Micah Fletcher
Cherokee Phoenix
OKLAHOMA CITY – On April 28, Cherokee Nation citizen Sam Bradford was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame.
His accomplishments in football at the collegiate and professional level likely made him an easy choice for the 2023 class.
Bradford, born and raised in Oklahoma City, played many sports while attending Putnam City North High School. When he graduated, he received a football scholarship from the University of Oklahoma and became an All-American quarterback, and won the 2008 Heisman Trophy, the first-ever Cherokee Nation citizen to do so.
After his time at OU, he entered the NFL draft where he was taken number one overall by the St. Louis Rams. He won Rookie of The Year honors and set many records in his first season as a pro.
Former OU coach, Bob Stoops, introduced Bradford.
“I don’t win all those championships without guys like Sam Bradford. You talk about an athlete! Incredibly special,” Stoops said.
Bradford was inducted into the hall of fame along with Major League Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench, Choctaw.
“I often thought about the interactions I have had with so many Native Americans across the state and country,” Bradford said. “I cannot tell you how many times I have been out in public and someone has stopped me and the first thing out of their mouth was, ‘I’m Native too.’ It was a connection we shared.”
This article was first published in the Cherokee Phoenix.