“I never thought I’d live this long.” Terry Bradshaw once said those words with a laugh, but deep down, there was truth to them. He spent his entire life playing like there was no tomorrow—throwing his body into the fire for four Super Bowls, taking brutal hits in an era where quarterbacks were unprotected, and later turning FOX NFL Sunday into a 30-year-long spectacle. But even a 2x Super Bowl, and Pro Football Hall of Famer harbors regrets in his career.

Now, at 76, tomorrow is here. And there are some things that will always haunt him.

But before we get to that, for decades, Bradshaw has been the face of NFL Sundays. First, as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ golden-armed leader, then as the heart and soul of FOX’s pregame coverage. But for the first time, the man who never seemed to slow down is finally preparing to step away. “I got two years left at FOX. I’m 76,” he admitted during Super Bowl LIX week. “If I can get to the next Super Bowl, I’ll be 80. That’s… I think that’s time.” Bradshaw’s contract with FOX, which runs for two more years, ensures that he—and not a high-profile successor like Tom Brady—gets to host the Super Bowl trophy ceremony when FOX holds broadcast rights. That clause alone speaks to his lasting influence on the network.

But for Bradshaw, the reality is setting in. In recent years, he fought two types of cancer in the same year—bladder cancer and Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare form of skin cancer. Fans noticed his thinner frame and slower movements on TV, and eventually, he broke his silence. “People kept saying I looked sick like I lost weight,” he said. “Well, yeah, I had cancer!” He beat it. But it changed him.

“I can’t run. I can’t play with my grandkids the way I used to. And I don’t like that.” For years, the idea of retirement seemed impossible. He even joked that he’d rather “die on the show” because of the ratings it would bring in. Even after he beat cancer, he never thought retiring was an option he would consider. “What would happen with the studio? Who would take my place? That’s not ever going to happen.” But behind the jokes, he knew the truth. “It’s a young man’s game,” he admitted. “I want to spend time with my wife. I want to enjoy life a little bit.” So, for the first time in his life, Terry Bradshaw is hitting pause. But as he prepares to step away, there’s one thing he can’t quite shake. The one dream that never came true.

Bradshaw, the Blond Bomber, has been defined by black and gold; there’s no doubt about that. The Steelers made him a legend, a Hall of Famer, and one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. But long before Pittsburgh, there was another black-and-gold jersey he desperately wanted to wear…

Growing up in Clinton, Iowa, Bradshaw was obsessed with the Hawkeyes. He would press his face against storefront windows, staring at the helmets and jerseys, imagining himself running out onto the field at Kinnick Stadium. “During Christmas, I would lean up against the glass, and they had the Iowa Hawkeye jersey there with the helmet and football and all that. And it was black and gold. I stared at that and thought ‘Oh my god, how cool would that be?'”

“I still think about it,” he admitted.“That was my dream when I was a kid. But life had other plans.” 

Indeed, life had other plans for him. Instead of Iowa, he stayed close to home and played for Louisiana Tech, where he became one of the most hyped quarterback prospects of his era. By the time he left, his arm was the stuff of legend—scouts would watch in awe as he effortlessly launched 70-yard bombs.

The Pittsburgh Steelers took him No. 1 overall in the 1970 NFL Draft, and the rest is history. He carved out a different legacy—one that saw him go from a small-town Louisiana kid to an NFL icon. By the time he retired in 1983, his place in history was set. He had won four Super Bowls in six seasons, including back-to-back championships in 1975, 1976 and 1979, 1980. He also became the first quarterback to throw for over 300 yards in a Super Bowl.

“I think the thing that I’m most proud of as a football player was that I played big in big games,” Bradshaw reflected during NFL Network’s A Football Life in 2019. And he did—especially in the biggest moments. His 1979 season was a masterpiece, earning him NFL MVP honors as he led Pittsburgh to a 12-4 record and a third Lombardi Trophy. He followed it up with another title in 1980, securing back-to-back Super Bowl MVPs with legendary performances.

It wasn’t just the championships. It was the way he won them. Bradshaw played through pain, battled through injuries, and took hit after brutal hit. And despite all of that, he stayed the rock he is. His legacy may take a pause if he retires, but it is far from being a full stop in his autobiography. However, like people say, even the best cannot escape scrutiny. And going by the Super Bowl Week, looks like Bradshaw has come under fire yet again.

Terry Bradshaw is never too away from criticism

The Super Bowl week was supposed to be redefining for Andy Reid. For Patrick Mahomes. For the Kansas City Chiefs. But what the NFL community got instead was Nick Sirianni becoming the second Super Bowl-winning head coach in franchise history, Jalen Hurts proving his critics wrong, the Philadelphia Eagles team making it to the Super Bowl LIX podium after a successfully pulled-off revenge plot, and Terry Bradshaw picking up audience’s disapproval yet again for his supposedly “bizarre” Super Bowl QB segue.

Fans were reportedly livid over the veteran’s lackluster Super Bowl trophy presentation efforts. The incident unfolded after Bradshaw reportedly asked Eagles’ owner Jeffrey Lurie a question, and immediately interrupted him. Just to give you an example, this is just how one of many fans reacted on X:

“Come on @NFLonFOX. Too late for this year, but Terry Bradshaw shouldn’t be doing the Vince Lombardi Trophy presentation. Not in 2025. I know he’s the face of NFL on Fox, but please… you have to know how much better it would have been with Tom Rinaldi or @kevinburkhardt. Evolve!”

However, the problems didn’t end there. During a fiery monologue inside the broadcasting room, Bradshaw left his colleagues visibly confused. It all unfolded when the veteran was talking about his own experiences as a QB, and aimed to defend Jalen Hurts.

“Then you win a Super Bowl and you go to the parade and here’s what you hear at the parade: ‘Hey Bradshaw. You better win this sucker again next year, you hillbilly or we’ll run your a– out of here. So, don’t ever expect to satisfy [fans],” the 79-year-old said in an uncensored moment, prompting co-hosts Curt Menefee, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, and Jimmy Johnson to look at each other amusingly, and rather confused.

Having said that, as the day finally wrapped up, some even pointed out how Bradshaw’s hands were shaking while interviewing Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts. Some even described the player-turned-broadcasting veteran as “jittery”.

While the dominant emotion in the community was that of concern, with one social media user writing, ‘The way Terry Bradshaw’s hand is shaking during this interview has me realizing we’re at the end… of a certain era of NFL broadcasting,” one ask has always remained constant: Retire.

Well, looks like that day’s not far. But one thing we can say for sure? The legacy Terry Bradshaw will leave is unmatched, with or without the criticism!