Former Steelers Defensive Back Jim Bradshaw Dies at 87
James “Jim” Bradshaw, a former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back whose football career took him from quarterback at Chattanooga to five seasons in Pittsburgh’s secondary, has died at 87.
Bradshaw died September 15 at his home, according to his obituary.
A native of St. Clairsville, Ohio, Bradshaw played quarterback at the University of Chattanooga before entering professional football. The Steelers selected him in the 18th round of the 1963 NFL Draft. He was also drafted by the AFL’s Boston Patriots but chose Pittsburgh.
Once he arrived, his position changed.
The former college quarterback moved to defensive back and spent the next five seasons with the Steelers, playing from 1963 through 1967. Bradshaw appeared in 62 games and recorded 11 interceptions, nine fumble recoveries and four defensive touchdowns during his Pittsburgh career.
One afternoon in Philadelphia became part of Steelers history.
On October 24, 1965, Bradshaw intercepted three passes in Pittsburgh’s 20–14 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at Franklin Field. The performance tied the Steelers’ franchise record for interceptions by a player in a single game.
More than six decades later, that game carries another distinction: it remains Pittsburgh’s most recent victory in Philadelphia.
Bradshaw was traded to Cleveland in 1968 and released before the regular season, bringing his NFL playing career to an end.
His connection to football, however, remained part of his legacy. Chattanooga inducted its former quarterback into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021.
Away from the field, Bradshaw shared much of his life with his high school sweetheart, Theo. The two married in 1959 and spent 67 years together.
From quarterback in Chattanooga to defensive back in Pittsburgh, Bradshaw’s football career crossed positions, leagues and generations—and more than 60 years later, his name still has a place in the Steelers record book.
Jim Bradshaw was 87.
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