 Bergey with theCincinnati Bengals in 1969 | |||||||
| No. 66 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | (1945-02-09)February 9, 1945 South Dayton, New York, U.S. | ||||||
| Died: | December 25, 2024(2024-12-25) (aged 79) Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 243 lb (110 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Pine Valley (South Dayton, New York) | ||||||
| College: | Arkansas State | ||||||
| NFL draft: | 1969: 2nd round, 31st pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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William Earl Bergey (February 9, 1945 – December 25, 2024) was an American professionalfootballlinebacker who played for 12 seasons in theNational Football League (NFL), most notably with thePhiladelphia Eagles. He playedcollege football for theArkansas State Red Wolves. He was selected by theCincinnati Bengals of theAmerican Football League (AFL) in the1969 NFL/AFL draft, the year before theAFL–NFL merger was completed and continued to play with the Bengals in the NFL until 1973. Bergey then signed with the Eagles the following year, where he played seven seasons until retiring in 1981.
During his career, Bergey was named to fivePro Bowls, was a two-time first-teamAll-Pro and made oneSuper Bowl appearance inSuper Bowl XV, his final professional game. He is an inductee of theEagles Hall of Fame and thePhiladelphia Sports Hall of Fame.
Bergey was born inSouth Dayton, New York, on February 9, 1945.[1] He graduated from Pine Valley Central High School in South Dayton in 1964, and graduated fromArkansas State University (ASU), where he played under coachBernie Ellender.[2] He was anAll-American for theArkansas State Indians (nowRed Wolves) and has since been voted by fans the Top Player in Arkansas State history.[3] He was a charter member of Delta Eta chapter ofKappa Alpha Order at ASU.[4] He graduated in 1969 with aBachelor of Science degree inphysical education, and a commission in theArmy Reserves.[5]
Originally positioned at offensive lineman and noseguard, he was moved to linebacker in 1966.[2] At ASU, Bergey set records for best tackling average in a season, most fumble recoveries in a season, most tackles in a game, most tackles in a season, and most career tackles.[5][2] He once had 33 tackles in a single game, and averaged 19.6 tackles per game in 1968.[2]
He played in three post-season all-star games during his ASU career (theSenior Bowl, the North–South Game, and one of the lastChicago All-Star games, against the New York Jets[6]). Bergey was selected to theAll-Southland Conference team three times and to the Southland Conference All-First Decade Team. Bergey's jersey number 66 was retired by ASU, and he was the first person to go up on its Wall of Fame.[7][2] He was inducted into ASU's Hall of Honor in 1982.[5] Despite the accolades, Bergey's southern schoolmates would physically fight with the "Yankee" from western New York, and his actual time at ASU inJonesboro was difficult.[2]
Bergey was drafted by theAmerican Football League'sCincinnati Bengals in the second round of the1969 NFL/AFL draft, the 31st overall selection.[8] He was chosen as anAFL All-Star in his rookie year, for the game held on January 17, 1970.[6][9] He had two interceptions for the Bengals in his rookie year.[8] For his efforts as a rookie, he was named the AFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by theAssociated Press, the final selections made for the AFL as a league prior to the merger.[10][11][5][12]
Bergey played under Hall of Fame coachPaul Brown at Cincinnati.[6] He recorded three interceptions in the 1970 season,[8] the first year for the team in the NFL. The Bengals made the postseason that year, losing to theBaltimore Colts in the divisional round 17–0,[13] but Bergey did not record a statistic. He recorded a fumble recovery to go with an unofficial "sack". He recorded an interception in his next two combined seasons (1971–1972). In his final season with Cincinnati in 1973, he had three interceptions and recovered three fumbles.[8]
Bergey signed a personal service contract on April 17, 1974, with the Washington Capitols, the owner of theWorld Football League (WFL)'sVirginia Ambassadors, which would later become theFlorida Blazers once the circuit began play in July of that year. He was to have joined the WFL team in May 1976, after his contract with theCincinnati Bengals expired following the 1975 season. However, the Bengals filed suit against Bergey forbreach of contract and atemporary restraining order against the WFL and its franchises two days later on April 19. In thehearing, which began on April 29 and was adjudicated 15 days later on May 14, the court concluded that Bergey had not breached his contract and the Bengals' motion for a temporary injunction was denied.[14][15]
Bergey did not receive compensation from the Blazers and was released from his WFL contract.[16] He was traded from the Bengals to thePhiladelphia Eagles for a1977 first-round selection,Wilson Whitley, and first- and second-round picks in1978,Ross Browner andRay Griffin respectively, on July 10, 1974.[17]
In July 1974, Bergey signed a five-year contract with the Eagles.[18][19] The Blazers ceased operating following the 1974 season, and the WFL itself ceased business in 1975.[20]
