Bradshaw donates rings to alma mater
RUSTON, La. (AP) – Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who had a record-setting career at Louisiana Tech before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers, gave his old school a big gift on Monday. Bradshaw, one of only two quarterbacks in NFL history to win four Super Bowls, donated to the school his rings from Super Bowls IX, X, XIII and XIV, his College Football Hall of Fame ring, his Pro Football Hall of Fame ring, his Hall of Fame bust, four miniature replica Super Bowl trophies, and a helmet and jersey from one of his Super Bowl victories.
“I don’t need (these things) to remind me of anything,” Bradshaw said. “I played in those games, and that’s all the memories I need. All of this memorabilia represents blood, sweat and tears throughout my career, and it’s nice to know that there is now a permanent home for it.”
The school will display the collection at the Charles Wyly Athletic Center, the four-year-old facility that is home to the Bulldogs football team.
Tech Athletic Director Jim Oakes said it will be a couple of months before the design company of Murphy and Orr in Atlanta completes the work to secure the case where the trophies will be housed and that securing the items would be the top priority.
Bradshaw, who received a degree in physical education from Tech in 1970 – the same year he was named first team Associated Press All-American – said he hopes the donation will elicit a greater sense of pride in the university.
“When recruits, who think they have to go to the bigger schools like Notre Dame and LSU to be successful, visit this university, I want them to see that they can get a good education and great competition here, just like I did,” Bradshaw said. “My four years playing college football were by far the best in my entire athletic career, and I’m just so proud of Tech and the fact that I spent those years here.”
Bradshaw’s gifts mean far more than the monetary value, coach Jack Bicknell said.
“You can’t put a price tag on something like this,” Bicknell said. “This is probably the most significant gift of this kind to any program in America, and by probably the best quarterback to ever play the game. It’s one thing to say Terry Bradshaw played here, but the fact that you can see that tangibly now will mean so much for years to come.”