Sam Bradford
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Samuel Jacob Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is a former
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Am ...
who played in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...
(NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the St. Louis Rams and
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
. He was also a member of the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
and
Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play th ...
. Bradford attended
Putnam City North High School Putnam City North High School (PCN, PC North) is a public high school situated in Northwest Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States It is accredited by the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and is one of three high schools in the ...
in
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
, where he starred in football, basketball and golf. As a senior quarterback in 2005, he threw for 2,029 yards and 17
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s in 12 games. Bradford was not highly recruited coming out of high school, but he did receive a scholarship offer from the
University of Oklahoma , mottoeng = "For the benefit of the Citizen and the State" , type = Public research university , established = , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.7billion (2021) , pr ...
, which he accepted. After a redshirt season in 2006, Bradford threw for 3,121 yards and 36 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman. In 2008, Bradford became only the second sophomore to win the
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and har ...
as he led the highest-scoring offense in
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
history, passing for 4,720 yards with 50 touchdowns and just eight
interception In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team ...
s. He again led the nation in passing and also added five rushing touchdowns as the Sooners went 12–1 and advanced to the BCS national title game. Bradford declared for the NFL Draft following the 2009 season and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams with the first overall selection in the
2010 NFL Draft The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, with the fir ...
. That year, Bradford set the record for most completions by a rookie in NFL history, which helped earn him the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Prior to the start of the 2015 season, the Rams traded Bradford along with a 2015 fifth round pick to the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
in exchange for quarterback Nick Foles, a 2015 fourth-round pick, and a 2016 second-round pick. Following his 2015 campaign with the Eagles, in which he set career-highs in passing yards (3,725), completion percentage (65%) and yards per attempt (7.0),
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
acquired Bradford after their starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was lost to a season-ending knee injury before the start of the season. Bradford signed with the
Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play th ...
in 2018 and started three games, but was replaced by rookie Josh Rosen and eventually released.


Early years

Bradford was born to Kent and Martha Bradford in
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
,
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
. He attended
Putnam City North High School Putnam City North High School (PCN, PC North) is a public high school situated in Northwest Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States It is accredited by the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and is one of three high schools in the ...
in Oklahoma City, where he starred in
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...
,
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
,
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
, and
golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
for the Putnam City North Panthers. Bradford played as a
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...
in baseball, but gave up baseball after his freshman year. He earned All-City honors as a junior
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Am ...
in football by ''The Oklahoman''. Following his senior season in which he threw for 2,029 yards and 17
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s in 12 games, Bradford was named to the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State Team and was a Second-Team All-State pick by ''
The Oklahoman ''The Oklahoman'' is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, United States, and is the only regional daily that covers the Greater Oklahoma City area. The Alliance for Audited Media (formerly Audit Bureau Circulation) lists it as the 59th large ...
''. Bradford was also a Division I-caliber basketball player. As a senior, he averaged 18.6
points Point or points may refer to: Places * Point, Lewis, a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland * Point, Texas, a city in Rains County, Texas, United States * Point, the NE tip and a ferry terminal of Lismore, Inner Hebrides, Scotland * Points ...
and 10.5
rebounds 'Rebound' is a term used in sports to describe the ball (or puck or other object of play) becoming available for possession by either opponent after an attempt to put the ball or puck into the goal has been unsuccessful. Rebounds are generally ...
per game and played on the same elite AAU team as fellow
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
native and NBA star Blake Griffin. In golf, Bradford defeated future PGA touring pros
Kevin Tway --> , death_place = , height = , weight = , nationality = , residence = Edmond, Oklahoma , spouse = , partner = , children = , college = Oklahoma St ...
and
Robert Streb Robert Streb (born April 7, 1987) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour where he has been a member since 2013. Streb was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma, and earned All-American honors while playing collegiate golf at Kansas ...
during his high school career. In addition to the aforementioned sports, Bradford also played
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice ...
in his youth. In 1999, when Bradford was 12, his travel team, the Junior Blazers, won a regional championship, beating a team from Houston. He quit the sport that same year, and according to his former hockey coach Mike McEwen, who played on three
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
championship teams with the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conferenc ...
, Bradford had the talent to make it in the NHL. McEwen also said that Bradford was one of the best players he ever coached. In the spring of 2005, by the end of Bradford's junior season, he garnered interest from several Division I football programs, including
Stanford Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. S ...
,
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
,
Texas Tech Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
, and nearby Oklahoma. Following his senior season, Bradford was viewed as a two-to-three-star recruit (out of five) and was not that highly ranked among the high school class of 2006, with his highest ranking being No. 12 among only pro-style quarterbacks by recruiting source '' Rivals.com''. Bradford was ranked behind Pat Devlin, "Juice" Williams and
Josh Freeman Joshua Tyler Freeman (born January 13, 1988) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Kansas State University, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Freeman became t ...
, and was overshadowed by five-star recruits such as Mitch Mustain, Matthew Stafford and Tim Tebow.


