Sam Bradford
Encyclopedia
Samuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is an American football
quarterback
for the St. Louis Rams
of the National Football League
. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft
, and played college football at Oklahoma
. In 2008, as a redshirt
sophomore
, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a Heisman Trophy
. Bradford also holds the NCAA record for most touchdown passes by a freshman quarterback, with 36.
In his first season in the NFL, Bradford set the record for most completions by a rookie in NFL history, which helped earn him the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
, Oklahoma
. He attended Putnam City North High School
in Oklahoma City, where he starred in football, basketball
and golf
. As a senior quarterback
for his high school football team in 2005–2006, he threw for 2,029 yards and 17 touchdowns in 12 games. His senior year in basketball, he averaged a double-double.
However, Bradford was a three-star recruit not that highly ranked among the high school class of 2006, with his highest ranking being No. 12 amongst only Pro-Style quarterbacks by recruiting source Rivals.com
, behind Pat Devlin
, Juice Williams, Josh Freeman
, and being overshadowed by the likes of five-star recruits Mitch Mustain
, Matthew Stafford
and Tim Tebow
.
, then a sophomore, was dismissed from the team for violating NCAA rules. Paul Thompson
, a senior quarterback-turned-wide receiver, converted back to quarterback and led the 2006 Oklahoma Sooners football team
to win the Big 12 Championship Game. His departure left a void at the quarterback position at Oklahoma. Six players on the roster tried out for the starting position during the following off-season, including three walk-on quarterbacks, true freshman Keith Nichol (a Rivals.com
4-star recruit and 6th-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the 2007 recruiting class, who later transferred to Michigan State University
), junior Joey Halzle
(the only one with game experience), and Bradford, a redshirt freshman. On August 21, 2007, Bradford won the starting quarterback role for the 2007 team
.
In his first game for the Sooners, against the University of North Texas
, Bradford completed 21 of 23 attempts for 363 yards and three touchdowns in a little over two quarters, breaking the school record for passing yards in a half, held by his quarterback coach Josh Heupel
, with 350. The very next game, Bradford broke Heisman Trophy
winner Jason White
's school record for most consecutive pass completions with 22 (18 came in the first half and four at the start of the second).
In the second week of the 2007 season, Bradford was named the national offensive player of the week by the Walter Camp Foundation after tying the school record for most touchdown passes in a game with five. Having thrown 25 touchdowns through his first nine games, Bradford was on pace to break the NCAA freshman record of 29 touchdowns set by David Neill
in 1998 and tied by Colt McCoy
in 2006.
In the November 17, 2007 game against Texas Tech
, Bradford suffered a concussion of unknown severity. He was removed from the game and replaced by back-up quarterback Joey Halzle
. The Sooners lost the game, 27–34. Bradford was able to play in the Bedlam
game against Oklahoma State
on November 24.
During the November 24, 2007 game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys
, Bradford broke the NCAA freshman record of 29 touchdowns by passing his 30th touchdown to Joe Jon Finley
during the second quarter. At the Missouri Tigers
game, Bradford threw for 209 yards and 0 interceptions. He was 18–26 and threw for two touchdowns.
The Sooners won the Big 12 Championship
after defeating Missouri for the second time in a season. The Sooners played the West Virginia Mountaineers
in the Fiesta Bowl
on January 2, 2008 and lost 48–28. It was Bradford's first BCS bowl game as a starter.
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In week 8 of the following season against Kansas
, Bradford surpassed quarterback coach Josh Heupel
's school record for passing yards in a single game with 468 yards. Bradford led the Sooners to their third straight Big 12 Championship and defeated Missouri 62–21. In the process, the Sooners broke Hawaii's 2006 record for the most points in a single season with 702 points. Also, the Sooners were the first team in NCAA history who had scored 60 or more points in five straight games. Oklahoma finished the 2008 regular season with a 12–1 record, ranking #2 in the AP Poll and #1 in the BCS Standings. The Sooners earned a trip to play Florida
at the 2009 BCS National Championship Game
.
