Bradley Sylve facts for kids

Bradley Sylve (born January 29, 1993) is a former American football player. He played as a cornerback, which is a defensive position in football. A cornerback's main job is to cover opposing wide receivers. They try to stop passes and prevent catches. Bradley Sylve played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. After college, he joined the Buffalo Bills in 2017. He was signed as an undrafted free agent, meaning he wasn't chosen in the main NFL draft.

College Football Journey

Bradley Sylve played college football at the University of Alabama from 2011 to 2015. During his time there, he mostly played as a reserve player. This means he was a backup who could step in when needed. He made 40 tackles and broke up 7 passes. A tackle is when a defensive player stops an offensive player with the ball. Breaking up a pass means he knocked the ball away before it could be caught.

He started a few games during his college career. In 2013, he started 3 games, and in 2014, he started one. He was also recognized as one of Alabama's top Special Teams Players of the Year. Special teams are the units that play during kickoffs, punts, and field goals.

Winning Championships

While playing for the Crimson Tide, Bradley Sylve helped his team win two BCS National Championship Games. These are major college football championships. They won in both 2011 and 2012. This was a big achievement for him and his team.

Facing an Injury

In 2016, just before a special day for college players to show their skills to NFL teams (called Pro Day), Bradley Sylve got a serious injury. He tore his Achilles tendon. This is a strong band of tissue at the back of your ankle. This injury made it harder for him to get drafted by an NFL team.

Professional Football Career

After college, Bradley Sylve played for several professional football teams. He moved between different leagues and teams, showing his dedication to the sport.

Buffalo Bills

On April 7, 2017, Bradley Sylve signed with the Buffalo Bills. He was hoping to make the team's main roster. However, he was later released by the team on September 1, 2017.

New Orleans Saints

After leaving the Bills, Sylve joined the New Orleans Saints' practice squad on September 20, 2017. A practice squad is a group of players who practice with the team but are not on the main roster. They can be called up to play if needed. He was released from the practice squad in October. He later signed a new contract with the Saints in January 2018 but was released again in May 2018.

Birmingham Iron

In 2019, Bradley Sylve played for the Birmingham Iron. This team was part of a new league called the Alliance of American Football. He played in 8 games for the Iron. During this time, he made 30 tackles and had two interceptions. An interception is when a defensive player catches a pass meant for an offensive player. He intercepted passes from quarterbacks Mike Bercovici and Matt Simms. The Alliance of American Football league stopped playing on April 2, 2019.

DC Defenders

Bradley Sylve was chosen by the DC Defenders in the 2020 2020 XFL Draft. This was for another new football league called the XFL. In his very first game with the Defenders, he made a big play. He intercepted a pass from quarterback Brandon Silvers. He then ran the ball all the way back for a touchdown. This was the first defensive touchdown in the XFL's history! The Defenders won that game against the Seattle Dragons 31–19.

Los Angeles Wildcats

On February 14, 2020, Bradley Sylve was traded to the Los Angeles Wildcats. He was traded for another player named Anthony Johnson. However, the XFL league also stopped playing on April 10, 2020. This meant his contract with the Wildcats ended.

Philadelphia Stars

In 2022, Bradley Sylve was picked by the Philadelphia Stars in the 2022 USFL draft. This was for yet another professional football league, the USFL. Before the season started, he hurt his ankle. Because of his injury, he was moved to the team's practice squad. He stayed on the inactive roster for a while as he recovered. He was moved to the active roster in May but then back to the inactive roster. On February 23, 2023, the Stars released him from the team.