Former Philadelphia Eagles middle linebacker Bill Bergey, a Chadds Ford resident, has died at age 79 after a three-year battle with cancer, writes Diamond Leung for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Bergey’s death on Wednesday, Dec. 25, was announced by the Philadelphia Eagles and confirmed by Bergey’s son, Jake, writing on X.  

Bill Bergey was an All-Pro middle linebacker. He led the Eagles defenses in the 1970s which led to a Super Bowl XV appearance.

“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,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement.

“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.”

Bergey played seven seasons with the Eagles, completing nearly 1,200 tackles.  

He first came to the Eagles in 1974 via a trade after five seasons with Cincinnati.

He was named All-Pro five times and to the Pro Bowl four times.

Bergey’s last game was at the Super Bowl on Jan. 25, 1981.

He made it into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 1988.

Find out more about Bill Bergey career in The Philadelphia Inquirer.