After the regular season, Bradford captured the Davey O'Brien Award
and the Heisman Trophy
. He is the second sophomore, after 2007 winner Tim Tebow
of the University of Florida, to receive the Heisman; he also became the fifth University of Oklahoma player, as well as the first person of Native American
descent to capture the trophy. Bradford received 1,726 total points while the other finalists, Colt McCoy
, of the University of Texas, and Tim Tebow, received 1,604 and 1,575, respectively. Tebow, however, collected more first-place votes, 309, while Bradford got 300. Bradford got the most points thanks to the help of his 315 second-place votes. A total of 926 voters participated in the balloting.
When combined with Blake Griffin
's Naismith Award
, Oklahoma
became the first school to have a winner in both top basketball and football individual awards in the same year. Bradford was also voted the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year
. Bradford received 27 votes, again beating McCoy (17 votes) and Tim Tebow (16 votes). Bradford is the third Oklahoma Sooner to win the award, joining Josh Heupel
(2000) and Jason White
(2003). Heupel and White were also quarterbacks, with Heupel being the current quarterbacks coach for Oklahoma.
Bradford faced Florida
, led by Tebow, in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game
. He threw 26-of-41 passes for 256 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Florida ended up beating Oklahoma 24–14.
to return to Oklahoma for his junior season. In the Sooners' first game of the season (against Brigham Young
), Bradford suffered a 3rd degree AC joint sprain one play after becoming Oklahoma's all-time passing leader. Playing without Bradford for the second half of the game, Oklahoma went on to lose 13–14. Bradford was originally scheduled to return in about three to six weeks, but head coach Bob Stoops initially refused to either confirm or deny that timetable. After missing three weeks, Bradford returned to the field during the Baylor
game, and completed 27-of-49 passes for 389 yards and one touchdown, leading the Sooners to a 33–7 victory. Bradford re-injured his right shoulder on October 17, 2009 in the Red River Rivalry
against Texas on the second drive of the game. It was later announced that he would undergo season-ending shoulder surgery and enter the 2010 NFL Draft
.
Source:
, Bradford decided to return to Oklahoma for his junior season in January 2009. But on October 25, 2009, Bradford announced he would forgo his final year at Oklahoma and enter the 2010 NFL Draft
. Commonly considered one of the top prospects available, Bradford was projected as high as the No. 1 overall pick for most of the preseason and the early part of the regular season.
Due to his shoulder injury, Bradford did not throw at the 2010 NFL Combine, however he was measured and participated in interviews and medical examinations. He was measured at 6–4¼ and 236 pounds, about 15 pounds above his college playing weight. Bradford scored 36 out of 50 on the Wonderlic test, well above the average of 28.5 for the 30 NFL quarterbacks slated to start in 2010.
On March 19, Bradford met with St. Louis Rams
general manager Billy Devaney
and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur
in Pensacola, Florida
, where he has been training and rehabbing since undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder.
as the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft
. It was the first time the Rams selected a quarterback in the first round of a draft since the selection of Bill Munson
in the 1964 NFL Draft
. Bradford is the first No. 1 pick out of Oklahoma since Billy Sims
was selected top overall by the Detroit Lions
in the 1980 NFL Draft
. Bradford chose the #8 in honor to Troy Aikman
who also attended OU before transferring to UCLA.
On July 30, 2010, Bradford signed a six-year, $78 million deal, which has $50 million of guarantees and has a maximum value of $86 million making it the largest contract ever for an NFL rookie.
In the preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings
on August 14, Bradford went 6-of-13 for 57 yards and was also sacked 3 times in a Rams loss. After another unimpressive showing against the Browns in his second game, Bradford bounced back in a big way against the Patriots in the third game of the preseason. He got his first start in place of the injured A. J. Feeley, throwing two first half touchdowns and helping lead the Rams to a 36–35 victory.
