Sam Bradford, Doug Pederson drawn to one another as members of quarterback club

Sam Bradford and Doug Pederson had never met before the latter took over as the head coach of the former’s football team.

But they were drawn together for one big reason, (among others): they are both members of the NFL quarterback club.

“Someone like him has seen it first hand,” Sam Bradford told the media in a press conference Thursday.”Talking to some people who werehereand worked with him before he went to Kansas City had great things to say.”

Bradford, of course, was alluding to the fact that Pederson has not only coached quarterbacks but played the position as a backup for a lengthy career in Philly and Green Bay.

And Pederson, seeing all the attributes he covets in a West Coast offense quarterback, insisted to Howie Roseman that the Birds bring back the free agent for 2016 and beyond.

“Having played the position, understanding the position, coaching the position, they want you to hearyour opinion,” Pederson said Thursday when asked how much input he had in Bradford’s return,”and they understood where I was coming from to get Sam signed.”

Bradford inked a two year, $36 million pact with $26 million guaranteed Tuesday and said there was never any doubt that Philly was his intended destination when his contract expired in 2015.

“This is where I want to be,” Bradford said.”Obviously there was some change, some turnover but I love the guys in that locker room… that’s why I wanted to come back here. There really wasn’t any temptation to [test free agency]. I told my agent this is where I wanted to be.”

And the fact that Bradford chose the Birds, partially for the quarterback mind that is Pederson and partially to reunite with Jordan Matthews, Zach Ertz and the rest of his teammates — to try and take care of some unfinished business — appeals to Pederson.

“We are so excited, I am so excited,” the coach said.”the thing I said earlier in the spring is that I want these players who are free agents want to be here. I want all of them to be here, but having Sam is a big boost heading into free agency.

“He knows the team, he knows the players. It may be a little different set of plays we are installing but he knows the guys. That right there leads me to believe we can have success and make a run.”

So a quarterbackcoaching a quarterbackin a league that values quarterback play above all else;Perhaps it’s a perfect match.