Sam Bradford: 'I've played my last game at Oklahoma'
Sooner QB says he 'wouldn't trade any of it for money'
BY JAKE TROTTER, Staff Writer, jtrotter@opubco.com
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Published: October 27, 2009
NORMAN — Sam Bradford rarely got rattled on the football field during his last three years as Oklahoma’s quarterback.
Sam Bradford addressed the media about his decision on Monday. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
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But describing how he felt knowing his days playing for the
Sooners were over nearly got the best of him.
"I dreamed about coming here,” said Bradford, fighting his emotions. "The first time I got hurt, I was sitting on the sidelines knowing I was coming back — that was the light at the end of the tunnel.
"But to make this decision and realize I’ve played my last game at Oklahoma, it’s really tough.”
One day after announcing he would have season-ending surgery on his separated throwing shoulder and enter the NFL Draft, Bradford spoke with reporters Monday night.
"Last week at
Kansas was the hardest game I ever had to sit on the sidelines,” said Bradford, who will have the operation done Wednesday by renowned surgeon
James Andrews in
Birmingham, Ala. "Especially to come into the locker room and see everybody celebrating and realize that I’m not really going to be part of that anymore.”
Bradford, however, will try to be a part of the team as best he can the rest of this season. He said he will not meet with any agents until after the season, so he can continue to travel with the team and remain involved during practice.
Bradford also said that while he will be a couple classes short of attaining a finance degree at the end of this semester, he still intends to graduate in the spring by taking online courses.
"Talking to my advisors, I should be able to finish in the spring,” he said.
Bradford first injured the shoulder in the season opener against
Brigham Young. After rehabbing for more than a month, he finally returned to the lineup Oct. 10 against
Baylor. But the following week, he reinjured the shoulder after being sacked by
Texas cornerback
Aaron Williams.
"When it first happened, surgery, everybody felt that wasn’t needed,” Bradford said. "Everyone felt that the best thing was to let the shoulder heal itself. We tried that. It did heal and I was able to play, but the first hit I took it re-injured it. The surgery will repair the joint and put it back to normal and strengthen it.”
Bradford admitted that immediately after the second injury, he was still hoping to return this season. But the advice Bradford received was unanimous to go ahead with the surgery and enter the draft.
"I wanted to get as many opinions as possible,” said Bradford, who has sought the wisdom of
NFL quarterbacks such as the
New York Giants’
Eli Manning and
San Francisco 49ers’
Alex Smith, who have both had similar shoulder injuries. "I talked with as many people as I could to make the right decision. After talking to a lot of people, it seemed like this was the unanimous decision that everyone came to.”
Bradford originally scheduled to make his announcement last Wednesday. But two hours before a planned press conference, he canceled.
"I don’t think I realized the magnitude of the situation and information to make that decision; I just felt like the decision needed more time necessary, a couple extra days,” Bradford said. "Coach (Bob) Stoops talked to several people late last week and got some information, very important information for me and good stuff to hear from those people.”
No matter what happens to his draft stock following the surgery, Bradford said he still has no regrets about coming back to school this year.
"Some people think money is everything, but to me, money is not everything,” he said. "You look at these guys and the friendships and the experiences I’ve had here — not many people can say that.
"I wouldn’t trade any of it for money.”
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A Choctaw cousin, OU '91.
Paul Thompson, etc. were all great QB. All won Big 8 & 12 titles, BCS Bowls and other.
Great QB's and great leaders, but none were Heisman winners. No Heisman winning QB
in the Stoops era has led an Oklahoma Team to a Trophy for the fans, a BCS Bowl Win. Bowl
trophy's are the only reward the fans get for all their support, home, away, neutral, etc.,
we've had nothing to show for the support. So what gives Stoops the right to complain
about noise and attendance.? Bob's a good coach with a short memory. He's losing the
winning % against Texas and put up a shameful bowl record. Winning the Big 12 by computer
or vote, is not an outright title, it's a gift. Play Home-n-Home all 11 teams every season,
then see team comes out on top. Big 12 needs to be the leader instead of a follower, but
you need an AD and Commish. with a pair to do it. If Joe C. is AD of the year, no is the
time for him to be the leader and make the move.