He competed for the starting quarterback position with Feeley and on September 4, Bradford was named the starting quarterback for the 2010 season opener.
On September 12, 2010, in his first regular season game as the starting quarterback for the Rams, Bradford completed 32/55 passes for 253 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions.The Arizona Cardinals
won 17–13. His first NFL touchdown came on a 1-yard pass to Laurent Robinson. Two weeks later, he then achieved his first victory as an NFL starter when the Rams defeated the Washington Redskins
in an upset by a score of 30–16, which snapped a 13-game overall home losing streak. The next week, he passed for 289 yards and two TDs in leading the Rams over the Seahawks, 20-3. This was their first win in a division game since November 2007.
In week 8 against the Carolina Panthers
, Bradford connected on 25 of 32 passes, two of them for touchdowns. In his first eight games he scored eleven TDs, which tied an NFL record—held by Dan Marino
, Peyton Manning
, and Ben Roethlisberger
—for over that span by a rookie since the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. Bradford went 3-2 as a starter in October, passing for 1019 yards and 7 TDs against 3 INTs. He was named the NFL's offensive rookie of the month.
During October and November, he established a record for most consecutive passes without an interception for a rookie (169), which ended with an interception by William Moore
in a home game against the Atlanta Falcons
on November 21. On November 28, 2010, against the Denver Broncos
, Bradford became the first rookie in NFL history to pass for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions during a road victory. He capped November by becoming the first rookie QB to win two consecutive Offensive Rookie of the Month awards.
On December 26, Bradford surpassed Peyton Manning's record for most completed passes by an NFL rookie quarterback (326). Bradford finished the season with 354 completions out of 590 attempts, therefore also surpassing Manning's record of 575 for most attempts by an NFL rookie quarterback. Bradford became just the third rookie quarterback to start all 16 regular season games and pass over 3000 passing yards, joining Peyton Manning
and Matt Ryan
.
and listed as an official citizen on the Cherokee Nation
tribe's rolls
. Bradford is the first person of identified Cherokee descent to start at quarterback
for a Division I university since Sonny Sixkiller
, a full-blooded Cherokee, who played for the University of Washington
during the 1970–1972 seasons.
Bradford also holds the distinction of being the first Native American to win the Heisman Trophy.
His father, Kent Bradford, was an offensive lineman for the Sooners from 1977 to 1978.
Bradford is also an avid ice hockey
fan. At one point Bradford compared his love for hockey to his love for football. According to a January 6, 2009 report, his favorite team is the Vancouver Canucks
. Bradford is a scratch golfer and was a star basketball player in high school.
Bradford is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
, as he has been since high school. He also reads the story of David and Goliath before every game, and was featured on the cover of STV (a Christian athletic magazine). Bradford also appeared in a short film of testimonials from celebrity videos called, I Am Second
, sharing his faith about Jesus Christ and winning the Heisman Trophy.
In 2009, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett declared January 13 as "Sam Bradford Day" in Oklahoma City.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
, and played college football at Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. In 2008, as a redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
. Bradford also holds the NCAA record for most touchdown passes by a freshman quarterback, with 36.
In his first season in the NFL, Bradford set the record for most completions by a rookie in NFL history, which helped earn him the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Early years
Bradford was born in Oklahoma CityOklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. He attended Putnam City North High School
Putnam City North High School
Putnam City North High School is a nationally accredited Blue Ribbon School of Excellence situated in Northwest Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and is one of three high schools in the Putnam City School District...
in Oklahoma City, where he starred in football, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. As a senior quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for his high school football team in 2005–2006, he threw for 2,029 yards and 17 touchdowns in 12 games. His senior year in basketball, he averaged a double-double.
However, Bradford was a three-star recruit not that highly ranked among the high school class of 2006, with his highest ranking being No. 12 amongst only Pro-Style quarterbacks by recruiting source Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
, behind Pat Devlin
Pat Devlin (American football)
Patrick Ryan "Pat" Devlin is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He started at quarterback for the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens of the University of Delaware...
