Former Steelers Offensive Lineman Was Not A Big Fan Of Terry Bradshaw's Singing Until Some Painful Retaliation

Pittsburgh Steelers legendary quarterback, Terry Bradshaw has had a few different careers that have kept him in the limelight. As of late, he's probably best known now for his gig on FOX Sports as a panelist on their NFL gameday broadcasts. He's been involved in acting in Super Bowl commercials, and with his show, the Bradshaw Bunch, which ran for 24 episodes between 2020 and 2022. He's also dabbled in a musical career that started in 1976 with the release of an album of covers of country songs. Teammate Jim Files had a front-row seat to the start of Bradshaw's musical career. 

Files was selected by the Steelers in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft after a collegiate career at McNeese State. He was a two-time All-American as a center in 1975 and at tackle in 1974. Unfortunately for him, he never played a game for the Steelers due to injuries, but he has all kinds of stories from his short time around the dynasty team of the 1970s. 

In a recent exclusive interview with Steelers Takeaways, he recounted how Bradshaw used him as a sounding board. The two carpooled into work together, and Bradshaw would test his signing on the young offensive lineman. 

"This was when Terry [Bradshaw] was trying to start his singing career and all the way into work, I had to listen to him singing to his eight-track," he told Steelers Takeaways. "'Jim – what do you think of that one,' he’d ask. I told him, 'It was a good thing you know how to throw a football! You suck, Terry!'" 

Files said that Bradshaw liked to stay late after practice to throw, so because they'd come into work together, Files became his partner for that. He added after every practice, Bradshaw would throw 100 balls for him to catch. 

The two had a good relationship, but that didn't stop Bradshaw from getting back at Files for his comments on his singing. 

Steelers' Bradshaw Gets His Revenge

Files informed Steelers Takeaways that Bradshaw never verbally expressed his feelings about the comments during the ride to practice, but he found another way to let his teammate know that he was hurt by them. As Files was a center, Bradshaw, the quarterback, had a unique way of getting back at Files on the practice field. 

Files said that during the training session, after he told Bradshaw his singing stunk, the legendary signal-caller would line up for snaps from him and give him some whacks in every sensitive area. 

"He [Bradshaw] wasn’t happy that I insulted his singing," he said. "After that, I told him I loved his music!"   

He and plenty of Americans enjoyed Bradshaw's first musical release, which came out two weeks after the Steelers' Super Bowl X victory over the Dallas Cowboys. His first LP featured covers of classic country singers Hank Williams and Roger Miller. The single off the record and the title track, a version of Williams' classic “’I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" reached Number 17 on the country music charts.

Unfortunately for Bradshaw, his follow-up to his first hit single flopped, and he was let go from the Mercury Records recording deal in 1980. 

Bradshaw has continued to make music since. He released a Christmas song in 2012 titled  "Lights of Louisiana" and was on The Masked Singer in the show's first season in 2019.

Bradshaw also came out with a song during the coronavirus pandemic called "Quarantine Crazy," which was released on YouTube in April 2020. Bradshaw also had a run of shows in Vegas in 2021 from September to December that featured his musical performances.

Files didn't say anything about Bradshaw's continued career in music, but he wouldn't have to worry about any retribution from Bradshaw if he had anything ill to say about it now. 

Are you a fan of Bradshaw's music? What did you think of Files' story? Comment below!

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