College career


Freshman season

Bradford received an
athletic scholarship An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university or a private high school awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport. Athletic scholarships are common in the United ...
to attend the
University of Oklahoma , mottoeng = "For the benefit of the Citizen and the State" , type = Public research university , established = , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.7billion (2021) , pr ...
, where he played for coach
Bob Stoops Robert Anthony Stoops (born September 9, 1960) is an American football coach. He was the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1999 through the 2016 season, and on an interim basis during the 2021 Alamo Bowl. He led the Oklahom ...
's
Oklahoma Sooners football The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma (variously "Oklahoma" or "OU"). The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is in Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (for ...
team. He redshirted as a freshman in 2006. The same year, Oklahoma's starting quarterback Rhett Bomar, then a sophomore, was dismissed from the team for violating
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
rules. Paul Thompson, a senior quarterback-turned- wide receiver, converted back to quarterback and led the 2006 Oklahoma Sooners football team to win the
Big 12 Championship Game The Big 12 Championship Game is a college football game held by the Big 12 Conference between the best and the second-best Big 12 team. The game was played each year since the conference's formation in 1996 until 2010 and returned during the 201 ...
. His departure left a void at the quarterback position at Oklahoma. Six players on the roster tried out for the starting position during the following off-season, including three
walk-on Walk On may refer to: Music * ''Walk On'', a 1994 album by Boston, and its title song Albums * ''Walk On'' (Boston album), 1994 * ''Walk On'' (John Hiatt album), 1995 * ''Walk On'' (Randy Johnston album), 1992 *''Walk On'', a 2007 album by ...
quarterbacks,
true freshman Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically, a student's athletic eligibility in a given sport is four seasons, aligning with the ...
Keith Nichol (a Rivals.com 4-star recruit and 6th-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the 2007 recruiting class, who later transferred to
Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It ...
), junior Joey Halzle (the only one with game experience), and Bradford. On August 21, 2007, Bradford won the starting quarterback role for the 2007 team. In his first game for the Sooners, against the
University of North Texas The University of North Texas (UNT) is a public research university in Denton, Texas. It was founded as a nonsectarian, coeducational, private teachers college in 1890 and was formally adopted by the state 11 years later."Denton Normal School, ...
, Bradford completed 21 of 23 passing attempts for 363 yards and three touchdowns in a little over two quarters, breaking the school record for passing yards in a half, held by his
quarterback coach In American football, a position coach is a team official in charge of coaching a specific position group. Position coaches have more specialized duties than the head coach, assistant coach, and the offensive and defensive coordinators. Common ...
Josh Heupel, with 350. The very next game, Bradford broke
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and har ...
winner Jason White's school record for most consecutive pass completions with 22 (18 came in the first half and 4 at the start of the second). In the second week of the 2007 season, Bradford was named the college national offensive player of the week by the
Walter Camp Football Foundation The Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The organization also presents various awards. It is named in honor of fo ...
after tying the school record for most touchdown passes in a game with five. Having thrown 25 touchdowns through his first nine games, Bradford was on pace to break the NCAA freshman record of 29 touchdowns set by David Neill in 1998 and tied by Colt McCoy in 2006. In the November 17, 2007, game against
Texas Tech Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
, Bradford suffered a
concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration ...
. He was removed from the game and replaced by back-up quarterback Joey Halzle. The Sooners lost the game, 27–34. Bradford was able to play in the
Bedlam Bedlam, a word for an environment of insanity, is a term that may refer to: Places * Bedlam, North Yorkshire, a village in England * Bedlam, Shropshire, a small hamlet in England * Bethlem Royal Hospital, a London psychiatric institution and the ...
game against
Oklahoma State Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, ...
a week later. During the game against the
Oklahoma State Cowboys The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Cowgirls are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University, located in Stillwater. The program's mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates at the National Col ...
, Bradford broke the NCAA freshman record of 29 touchdowns by passing his 30th touchdown to Joe Jon Finley during the second quarter. At the
Missouri Tigers The Missouri Tigers intercollegiate athletics programs represent the University of Missouri, located in Columbia. The name comes from a band of armed Union Home Guards called the Fighting Tigers of Columbia who, in 1864, protected Columbia fro ...
game, Bradford threw for 209 yards and 0 interceptions. He was 18–26 and threw for two touchdowns. The Sooners won the Big 12 Championship after defeating Missouri for the second time in a season. The Sooners played the
West Virginia Mountaineers The West Virginia Mountaineers are the athletic teams that represent West Virginia University, an American university located in Morgantown, West Virginia. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I. The Mou ...
in the
Fiesta Bowl The Fiesta Bowl is an American college football bowl game played annually in the Phoenix metropolitan area. From its beginning in 1971 until 2006, the game was hosted at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Since 2007, the game has been pl ...
on January 2, 2008, and lost 48–28.