, Juice Williams, Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
, and being overshadowed by the likes of five-star recruits Mitch Mustain
Mitch Mustain
Mitchell Mustain is an American football quarterback who is currently a member of the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League. He played college football at USC. Mustain played his freshman year of college at the University of Arkansas in 2006 before transferring to USC in 2007...
, Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford
John Matthew Stafford is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions first overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Georgia....
and Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
.
Freshman season
In 2006, Oklahoma's starting quarterback Rhett BomarRhett Bomar
Rhett Matthew Bomar is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
, then a sophomore, was dismissed from the team for violating NCAA rules. Paul Thompson
Paul Thompson (football)
Paul Thompson is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
, a senior quarterback-turned-wide receiver, converted back to quarterback and led the 2006 Oklahoma Sooners football team
2006 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2006 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2006-2007, winning the Big 12 Conference Championship...
to win the Big 12 Championship Game. His departure left a void at the quarterback position at Oklahoma. Six players on the roster tried out for the starting position during the following off-season, including three walk-on quarterbacks, true freshman Keith Nichol (a Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
4-star recruit and 6th-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the 2007 recruiting class, who later transferred to Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
), junior Joey Halzle
Joey Halzle
Joey Halzle is a former American football quarterback who played college football at Golden West College and Oklahoma.-High School Career:...
(the only one with game experience), and Bradford, a redshirt freshman. On August 21, 2007, Bradford won the starting quarterback role for the 2007 team
2007 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2007 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2007-2008, winning the Big 12 Conference Championship for the fifth time in eight years. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops...
.
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
, Bradford completed 21 of 23 attempts for 363 yards and three touchdowns in a little over two quarters, breaking the school record for passing yards in a half, held by his quarterback coach Josh Heupel
Josh Heupel
Josh Heupel, , is the current co-offensive coordinator at the University of Oklahoma. He was the quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners football team in 1999-2000, and led Oklahoma to the 2000 national championship.-Personal:...
, with 350. The very next game, Bradford broke Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Jason White
Jason White (American football)
Jason White is a former American football quarterback who played for the University of Oklahoma from 1999 to 2004, during which he won the 2003 Heisman Trophy...
's school record for most consecutive pass completions with 22 (18 came in the first half and four at the start of the second).
In the second week of the 2007 season, Bradford was named the national offensive player of the week by the Walter Camp Foundation after tying the school record for most touchdown passes in a game with five. Having thrown 25 touchdowns through his first nine games, Bradford was on pace to break the NCAA freshman record of 29 touchdowns set by David Neill
David Neill
David Neill was an American college football quarterback for the University of Nevada. In 1998 he set an NCAA record for most touchdown passes in a season by a freshman with 29 thrown. This record was tied in 2006 by Colt McCoy of the Texas Longhorns, and broken the following season by Sam...
in 1998 and tied by Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy
Daniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
in 2006.
In the November 17, 2007 game against Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University . The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, the school's other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" name. The university's athletic program fields teams in 15 varsity sports and 30 club sports...
, Bradford suffered a concussion of unknown severity. He was removed from the game and replaced by back-up quarterback Joey Halzle
Joey Halzle
Joey Halzle is a former American football quarterback who played college football at Golden West College and Oklahoma.-High School Career:...
. The Sooners lost the game, 27–34. Bradford was able to play in the Bedlam
Bedlam Series
The Bedlam Series refers to the athletics rivalry between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys, of the Big 12 Conference...
game against Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University. Their mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Big 12 Conference's South Division. The university's current athletic director is Mike Holder...
on November 24.
