Sam Bradford Reflects On His Time With the Eagles

Plus: The quarterback discusses what kind of reaction he thinks he'll get from fans on Sunday.

Sam Bradford. (USA Today Sports)

Sam Bradford. (USA Today Sports)

Sam Bradford had just woken up around 8 a.m. on September 3 when Doug Pederson called to say the Eagles were trading him to the Vikings. Bradford was in Oklahoma with his wife, Emma, as the two planned to hang out at home and watch the Sooners open their season against Houston.

But by that afternoon, Bradford was on a plane to Minnesota to join the Vikings and learn his sixth offense in seven years.

“It was completely off my radar. It just wasn’t something I was even thinking about. When I got that phone call on Saturday morning, I did a little double take and I was like, ‘What?'” Bradford said on a conference call with Eagles reporters Wednesday afternoon. “It happened so fast that I didn’t really have time to process it. I honestly still haven’t sat down and thought it all the way through.

“I was really excited to be in Philly this year. I thought we had a really good preseason. I was excited to build on what we had did in the second half of last year. When you’re around the same people for a year and a half and you put the time in to develop those relationships on and off the field and then it just comes to an end without really having a chance to say goodbye or to go out on the field one last time to play with those guys, I think there’s always a little part of you that’s down about that. But I’ve seen a lot in seven years and I’ve learned to expect the unexpected.”

Bradford is off to a fast start in Minnesota as he’s helped the Vikings to a 5-0 record. In four starts, he’s thrown six touchdown passes and zero interceptions while leading the league in completion percentage (70.4) and ranking second in passer rating (109.8).

The 28-year-old quarterback noted it will be “a little strange” playing against the Eagles in Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday after preparing to be the team’s starter just seven weeks ago. Because of his 18-month stint in Philadelphia, Bradford still tries to watch the Eagles when he can, and he’s been especially impressed with what he’s seen from Carson Wentz so far.

“I’ve still got a lot of really good friends on that team. I enjoy watching them play and watching them have success. I try to watch as much as possible,” Bradford said. “From what Carson’s done, it’s been awesome to see him play the way he has. It really doesn’t surprise me. If you look at where he came in at OTAs — the progress that he made, the way he was playing at the end of training camp — he was playing at a really high level.”

While Bradford enjoys watching the Birds play, he’s cognizant that Eagles fans may not give him a warm welcome when he returns to Philadelphia for the first time this week.

“What type of reception do you guys expect? I know what it’s gonna be like,” Bradford said. “Obviously, last year being there, it’s a tough atmosphere for road teams to play. I get that. I think we all understand that. When we come up there, I’m sure there will be a little extra for us this week, too. I’m really not too focused on what it’s gonna be like.”