Invoice Bergey, a five-time Professional Bowl linebacker who performed in a Tremendous Bowl for the Philadelphia Eagles, died Wednesday, the staff introduced. He was 79.
His son, Jake, posted on social media that Bergey died of most cancers. Bergey, a three-time Eagles staff MVP in a vote of his teammates, had been open about his battle with the illness over the previous couple of years.
Bergey, who was inducted into the Eagles Corridor of Fame in 2009, mentioned he had a type of jaw most cancers since 2021.
“I didn’t give it the previous, ‘Why me?’ or something like that,” he mentioned in 2003. “I simply thought that I needed to battle it identical to I might battle anything that I wanted to battle.”
Bergey was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1969 and made one Professional Bowl look for them earlier than he was traded forward of the 1974 season. Bergey’s profession took off in Philadelphia and he turned one of many extra in style Eagles gamers in his period. He made the Professional Bowl in 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1978 and was named an All-Professional for the 1974 and 1975 seasons.
“I’ve at all times had a love affair with the followers of Philadelphia,” Bergey mentioned in 2023. “I’ve at all times been form and courteous to all of them the best way up that ladder of success that I had as a result of, you received’t consider it, however I’ve met the identical individuals coming again down off that ladder.”
Workforce proprietor Jeffrey Lurie mentioned Bergey “gained the respect of gamers and coaches throughout the league for his blue-collar work ethic and hard-nosed play.”
“Invoice exemplified what it meant to be an Eagle in each means, and proudly represented the staff in the neighborhood nicely after his taking part in days have been over,” Lurie mentioned in a press release.
Bergey, who had 27 profession interceptions, highlighted by 5 in 1974, was certainly one of 60 nominees that the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame seniors committee thought-about this fall. He didn’t advance to the following spherical.
His final season was 1980 beneath coach Dick Vermeil when the Eagles misplaced to the Oakland Raiders. Bergey, who performed school ball at Arkansas State, performed in all 16 video games however he retired due to a lingering knee damage.
“I at all times had a way that we have been transferring in the suitable course,” Bergey mentioned in 2015. “Even within the early years (beneath Vermeil) when the wins have been few and much between, we might see the depth of the play selecting up. Dick’s character rubbed off on us.”
Bergey served in varied roles on Eagles radio broadcasts after he retired.
“Quantity 66 was one of many biggest gamers of all time,” longtime Eagles announcer Merrill Reese wrote on social media. “No person ever liked his household, buddies, and Eagles followers extra. Might Bubba relaxation in peace.”
Bergey, who recorded practically 1,200 tackles in seven seasons with the Eagles, was born 9 February 1945, in South Dayton, New York.
Bergey was a plaintiff within the concussion-related lawsuit in opposition to the NFL.
Supply hyperlink