During the November 24, 2007 game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys football
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
, Bradford broke the NCAA freshman record of 29 touchdowns by passing his 30th touchdown to Joe Jon Finley
Joe Jon Finley
Joe Jon Finley is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Oklahoma. The Detroit Lions signed him on September 8, 2010. Despite playing well in pre-season, Finley was cut...
during the second quarter. At the Missouri Tigers
Missouri Tigers
The Missouri Tigers athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of the University of Missouri, located in Columbia, Missouri, United States...
game, Bradford threw for 209 yards and 0 interceptions. He was 18–26 and threw for two touchdowns.
The Sooners won the Big 12 Championship
Big 12 Championship Game
The Big 12 Championship Game was a college football game held by the Big 12 Conference each year between 1996 and 2010. The championship game pitted the Big 12 North Division champion against the South Division champion in a game held after the regular season was completed.The Big 12 South held an...
after defeating Missouri for the second time in a season. The Sooners played the West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia Mountaineers
The West Virginia Mountaineers are the athletic teams of West Virginia University. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference. On July 1, 2012 the Mountaineers will switch conferences, moving from the Big East to the Big 12, becoming...
in the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
on January 2, 2008 and lost 48–28. It was Bradford's first BCS bowl game as a starter.
Sophomore season
2008 Kansas Jayhawks football team
The 2008 Kansas Jayhawks football team represented the University of Kansas for the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision intercollegiate football season of 2008-2009. It was the school's 119th year of intercollegiate football...
, Bradford surpassed quarterback coach Josh Heupel
Josh Heupel
Josh Heupel, , is the current co-offensive coordinator at the University of Oklahoma. He was the quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners football team in 1999-2000, and led Oklahoma to the 2000 national championship.-Personal:...
's school record for passing yards in a single game with 468 yards. Bradford led the Sooners to their third straight Big 12 Championship and defeated Missouri 62–21. In the process, the Sooners broke Hawaii's 2006 record for the most points in a single season with 702 points. Also, the Sooners were the first team in NCAA history who had scored 60 or more points in five straight games. Oklahoma finished the 2008 regular season with a 12–1 record, ranking #2 in the AP Poll and #1 in the BCS Standings. The Sooners earned a trip to play Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
at the 2009 BCS National Championship Game
2009 BCS National Championship Game
The 2009 BCS National Championship Game, sponsored by FedEx, was an American football game played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on January 8, 2009. It was the national championship game for the 2008 college football season, and featured the second-ranked Florida Gators against the...
.
After the regular season, Bradford captured the Davey O'Brien Award
Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
and the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
. He is the second sophomore, after 2007 winner Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
of the University of Florida, to receive the Heisman; he also became the fifth University of Oklahoma player, as well as the first person of Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
descent to capture the trophy. Bradford received 1,726 total points while the other finalists, Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy
Daniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
, of the University of Texas, and Tim Tebow, received 1,604 and 1,575, respectively. Tebow, however, collected more first-place votes, 309, while Bradford got 300. Bradford got the most points thanks to the help of his 315 second-place votes. A total of 926 voters participated in the balloting.
| Finalist | First place votes (3 pts. each) |
Second place votes (2 pts. each) |
Third place votes (1 pt. each) |
Total points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Bradford | 300 | 315 | 196 | 1,726 |
| Colt McCoy Colt McCoy Daniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft... |
266 | 288 | 230 | 1,604 |
| Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft... |
309 | 207 | 234 | 1,575 |
When combined with Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin
Blake Austin Griffin is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association . Griffin had a renowned high school career at Oklahoma Christian School, winning state titles each of his four years under his father, Tommy Griffin, who was the...
's Naismith Award
Naismith College Player of the Year
The Naismith College Player of the Year is an annual basketball award given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the top men's and women's collegiate basketball players. It is named in honor of the inventor of basketball , Dr. James Naismith....
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
became the first school to have a winner in both top basketball and football individual awards in the same year. Bradford was also voted the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year
Associated Press College Football Player of the Year Award
The Associated Press College Football Player of the Year award has been awarded annually since 1998 to the most outstanding collegiate football player in the country. The winner is chosen by a vote of AP sportswriters and sports editors from throughout the country.-Winners:-Winners by school:...
