When Sam Bradford tore the ACL in his left knee for the second time in less than a year, the former Rams quarterback thought about quitting.
He entered 2014 with high expectations, but reinjured the previously surgically-repaired knee during a preseason game at Cleveland. The injury threatened to be a career-ender and Bradford thought about stepping away from the game. That's when he spoke with his college quarterback coach Josh Heupel, also a fellow former Oklahoma quarterback.
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"It was one of those moments where, after all the time and energy and passion that he poured into rehabilitating himself in the first injury, you feel like you're snakebitten," Heupel said in a phone interview with Philly.com. "You don't know when, if, or how your body is going to respond and what your next opportunity is. You're really just in a lot of limbo. Sometimes, I think, just having a voice from an outside perspective is something that can be valuable."
The Rams traded Bradford to the Eagles on March 10 despite his injury history. He is eager to start anew and prove he can stay healthy.
A No. 1 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, he has had two shoulder injuries, including one in college, and now two knee surgeries. He was the offensive rookie of the year in 2010 with 3,512 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while lifting the Rams from just one victory in 2009 to seven in 2010. Bradford again had the Rams on the cusp of a playoff berth in 2012, going 7-8-1. He threw for 3,702 yards with 21 touchdowns and 13 picks that season.
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He was having the best season of his career in 2013 until he tore his ACL against the Panthers. Through seven games, Bradford had 1,687 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and only four interceptions and a career-high passer rating of 90.9.
He has proven what he can do — when he's able to stay on the field. It's something the Eagles are betting on after dealing Nick Foles to the Rams in exchange for Bradford and re-signing Mark Sanchez.
"Nothing changed for him from a guy who was the number one overall draft pick as far as who or what he is as a person and a competitor, and ultimately that's why there's no doubt in my mind he's going to reach the pinnacle of success," Heupel told Philly.com. "If he's 100 percent healthy, he'll be able to perform at an elite level."