Thirty years ago this spring, a telephone rang in a comfortable family home in rural Louisiana; and with that call, Terry Bradshaw became the number one pick of the 1970 NFL draft. That fall, he began a historic 14-year career as a quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since retiring in 1984, he has continued to perform at elite levels on an astonishing array of other professional playing fields.

Bradshaw is television's pre-eminent pro football studio analyst and, according to a recent industry survey, the country's most sought after motivational speaker from the world of sports. He is the author of three books, a top-selling gospel singer and a talented actor. He owns and operates a world-class quarterhorse-breeding farm and on a good day, he plays close to scratch golf. His work on behalf of the less fortunate has earned him the gratitude and respect of countless organizations and he has recently traveled extensively for the Department of Defense, visiting with American troops stationed oversees.

It is hardly surprising then, that upon examination of Bradshaw's performance on and off the field, students of such things routinely name him overall the most successful number one pick in the 65-year history of the NFL draft.

A record breaking quarterback at Louisiana Tech, Bradshaw endured a disastrous rookie year with the Steelers, his career saved only by his own tenacity and by the unwavering support of Hall of Fame owner and diehard believer Art Rooney. And as Mr. Rooney predicted, he finally did prevail, calling his own plays and leading the legendary Steelers team to an unprecedented four Super Bowl victories. Bradshaw was named league MVP and twice was Super Bowl MVP. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989, his first year of eligibility.

When injury forced him to retire just before the 1984 season, Bradshaw turned to broadcasting. Even though he knew that few athletes make this transition well. He believed his knowledge of the game would translate into effective analysis and commentary, and that once they got used to it, audiences would accept his unvarnished honesty and unique style.

A top analyst for CBS Sports from 1984 to 1990, he then joined the CBS' NFL Today, where USA Today hailed him as "the premiere studio analyst" and The Los Angeles Times called him "the best overall football announcer on television." NFL Today became the most popular Sunday pre-game show, and won emmys for the 1992 and 1993 seasons.

In recognition of his achievements, Bradshaw was named recipient of the 1993 Bert Bell Memorial Award, presented annually to an individual who has contributed significantly ‹ on and off the field ‹ to the success of the NFL.

When the FOX network bought the rights to the NFL telecasts in 1994, it recruited Bradshaw to co-host its studio show FOX NFL Sunday, which he has helped make the most watched pre-game show in America for the past six years. He is so admired in that role and so popular among the viewers that, in a landslide victory, he won the first annual TV Guide Award as Favorite Sportscaster in America as well as the 2000 Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality/Studio Analyst.

In October of this year, he will be the first NFL player to receive a star on Hollywood's "Walk of Fame."