Eagles legend Bill Bergey dies after long battle with cancer – NBC Sports Philadelphia

On By Littum

Legendary Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey has died after a long battle with cancer, his son announced on social media.

He was 79.

Jake Bergey, a former pro lacrosse player, broke the news Wednesday morning on X, the former Twitter:

“After a long hard fight for 3 years Dad lost his battle with cancer. The best dad, friend, grandpa, football player and the best person in this world. I will really miss him. Love you dad.”

In an interview last year with the Eagles’ website, Bergey talked about how Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelley, a contemporary of Bergey’s, became a trusted confidant after he was diagnosed with jaw cancer in 2021.

“He’s kind of been my inspiration,” Bergey said. “He keeps me on my toes. “Just remember,” he said, “You’re a football player, you’re tough, and you can beat this. You can handle this.’

“He didn’t give me a Knute Rockne rah-rah-type lecture. He just said, ‘Bill, one thing. Are you eating?’ And I said: ‘No, I don’t really eat much at all.’ And he was so straightforward: ‘Either you eat or you die’. And I said, ‘OK, I think I’ll start eating.’

“He talks about his five brothers, that he didn’t want to come out of his room one day, and the five brothers said, ‘Well, you’re getting out of here whether you want to or not.’ And the five brothers took him straight down the hall and gave him a nice long ride, and he appreciated that.

“And I’ll tell you one thing. My kids have stepped up to the plate like I’ve never seen anybody step up to the plate. My three boys drove me all over, gave my wife (Micky Kay) a break. I don’t know , whether I could have done it without them.”

Bergey was originally a 2nd round pick of the Bengals out of Arkansas State in 1969. After five years and a Pro Bowl in Cincinnati, he was traded to the Eagles in 1974 and immediately became a difference maker.

He made Pro Bowls in four of his first five seasons with the Eagles – 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1978 – and was a 1st Team All-Pro following the 1974 and 1975 seasons and a 2nd Team All-Pro in 1976, 1977 and 1978 .

His last season was 1980 and his last game was Super Bowl XV against the Raiders in New Orleans.

Bergey and Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik are the only Eagles linebackers to ever make 1st team All-Pro in consecutive years. Bednarik and Maxie Baughan, a Hall of Fame finalist this year, are the only linebackers in Eagles history to make more Pro Bowls than Bergey.

Bergey was one of 60 nominees considered by the Pro Football Hall of Fame senior committee in the fall, but did not advance to the next round.

Even today, nearly half a century after he retired, Bergey’s 27 interceptions are 10th in NFL history by a linebacker, and five of the nine ahead of him are enshrined in the Hall of Fame in Canton. Eighteen of those came as an Eagle, and he is tied with Bednarik and William Thomas for the most in franchise history.

Although sacks did not become an official statistic until 1982, research on sacks prior to 1982 shows that Bergey had 18 ½ sacks in his career, 14 of them with the Eagles. He also had 21 fumble recoveries — including an NFL-high six in 1975.

Bergey was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 2009.

After he retired, Bergey did color on Eagles radio broadcasts and spent several years on Eagles pregame and postgame shows. Bergey lived in Chadds Ford in Delaware County after his football career ended.

He was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2021, but continued to visit Eagles training camp every summer.

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