Fox studio analyst Terry Bradshaw will sit out the network’s coverage of Sunday’s Super Bowl, as he mourns the passing of his father, William Marvin Bradshaw.
The elder Bradshaw passed away Thursday, Jan. 30, after a long illness. He was 86.
A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Bill Bradshaw is survived by his wife, two siblings, three sons and 12 grandchildren.
While the four-time Super Bowl champ can be seen in pre-recorded segments leading up to the game, Bradshaw remains with his family in Shreveport, La. (Shortly after 5:30 p.m. EST, Fox aired Bradshaw’s interview with Denver quarterback Peyton Manning.
“On behalf of everyone at Fox Sports, we want to extend our deepest sympathy to Terry, his mother Novis, brothers Gary and Craig and the entire Bradshaw family,” said the network in a statement issued Sunday. “All are in our thoughts and prayers today, and we respect their wishes for privacy during this very difficult time. Terry is with his mother and family in Louisiana, and understandably will not appear on Fox Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl XLVIII today.”
Michael Strahan has assumed Bradshaw’s duties in the pre-game show. Fox usually sends Bradshaw onto the field at the end of the game to award the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the winning team; Strahan will handle that task tonight.
With about an hour to go before Super Bowl XLVIII kicks off in MetLife Stadium, Curt Menefee, Howie Long, Jimmy Johnson and Jay Glazer are all in their accustomed positions.
Shortly after the Manning segment aired, Menefee dedicated the broadcast to the memory of Bill Bradshaw.
In a strange and obviously wholly unforeseen irony, Bradshaw had starred in a series of Verizon FiOS Quantum ads that suggested he would be benched in favor of Ella Anderson, aka the #FiOSFootballGirl.