? That’d be huge.”
Today, let’s have a more profound look into the life of Terry Paxton Bradshaw.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Terry Paxton Bradshaw |
| Birth Date | September 2, 1948 |
| Birth Place | Shreveport, Louisiana, USA |
| Nick Name | The Blonde Bomber |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | English, German, Swiss, French, and Irish |
| Education | Louisiana Tech University |
| Horoscope | Virgo |
| Father’s Name | Bill Bradshaw |
| Mother’s Name | Nova Bradshaw |
| Siblings | Yes (Tommy Gary Bradshaw & William Craig Bradshaw) |
| Age | 75 Years Old |
| Height | 6’3″/1.91 m/191 cm |
| Weight | 100 kg/220 lb. |
| Football Number | 12 |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Position | Quarterback |
| Figure | Athletic |
| Married | Yes |
| Wife | Melissa Babish (1972–73, divorced) JoJo Starbuck (1976–83, divorced) Charla Hopkins (1983-99, divorced) Tammy (2014 – present) |
| Children | Yes ( Rachel Bradshaw & Erin Bradshaw) |
| Profession | Football Player, Television Personality |
| Net Worth | $45 million |
| Salary | $2 million per year (with Fox Network) |
| Currently Works At | NFL Studio |
| Affiliations | NFL |
| Social Media | |
| Merch | Jersey, Rookie Cards, Funko Pop, Autographed Football |
| Last Update | March 2024 |
Early Life, Family & Education
On September 2, 1948, Bradshaw was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, to Bill Bradshaw & Nova Bradshaw.
He has two brothers, Gary and Craig Bradshaw. Bradshaw’s family shifted to Camanche, Iowa, where Bradshaw set a goal to grow as a professional football player in his early childhood.
When he was a teenager, he returned to Shreveport with his family and went to Woodlawn High School.
A highly reputed collegiate football recruit later attended Louisiana Tech University, which changed his life forever.
Age, Height & Nationality
As of 2024, Bradshaw is 75 years old and celebrates his birthday on September 2. As he was born in Shreveport, he is a proud American.
The former NFL quarterback stands tall at 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 meters) and weighs around 100 kg (220 pounds).
Collegiate And Professional Career
College Career
Bradshaw chose to study at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston in 1966, where he broke all the primary school passing records in his four years.
In 1969, he got recognized by most professional scouts as the most exceptional college football player.
As a college football player, he was named to All-American First-team as he recorded 2,890 total yards and was ranked number in the NCAA. He graduated owning almost all Louisiana Tech passing records at the time.
The Steelers selected him as the first overall pick of the 1970 NFL Draft. Also, in 1970 Bradshaw received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement.
The former Louisiana Tech football player was inducted into the inaugural class of the Louisiana Tech sports hall of fame in 1984.
NFL Career
Pittsburgh Steelers And Super Bowl Championship
People bullied and called him “dumb” and the “Bayou Bumpkin” as he wrestled with the team.
However, he did not give up and managed to convince his opponents and bashers that he was a man of unassailable aptitudes by leading the Steelers to their first Super Bowl victory over the Minnesota Vikings in 1974.
Bradshaw was also the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player and the NFL Player of the Year.
Moreover, he extended his journey as the quarterback of the Steelers and won the Super Bowl MVP Award again in 1979 after defeating the Los Angeles Rams.
After Super Bowl XIV, the Steelers missed the playoffs for two straight seasons. Then, heartbreakingly, he started experiencing issues with his elbow.
Terry underwent elbow surgery and was idle for the first 14 games of the 1983 NFL season. He made his return in a game against the New York Jets, where he felt a pop in his elbow and never played again.
The Steelers have not retired the QB’s jersey as of 2024. Nevertheless, it is not worn by any other player either. Furthermore, the Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted Bradshaw in 1989.
Career Stats
| Year | GP | GS | Record | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | Int | Rate |
| Career | 168 | 158 | 107−51 | 3,901 | 27,989 | 7.2 | 212 | 210 | 70.9 |
Broadcasting Career, Author, Singer, And Actor
Bradshaw has been a guest commentator for CBS Sports over the years. He joined the network’s game analysts as soon as he retired. After working with CBS for ten years, Bradshaw signed with Fox Sports in 1994.
Terry, who emerged as one of the best commentators, is widely appreciated for his warm sense of humor.
Moreover, Bradshaw is an author, singer, actor, and motivational speaker.
He has written several bestsellers and recorded gospel and country music, which was a raving success in 1976. The former NFL player has likewise shown up in a few movies and TV programs.
Terry appeared in the live series of live ads for tide detergent with his Fox Sports co-host, Curt Menefee, where Bradshaw shows a shirt stain and then washes it with tide at the house of Jeffrey Tambor.
Besides television work, Bradshaw appeared in several movies like Hopper in 1978 and The Cannonball Run in 1981.
Furthermore, in 2016 and 2018, Bradshaw had a prominent role in the NBC reality travel series Better Late than Never, where he traveled worldwide.
On January 16, 2019, he was featured on the third episode of The Masked Singer to be the deer, and on January 2, 2020, he was on the season 8 premiere of Last Man Standing.
Terry and his family appeared in the new E! reality show ‘The Bradshaw Bunch’ on September 17, 2020.
Business career
During the initial days of his professional football career, neither he nor other football players could rely exclusively on football for a smooth salary.
Everyone had to do a side hustle to supplement their income. Likewise, Bradshaw was a used car salesman during those days.