Sophomore season

The following season Bradford surpassed quarterback coach Josh Heupel's school record for passing yards in a single game with 468 yards. Bradford led the Sooners to their third straight Big 12 Championship and defeated Missouri 62–21. In the process, the Sooners broke
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
's 2006 record for the most points in a single season with 702 points. Also, the Sooners were the first team in NCAA history to score 60 or more points in five straight games. Oklahoma finished the 2008 regular season with a 12–1 record, ranking #2 in the AP Poll and #1 in the BCS Standings. The Sooners earned a trip to play
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...
at the 2009 BCS National Championship Game. Bradford turned in one of the best seasons ever by a quarterback, passing for 4,720 yards with 50 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. After the regular season, Bradford captured the
Davey O'Brien Award The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National C ...
and the Heisman Trophy, awarded to the best player in college football. He is the second sophomore, after 2007 winner Tim Tebow of the University of Florida, to receive the Heisman; he also became the fifth University of Oklahoma player, as well as the second person of Native American descent to capture the trophy after Jim Plunkett. Bradford received 1,726 total points while the other finalists, Colt McCoy, of the
University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...
, and Tim Tebow, received 1,604 and 1,575, respectively. Tebow, however, collected more first-place votes, 309, while Bradford got 300. Bradford got the most points thanks to the help of his 315 second-place votes. A total of 926 voters participated in the balloting. When combined with Blake Griffin's Naismith Award,
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
became the first school to have a winner in both top basketball and football individual awards in the same year. Bradford was also voted Associated Press College Football Player of the Year. Bradford received 27 votes, again beating McCoy (17 votes) and Tim Tebow (16 votes). Bradford is the third Oklahoma Sooner to win the award, joining Josh Heupel (2000) and Jason White (2003). Heupel and White were also quarterbacks, with Heupel being the current quarterbacks coach for Oklahoma. Bradford faced
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...
, led by Tebow, in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game. He threw 26-of-41 passes for 256 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, as Florida won the game 24–14.


