Jim Bradshaw, a former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back and draft pick, has died at 87.
The news was shared in a Facebook post by his family, according to a social media update from his niece. The post said Bradshaw died peacefully.
Bradshaw was born in St. Clairsville, Ohio, about 60 miles west of Pittsburgh, and he became one of the Steelers’ early local success stories after starring at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Before the NFL, he was a quarterback in college, and the Steelers bet on that athleticism when they brought him in.
His path to Pittsburgh came in 1963, when both leagues came calling. The Boston Patriots took him in the 20th round of the AFL draft, while the Steelers selected him in the 18th round of the NFL Draft. Bradshaw chose the NFL and the Steelers, and the team quickly moved him from quarterback to defense.
As a rookie, he appeared in 14 games and made one start. That start produced his first career interception, a sign of what was ahead over the next several seasons. He also handled a little bit of special teams work that year, punting twice and averaging 35 yards per attempt, according to Pro Football Reference.
By his second season, Bradshaw had settled in as a starter at safety and was taking on more of a role as a kick and punt returner. His biggest year came in 1965, when he started 12 games, picked off five passes, piled up 117 return yards and scored a touchdown.
Bradshaw played 62 NFL games, all with the Steelers, from 1963 through 1967. He finished his Pittsburgh run with 11 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries, and he returned two interceptions and two fumbles for touchdowns.
After the 1967 season, Pittsburgh traded him to the Cleveland Browns, but Cleveland cut him before the season started, ending his NFL career.
In Other News...
Raiders Legend Fred Biletnikoff Just Gave Fans A Powerful Reminder
Fred Biletnikoff has spent decades reminding Raiders fans that the franchises most enduring figures often make their biggest impact off the field. The Hall of Fame receivers Biletnikoff Foundation is already setting up its 26th Celebrity Crab Fest for Oct. 16, 2026, and for the first time the event will be held at Allegiant Stadium, a fitting stage for a cause that has long been tied to the Las Vegas community.
The dinner and fundraiser will benefit Traceys Place of Hope at the Healing Center at St. Judes Ranch for Children in Nevada, with support aimed at fighting adolescent domestic violence, substance abuse and human trafficking. It also arrives as Mark Davis has pledged a major donation toward Nevadas first stand-alone childrens hospital, another reminder that in Las Vegas, the Raiders influence keeps stretching well beyond the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders May Have Found A Hidden Edge Theyll Need To Keep Winning
The Raiders opened the season with the kind of balanced effort coaches love to point to later, beating the Dolphins in Week 1 by getting something from every phase of the game. Offense did its part, the defense held up, and special teams quietly helped tilt the field in Las Vegas favor, with running back Dylan Laube giving the offense shorter fields to work with on kickoff returns.
For a team trying to string wins together, that hidden edge matters. Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis said the unit showed progress, but also left room for improvement, which is usually the encouraging part for a club that just found a way to win early. If the Raiders can keep turning those return chances into field position advantages, it could become one of the more useful edges on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans Will All Have The Same Question About This Confession
Orville Pecks new album, Mule, comes with plenty of personal material, but one line in particular will likely catch Raiders fans by surprise. The masked country singers fourth studio release includes a lyric about a personal encounter with an unnamed Las Vegas Raiders player, a detail Peck said was cleared with the player before the song came out.
Peck said the player wanted to stay anonymous, which only adds to the intrigue for a fan base that will immediately start wondering who it was. The album also leans into bigger themes of addiction, recovery and lived experience, but this Raiders reference gives the project a very specific local tie that is hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]