Bill Bradley (football player)
Encyclopedia
William Calvin "Bill" Bradley (born January 24, 1947 in Palestine, Texas
) is an American football
coach and former defensive back
in the National Football League
. He played with the Philadelphia Eagles
for most of his career. He is currently the secondary coach for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League.
, Bradley was a renowned quarterback
at Palestine High School
, where his running and passing skills gained him selection as a high school All-America
n. His remarkable talents, including the reputed ability to pass with either hand, earned him the nickname "Super Bill."
in 1965 and joined Lambda Chi Alpha
Fraternity, with great expectations and became the starting
quarterback in 1966 as a sophomore. While a good running quarterback, he was never able to play up to his vaunted nickname, and eventually he was replaced at quarterback by James Street
, who became a legend in his own right, coinciding with Texas's switch to the wishbone formation
on offense. After a brief trial at wide receiver
, he found his true calling at defensive back.
Bradley recorded a Texas
single-game record of four interceptions in the Longhorns' 35-14 win over Texas A&M
as a senior, a mark that still stands as the best-ever by a Southwest Conference performer. He played in the 1969 Hula Bowl
, the Coaches All-America Game and the College All-Star Game
. Bradley earned UT's 1968 D.H. Byrd Leadership Award.
in the third round of the 1969 NFL Draft
by the Philadelphia Eagles
. He went on to earn three All-Pro
selections (1971–73) at free safety, including first team All-Pro in 1971 and 1972. In addition, he served as the Eagles' punter
, punt returner
, and kick returner
. As a savvy free safety with great range, Bradley led the NFL in interceptions in both 1971 (11) and 1972 (9), the first player ever to lead the league in interceptions in consecutive seasons, a feat matched only once since. In 1971, he also lead the NFL in yards after an interception with 248. But these achievements did not draw widespread attention, because the Eagle win-lost-tie record for those 2 years was 6-7-1 and 2-11-1. He played his final year as the Eagle free safety in 1976, replaced by John Sanders (American football), ending his career as a punt and kick returner for the St. Louis Cardinals
the following year.
Bradley is a member of the Texas High School, University of Texas, Philadelphia Eagles and Texas Sports Halls of Fame.
, New York Jets
and the San Diego Chargers
in the National Football League
.
He was defensive coordinator
at Baylor University
from 2004 until 2006, where he worked under head coach
Guy Morriss
, a former teammate with the Philadelphia Eagles.
During 2009 and 2010, he was the secondary coach for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League.
Palestine, Texas
Palestine is a city in Anderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,598, and 18,458 in the 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Anderson County and is situated in East Texas...
) is an American football
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...
coach and former defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
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...
. He played with the Philadelphia 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...
for most of his career. He is currently the secondary coach for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League.
Early years
A native of Palestine, TexasPalestine, Texas
Palestine is a city in Anderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,598, and 18,458 in the 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Anderson County and is situated in East Texas...
, Bradley was a renowned 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...
at Palestine High School
Palestine Independent School District
Palestine Independent School District is a public school district based in Palestine, Texas that serves approximately 3,500 students in central Anderson County....
, where his running and passing skills gained him selection as a high school All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n. His remarkable talents, including the reputed ability to pass with either hand, earned him the nickname "Super Bill."
College career
He entered the University of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
in 1965 and joined Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's secret general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 280,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole, while he was a...
Fraternity, with great expectations and became the starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
quarterback in 1966 as a sophomore. While a good running quarterback, he was never able to play up to his vaunted nickname, and eventually he was replaced at quarterback by James Street
James Street (quarterback)
James Street is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at the University of Texas at Austin from 1966-1969...
, who became a legend in his own right, coinciding with Texas's switch to the wishbone formation
Wishbone formation
The wishbone formation, also known simply as the ’bone, is an offensive formation in American football. The style of attack to which it gives rise is known as the wishbone offense...
on offense. After a brief trial at wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, he found his true calling at defensive back.
Bradley recorded a Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
single-game record of four interceptions in the Longhorns' 35-14 win over Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies football
The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in college football. The Aggies have competed in the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. They will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012. Texas A&M football has earned one national title and 18...
as a senior, a mark that still stands as the best-ever by a Southwest Conference performer. He played in the 1969 Hula Bowl
Hula Bowl
The Hula Bowl was an independently administered post-season invitational college football game held each year in Hawaii from 1947 to 2008. The game was last played at Aloha Stadium in the Hālawa district of Honolulu, Hawaii. At one point the longest-running sporting event in Hawaii, it had been...
, the Coaches All-America Game and the College All-Star Game
College All-Star Game
The Chicago Charities College All-Star Game was a preseason American football game played annually from 1934 to 1976 between the National Football League champions and a team of star college seniors from the previous year...
. Bradley earned UT's 1968 D.H. Byrd Leadership Award.
NFL career
Bradley was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the third round of the 1969 NFL Draft
1969 NFL Draft
The 1969 National Football League Draft was part of the Common Draft, the third and final year in which the NFL and American Football League held a joint draft of college players. The draft took place on January 28–29, 1969....
by the Philadelphia 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...
. He went on to earn three 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...
selections (1971–73) at free safety, including first team All-Pro in 1971 and 1972. In addition, he served as the Eagles' punter
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
, punt returner
Punt returner
Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while...
, and kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
. As a savvy free safety with great range, Bradley led the NFL in interceptions in both 1971 (11) and 1972 (9), the first player ever to lead the league in interceptions in consecutive seasons, a feat matched only once since. In 1971, he also lead the NFL in yards after an interception with 248. But these achievements did not draw widespread attention, because the Eagle win-lost-tie record for those 2 years was 6-7-1 and 2-11-1. He played his final year as the Eagle free safety in 1976, replaced by John Sanders (American football), ending his career as a punt and kick returner for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
the following year.
Bradley is a member of the Texas High School, University of Texas, Philadelphia Eagles and Texas Sports Halls of Fame.
Coaching career
Bradley's first coaching assignment was as defensive backs coach for the San Antonio Gunslingers of the United States Football League in 1984-1985. He served as defensive backs coach for the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 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...
and 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...
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...
.
He was defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
from 2004 until 2006, where he worked under head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Guy Morriss
Guy Morriss
Guy W. Morriss is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Texas A&M University–Commerce, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Morriss served as the head football coach at the University of Kentucky for two seasons and at Baylor...
, a former teammate with the Philadelphia Eagles.
During 2009 and 2010, he was the secondary coach for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League.