Philadelphia linebacker announces retirement at 28 following neck complications that forced difficult decision in September 2025
Shaun Bradley’s NFL career has come to an end. The former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker confirmed his retirement on Friday night through an emotional letter posted to social media, bringing closure to a six-year professional journey cut short by persistent injuries.
The 28-year-old South Jersey native, who starred at Temple before being drafted by his hometown Eagles in 2020, revealed that medical advice about a worsening neck condition forced him to step away from the game last September. The announcement, posted on X (formerly Twitter), marked the official end to what had been a determined fight to return to the field.
“Unfortunately in September 2025, I was told my neck injury was getting worse and I was playing with borrowed time, so I decided to shut it down,” Bradley wrote in his retirement statement. “The toughest and most emotional time of my life.”
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The Local Kid Who Made It Home
Bradley’s story reads like a script written for Philadelphia sports fans. Born in Mount Holly, New Jersey, roughly 30 miles from Lincoln Financial Field, he played high school football at Rancocas Valley Regional before staying local for college at Temple University.
The linebacker wasn’t a highly recruited prospect coming out of high school. Injuries during his sophomore and junior years limited his film, leaving him with only FCS offers from Wagner and Rhode Island. Temple came calling late, but without a scholarship to offer. Bradley took classes at Rowan College at Burlington County during the fall of 2015 as a grayshirt before enrolling at Temple in 2016.
That decision proved worth it. Bradley became a three-year starter at middle linebacker for the Owls, racking up 256 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and three interceptions over 50 career games. His performances earned him a coveted single-digit jersey number at Temple, reserved for the team’s toughest players, and first-team all-conference honours in both his junior and senior seasons.
Career Highlights at Temple:
- 256 total tackles across four seasons (2016-2019)
- Team captain and defensive leader
- Pick-six against Maryland in 2018
- Famous fourth-down goal-line stop in upset win over No. 21 Maryland (2019)
- Game-sealing interception in overtime against No. 20 Cincinnati
When the Eagles selected Bradley with the 196th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, he got to fulfill a childhood dream. The pick itself came through a trade with the Chicago Bears, who also sent picks that became receiver Quez Watkins and linebacker Casey Toohill to Philadelphia.
Special Teams Excellence Cut Short
Bradley carved out a role in Philadelphia primarily through special teams excellence. While he played just 131 defensive snaps over three seasons, his impact on the third phase was undeniable.
His special teams snap counts tell the story of a player who consistently earned his spot:
- 2020: 284 snaps (68% of special teams plays)
- 2021: 280 snaps (71% of special teams plays)
- 2022: 314 snaps (80% of special teams plays)
The 2021 season represented Bradley’s peak. That year, he tied for first in the NFC and second in the entire NFL with 10 special teams tackles. Head coach Nick Sirianni went so far as to interrupt one of Bradley’s media sessions to publicly lobby for Pro Bowl recognition.
“Vote this guy for Pro Bowl right here,” Sirianni said, bursting into the interview room. “He leads the NFL in freaking special teams tackles.”
While Bradley finished as a Pro Bowl alternate rather than making the roster, his teammates and coaches recognized his value. He played critical roles in two of the Eagles’ biggest special teams plays that season: a blocked punt against Carolina and a blocked field goal in Denver, occupying multiple blockers to create lanes for his teammates.
The Injury Spiral
Bradley’s career became defined by a brutal succession of injuries that robbed him of prime years and, ultimately, his future in the sport.
The neck problems began during his 2020 rookie season, landing him on injured reserve for the final game against the Dallas Cowboys. He required surgery in 2022 to address the ongoing issue.
A wrist injury in 2022 kept him out of the playoffs, meaning Bradley missed the Eagles’ run to Super Bowl LVII where they fell to Kansas City. That absence likely cost him a significant bonus opportunity and the experience of playing in the sport’s biggest game.
The most devastating blow came on August 2023, during the preseason opener against Baltimore. Bradley suffered a torn Achilles tendon while attempting to block a punt in the third quarter. The injury occurred in the final year of his four-year rookie contract worth $3.5 million, ending any realistic chance of earning an extension.
