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“Your Legacy Will Forever Be Etched in Our Hearts”: NFL World Reacts as Eagles Icon Bill Bergey Passes Away From Cancer

Samnur Reza
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Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey (66) kneels over Oakland Raiders tight end Raymond Chester (88) in Super Bowl XV at the Superdome. The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10.

Jan 25, 1981; New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey (66) kneels over Oakland Raiders tight end Raymond Chester (88) in Super Bowl XV at the Superdome. The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

The NFL world mourns the loss of Bill Bergey, a former middle linebacker for the Eagles. He was 79. Jake Bergey, Bill’s son, shared the news on X, revealing that Number 66 had been battling cancer for the last three years.

He was “the best father, friend, grandfather, football player, and outright great person in this world,” Jake wrote.

In the 1970s, Bill was a dominant force, earning both of his First-Team All-Pro honors during that era. He also earned five Pro Bowls in his career.

With Bill playing a crucial role for the Eagles, the team reached its first Super Bowl in 1981, though they lost the big game to the Oakland Raiders, 27-10. The 1969 AFL Defensive Rookie of the Year is also a member of the Arkansas State Hall of Honor.

It’s a tough loss for the Bergey family, and a heartfelt reminder to football fans that life is all so fragile for even the toughest among us. In September last year, the former linebacker spoke about his jaw cancer ahead of an Eagles-Commanders matchup.

It was first detected by his dentist, and a visit to Penn State confirmed the diagnosis. Since then, Bill had been urging his fans to see a doctor promptly if something felt off.

“If they feel like there’s anything wrong, go check it out and make sure that you stay on top of it, because the quicker you can do it, the quicker you’re going to be in good shape,” Bergey said last year, as per CBS News.

With Bill’s passing, Eagles fans, Bengals fans too (he played for them 1969-73), flocked to social media to express their heartfelt condolences to the Bergey family. Some gave tribute to his career, while others recounted their memory of the NFL legend.

We, from The SportsRush, send our deepest condolences to the Bergey family.

About the author

Samnur Reza

Samnur Reza

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Samnur Reza is an NFL editor for The SportsRush. He holds a degree in English Honors and joined The SportsRush editorial team in 2023. Having previously worked as a freelancer and several media outlets, Samnur has been religiously following the National Football League for the past six and a half years. Samnur first started following football after Tom Brady's cameo in Ted 2. It wasn’t long before he found himself grabbing a bucket of popcorn to enjoy football games. He still vividly remembers his first-ever fixture: a 2011 matchup between the Patriots and Raiders, where Brady led his team to a 31-19 victory. Even so, Samnur believes Brady’s best performance came against the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, a game he still revisits from time to time. Samnur diligently follows most NFL athletes, their family members, and even the NCAA. Thus, he considers himself a diverse writer, having covered almost every corner of the football world. He does, however, have a special interest in athlete-centric stories. Whenever they engage in off-field ventures or charitable activities, Samnur enjoys reading and writing about them. Samnur had already authored over 1000 NFL-based articles before becoming an editor. His editorial journey began just a little over a year ago. Beyond football, Samnur is a true cinephile with an extensive repertoire of films. He’s also fond of cats and has a furry friend named ‘Eva.’ During his free time, Samnur enjoys playing video games, currently immersed in God of War: Ragnarök. Having recently learned how to ride a bike, he now wishes to travel almost everywhere on it.

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