Bradshaw says he battled cancer twice in last year

Terry Bradshaw announced Sunday that he has battled cancer two times in the last year.

Bradshaw, the Hall of Fame quarterback who is an analyst on Fox’s NFL pregame show, discussed his conditions and treatments on the air, referring to an incident that occurred last Sunday in the studio.

“Last week on this show, I ran out of breath, and Howie [Long] helped me up. And a lot of people are asking what’s wrong with me, what’s happened to me physically,” Bradshaw said. “I just want to address it and let you know what has happened in my life. In November, I was diagnosed with bladder cancer. I went to the Yale University Medical Center — surgery, treatment. As of today, I am bladder cancer free. That’s the good news.

“Then in March, feeling good. I had a bad neck. I get an MRI. Now, we find a tumor in my left neck. And it’s a Merkel cell tumor, which is a rare form of skin cancer. So I had that surgery done at M.D. Anderson in Houston.

“Folks, I may not look like my old self, but I feel like my old self. I’m cancer free, I’m feeling great. And over time, I’m going to be back to where I normally am.”

A decorated quarterback who led the Pittsburgh Steelers to their first four Super Bowl titles in a 14-year career, Bradshaw has remained in the spotlight well after his retirement from playing. The No. 1 overall pick in the 1970 NFL draft out of Louisiana Tech, Bradshaw was a two-time Super Bowl MVP and won the NFL MVP award in 1978 before eventually graduating to the television world.

Often overlooked in an era of traditional, drop-back passers, the 6-foot-3 Bradshaw, who typically played at 220 pounds, was fleet of foot in his heyday. All told, he ran for 2,257 yards and 32 touchdowns in his career.

Bradshaw has led advertising campaigns for several corporations, has been a staple in the Fox pregame and halftime studio, and has even been a part of a reality show with his family, “The Bradshaw Bunch.”

Advertisement