Terry Bradshaw, Now ‘Cancer Free,’ Explains Why He Waited a Year to Reveal Diagnoses
Terry Bradshaw says he's "cancer free," "feeling great" and well on his way to his old self again after battling two different and unrelated forms of cancer within the past year.
The former football pro and current sports analyst announced in early October that he'd been diagnosed with bladder cancer and a rare form of skin cancer called a Merkel cell tumor last year.
This week, in an interview with Today, he explains why he waited a year to publicly share news of his cancer.
“I didn’t talk about it because I didn’t want pity," Bradshaw tells NBC's Harry Smith.
"I didn’t talk about it because a lot of celebrities — unfortunately, I’m one of those — when they say this, I think the perception around America with all the the millions of people is, ‘Aw, look at him. Bless his heart. He has cancer. Well, my husband died of cancer! My kids are…’ I didn’t want that."
Bradshaw says it even took a while before he told his wife and family, but once he did, he was shown unwavering support during his battles.
"I can't put into words how thankful I am for her. Seriously," Bradshaw says of his wife, Tammy.
The sports star's announcement of his diagnoses came after fans noticed he was unusually winded during a television segment in which he and his co-hosts passed the football around.
“I couldn’t breathe," he admits to Today. “That’s when everybody notices. ‘What’s wrong with him?’ Social media went, ‘Get rid of him. He needs to be off the air. He’s an embarrassment.’ And I was like, 'Embarrassment? I got cancer.'"
The bladder cancer diagnosis came in November 2021, and after he beat it, Bradshaw underwent treatment for the Merkel cell tumor. He says the second diagnosis set off more alarm bells than the first.
The FOX Sports personality also shares with Today his plans for the future now that he has overcome cancer twice: He and his wife are planning to travel to Europe, Paris and "wherever we want to go."
"I'm going to get all this in because I feel like I don't want to put this off anymore," he admits. "I may have 25, 30 years left, but I'm going to act like I've got one."
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