December 26, 2024

Eagles great Bill Bergey dies at 79

Bergey was a fixture of the Eagles' defense through the 1970s and a fan favorite who remained in the area well after he retired.

By Nick Tricome
PhillyVoice Staff

Bill-Bergey-Tackle-Eagles-Radiers-Super-Bowl-XV-1981-NFL.jpg

Manny Rubio/Imagn Images

Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey makes a tackle on Raiders tight end Raymond Chester during Super Bowl XV on Jan. 25, 1981.

Eagles great Bill Bergey passed away on Wednesday after a three-year battle with cancer, his son, Jake, and the organization confirmed.

Bergey was 79.

"After a long hard 3 year battle, Dad lost his fight with Cancer," Jake Bergey wrote in a Twitter/X post. "The best father, friend, grand father, football player and outright great person in this world. I will truly miss him. Love you dad."

After a long hard 3 year battle, Dad lost his fight with Cancer. The best father, friend, grand father, football player and out right great person in this world. I will truly miss him. Love you dad. pic.twitter.com/RTLln3UA8o
— Jake Bergey (@Bergey66) December 25, 2024

"We are saddened to learn of the passing of Bill Bergey," Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said through a release from the team. "An Eagles all-time great, Bill was a legendary linebacker who gained the respect of players and coaches across the league for his blue-collar work ethic and hard-nosed play. He was rightfully inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 1988. Bill exemplified what it meant to be an Eagle in every way, and proudly represented the team in the community well after his playing days were over. We will all miss him dearly and extend our deepest condolences to the entire Bergey family."

Bergey was a native of South Dayton, New York, and played his college ball at Arkansas State. He was a second-round draft pick to the Cincinnati Bengals in 1969, establishing himself as a pro through the late stages of the AFL-NFL merger.

He became an Eagle in 1974 after leaving the Bengals, and the NFL, for a failed World Football League startup, with his return soon after costing the Eagles two future firsts- and a second-round pick to facilitate a trade.

Bergey immediately became a fixture of the Eagles' defense through the 1970s, making four Pro Bowls and back-to-back First Team All-Pro honors in 1974 and 1975, then, in his final season, he helped lead Philadelphia past the rival Dallas Cowboys in the 1980 NFC Championship Game and to the franchise's first-ever Super Bowl – where they fell to the Oakland Raiders.

"The thing that was so unbelievable is when I was walking down that tunnel onto the field, there was never a game that I played that I knew we were going to win as much as this game here," Bergey recalled to the Eagles' website of the NFC title game and that January day at Veterans Stadium. "There was absolutely no doubt in anybody's mind – even though the score was 20-7 – it was not indicative of the way the game went. We destroyed the Dallas Cowboys that day."

Bergey remained in the area after he retired, pitched in on TV and radio commentary, and invested back into the community.

He is survived by his wife Micky, his three sons, Jake, Jason, and Josh, 10 grandchildren, and his siblings Bruce and Sylvia.

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