Terry Bradshaw Checked Into the Hospital as ‘Tom Brady’ in the ’80s

Tom Brady is the most recognizable name in the NFL, justifiably so, after winning the Super Bowl seven staggering times. However, his name created headlines in 1983 for a very different reason. Then-Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw used the moniker while checking himself into a hospital.

A Twitter account named Quirky Research provided the revelation by posting an old newspaper article. The title was “Steelers’ ‘Tom Brady’ undergoes arm surgery.” The article discussed how Bradshaw checked himself into Doctor’s Hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana, in March. 3, 1983. He used the fake name to avoid fans.

Bradshaw was not quoted in the article, but hospital administrator Charles Boyd provided information to the newspaper. Boyd said that the four-time Super Bowl champion underwent surgery the same day that he checked in. He left the hospital two days later.

“Many times, we have to admit people under an assumed name or under no name to keep the press and fans away,” Boyd said. “Dr. [William] Burdick was in consultation with the surgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

Following the surgery, Bradshaw left Louisiana for a business trip. He headed to New York to film a commercial. He also served as the grand marshal of the Coca-Cola 500 in Georgia, a race that Cale Yarborough won after edging out Neil Bonnett and Buddy Baker.

At the time, Brady was a 6-year-old boy living in California and rooting for the San Francisco 49ers. No one knew that he would one day singlehandedly win more Lombardi Trophies than Bradshaw’s Steelers and every other NFL franchise.

According to Yahoo! Sports, the surgery did not fully fix Bradshaw’s issues. He did not take the field for the Steelers until the 15th week of the season. He only threw eight passes before feeling his elbow pop but still tossed two touchdowns en route to a 34-7 win over the Jets. He missed the playoffs while the team lost to the eventual Super Bowl XVIII champion Los Angeles Raiders. Bradshaw then retired from the NFL.

Nearly two decades later, the “real” Brady suited up for the New England Patriots. He made his first start in Week 3 of the 2001 season after Drew Bledsoe suffered an injury. Brady led the team to the playoffs and the first Super Bowl win in franchise history.