In addition, Bradshaw sold peanut butter, advertising it with his name and picture in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The former NFL player entered the NASCAR world by joining hands with the HighLine Performance Group racing team in 2001.
He also launched a whiskey ‘Terry Bradshaw Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey collaborating with Silver Screen Bottling Company.
The former Steelers quarterback was also into real estate and the private jets market, but this region did not earn him any success.
Chronology
1948 Born September 12 in Shreveport, Louisiana1970 Graduates from Louisiana Technical University and is drafted number one by the Pittsburgh Steelers
1974 Victory in Super Bowl IX over the Minnesota Vikings
1975 Victory in Super Bowl X over the Dallas Cowboys
1978 Victory in Super Bowl XI over the Dallas Cowboys
1980 Victory in Super Bowl XIII over the Los Angeles Rams
1984 Retires from Steelers and joins CBS Sports as a game analyst
1989 Inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame
1995 Joins Fox NFL Sunday as host
Personal Life, Wife & Kids
Terry seems like he had a terrible marital affair, not just one time but three times. He was first married to 1969 Miss Teenage America, Melissa Babish, in 1972 and divorced in 1973.
Secondly, he married JoJo Starbuck in 1976 and got divorced in 1983. For the third time, he was married to his family attorney Charla Hopkins in 1983 and separated in 1999.
With Charla, Terry shares two children, Rachel and Erin Bradshaw. In 2014, he married Tammy, and they are happily living to the date. Bradshaw also has a third daughter, Lacey, not his biological daughter, though.
Lacey is the daughter of Tammy and her ex-husband. However, as seen in ” The Bradshaw Bunch, ” she has become an integral part of the family.
Bradshaw’s life took a negative turn after his NFL career ended. He confessed that he had frequent anxiety attacks after games. The issue worsened in the late 1990s after his third separation.
The divorce seems to have acted as an impetus in his life. Additionally, he experienced weight reduction, a sleeping disorder, and constant crying. Unfortunately, doctors diagnosed him with a mental disease, i.e., clinical depression.
In September 2022, Terry revealed he had been treated for bladder cancer and neck cancer between 2021 and 2022 during his appearance on Fox NFL Sunday.
Injuries And Struggle With Mental Health
The former NFL player has faced many injuries during his NFL career. In particular, he faced brain injuries that have had lasting effects on his life to this date.
Moreover, the quarterback suffered six concussions at the very least during his career. Now, he is an active advocate for other NFL players and suggests putting their physical and mental health before their NFL careers.
As a result of his brain injuries, the broadcaster has suffered memory loss, emotional problems, anxiety, and depression. He expressed how he felt helpless most of the time as he could not trust his own mind.
Besides that, in 2016, Bradshaw had knee replacement surgery after experiencing excruciating knee pain for a while. As a result, a MicroPort Evolution MP Knee System was installed by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) team.
Following the surgery, Terry expresses his gratefulness to the team and the President of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, C. Lowry Barnes, for taking great care of him.
Furthermore, he explained how his knee pain had completely disappeared and how easily he could climb up the stairs and even squat.
Controversies & Rumors
Terry hauled into a controversy in nexus to his statement regarding Reggie Bush in the NFL on Fox halftime show. He stated, “Look at this, Jimmy like he was chasing that bucket of chicken that the wind was blowing the other day.”
Many criticisms strolled that accused him of being a racist.
In January 2017, he was again dragged into a controversy as he told Mike Tomlin a “cheerleader.” However, he later apologized for the statement he made.
Relationship With Chuck Noll
Things were not good between Bradshaw and Steelers head coach Chuck Noll. Bradshaw claims that Noll was excessively cruel to him and never preferred him.
However, they had a truce in the late days of Chuck Noll. They were, by all means, alright with their issues publicly before the demise of Chuck Noll in 2014.
Net Worth, Salary, Endorsements & Income
Bradshaw joined CBS sports soon after his retirement to become an NFL analyst and is now a co-host of Fox NFL Sunday. He has an estimated net worth of $45 million.
Most of his fortune came from off the field through his different business ventures. He also makes his earning from different movie and TV appearances.
Terry, during his final NFL season, took home around $470k and now reportedly earns around $2 million a year for his work with Fox.
Furthermore, he earns through endorsements from companies like Ford, Tide, Nutrisystem, and MicroPort Orthopedics.
The former NFL player also buys a lot of jets and makes some extra cash by flipping jets.
Quotes
- Bad attitudes will ruin your team.
- I’m always happy-go-lucky, and people look at me and find it shocking that I could be depressed.
- You’ve got to stand up and do your own battles. My daddy taught me that a long time ago that you fight your own battles. The only way to shut everybody up is to win.
Social Media Presence
Some sites claim Bradshaw’s availability on Twitter, but presently, he seems to be not much engaged in social media except for Facebook.
He is available on Facebook under the username ‘Official Terry Bradshaw.’
Popularity
The former NFL player, analyst, host, and businessman has garnered a lot of fans worldwide.
The above graph gives brief information about the popularity of Terry Bradshaw based on Google searches in the United States over a year.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Terry Bradshaw's madden rating?
Since he is not an active player anymore, his madden ratings are not published. Furthermore, his previous ratings are also not available.
Is Terry Bradshaw the hitting coach of the Kansas City Royals?
No, the former NFL player is not the hitting coach of the MLB team Kansas City Royals. However, a former baseball player with the same name was the Royals' hitting coach from 2018-2022.
