Terry Bradshaw has faced criticism for his performance on FOX NFL Sunday this season, but it's important to know what he 76-year-old broadcaster has been dealing with.
Bradshaw, one of the best players in Pittsburgh Steelers history, won four Super Bowls while starring for the franchise. He made the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989. Bradshaw joined the sports media world in 1984, shortly after retiring from his playing career. He started off as a game analyst for CBS Sports and joined Fox Sports' coverage of the league in 1994. Bradshaw has been a mainstay on FOX's NFL coverage ever since.
But this season, Bradshaw has taken more heat than ever for his performance. He's made some questionable comments on the air, doing a bizarre North Carolina accent and calling for Deshaun Watson to be "put down," while struggling at times with his highlight packages.
At the end of the day, though, Bradshaw is a legendary NFL figure who should be respected. And it's important to know what Bradshaw has been going through in recent years.
Bradshaw, raised in Louisiana, has dealt with a number of health issues in recent years.
In November of 2021, Bradshaw was diagnosed with bladder cancer. The tough news came after a routine checkup with his doctor. He ended up receiving treatment at Yale University Medical Center in New Haven, Connecticut, undergoing surgery and follow-up maintenance appointments.
Tragically, that wasn't Bradshaw's only cancer diagnosis in recent years.
In March 2022, Bradshaw was dealing with some neck pain, so he went in for an MRI. Doctors found a Merkel cell tumor, which is a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer. He underwent a neck dissection, followed by proton beam radiation therapy, at the University of Texas in Austin.
Bradshaw is doing OK now, but it's certainly been a challenging couple of years for him.
"I just want to say to all the people with cancer out there, that there's love, tons of love for you. And surround yourself with people that care about you and love them and enjoy them. I just believe you have to stay positive. So for all of those out there, like me, we're cancer survivors, we have cancer. Just know that you've got a support group out there and take advantage of it," Bradshaw has said of his battles with cancer.
Bradshaw has credited his longtime wife with all of her help over the years.
"My wife was good," Terry told Coping magazine. "She said, 'Hey, you're going to beat this. You're a positive man. We got the best doctors.' And so away we went.
"My wife was constantly asking questions, she researched everything, she called the doctor, and she had a lot of answers for me. And that was good. I always had her, and she was always loving. She was always telling me how much she loves me. That's the most important thing - those that you love are there for you to lift you up. And it just fills your heart with joy, just absolute joy."
Bradshaw added that FOX has been overwhelming supportive throughout all of it, too.
"FOX was awesome. FOX NFL Sunday producer Bill Richards, my friend, he was just amazing. And then my co-hosts Howie, Jimmy, and Michael, they were just like that brother fraternity wrapping their arms around you. That's the FOX family. That's the boys I work with on Sundays. And so I was glad it came out."
It's great to see that Bradshaw is doing better now. And, the next time you think about criticizing him for his performance, remember everything that he's been through.