Sam Bradford
A quarterback whose immense talent and record-breaking rookie contract were persistently shadowed by devastating knee injuries.
Born 1987 (age 39)·American football player·Birthday: November 8·Millennials
Biography
Sam Bradford's football narrative is one of brilliant promise and profound physical misfortune. Selected first overall in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Oklahoma product arrived with a Heisman Trophy and a cannon for an arm, immediately becoming the face of the St. Louis Rams franchise. His rookie season showed flashes of the pinpoint accuracy that made him a college star, but a catastrophic ACL tear the following year began a cycle of setbacks that would define his career. Bradford displayed remarkable resilience, returning to play and even leading the league in completion percentage one season, but he never found sustained stability. Traded multiple times, his story became a poignant case study in how injury can derail even the most gifted prospects, ending with his retirement after nine professional seasons.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Sam was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sam Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Sam's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Heisman Trophy in 2008 as the quarterback for the University of Oklahoma.
- Was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams.
- Set the NFL record for most completions by a rookie quarterback in a single season (354 in 2010).
Did You Know?
He was the last NFL rookie quarterback to sign a contract under the old collective bargaining agreement, securing a record $78 million deal with $50 million guaranteed.
In 2016, he set the NFL single-season record for completion percentage (71.6%), a record later broken by Drew Brees.
He is of Cherokee descent and was a standout multi-sport athlete in high school in Oklahoma City.
“I'm not going to let an injury define who I am or what I can do.”
