Nigel Bradham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nigel Bradham

Bradham with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017
No. 53, 51
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1989-09-04) September 4, 1989 (age 35) Crawfordville, Florida, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	241 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High school:	Wakulla (Crawfordville, Florida)
College:	Florida State (2008–2011)
NFL Draft:	2012 / Round: 4 / Pick: 105
Career history
Buffalo Bills (2012–2015) Philadelphia Eagles (2016–2019) New Orleans Saints (2020)* Denver Broncos (2020)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (LII)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 619 Sacks: 8.5 Forced fumbles: 5 Fumble recoveries: 5 Interceptions: 3 Defensive touchdowns: 2
Player stats at PFR

Nigel Bradham was born on September 4, 1989. He is a former professional football player who played as a linebacker. He played college football at Florida State University. The Buffalo Bills chose him in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016 to 2019.

Early Life and High School Football

Nigel Bradham grew up in Crawfordville, Florida. He played football at Wakulla High School. During his time there, he was an amazing player. He had two seasons where he made 145 tackles each. A tackle is when a player stops an opponent who has the ball.

In his senior year, he also made 12 sacks. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback before they can throw the ball. He scored four defensive touchdowns, which helped Wakulla win a district championship. Over his four years on the varsity team, he made more than 430 tackles and 20 sacks.

Because of his great skills, Nigel was named to several All-American teams. These teams recognize the best high school football players in the country. He was considered a top player for his position. He chose to attend Florida State University for college.

College Football Career

Nigel Bradham played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.

Freshman Year (2008)

As a new student, or "true freshman," in 2008, Nigel quickly became an important part of the team. He played in all 13 games. He made his first start in a game against the University of Miami. He finished his first season with 29 tackles, which was the most among all the new players on his team.

Sophomore Year (2009)

In his second year, Nigel started 12 games. He led the Seminoles with 93 tackles. He also had 5.5 tackles for loss, which means he stopped opponents behind the line of scrimmage. He recovered two fumbles, which is when a player picks up a ball that an opponent has dropped. He was recognized as an honorable mention Sophomore All-American.

Junior Year (2010)

Nigel started all 14 games in his junior year. For the second year in a row, he led the team in tackles with 98. He also had five sacks and defended five passes. Defending a pass means he stopped the ball from reaching the intended receiver. He had his best games against Boston College and North Carolina, making ten tackles in each.

Senior Year (2011)

As a senior, Nigel was chosen as a team captain. He led the Seminoles in tackles for a third straight season with 86. He was recognized for his strong play in the ACC conference. Florida State's defense was ranked as the fourth best in the country that year. Nigel finished his college career having started 39 games.

Professional Football Career

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills picked Nigel Bradham in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft. He was the 105th player chosen overall.

2012 Season

In May 2012, the Bills signed Nigel to a four-year contract. This contract included a signing bonus, which is extra money given to a player when they sign. He started the season as a backup linebacker. By Week 6, he became a starter. He made his first career tackle in Week 2. In Week 17, he had his best game of the season with 11 tackles. He finished his first year with 57 tackles in 16 games.

2013 Season

In 2013, Nigel competed for a starting spot again. He played mostly as a backup outside linebacker. He started two games that season. In Week 17, he had ten tackles against the New England Patriots. He finished the season with 51 tackles in 16 games.

2014 Season

Nigel became the starting weakside linebacker for the Bills in 2014. In Week 3, he had a season-high 12 tackles. The next week, he made his first career interception. An interception is when a defensive player catches a pass meant for an offensive player. He also got his first career sack in that game. He finished the 2014 season with a career-high 104 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one interception. He played in 14 games and started all of them.

2015 Season

In 2015, the Bills changed their defensive strategy. Nigel became a starting inside linebacker. In the first game of the season, he had eight tackles and sacked quarterback Andrew Luck. He tied his season-high of eight tackles in Week 4. He played in 11 games before an ankle injury ended his season early. He finished with 59 tackles and one sack. After this season, Nigel became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.

Philadelphia Eagles

2016 Season

On March 9, 2016, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Nigel Bradham to a two-year contract. This move reunited him with his former defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz. Nigel became the starting strongside linebacker for the Eagles.

In Week 2, he made his second career interception against the Chicago Bears. In Week 7, he had seven tackles and sacked quarterback Sam Bradford. This was his first sack as an Eagle. In Week 16, he had his best game of the season with 14 tackles. He finished his first year with the Eagles with 102 tackles, two sacks, and two forced fumbles. A forced fumble is when a defensive player causes the player with the ball to drop it. He started all 16 games.

2017 Season: Super Bowl Champions

Nigel continued as a starting linebacker for the Eagles in 2017. In Week 6, he had ten tackles. In Week 15, he made 11 tackles. He finished the season with 88 tackles and two sacks in 15 games.

The Philadelphia Eagles had a fantastic season, winning 13 games and earning a top spot in their conference. This meant they got to skip the first round of the playoffs. Nigel played in his first playoff game on January 13, 2018. He helped the Eagles win against the Atlanta Falcons. The Eagles then won the NFC Championship game, which sent them to the Super Bowl LII.

On February 4, 2018, Nigel started in Super Bowl LII. He made seven tackles in the game. The Eagles won the Super Bowl, defeating the New England Patriots 41–33. This was a huge achievement for Nigel and his team!

2018 Season

After winning the Super Bowl, the Eagles signed Nigel to a new five-year contract in March 2018. He played in 15 games and started all of them. He recorded 97 tackles and two sacks.

2019 Season

In Week 4 of the 2019 season, Nigel intercepted a pass from quarterback Aaron Rodgers. This play helped the Eagles win a close game against the Green Bay Packers. In Week 15, he returned a fumble for a 46-yard touchdown. This means he picked up a dropped ball and ran it all the way to the end zone for a score.

On February 19, 2020, the Eagles decided to release Nigel from his contract.

New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos

In August 2020, Nigel signed with the New Orleans Saints, but he was released later that month. In October 2020, he joined the practice squad of the Denver Broncos. He played in one game for the Broncos before being released in November 2020.

NFL Career Statistics