Terry Bradshaw managed to accurately predict the divisive and inconsistent nature of modern NFL fans all the way back in 1980.
Few know the game inside out like Bradshaw. The 76-year-old enjoyed a highly successful 14-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers after being the first draft pick in 1970.
That included four Super Bowl triumphs, two of which he was MVP for, having led the Steelers to eight AFC Central championships. His induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame followed in 1989.
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And since calling time on his playing days, Bradshaw has been a broadcast regular, working on FOX NFL Sunday for the last three decades. He’s seen a lot come and go during his time in the sport, but one consistent has been the supporters and how rarely they agree.
During a 1980 interview with Playboy, he said: “There’s 50 people out there that like me and there’s 50 out there that don’t like me. And if we win 10 Super Bowls in a row, there’s 50 out there that likes me and there’s 50 out there that don’t like me. I don’t think the professional sports fan will ever change. I think they will be the same way in the year 2000.”
His comments came following a roller coaster decade in which he’d initially struggled to get to grips with the NFL after his standout college career, but eventually managed to find his feet and excel in Pittsburgh. Despite that, Bradshaw explained how fickle fans can be, which remains true to this day.
Reflecting on the Steelers’ progress, he added: “The crowds got very hostile when one of us messed up. And they’re very hostile today, even after the good years we’ve had. I can have one bad game and be walking downtown and I catch it pretty heavy.
“So that’s why I stay in my apartment. What really made this hard was the fact that I’m such a sensitive person. Fans don’t care about you as a person. When you’re on the football field, they don’t care about your beliefs, they don’t care what kind of grades you made, they don’t care who your dad is, all they want is for you to perform and perform well, period.
“Sure, I have fans that sit in the stadium and have been pulling for me all along because they thought I was a nice guy. But a lot of people heard me talk and make jokes and stuff and thought I was being cocky and smart-alecky. They didn’t like that. So they boo me.”
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