. Bradford received 27 votes, again beating McCoy (17 votes) and Tim Tebow (16 votes). Bradford is the third Oklahoma Sooner to win the award, joining Josh Heupel
Josh Heupel
Josh Heupel, , is the current co-offensive coordinator at the University of Oklahoma. He was the quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners football team in 1999-2000, and led Oklahoma to the 2000 national championship.-Personal:...
(2000) and Jason White
Jason White (American football)
Jason White is a former American football quarterback who played for the University of Oklahoma from 1999 to 2004, during which he won the 2003 Heisman Trophy...
(2003). Heupel and White were also quarterbacks, with Heupel being the current quarterbacks coach for Oklahoma.
Bradford faced Florida
2008 Florida Gators football team
The 2008 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2008 college football season...
, led by Tebow, in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game
2009 BCS National Championship Game
The 2009 BCS National Championship Game, sponsored by FedEx, was an American football game played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on January 8, 2009. It was the national championship game for the 2008 college football season, and featured the second-ranked Florida Gators against the...
. He threw 26-of-41 passes for 256 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Florida ended up beating Oklahoma 24–14.
Junior season
Bradford announced that he would forgo the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
to return to Oklahoma for his junior season. In the Sooners' first game of the season (against Brigham Young
2009 BYU Cougars football team
The 2009 BYU Cougars football team represented Brigham Young University in the 2009 football season. The Cougars were led by head coach Bronco Mendenhall and played their home games at LaVell Edwards Stadium....
), Bradford suffered a 3rd degree AC joint sprain one play after becoming Oklahoma's all-time passing leader. Playing without Bradford for the second half of the game, Oklahoma went on to lose 13–14. Bradford was originally scheduled to return in about three to six weeks, but head coach Bob Stoops initially refused to either confirm or deny that timetable. After missing three weeks, Bradford returned to the field during the Baylor
Baylor Bears football
The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:...
game, and completed 27-of-49 passes for 389 yards and one touchdown, leading the Sooners to a 33–7 victory. Bradford re-injured his right shoulder on October 17, 2009 in the Red River Rivalry
Red River Rivalry
The Red River Rivalry, commonly known as the OU-Texas Game or Texas-OU Game, is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Oklahoma Sooners football team of the University of Oklahoma and the Texas Longhorns football team of the University of Texas. The series is considered...
against Texas on the second drive of the game. It was later announced that he would undergo season-ending shoulder surgery and enter the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
.
Awards and honors
- 2010 NFL DraftNFL DraftThe National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
First overall pick - 2010 Carroll Rosenbloom Memorial Award (St. Louis Rams' rookie of the year award)
Statistics
| Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | Rating | Att | Comp | Pct | Yds | TD | Int | Att | Yds | TD |
| 2007 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top... |
Oklahoma Sooners 2007 Oklahoma Sooners football team The 2007 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2007-2008, winning the Big 12 Conference Championship for the fifth time in eight years. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops... |
14 | 176.52 | 341 | 237 | 69.5 | 3,121 | 36 | 8 | 31 | 7 | 0 |
| 2008 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2... |
Oklahoma Sooners 2008 Oklahoma Sooners football team The 2008 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2008-2009. It was the 114th year of season play for the Sooners. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops, a two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year award winner, who has a contract... |
14 | 180.86 | 483 | 328 | 67.9 | 4,721 | 50 | 8 | 42 | 47 | 5 |
| 2009 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the... |
Oklahoma Sooners 2009 Oklahoma Sooners football team The 2009 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2009-2010. It was the 115th year of season play for the Sooners. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops, a two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year award winner, who has a contract... |
2 | 133.9 | 69 | 39 | 58.7 | 562 | 2 | 0 | 3 | −5 | 0 |
Source:
2010 NFL Draft
Although he likely would have been one of the first quarterbacks taken in the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
, Bradford decided to return to Oklahoma for his junior season in January 2009. But on October 25, 2009, Bradford announced he would forgo his final year at Oklahoma and enter the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. Commonly considered one of the top prospects available, Bradford was projected as high as the No. 1 overall pick for most of the preseason and the early part of the regular season.