Junior season

Bradford announced that he would forgo the
2009 NFL Draft The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 25 and 26, 2009. ...
to return to Oklahoma for his junior season. In the Sooners' first game of the season (against
Brigham Young Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his death in 1877. During his time as chu ...
), Bradford suffered a third-degree
AC joint The acromioclavicular joint, or AC joint, is a joint at the top of the shoulder. It is the junction between the acromion (part of the scapula that forms the highest point of the shoulder) and the clavicle. It is a plane synovial joint. Structure ...
sprain one play after becoming Oklahoma's all-time passing leader. Playing without Bradford for the second half of the game, Oklahoma went on to lose 14–13. Bradford was scheduled to return in about three to six weeks. After missing three weeks, Bradford returned to the field during the Baylor game, and completed 27 of 49 passes for 389 yards and one touchdown, leading the Sooners to a 33–7 victory. Bradford re-injured his right shoulder on October 17, 2009, in the
Red River Rivalry The Oklahoma–Texas football rivalry is a college football rivalry game between border rivals Oklahoma and Texas. The two teams first played each other in 1900, and the rivalry has been renewed annually and uninterrupted since 1929 for a tot ...
against
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
on the second drive of the game. It was later announced that he would undergo season-ending shoulder surgery and enter the
2010 NFL Draft The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, with the fir ...
.


Awards and honors

* 2007 ''
Sporting News The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
'' Freshman of the Year * 2007 Second-team All-American by Sporting News * 2007 Honorable mention All-American * 2007 All-
Big 12 The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its f ...
honorable mention by the league's coaches * 2007 All-Big 12 Academic Team * 2008 Second-team Academic All-American by ''
ESPN the Magazine ''ESPN The Magazine'' was an American monthly sports magazine published by the ESPN sports network in Bristol, Connecticut. The first issue was published on March 11, 1998. Initially published every other week, it scaled back to 24 issues a year ...
'' * 2008 All-Big 12 Academic Team * 2008 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year as named by the league's coaches * 2008 First-team All-American * 2008
Davey O'Brien Award The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National C ...
Winner * 2008
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and har ...
winner * 2008 Associated Press College Football Player of the Year * 2008
Sammy Baugh Trophy The Touchdown Club of Columbus was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1956 by Sam B. Nicola at the request of state auditor James A. Rhodes, who later became governor of the state. Nicola served as the club's president until his death in 1993. More t ...
* 2008 co- ''Sporting News'' Player of the Year * 2008 Harley Award * 2008 Touchdown Club of Columbus Quarterback of the Year


Statistics


Professional career


Pre-draft

Although he likely would have been one of the first quarterbacks taken in the 2009 NFL Draft, Bradford decided to return to Oklahoma for his junior season in January 2009. Shortly after the 2009 draft, he was projected as the No. 1 prospect for the 2010 NFL Draft. On October 25, 2009, Bradford announced he would forgo his final year at Oklahoma and enter the draft. Commonly considered one of the top prospects available, Bradford was projected as high as the No. 1 overall pick for most of the preseason and the early part of the
regular season In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of ...
. Because of his shoulder injury, Bradford did not throw at the 2010
NFL Combine The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase occurring every February at Lucas Oil Stadium (and formerly at the RCA Dome until 2008) in Indianapolis, where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Foo ...
, however he was measured and participated in interviews and medical examinations. He was measured at 6 ft 4¼ in (1.94 m) and 236 lb (107 kg), about 15 lb (6.8 kg) above his college playing weight. Bradford scored 36 out of 50 on the
Wonderlic test The Wonderlic Contemporary Cognitive Ability Test (formerly Wonderlic Personnel Test) is an assessment used to measure the cognitive ability and problem-solving aptitude of prospective employees for a range of occupations. It is a proprietary ...
, well above the average of 28.5 for the 30 NFL quarterbacks slated to start in 2010. On March 19, Bradford met with the St. Louis Rams, who held the first overall pick, general manager Billy Devaney and
offensive coordinator An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of an American football or Canadian football team who is in charge of the team's offense. Generally, along with the defensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator, this coach r ...
Pat Shurmur in
Pensacola, Florida Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal c ...
, where he had been training and rehabbing since undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder.


