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Sam Bradford and Dr. James Andrews Say Bradford’s Shoulder is Stronger than Ever
It’s been a busy year for Dr. James Andrews. He is making multiple appearances on SRI today alone. He was previously mentioned by NFL quarterback prospect Colt McCoy whom Andrews recently cleared to throw at full strength after McCoy’s shoulder injury in the BCS National Championship. This time, Andrews is actually part of the live conversation as he and McCoy’s top competition among draft prospects at quarterback, Sam Bradford, discuss Bradford’s shoulder.Before the season, Bradford and McCoy were two of the three most talked about players in the country – locks to join Tim Tebow as Heisman Finalists for a second year in a row and compete with each other to represent the Big 12 in the title game. That didn’t exactly happen as planned. McCoy made it to New York as a Heisman Finalist and to the BCS Championship, but won neither and went out with a whimper after injuring his shoulder two passes into his last game.
Bradford didn’t come close to either. After forgoing the NFL Draft following his redshirt Sophomore season, Bradford suffered a shoulder injury in the first game of the year against BYU and was never able to bounce back during the year. Now with a healthy shoulder cleared by Dr. James Andrews and half the game tape of McCoy, Bradford is out to prove that he should be the top player taken in this month’s NFL draft.Sam Bradford and Dr. James Andrews joined Bernie Miklasz on ESPN 101 in St. Louis to talk about the health of Bradford’s shoulder, potentially being drafted by the Rams, deciding to play football, and work ethic.
Bradford on his preference about where he plays:
“It’s a draft. I believe that you go to whatever team picks you. Obviously, the Rams have the first pick and if they pick me, I would be in St. Louis. It’s that simple. I think it would be a great opportunity. I have always dreamed of playing in the NFL. If I do happen to be the number one pick and go to St. Louis, I think that’s a great opportunity and something I have looked forward to for a long-time now.”
Dr. Andrews on the status of Bradford’s shoulder:
“I quit worrying about Sam months ago. He never had any setback or any kind of complaint. He is a very dedicated athlete. There are three quarterbacks that I can go back to with that kind of dedication that Sam has had with his recovery. Recently one of those quarterbacks was the likes of Drew Brees for example and Brett Favre. Sam has got that maturity and really got himself in super shape in this recovery period. As he will tell you, he is probably stronger than he has ever been. He has put on some 13 pounds of upper-extremity muscle. He is completely recovered, so he is ready to go.”
Bradford on deciding to play football:
“I played a lot of different sports growing up. I played five sports. It wasn’t really until my junior year of high school before I knew I was going to play football in college. Even then, I continued to play multiple sports in high school… I would encourage any kid out there to play as many sports as you want. You don’t have to make up your mind when you are ten years old. I was 17 years old when I figured out I wanted to play football and that’s worked out pretty well for me.
Bradford on his work ethic:
“To be successful at the quarterback position, I believe your intangibles have to be as strong, if not stronger than your physical attributes. I feel as though I bring a lot of things to the table as far as intangibles. I have an extremely hard work ethic. I put more pressure on myself to succeed than anyone could imaging. If I am the number one overall pick, I am going to work as hard as I can to let everyone know that the team that drafted me made the right decision. I feel like I am very intelligent, that I make quick decisions on the football field. I feel like I have everything that I need to be successful at the quarterback position. Obviously, I have a lot to learn about the NFL game. I know it’s much different than the college game, but I am willing to put in the time and the effort to make sure that I understand and am prepared to step on that field and help whoever it is that drafts me win football games.”
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