Cherokee Nation citizen Sam Bradford was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame on April 28.
His accomplishments in football at the collegiate and professional level likely made him an easy choice for the 2023 class. Bradford, born and raised in Oklahoma City, played many sports while attending Putnam City North High School. When he graduated, he received a football scholarship from the University of Oklahoma and became an All-American quarterback, and won the 2008 Heisman Trophy, the firstever Cherokee Nation citizen to do so.
After his time at OU, he entered the NFL draft where he was taken number one overall by the St. Louis Rams and was the last No.1 pick to receive a $50,000,000 guarantee. He won Rookie of The Year honors and set many records in his first season as a pro.
Bradford was inducted into the hall of fame along with Major League Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench, who is Choctaw.
