Shazzon Bradley

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Shazzon Bradley is a former American football player and boxer. He played college football at the University of Tennessee.

Early years[edit]

Bradley is from Athens, Tennessee. He attended McMinn County High School, where he was an All-American football player for the Cherokees.[1] In addition, he wrestled for the Cherokees. He was a two-time state champion for the Cherokees in the 275 Weight Class for the 1987 and 1988 seasons.[2] He held a school-record in the discus throw for 34 years, until it was broken in 2022.[3] He was named to the school's Hall of Fame in the Class of 2013.[4]

College football[edit]

Bradley attended and played college football at the University of Tennessee under head coach Johnny Majors from 1988 to 1991.[5][6] As a freshman, he earned All-SEC honors.[7][8] He was a starter for the team at middle linebacker. In the 1989 season, he ranked second on the team with 97 total hits.[9] That year, he recorded an interception against #4 Auburn that thwarted a late comeback attempt by the Tigers.[10][11] In the 1991 season, he recorded a receiving touchdown on a fake field goal from quarterback Andy Kelly in a 45–0 win over Vanderbilt.[12]

Professional career[edit]

Bradley was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft.[13] He was released as part of the team's final cuts that year.[14]

Boxing[edit]

Following his college football career, Bradley went into professional boxing. He was active from 1993 to 1999.[15] He was a heavyweight. He recorded a 21–0 mark before suffering a detached retina and being forced into retirement.[16]

Personal life[edit]

Bradley has a criminology degree from the University of Tennessee. He has since worked in security.[16] He was a co-founder of East Tennessee Elite Football Incorporated, a non-profit organization, which helps youth in the Knoxville community and outlying areas.[17]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "PARADE All-Americans". AHSFHS.org. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  2. ^ "McMinn Co. High School Cherokees Wrestling Summary". TSSAA. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  3. ^ Garcia, Gabriel (April 19, 2022). "One for the record: Caleb Johnson surpasses Shazzon Bradley's 34-year-old McMinn discus mark". The Daily Post-Athenian. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  4. ^ "Inductees" (PDF). McMinn County High School Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  5. ^ Power, Scott (June 10, 2020). "Majors' legacy a cornerstone of Tennessee football". The Daily Post-Athenian. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  6. ^ Price, Austin (October 22, 2015). "Bradley's memories are of growth and development". Rivals.com. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  7. ^ Robinson, Lauren (March 31, 2016). "Bring the Boom - Football". Chattanooga High School Football. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  8. ^ "SEC Honors & Acccolades" (PDF). ESPN.com. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  9. ^ "Shazzon Bradley Gallery". Trading Card Database. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  10. ^ Calhoun, Caleb (June 8, 2020). "Ranking Tennessee football's top 10 wins under Johnny Majors". All for Tennessee. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  11. ^ Shibley, Michael (June 25, 2008). "College Football Retro Review: 1989 Tennessee vs. Auburn". Bleacher Report. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  12. ^ "TENNESSEE 45, VANDERBILT 0". Greensboro News and Record. November 30, 1991. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  13. ^ "1992 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  14. ^ "BOXER'S TOUGHEST FIGHT IS BEHIND HIM". New York Daily News. May 8, 1998. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  15. ^ "Shazzon Bradley". BoxRec. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  16. ^ a b Wiedmer, Mark (May 2, 2012). "Wiedmer: Ex-Vols star Shazzon Bradley knows secrets of security". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  17. ^ "East TN Elite". East TN Elite. Retrieved March 17, 2024.

External links[edit]