Steelers' Terry Bradshaw Draws Mammoth Comparison From Howie Long As "The White Charles Barkley"

Pittsburgh Steelers' four-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, Terry Bradshaw has been a part of Steeler Nation since 1970. The former league MVP wasn’t always a fan favorite in Pittsburgh, but he won over most hearts and minds with his gutsy play and country charm. Bradshaw doesn’t visit Pittsburgh nearly often enough to realize how much of an impact he has made over the last half-century.

After Bradshaw retired, he worked as a broadcaster. In 1994, he joined the NFL on Fox studio program. Many younger fans and commentators only know Bradshaw as a commentator. When they look back at his playing career through the lens of modern analytics, his playing career is too often discredited as substandard. Bradshaw was the best big game quarterback of his era, and he beat Fran Tarkenton and Roger Staubach, the two best NFC quarterbacks of the decade, in the Super Bowl.

Bradshaw was a great player and oozes charm as a broadcaster. Some social media segments are no longer fans of some of his antics, but his co-hosts' genuine affection for him is palpable. One of his long-time partners on Fox is Howie Long. The former Oakland Raiders All-Pro joined the Pardon My Take podcast on Monday and shared his thoughts on working closely with Bradshaw.

“He’s one of the smartest people I know, truly,” Long declared. “He really, really is. He’s brilliant. He’s a brilliant guy.”

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Bradshaw has long battled misperceptions about his intelligence. He is very sensitive about claims that challenge his mental acuity. Teammates rallied around him when Thomas Henderson from the Dallas Cowboys questioned his ability to spell before Super Bowl XIII; during the years since, friends and colleagues have confirmed Bradshaw’s quick wit for those who doubt it.

“He’s a brilliant guy, but trust me, we’re not a rehearsal show,” Long continued. We do our show live, we don’t rehearse. The reactions when he says things are so genuine because it’s like Oh my god, did he just say that? He’s kind of like the white Charles Barkley."

Charles Barkley is the current gold standard in-studio analysis. The Inside The NBA star is another misunderstood Hall of Fame player who says what he thinks, no matter the consequences. Barkley does not mince words when sharing his opinion and has gained arguably more fame as a broadcaster than an NBA player. Bradshaw should be tickled pink by the comparison. 

Saturday Night Live coined the comparison to Barkley in January when they aired a spoof of the NFL On Fox studio show. In typical Bradshaw fashion, what started as a joke at his expense, has been flipped around as a compliment for the former Steelers signal-caller. Long shared that despite his Raider past and Bradshaw's Steelers icon status, the two have grown close working together for nearly 30 years. 

"We couldn't be any more different," Long concludes. "He is like the older brother I could have never imagined having. It's a great relationship."

The former two-time Super Bowl MVP is not the first Steelers player to have a long friendship with a rival Raiders legend. The Steelers' legendary Franco Harris, who passed away just before his number was retired in December, had a close bond with Phil Villapiano. The pair were so fond of each other that Villapiano helped induct Harris as an honorary member of Oakland's infamous Black Hole in 2018. 

Bradshaw and Long are returning to the Fox studio show for the 2023-24 NFL season. They will kick off their coverage on opening day a week from Sunday and share their thoughts and feelings on the coming NFL season. Neither Hall of Fame player shows signs of slowing down and will hopefully be invited into America's living room for many years to come. 

What do you think, Steeler Nation? Do you sit on the edge of your seat, wondering what Bradshaw will say next? Let me know what you think. Please comment below or on my Twitter / X: @thebubbasq. 

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