Due to his shoulder injury, Bradford did not throw at the 2010 NFL Combine, however he was measured and participated in interviews and medical examinations. He was measured at 6–4¼ and 236 pounds, about 15 pounds above his college playing weight. Bradford scored 36 out of 50 on the Wonderlic test, well above the average of 28.5 for the 30 NFL quarterbacks slated to start in 2010.
On March 19, Bradford met with St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
general manager Billy Devaney
Billy Devaney
William Joseph Peter Francis "Billy" Devaney is a professional American football executive. He is currently the general manager for the St. Louis Rams NFL team. He was formerly an assistant to the general manager with the Atlanta Falcons...
and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur
Pat Shurmur
Pat Shurmur is currently the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.-Playing career:Shurmur was a four-year letterman in football at Michigan State University. He played guard and linebacker his freshman season, and started at center the next three seasons. He earned All-Big 10 Conference honors in...
in Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, where he has been training and rehabbing since undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder.
St. Louis Rams
On April 22, 2010, Bradford was selected by the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
as the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. It was the first time the Rams selected a quarterback in the first round of a draft since the selection of Bill Munson
Bill Munson
William Alan Munson was a professional American football quarterback who played in 16 NFL seasons from 1964 through 1979 for five different teams. He was 6'2" and weighed 203 lbs. He was best known for his years as a starter for the Detroit Lions in the mid-1970s...
in the 1964 NFL Draft
1964 NFL Draft
The 1964 National Football League Draft took place on December 2, 1963.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
. Bradford is the first No. 1 pick out of Oklahoma since Billy Sims
Billy Sims
Billy Sims is a former college football and NFL running back. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1978.-Early years:...
was selected top overall by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in the 1980 NFL Draft
1980 NFL Draft
The 1980 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 29–30, 1980. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
. Bradford chose the #8 in honor to Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...
who also attended OU before transferring to UCLA.
On July 30, 2010, Bradford signed a six-year, $78 million deal, which has $50 million of guarantees and has a maximum value of $86 million making it the largest contract ever for an NFL rookie.
In the preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on August 14, Bradford went 6-of-13 for 57 yards and was also sacked 3 times in a Rams loss. After another unimpressive showing against the Browns in his second game, Bradford bounced back in a big way against the Patriots in the third game of the preseason. He got his first start in place of the injured A. J. Feeley, throwing two first half touchdowns and helping lead the Rams to a 36–35 victory.
He competed for the starting quarterback position with Feeley and on September 4, Bradford was named the starting quarterback for the 2010 season opener.
On September 12, 2010, in his first regular season game as the starting quarterback for the Rams, Bradford completed 32/55 passes for 253 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions.The Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
won 17–13. His first NFL touchdown came on a 1-yard pass to Laurent Robinson. Two weeks later, he then achieved his first victory as an NFL starter when the Rams defeated the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in an upset by a score of 30–16, which snapped a 13-game overall home losing streak. The next week, he passed for 289 yards and two TDs in leading the Rams over the Seahawks, 20-3. This was their first win in a division game since November 2007.
In week 8 against the Carolina Panthers
2010 Carolina Panthers season
-Coaching staff:-Preseason:The Panthers preseason schedule was announced on March 31, 2010.-Regular season:-Week 1: at New York Giants:The Panthers began their season at New Meadowlands Stadium for an NFC duel with the New York Giants. In the first quarter, Carolina got the stadium's very first...
, Bradford connected on 25 of 32 passes, two of them for touchdowns. In his first eight games he scored eleven TDs, which tied an NFL record—held by Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
, Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
, and Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
—for over that span by a rookie since the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. Bradford went 3-2 as a starter in October, passing for 1019 yards and 7 TDs against 3 INTs. He was named the NFL's offensive rookie of the month.
