Eagles Hall of Famer Bill Bergey dies at 79 after lengthy health battle

Former NFL player Bill Bergey has died, his son announced on Christmas Day. He was 79 years old.

Bergey, who played for Philadelphia Eagles from 1974 to 1980, he had been battling cancer for the last few years. His son, Jake Bergey, said his father was an “extraordinary person.”

Born in South Dayton, New York, his professional football career began in the late 1960s when he played for Cincinnati Bengals.

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Bill Bergey of the Philadelphia Eagles stretches as he warms up for a Redskins game at RFK Stadium on September 10, 1978 in Washington, DC (Focus on sports/Getty Images)

“After a long hard 3 year battle, Dad lost his battle with cancer. The best father, friend, grandfather, football player and a truly great person in this world. I will truly miss you. I love you Dad,” Jake wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Bergey recorded nearly 1,200 tackles during his outstanding tenure with the Eagles. He earned it Pro Bowl honors four times during his time in Philly. Bergey earned his first career Pro Bowl nod in 1969 with the Bengals.

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The former linebacker was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 1988. He received another honor in 2011 when he became a member of the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame.

Bill Bergey of the Philadelphia Eagles on the sideline during a preseason game against the Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium on September 2, 1977 in Pittsburgh. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

In 2023, Bergey shared some details about his relationship with Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly. The former Bills quarterback battled jaw cancer and became one of Bergey’s confidants.

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey kneels over Oakland Raiders tight end Raymond Chester in Super Bowl XV at the Superdome in New Orleans on January 25, 1981. (Manny Rubio-USA Today Sports)

“He was kind of my inspiration,” Bergey told the Eagles’ official website last year. “It keeps me going. ‘Just remember,’ he’d say, ‘You’re a football player, you’re tough and you can beat this. You can handle this.'”

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Bergey played college football in the state of Arkansas. After retiring from the NFL, Bergey spent several years contributing to the Eagles’ pre- and post-game coverage.

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