St. Louis Rams


2010 season

In early Spring, Bradford met with Thom Goudy, a professional development coach in St. Louis, Missouri. Goudy helped Bradford with his pocket technique. Bradford spent three weeks in his training camp before starting the summer conditioning camp. On April 22, 2010, Bradford was selected by the St. Louis Rams as the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. It was the first time the Rams selected a quarterback in the first round of a draft since the selection of
Bill Munson William Alan Munson (August 11, 1941 – July 10, 2000) was an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1964 through 1979. He also played college football for Utah State where he set multiple passing re ...
in the 1964 NFL Draft. Bradford was the first No. 1 pick out of Oklahoma since Billy Sims was selected top overall by the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at For ...
in the 1980 NFL Draft. Bradford chose the #8 in honor to
Troy Aikman Troy Kenneth Aikman (born November 21, 1966) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. After transferring from Oklahoma, he played college football at UCLA, ...
who also attended Oklahoma before transferring to UCLA. On July 30, 2010, Bradford signed a six-year, $78 million deal, which had $50 million of guarantees and a maximum value of $86 million which made it the largest contract ever for an NFL rookie. In the preseason opener against the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
on August 14, Bradford went 6-of-13 for 57 yards and was also sacked 3 times in a Rams loss. After another unimpressive showing against the Browns in his second game, Bradford had a better performance against the Patriots in the third game of the preseason. He got his first start in place of the injured A. J. Feeley, throwing two first half touchdowns and helping lead the Rams to a 36–35 victory. He competed for the starting quarterback position with Feeley and on September 4, Bradford was named the starting quarterback for the 2010 season opener. On September 12, 2010, in his first regular season game as the starting quarterback for the Rams, Bradford completed 32 of 55 passes for 253 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions in a 17–13 loss to the
Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play th ...
. His first NFL touchdown came on a 1-yard pass to Laurent Robinson. Two weeks later, he then achieved his first victory as an NFL starter when the Rams defeated the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) ...
in an upset by a score of 30–16, which snapped a 13-game overall home losing streak. The next week, he passed for 289 yards and two touchdowns in leading the Rams over the Seahawks, 20–3. This was their first win in a division game since November 2007. In Week 8 against the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
, Bradford connected on 25 of 32 passes, two of them for touchdowns. In his first eight games, he scored eleven touchdowns, which tied an NFL record—held by
Dan Marino Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. (born September 15, 1961) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. After a successful college career at Pittsburgh and b ...
(),
Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with ...
(), and Ben Roethlisberger ()—for over that span by a rookie since the
AFL–NFL merger The AFL–NFL merger was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). It paved the way for the combined league, w ...
in 1970. Bradford went 3–2 as a starter in October, passing for 1,019 yards and 7 touchdowns against 3 interceptions. He was named the NFL's offensive rookie of the month. During October and November, he established a record for most consecutive passes without an interception for a rookie (169), which ended with an interception by William Moore in a home game against the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcon ...
on November 21. On November 28, 2010, against the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
, Bradford became the first rookie in NFL history to pass for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions during a road victory. He capped November by becoming the first rookie quarterback to win two consecutive Offensive Rookie of the Month awards. On December 26, Bradford surpassed Peyton Manning's record for most completed passes by an NFL rookie quarterback (326). Bradford finished the season with 354 completions out of 590 attempts, surpassing Manning's record of 575 for most attempts by an NFL rookie quarterback. Bradford became just the third rookie quarterback to start all 16 regular season games and pass over 3,000 passing yards, joining Peyton Manning and Matt Ryan. He was named to the
PFWA All-Rookie Team Following each National Football League (NFL) season, the Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA) compiles an honorary All-Rookie Team to recognize that season's most outstanding rookies at each position as adjudged by sportswriters of the PFWA. T ...
, becoming the fourth Rams quarterback to claim this award, joining
Dieter Brock Ralph Dieter Brock (born February 12, 1951) is a former Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL) player and coach. He is best remembered as the quarterback for the CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers where he led the league in pa ...
(1985),
Jim Everett James Samuel Everett III (born January 3, 1963) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football for the Purdue Boilerma ...
(1986), & Tony Banks.


