The Pittsburgh Steelers were lucky to have quarterback Terry Bradshaw as their quarterback in the '70s. Bradshaw helped lead the team to four Super Bowl titles and turned Pittsburgh into one of the most historic franchises in all of sports by the time his career was done. However, the NFL looked very different back then. The money wasn’t close to what it is today. In fact, even as the number one overall pick in the 1970 NFL Draft, Bradshaw still had to take offseason jobs just to make ends meet.
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Steelers' Terry Bradshaw holds up his #12 jersey.
Bradshaw recently told a wild story on the To The Point - Home Services Podcast, revealing that he once worked as a used car salesman and a fishing guide during his time in the NFL. Despite being the face of the Steelers and one of the league’s top young quarterbacks, he spent his offseasons grinding just to stay financially afloat. It wasn’t about fame or lifestyle. It was about survival.
At one point, he was making just fifty dollars a day taking people out fishing, with no real idea where the fish even were. However, because he was Bradshaw, the top draft pick in Pittsburgh, people still lined up to go on trips with him. His story shows just how far the NFL has come financially and how different life was for players in that era, even for a future Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl champion quarterback.
"I did [used to be a car salesperson] we didn’t make any money," Bradshaw said. "I was in the NFL, and I was the first player taken in that 1970 draft. I made $25,000 in my first year. 25 grand! Alright! The kid that gets drafted this year number one will sign for at least 20 or 30 million dollars."
He signed a $100,000 signing bonus and spread it out over 10 years. After Bradshaw’s rookie year in Pittsburgh, he returned to Louisiana Tech University to graduate, but he had no money.
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Steelers' Terry Bradshaw uncorks a pass in Super Bowl XIV.
He didn’t want to live at home with his parents, and because he needed more income, he went out and got a job selling cars.
"I didn’t wanna live with my parents, so I got me an apartment in Louisiana and went to Bill Hanah Ford and asked for a job," Bradshaw said. "And I sold used cars for three years… I became a fishing guide at Toledo Bend. I didn’t know where the fish were — your guess is as good as mine. But I am Terry Bradshaw, the number one draft pick in Pittsburgh. Everybody wanted to go fishing with me. Guess how much money I was making a day? Fifty bucks. Haha. Fifty bucks."
If Bradshaw were playing in today’s NFL, there’s no doubt he would be making well over hundreds of millions of dollars. As a four-time Super Bowl champion, former MVP, and the face of one of the most iconic dynasties in league history, he would have received massive contracts, endorsement deals, and long-term financial security. However, because he played in the 1970s, he never had that luxury. That’s exactly what makes this story so fascinating.
Steelers' Terry Bradshaw Was Selling Cars For Cheap To Help Families Out
Bradshaw’s off-field experience during his playing days is a story not many fans know about, but it highlights just how different the NFL once was. Despite being the number one overall pick and the leader of the Steelers during their rise to dominance, he still had to find offseason jobs to make ends meet; that's the reality.
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Steelers' Terry Bradshaw scouts the defense before a snap in Super Bowl XIII.
While today’s stars spend their summers training, recovering, or vacationing, Bradshaw was selling used cars and taking people on fishing trips to earn extra money. During the podcast, Bradshaw revealed he had gotten in some trouble at work because he would sell cars for too cheap. He would talk to families he knew couldn't afford to pay full price and wanted to help them out.
It’s a story that might sound unbelievable to younger fans, but it’s a powerful reminder of how much the league has evolved. The NFL has become a financial powerhouse, but it wasn’t always that way. Bradshaw’s experience shows that even the biggest names in football had to grind for every dollar during a time when fame on the field didn’t always mean financial comfort off of it.
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