During October and November, he established a record for most consecutive passes without an interception for a rookie (169), which ended with an interception by William Moore
William Moore (American football)
William Moore is an American football safety for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Falcons in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Missouri.-Early years:...
in a home game against the Atlanta Falcons
2010 Atlanta Falcons season
The 2010 Atlanta Falcons season was the 45th season for the team in the National Football League. In 2009, the team posted consecutive winning seasons for the first time in franchise history, with a 9–7 record, but did not make the playoffs...
on November 21. On November 28, 2010, against the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Bradford became the first rookie in NFL history to pass for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions during a road victory. He capped November by becoming the first rookie QB to win two consecutive Offensive Rookie of the Month awards.
On December 26, Bradford surpassed Peyton Manning's record for most completed passes by an NFL rookie quarterback (326). Bradford finished the season with 354 completions out of 590 attempts, therefore also surpassing Manning's record of 575 for most attempts by an NFL rookie quarterback. Bradford became just the third rookie quarterback to start all 16 regular season games and pass over 3000 passing yards, joining Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
and Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for Villacher SV of the Austrian Hockey League .-Playing career:...
.
Regular season
| Year | |G | |Passing | |Rushing | |Sacked | |Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Comp | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Sack | YdsL | Fum | FumL | ||||
| 2010 2010 NFL season The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,... | STL St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
16 | 16 | 590 | 354 | 60.0 | 3512 | 6.0 | 18 | 15 | 76.5 | 27 | 63 | 2.3 | 1 | 34 | 224 | 7 | 2 |
| Total | 16 | 16 | 590 | 354 | 60.0 | 3512 | 6.0 | 18 | 15 | 76.5 | 27 | 63 | 2.3 | 1 | 34 | 224 | 7 | 2 | |
Personal
Bradford is 1/16th CherokeeCherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
and listed as an official citizen on the Cherokee Nation
Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation is the largest of three Cherokee federally recognized tribes in the United States. It was established in the 20th century, and includes people descended from members of the old Cherokee Nation who relocated voluntarily from the Southeast to Indian Territory and Cherokees who...
tribe's rolls
Dawes Rolls
The Dawes Rolls were created by the Dawes Commission. The Commission, authorized by United States Congress in 1893, was required to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes to convince them to agree to an allotment plan and dissolution of the reservation system...
. Bradford is the first person of identified Cherokee descent to start at quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for a Division I university since Sonny Sixkiller
Sonny Sixkiller
Alex L. "Sonny" Sixkiller is a former American football player and current sports commentator.-Early years:Born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and a member of the Cherokee Nation, Sixkiller's family moved to Ashland in southern Oregon when he was a year old, where his father worked in a lumber mill.He...
, a full-blooded Cherokee, who played for the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
during the 1970–1972 seasons.
Bradford also holds the distinction of being the first Native American to win the Heisman Trophy.
His father, Kent Bradford, was an offensive lineman for the Sooners from 1977 to 1978.
Bradford is also an avid ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
fan. At one point Bradford compared his love for hockey to his love for football. According to a January 6, 2009 report, his favorite team is the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
. Bradford is a scratch golfer and was a star basketball player in high school.
Bradford is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-profit interdenominational Christian organization founded in 1954 and that has been based in Kansas City, Missouri since 1956. It falls within the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Although established by evangelical Protestants, the concept has...
, as he has been since high school. He also reads the story of David and Goliath before every game, and was featured on the cover of STV (a Christian athletic magazine). Bradford also appeared in a short film of testimonials from celebrity videos called, I Am Second
I Am Second
I Am Second is an evangelical Christian multimedia movement and not-for-profit organization that is designed to inspire people to live for Jesus Christ and others...
, sharing his faith about Jesus Christ and winning the Heisman Trophy.
In 2009, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett declared January 13 as "Sam Bradford Day" in Oklahoma City.