The Eagles are saddened to learn of the passing of Bill Bergey, one of the franchise’s greatest linebackers and a member of the Eagles Hall of Fame. He fought valiantly and bravely against cancer for three years. He died peacefully on Christmas morning at the age of 79, surrounded by his loving family.
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Bill Bergey. An Eagles all-time great, Bill was a legendary linebacker who gained the respect of players and coaches across the league for his blue-collar work ethic and hard-nosed play,” said Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie. “He was rightfully inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 1988. Bill exemplified what it meant to be an Eagle in every way, and proudly represented the team in the community well after his playing days were over. We will all miss him dearly and extend our deepest condolences to the entire Bergey family.”
Bergey is survived by his wife of 55 years, Micky, three sons – Jason, Jake, and Josh, 10 grandkids whom he loved and cherished every day, and two siblings – his brother, Bruce, and sister, Sylvia. He was a man who loved his family to the end. His bear hugs will be missed.
The Bergey family appreciates all of the prayers and well-wishes sent by Bill’s friends, family, and teammates. The family added, “Your support keeps us all strong.”
Very few players in the history of any team can be considered a catalyst for transformation. Bergey was one of those precious handful who helped solidify the City of Philadelphia’s zealous passion for the defensive side of the football.
“I’ve always had a love affair with the fans of Philadelphia,” Bergey said in a 2023 interview. “I have always been kind and courteous to them all the way up that ladder of success that I had because, you won’t believe it, but I’ve met the same people coming back down off that ladder.
“Personally, I think the thing that makes me the proudest is I know that I left everything on the field. I played as hard as I could all the time. I wasn’t one of those players that takes plays off or anything like that. I’ve had an awful lot of pats on the back and a lot of awards and all of that, but just knowing that I gave everything I had every play that I had, that’s pretty rewarding.”