unCovering the Birds, Season 3, Episode 4: Head games

In this week’s gripping episode, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane delves into the chilling moment when Stewart Bradley collapsed on the field, a pivotal incident highlighting the NFL’s concussion crisis.

by Jeff McLane May 10, 2024, 6:46 a.m. ET

Stewart Bradley tried to get up. He made it to his feet, took about six steps, wobbled, then crumbled to the field. The reaction from the sold-out crowd at Lincoln Financial Field was one of collective shock. The broadcasters announcing the game were shaken by what they saw. Did Bradley really get his bell rung that badly? How could such a freakish athlete just collapse like that? The situation looked serious, which is what made it all the more stunning to see Bradley back on the field a mere three plays later …

In the first installment of a two-part look at how concussions have affected Philadelphia Eagles players past and present, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane catches up with Bradley and his former teammates to revisit one of the scariest moments in recent Eagles history. Jeff pulls back the curtain on how Bradley was allowed to return to play and talks to Bradley about the impact head trauma has had on his life since his playing career ended.

Follow Jeff McLane on X. You can read his work at Inquirer.com.

unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes in Season 3 dropping throughout the spring.