Bradford attended Jackson State University, and played football his senior year.[3] He was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference "Newcomer of the Year", and was a first-team All-SWAC selection. He finished his impressive season with 48 receptions for 937 yards (19.5 yards per rec. avg.)
Bradford was drafted in the fifth round of the 1998 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers.[5] He played in Green Bay for four years before signing with the Houston Texans as a free agent in March 2002.[6] On March 15, 2006, Bradford signed a four-year contract with the Detroit Lions,[6] which included a $2 million signing bonus; he was released on September 27, 2006, and re-signed with the team on November 16, 2006. On July 26, 2007, he signed with the Redskins and was released on September 1, 2007. Bradford scored 25 receiving touchdowns in his career.
Bradford holds the record for the lowest career catch rate in NFL history (minimum 200 career receptions), catching only 45.7% of the passes that were intended for him.