Bergey played a key role in the Eagles' subsequent rise, culminating in the trip toSuper Bowl XV. With the Eagles, Bergey, a four-time Pro Bowl selection as an Eagle (1974, 1976–1978),[8][21] set the NFL record for mostinterceptions by alinebacker and became the highest-paid defensive player in the league with a four-year contract for $1 million.[22] He earned Eagles MVP status three times from the votes of his teammates.[12] In his first year with the Eagles, Bergey was runner up to"Mean" Joe Greene for defensive player of the year.[6]
Bergey played 91 games as an Eagle, and started every game in six of the seven years in Philadelphia, with 18 interceptions and 15 fumble recoveries.[21] Bergey recorded 233 tackles in a single season with the Eagles, and once held the league record for interceptions by a linebacker with five.[23] He was a popular player who was the foundation of the "Gang Green" defense[2] that brought the Eagles back to the playoffs in 1978, 1979 and 1980. They went all the way to theSuper Bowl in 1981 after winning theNFC championship game against theDallas Cowboys 20–7 in the 1980 season.[12][24][25] He suffered a serious knee injury in 1979. He returned in 1980, but it would be Bergey's last season. His ability level was reduced by the injury (he evaluated it at 65%), and he could no longer reach runners in time to make the play; but he was still named All NFC by theSporting News and went to the Super Bowl.[2][6][21]
Bergey played 159 games and recorded nearly 1,200 tackles.[12] He was first or second team All Pro/All NFL or All NFC from 1974 to 1978 (1974 All-Pro Team,1975 All-Pro Team,1976 All-Pro Team,1977 All-Pro Team,1978 All-Pro Team).[26][8] He finished his career with 27 interceptions that he returned for 397 yards, 16 unofficial sacks (beginning in 1970), and 21 fumble recoveries.[8]
Bergey had conflicts with guardConrad Dobler of the Eagles'NFC East rivalSt. Louis Cardinals, who once spit on him while he was downed and injured.[27] His and Dobler's volatile relationship was ranked byNFL Films at No. 9 on theNFL Top 10 list of feuds.[28]
Bergey retired from professional football in 1981, his last game being Super Bowl XV.[21] He was inducted into the Eagles Roll of Honor in 1988 withTommy McDonald.[3][12] In 2012, theProfessional Football Researchers Association named Bergey to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2012.[29] He is considered one of the top Eagles of all time.[30] He was inducted into thePhiladelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.[31] The same year, thePhiladelphia Sports Writers Association recognized Bergey with its Living Legend Award.[32]
During his playing days, Bergey served as a lieutenant in theU.S. Army Reserve.[33]
Bergey served as acolor commentator on radio broadcasts of thePhiladelphia Eagles from 1982 to 1983. He also provided pre-game and post-game radio and television commentary for the team during the season for over 20 years.[21]
Bergey was a plaintiff in the concussion related lawsuit against the NFL filed and settled in a Philadelphia federal court.[34]
Bergey later lived inChadds Ford, Pennsylvania with his wife Micky Kay. He had three sons and multiple grandchildren.[12][6] He is a member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame (2004).[26] In 1989, he became a member of theChautauqua Sports Hall of Fame.[6]
His sonJake Bergey is a retiredlacrosse player for thePhiladelphia Wings of theNational Lacrosse League[35] and his sonJosh Bergey is a retired lacrosse player for theChesapeake Bayhawks of theMajor League Lacrosse.[36] Bill's brotherBruce Bergey was a standout player for thePortland Storm of the WFL.[37]
In the filmSilver Linings Playbook,Robert De Niro's character Pat Solitano Sr., an Eagles fanatic, wears a number 66 Bill Bergey jersey.[38]
Bergey was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2021 and determinedly fought in response to the disease, finding encouragement and inspiration from others, including former Buffalo Bills quarterbackJim Kelly.[39]
In October 2024, Bergey was among 60 former players under consideration for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class in the Senior category,[40] though he did not make it to the next round of 31 candidates.[41]
Bergey died from cancer in Chadds Ford on December 25, 2024. He was 79.[1][42][43]
The trade silenced a squabble between the Bengals and Bergey, a 6‐foot‐3‐inch, 243‐pound middle linebacker, over his jump to the W.F.L.'s Florida Blazers, effective with the 1976 season. Coach Paul Brown said Bergey went to the Eagles 'with no strings attached. Bill had not received his July 1 bonus payment from the W.F.L. Orlando team, and Orlando was willing to release its contract with Bergey.'
July 10, 1974: The Eagles traded a 1st-round pick in 1976 and 1st- and 2nd-round picks in 1977 to the Bengals for Bill Bergey: Bergey became a 1st-team all-pro in his first year with the Eagles and made the Pro Bowl in each of his first five years here. He retired after the 1980 Super Bowl season and is now in the Eagles Hall of Fame. The Bengals used the picks they got from the Eagles to select Wilson Whitley, Ross Browner and Ray Griffin.
