Age: 24
3rd
season in pro football & with Eagles
College: Texas
Height: 5’11” Weight: 190
Prelude:
“Super Bill”
played quarterback, wide receiver, and safety in college, once intercepting
four passes in a game against Texas A & M. He was chosen by the Eagles in
the third round of the 1969 NFL draft and backed up at free safety, returning
an interception 56 yards for a touchdown, while punting for a 39.8-yard average
and returning kicks. Slated to move into the starting lineup in ’70, Bradley
was sidetracked by a preseason knee injury and, when he returned after six
weeks, he reinjured the knee and was only able to punt. He had surgery
following the season and came into 1971 as the starting free safety.
1971 Season Summary
Appeared in all
14 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Interceptions
– 11 [1]
Most
interceptions, game – 2 vs. Dallas 9/26, vs. Denver 10/31, at Washington 11/7,
at St. Louis 11/21
Int. return
yards – 248 [1]
Most int.
return yards, game – 51 (on 1 int.) at Detroit 12/5
Int. TDs – 0
Fumble
recoveries – 2
Punt Returns
Returns – 18
[17, tied with Charlie West]
Yards – 118 [19,
tied with Rick Volk]
Most yards,
game – 45 (on 2 ret.) vs. NY Giants 10/24
Average per
return – 6.6 [16]
TDs – 0
Longest
return – 33 yards
Punting
Punts – 2
Yards – 76
Average – 38.0
Punts blocked
– 0
Longest punt
– 45 yards
Awards &
Honors:
1st
team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Pro Football Weekly
1st
team All-NFC: AP, UPI, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News
Pro Bowl
Eagles went 6-7-1
to finish third in the NFC East.
Aftermath:
Bradley held
out along with LB Tim Rossovich during the 1972 preseason but went on to
intercept 9 passes and become the first player to lead the NFL in interceptions
in consecutive seasons. He was again a consensus first-team All-NFL selection
and was chosen to the Pro Bowl. A ball hawk with great instincts and an aggressive
defender, “Super Bill” had one more Pro Bowl year in ’73 when he added another
four interceptions and was a second-team All-NFC selection by UPI in 1974.
Injuries became a factor in ’75 and Bradley missed parts of the last four
games, although he picked off another five passes. After one more year with the
Eagles, he was traded to Minnesota in 1976, failed to make it to the regular
season, and finished up with the St. Louis Cardinals in ’77. Overall, Bradley
intercepted 34 passes, all with the Eagles, making him the franchise’s career
leader (later tied by Eric Allen and Brian Dawkins). He also punted 213 times for
a 39.0 average, returned 122 punts for a 7.8-yard average and 27 kickoffs for a
20.9 average. Bradley was twice a consensus first-team All-NFL selection and
was chosen to three Pro Bowls.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