2011 season

Coming into the 2011 season, expectations were high for the St. Louis Rams and Bradford. After going 4–0 in the preseason, it appeared as if they would be fulfilled, but once the regular season happened injuries ravaged the roster. A high ankle sprain bothered Bradford for the majority of the year and he finished with 2,164 passing yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions. The team went 1–9 in games he appeared in and had a 2–14 record overall.


2012 season

During the off-season, there was much speculation that the Rams would select Heisman Trophy winner and former Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. But new head coach Jeff Fisher instilled hope that Bradford was still the Rams franchise quarterback, solidifying this hope when the Rams later reached a deal with the Washington Redskins for the 2nd overall selection in the
2012 NFL Draft The 2012 NFL draft was the 77th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players for their rosters. The draft, which is officially called the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held ...
. The Rams were not expected to make much of a leap following their dismal campaign the year before, but behind strong play by Bradford and rookies stepping up to the challenge, the Rams finished 7–8–1. In Week 2, against the Washington Redskins, he finished with 310 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in the 31–28 victory. In Week 15, against the Minnesota Vikings, he had 377 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in the 36–22 loss. Bradford finished the season with career best numbers: 3,702 passing yards, 21 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions and an 82.6 passer rating to go along with 59.5 completion percentage.


2013 season

After adding players in the offseason including offensive tackle
Jake Long Jake Edward Long (born May 9, 1985) is a former American football offensive tackle. He played college football at Michigan, where he was a two-time consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Miami Dolphins first overall in the 2008 NFL ...
, tight end Jared Cook, receiver Tavon Austin, and linebacker
Alec Ogletree Alec Ogletree (born September 25, 1991) is an American football inside linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football for the University of Georgia and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He had ...
, some analysts expected the Rams and Bradford to excel in 2013. However, other analysts believed that they would finish with a record close to .500. The season started off on a positive note with a 27–24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. In the game, Bradford had 299 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. In the next game against the Atlanta Falcons, he had 352 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception as the Rams fell 31–24. After two losses to the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, he had 222 passing yards and three touchdowns in a 34–20 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. For the second straight game, he threw for three touchdowns in a 38–13 victory over the Houston Texans. However, during the Rams' Week 7 game against the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
, Bradford tore his left ACL on a run out of bounds after a hit from safety Mike Mitchell, ending his season. On the 2013 season, Bradford passed for 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns to 4 interceptions and 90.9 passer rating. The Rams missed the playoffs with a 7–9 record.


2014 season

Bradford suffered an injury to the same ACL after being sacked during a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns and missed the entire 2014 season.


Philadelphia Eagles

On March 10, 2015, Bradford was traded to the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
along with a 2015 fifth round pick, in exchange for Nick Foles, a 2015 fourth-round pick, and a 2016 second-round pick. In his first game as a Philadelphia Eagle, Bradford completed 36 out of 52 passes for a touchdown and two interceptions in a season opening 26–24 loss to the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcon ...
. In Week 4, he threw three touchdowns with zero interceptions, and although his completion percentage was lower than 55% in both games, he still mustered a 122.6 passer rating in a loss to the Redskins, his only passer rating above 90 for the season. In Week 6, he threw three interceptions, but the Eagles still gained a 27–7 win over the New York Giants to move Philadelphia to 3–3 and first place in the NFC East, mainly thanks to the defense and run game. Bradford had his worst game by far in a loss against the Panthers, where he completed only 56.5% of his passes with zero touchdowns, one interception, and a quarterback rating of 58.7. Against the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
on November 15, Bradford suffered a left shoulder injury as well as a concussion, which would keep him out of the next two games against
Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater ...
and a Thanksgiving Day game against
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
. In his first season, Bradford would go 7–7 as a starter and his play began to improve after Week 9 against the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...
. Before Week 9, Bradford had been playing poorly through his first seven games, but Eagles coach Chip Kelly would not bench him, and during Week 9, Bradford threw a game-winning touchdown in overtime to
Jordan Matthews Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan River ...
. In Week 13, Bradford led the Eagles to a 35–28 upset over the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
. In Week 15, Bradford threw for 361 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in a 40–17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. In Week 16, he threw for 380 yards and a touchdown in a 38–24 loss to the Washington Redskins. In the regular season finale against the New York Giants, he threw for 320 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the 35–30 victory. The Eagles finished with a 7–9 record and missed the playoffs. On March 1, 2016, Bradford signed a 2-year, $36 million ($26 million guaranteed) contract extension with the Eagles. However, the Eagles traded with the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conferenc ...
for the number two pick in the
2016 NFL draft The 2016 NFL Draft was the 81st annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. As in 2015, the draft took place at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park in Chicago. The draft ...
, in order to draft a new quarterback. This led to speculation that Bradford would be traded or used as a stopgap while
Chase Daniel William Chase Daniel (born October 7, 1986) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Missouri and was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted ...
educated the newly drafted quarterback in Pederson's offensive scheme. On April 25, 2016, it was reported that Bradford wanted to be traded and that he would no longer attend the team's off-season activities. The Eagles selected quarterback Carson Wentz with the second overall pick in the 2016 draft on April 28. Bradford returned to the team in May 2016.


