Eagles legend Bill Bergey dies after a long battle with cancer

Eagles legend Bill Bergey dies after long battle with cancer originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

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 professional lacrosse player, posted the news Wednesday morning on X, the former Twitter:

“After a long, hard battle of three years, Dad lost his battle with cancer. The best father, friend, grandfather, football player and downright amazing person in this world. I will really miss him. I love you daddy.”

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 informed. “Remember,” he would say, “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 speech. He just said, “Bill, one thing. Are you eating?’ And I said, ‘No, I don’t actually eat much at all.’ And he was so blunt: ‘You eat or you die.’ And I said, ‘Okay, I guess I’ll start eating then.’

“He talks about his five brothers, that one day he wouldn’t leave his room, and the five brothers said, ‘Well, you’re getting out of here whether you want to or not.’ And the five brothers just took him down the hall and let him take a nice long walk. And he appreciated that.

“And I’ll tell you one thing. My kids have stepped up to the plate like I’ve never seen anyone step up to the plate before. My three boys have driven me everywhere and given my wife (Micky Kay) a break. I don’t know whether I could have made it without them.”

Bergey was originally a second-round pick of the Bengals out of Arkansas State in 1969. After five years and one 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 first-team all-pro after the 1974 and 1975 seasons and a second-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, this year’s Hall of Fame finalist, are the only linebackers in Eagles history to reach more Pro Bowls than Bergey.

Bergey was one of 60 nominees the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s senior committee considered this fall who did not advance to the next round.

Even today, nearly a half-century after he retired, Bergey’s 27 interceptions rank 10th most in NFL history by a linebacker, and five of the nine for 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 which were with the Eagles. He also had 21 fumbles, including an NFL-high six in 1975.

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

After retiring, Bergey colored 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 attend the Eagles training camp every summer.

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