Paul Bergmann

Paul Bergmann was an American football tight end for UCLA and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Early years

Bergmann's football career began on the receiving end of John Elway's passes under legendary coach Jack Neumeier at Granada Hills Charter High School.^[1] Bergmann was all-league, valley, city receiver and linebacker. In the 1979 East vs. West Shriner All Star game Bergmann caught 9 passes and touchdowns from former teammate Elway and future UCLA Hall of Famer Tom Ramsey. Elway went on to Stanford, and Bergmann went to play locally at UCLA, on a full scholarship.

College

Bergmann lettered for the UCLA Bruins in 1982 and 1983. He was a first team All-Pac-10 selection, UPI 1st team all-West Coast, a 2nd team AP, and a UPI all-American selection.^[2] In those seasons, UCLA's record was 10-1-1, 7-4-1.^[3]

Bergmann was a starting member of UCLA's 1983 Rose Bowl, where he led all receivers with 6 catches, and the 1984 Rose Bowl Championship, where he caught the first touchdown pass of the game, thrown by Rick Neuheisel.^[4][5]

Professional career

Bergmann was drafted into the NFL in 1984, as the 8th pick in the 1st round of the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL Players by the Indianapolis Colts,^[6] playing with the USFL Jacksonville Bulls an Oakland Invaders, eventually moving on to the NFL to play with Kansas City for two years, before a shoulder dislocation ended his career in 1988. He resides in Ojai, California, with his wife and four children where he has served Ojai Valley Community Church as a progressive pastor activist since 1998.^[7]

References