Former NFL quarterback Bill Bergey has died, his son announced on Christmas Day. He was 79 years old.
Bergey, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1974 to 1980, had been battling cancer for the past several years. His son, Jake Bergey, said his father was “a good person.”
The South Dayton, New York, native’s football career began in the late 1960s when he played for the Cincinnati Bengals.
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Bill Bergey of the Philadelphia Eagles stretches as he warms up for a Redskins game at RFK Stadium on September 10, 1978, in Washington, DC. (Focus Sports/Getty Images)
“After a long hard 3 year battle, Dad lost his battle with Cancer. The best dad, friend, great dad, football player and the best person in the world. I will truly miss him. I love you dad,” wrote Jake X, formerly known as Twitter .
Bergey recorded nearly 1,200 tackles during his career with the Eagles. He earned Pro Bowl honors four times during his time in Philly. Bergey earned the first Pro Bowl honor of his career in 1969 with the Bengals.
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The former linebacker was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 1988. He received another honor in 2011 when he became a member of the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame.
Bill Bergey of the Philadelphia Eagles on the sidelines during a preseason game against the Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium on Sept. 2, 1977, in Pittsburgh. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
In 2023, Bergey shared some details about his relationship with Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly. The former Bills linebacker battled jaw cancer and became one of Bergey’s mentors.
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey kneels over Oakland Raiders tight end Raymond Chester in Super Bowl XV at the Superdome in New Orleans on Jan. 25, 1981. (Manny Rubio-USA Today Sports)
“He’s been part of my motivation,” Bergey told the Eagles’ team website last year. “He keeps me going. ‘Just remember,’ he would say, ‘You’re a football player, you’re tough, and you can beat this. You can handle this.’
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Bergey played college football at Arkansas State. After retiring from the NFL, Bergey spent several years contributing to the Eagles’ pregame and postgame coverage.
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