Minnesota Vikings


2016 season

On September 3, 2016, following his appearance in the Eagles' preseason games, Bradford was traded to the Minnesota Vikings for a first-round pick in the
2017 NFL Draft The 2017 NFL Draft was the 82nd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. It was held in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27–29, returning to Philadelphia ...
(later used to select
Derek Barnett Derek Anthony Barnett (born June 25, 1996) is an American football defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Tennessee, and was drafted by the Eagles with the 14th overall pic ...
) and a conditional fourth-round pick in the
2018 NFL Draft The 2018 NFL Draft was the 83rd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2018 NFL season. The draft was held on April 26–28 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas; it was the first draft ...
. The trade was made after Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a season-ending ACL tear during team practice on August 30, 2016. Fifteen days after being traded, Bradford made his first start for the Vikings in Week 2 against the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the t ...
, despite not having much time to learn the offense. Bradford ended up hurting his left hand in the first half due to a hit by Clay Matthews. Bradford finished the game completing 22 of 31 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns, helping lead the Vikings to their first win in their new stadium. His first touchdown as a Viking came in the second quarter on an eight-yard pass to tight end
Kyle Rudolph Kyle Daniel Rudolph (born November 9, 1989) is an American football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame, and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the second ...
in the back of the end zone, while the second touchdown of the night was a 25-yarder to Stefon Diggs late in the third quarter that gave the Vikings a 17–7 lead. The connection between both players resulted in 182 yards on 9 catches for Diggs, a career-high for him. Bradford received high praise from the media, with many calling it one of the best games of his career. The following week, Bradford threw for 171 yards and one touchdown in a 22–10 win against the Carolina Panthers, thanks to a strong Vikings' defense that sacked Cam Newton eight times and intercepted him three times. In the Vikings' win over the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisio ...
in Week 4, Bradford threw a touchdown pass and did not throw an interception for the third straight game. The only other Vikings player to do that in each of his first three games of a season was
Randall Cunningham Randall Wade Cunningham Sr. (born March 27, 1963) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He spent the majority of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles and is also known ...
in 1998. With both starting tackles and Stefon Diggs (Vikings' leading receiver) out for a Week 5 game against the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their home games at NR ...
, Bradford delivered another strong performance, completing 22 of 30 passes for 271 yards, two touchdowns and, for the fourth straight start, not a single interception. In the opening drive, he connected with
Adam Thielen Adam John Thielen (born August 22, 1990) is an American football wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Minnesota State and signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free ag ...
on a 36-yard touchdown strike. During the first quarter of a Week 9 game against the Detroit Lions, Bradford achieved the statistical oddity of completing a pass to himself. His throw was batted into the air by Lions defensive tackle
Tyrunn Walker Tyrunn Walker (born March 18, 1990) is a former American football nose tackle. He played college football at Tulsa and signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He has also played for the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles R ...
, but Bradford caught the ball and ran towards the sideline, gaining five yards. During a three-game losing streak, Bradford threw only three touchdowns and an interception with 725 yards and a 66% completion percentage, poor in comparison with the previous four games, in which he threw for 990 yards, six touchdowns, no interceptions, and had a 70% completion percentage. The Vikings would finish the season with an 8–8 record. Bradford started 15 games in 2016, completing 395 of 552 passes for 3,877 yards and 20 touchdowns with five interceptions. His 71.6 completion percentage set a single season NFL record, passing
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees i ...
's 2011 mark of 71.2. Brees later finished the 2017 season with a 72.0 completion percentage, retaking the record. Bradford's 395 completions set a franchise record for completions in a season.