Head coach Nick Sirianni immediately went onto the field as Bradley grimaced in pain. Every Eagles player eventually made their way out to the cart to wish their teammate well before he left the stadium.
Bradley never played another regular season game.
Mental Health and Finding Peace
The physical toll was obvious. The mental and emotional cost took longer to surface.
“Went through all types of feelings of depression not knowing who I would be without you,” Bradley wrote in his retirement letter, addressing football itself. “It wasn’t until recently I finally found some peace and closure.”
That honest admission about struggling with depression and identity loss represents an important moment of vulnerability from a player whose career earnings totalled just over $3 million before taxes and agent fees. After estimated deductions for taxes and agent fees, Bradley would have netted approximately $1.5 million from six years of professional football, a figure that doesn’t account for the long-term physical damage he’ll carry forward.
The September 2025 conversation with doctors about his neck getting worse brought the reality into sharp focus. Bradley had attempted comebacks with both the Houston Texans (practice squad, October 2024) and Kansas City Chiefs (reserve/future contract, January 2025). The Chiefs released him on 1 May 2025, and five months later, medical professionals delivered the news that ended his playing career.
“Feeling like I still had so much more to give but understanding how any more damage could impact my body,” Bradley explained in his retirement post.
The Response
Tributes poured in from teammates across the league when Bradley made his announcement public.
Eagles linebacker Zack Baun commented “Congrats bro!!” on Bradley’s Instagram post. Jacob Phillips, now with the Indianapolis Colts, added fire emojis. Former Eagles tight end Caleb Wilson wrote “Congrats, family!” while Washington Commanders linebacker Jordan Magee, who played with Bradley at Temple, posted: “Legendary! Glad to share the field with you.”
On Reddit’s r/eagles community, fans reflected on Bradley’s journey with a mix of admiration and sadness about the injury toll. One highly upvoted comment noted: “Just a brutal tale of how this sport has a 100% injury rate, poor guy never got a good contract to set him up for life.”
Another fan who attended Rancocas Valley High School with Bradley shared memories of watching him lead the team to a championship, noting it was special to see him reach the NFL even if the career was shorter than hoped.
Career Stats and Legacy
Bradley’s final NFL statistics show 45 games played over three seasons with the Eagles, all from 2020-2022:
- 45 total tackles (29 solo, 16 assisted)
- 1 tackle for loss
- 1 pass deflection
- 0 sacks or interceptions at the professional level
- 878 career special teams snaps
While those defensive numbers appear modest, they don’t capture the full picture of Bradley’s contributions. Special teams grades and tackle numbers demonstrate consistent value in a phase of the game that often goes underappreciated until something goes wrong.
His Temple statistics paint a more complete picture of his abilities: 256 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and memorable plays in big moments.
What’s Next
Bradley’s retirement message ended on a note of cautious optimism about life after football.
“They say, when one chapter closes, another opens, and man, I’m so excited to see what’s next,” he wrote, signing off with his signature phrase: “And it’s always GO BIRDS.”
Specific plans remain unclear. Some on Reddit speculated about potential coaching opportunities, given Bradley’s leadership qualities and deep knowledge of the game. His Temple degree in adult and organizational development from the College of Education (Class of 2019) provides options outside of football as well.
What’s certain is that Bradley exits the sport with gratitude for the opportunity, even as injuries prevented him from reaching his full potential.
“Thank you to the Philadelphia Eagles for taking a chance on me, Howie [Roseman] and Mr. Lurie,” Bradley wrote. “I am forever grateful to you two, you gave me the dream of a lifetime.”
For a kid from Mount Holly who took the long route through a grayshirt year and developmental snaps to carve out an NFL career with his hometown team, that dream lasted six years. The injuries that cut it short don’t diminish what Bradley achieved or the respect he earned from teammates and coaches who watched him battle through it all.
His father Marcus Bradley, a lifelong New York Giants fan who immediately put on an Eagles jersey when his son was drafted, can be proud of what Shaun accomplished. So can the Temple program that gave him a chance when others didn’t.
The game took a lot from Shaun Bradley. But it gave him something too: a story of perseverance, of making it against the odds, and of finding peace when it was time to walk away.
Bradley last appeared in an NFL regular season game on 8 January 2023, in Week 18 of the 2022 season against the New York Giants.
