Quick Facts
Biography
William Earl Bergey (born February 9, 1945) is a former American collegiate and Professional Football player. He played collegiately for Arkansas State University and for the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals and the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles.
College career
Bergey was born in South Dayton, New York in 1945 and graduated from Arkansas State University (ASU) in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. He was an All-American with the Arkansas State Indians and has been voted by fans the Top Player in Arkansas State history. He was a charter member of Delta Eta chapter of Kappa Alpha Order at ASU.
Bergey set ASU records for best tackling average in a season, most fumble recoveries in a season, most tackles in a game, most tackles in a season, and most career tackles. In 1968, Bergey averaged 19.6 tackles per game. He played in three post-season all-star games during his ASU career; he was selected to the All-Southland Conference team three times and to the Southland Conference All-First Decade Team. Bergey's jersey number 66 was retired by ASU.
Professional career
Cincinnati Bengals
Bergey was drafted by the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 1969 Common Draft and was an AFL All-Star in his first year. Bergey started for the Bengals for five years.
Florida Blazers futures contract and trade
Bergey signed a "futures contract" with the World Football League's Florida Blazers that would have taken effect in 1976, after his contract with the Bengals expired. Rather than play Bergey for two lame duck seasons, Bengals coach Paul Brown traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for two first-round and one second-round draft picks. The Blazers would not survive beyond the 1974 season, and the WFL itself failed partway through 1975; as a result, Bergey never played a down in the WFL and the futures contract never took effect.
Philadelphia Eagles
Bergey played a key role in the Eagles' subsequent rise, culminating in the trip to Super Bowl XV. With the Eagles, Bergey, a four-time All-Pro, set the NFL record for most interceptions by a linebacker and became the highest-paid defensive player in the league with a four-year contract for $1 million. He earned Eagles MVP status three times. Bergey recorded 233 tackles in a single season with the Eagles. He was a popular player who was the foundation of the "Gang Green" defense that brought the Eagles back to the playoffs in 1978, 1979, and to the Super Bowl in 1980.
He retired from professional football in 1981. He was inducted into the Eagles Roll of Honor in 1988. In 2012, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Bergey to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2012
Personal
During his playing days, Bergey served as a lieutenant in the Army Reserve.
Bergey served as a color commentator on Eagles radio broadcasts from 1982 to 1983, and now does pre-game and post-game radio and television commentary for the team during the season. He currently lives in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, with his wife Micky. He is a member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.
His son Jake Bergey is a retired lacrosse player for the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League and his son Josh Bergey is a retired lacrosse player for the Chesapeake Bayhawks of the Major League Lacrosse. Bill's brother Bruce Bergey was a standout player for the Portland Storm of the WFL.