2017 season

In Week 1, Bradford completed 27 of 32 pass attempts for 346 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 29–19 win over the
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
, earning him his first NFC Offensive Player of the Week award. He was inactive for the Week 2 game against the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
due to a knee injury. After missing three more games, on October 10, it was revealed that Bradford was diagnosed with wear and tear on his knee after two previous ACL surgeries. On November 7, Bradford underwent a knee scope, putting his season in jeopardy. He was placed on
injured reserve The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
the next day, ending his season. On January 13, 2018, Bradford was activated off injured reserve to the active roster for the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the New Orleans Saints.
Case Keenum Casey Austin Keenum (born February 17, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Houston, where he became the NCAA's all-time leader in total passing ya ...
started the game due to his strong season.


Arizona Cardinals

On March 16, 2018, Bradford signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals worth up to $20 million the first year with $15 million guaranteed with a potential out after 2018. Bradford wore number 9 with the Cardinals, since the number 8 was retired in honor of
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...
safety Larry Wilson. After ineffective performances in the first two games, both blowout losses, Bradford was pulled in favor of rookie Josh Rosen in the final moments of a Week 3 loss to the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...
. As the Cardinals decided to keep Rosen as their starting quarterback, Bradford was inactive for the next five weeks before ultimately being released on November 3, 2018. Bradford's deal with the Cardinals is considered one of the worst free agent signings of the 2010s.


NFL career statistics


Regular season


Records

;Philadelphia Eagles records *Most pass completions, game (37, tied with Mark Sanchez) ;Minnesota Vikings records * Most passing yards in a quarterback's first game as a Viking (286)


Personal life

Bradford is a citizen of the
Cherokee Nation The Cherokee Nation ( Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ ''Tsalagihi Ayeli'' or ᏣᎳᎩᏰᎵ ''Tsalagiyehli''), also known as the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is the largest of three Cherokee federally recognized tribes in the United States. ...
, tracing his lineage via the federal government's Dawes Rolls. Bradford was the first member of the Cherokee Nation to start at quarterback for a Division I university since
Sonny Sixkiller Alex L. "Sonny" Sixkiller (born September 6, 1951) is a former American football player and sports commentator. He is currently a senior manager for business development for Huskies Sports Properties, the rights-holder for University of Washingt ...
, who played for the
University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seatt ...
during the 1970–1972 seasons. His father, Kent Bradford, was an
offensive lineman In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numb ...
for the Sooners from 1977 to 1978. Bradford is an avid ice hockey fan. His favorite team is the
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce ...
. Bradford is a scratch golfer and was also a basketball player in high school. Bradford, a
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
, appeared in a short film of video testimonials from celebrities called I Am Second, sharing his faith about Christianity and winning the Heisman Trophy. In 2009, Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett declared January 13 as "Sam Bradford Day" in Oklahoma City. Bradford got engaged to his future wife, Emma Lavy, in March 2016. The couple married on July 15, 2016.


See also

* List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bradford, Sam 1987 births Living people 21st-century Native Americans All-American college football players American Christians American football quarterbacks Arizona Cardinals players Cherokee Nation sportspeople Heisman Trophy winners Minnesota Vikings players National Football League first-overall draft picks National Football League Offensive Rookie of the Year Award winners Native American sportspeople Oklahoma Sooners football players Philadelphia Eagles players Players of American football from Oklahoma Sportspeople from Norman, Oklahoma Sportspeople from Oklahoma City St. Louis Rams players