Terry Bradshaw has spent years bringing his trademark humor to FOX NFL Sunday, but behind the jokes, the Hall of Famer has also battled depression and struggled with the thought of stepping away from work. At 78, the former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is opening up about those personal challenges while making one thing clear: he is not ready to retire. Even as he accepts that FOX may eventually replace him, Bradshaw refuses to give the network a retirement announcement.
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In a recent interview with Men’s Health while promoting his new memoir Looking for Terry, Bradshaw revealed that he had signed a two-year contract extension with FOX. The deal will keep him with the network through its next Super Bowl broadcast in February 2029, when he will be 80. Yet he is already anticipating that the network may want a younger voice, regardless of how well he performs.
“I think I’m going through now what everybody that’s in their 70s goes through. I’m 78. I just signed a two-year extension, and I’m pretty sure no matter how well I perform over the next two years, they’re going to want to replace me,” Bradshaw told Men’s Health.
The possibility of being replaced has not convinced him to walk away voluntarily. Instead, Bradshaw wants FOX to make that decision rather than risk turning his eventual departure into a retirement celebration he never requested.
“I’m not going to announce my retirement, because in two years when we do the Super Bowl, after my contract is expiring, I don’t want anybody to do a tribute,” he explained. “So I’m never going to say I’m going to retire.”
Bradshaw also left the door open to another extension if FOX believes he still has something to offer. He made his position unmistakable with a blunt warning to anyone expecting him to announce his final season.
“They’re pissing into the wind if they think I’m gonna tell them I’m retiring,” he said.
Bradshaw’s connection to broadcasting goes beyond his contract or his familiar role on television. While discussing his memoir, he has opened up about his years of living with clinical depression. He said he did not initially understand that it was an illness. Divorces and poor performances during his playing career were among the experiences that left him feeling low.
Even later in life, those feelings sometimes returned despite circumstances that seemed positive.
Speaking on the 10% Happier with Dan Harris podcast, Bradshaw explained how his wife, Tammy, helps him recognize those periods. She gave his depression the nickname “Roy,” making it easier for the couple to acknowledge what was happening and talk about it rather than ignore it. Bradshaw credited her understanding and support with helping him manage those difficult moments.
That openness offers context for why the prospect of retirement carries such weight for him. Bradshaw has described work as a major part of his identity and previously said that he fears losing his spot on FOX NFL Sunday more than he fears leaving the spotlight.
His recent comments to the Los Angeles Times echoed that sentiment. Although he acknowledged that younger broadcasters will eventually take over, he emphasized his desire to remain relevant and continue connecting with viewers.
“I love my job,” Bradshaw said. “This year was the first year that I got nervous. I wanted to extend my contract. So I signed through the Super Bowl. Two more years. I’ll be 80.”
Bradshaw has been part of FOX’s NFL pregame show since the network secured NFL broadcasting rights in 1994. Whether he stays is ultimately up to FOX, and his comments are no guarantee of a new deal.
Still, Bradshaw has made one thing clear: he isn’t going to announce his retirement and make the decision for the network.