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Brad Alan Edwards (born January 5, 1979) is an American journalist. He is currently the primary anchor for CBS News Chicago{{Cite web |date=2022-01-01 |title=Brad Edwards - CBS Chicago |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/personality/brad-edwards/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}, the station's 24/7 digital streaming service. Edwards is Chicago's first openly-gay main news anchor{{Cite web |date=2020-09-30 |title=Brad Edwards talks investigative journalism, coming out, making history - Windy City Times News |url=https://www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/Brad-Edwards-talks-investigative-journalism-coming-out-making-history/69310.html |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Windy City Times}}.

Prior to joining CBS 2 Chicago in 2012, Edwards anchored and reported in Detroit{{Cite web |last=jkaczmarczyk@mlive.com |first=Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk {{!}} |date=2013-07-19 |title=Former WOOD-TV8 reporter Brad Edwards: Growing up gay in Grand Rapids was tough |url=https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/2013/07/tv_personality_says_growing_up.html |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=mlive |language=en}}; Indianapolis{{Cite web |last=Schoettle |first=Anthony |date=2012-01-03 |title=WISH says reporter firing not due to downsizing |url=https://www.ibj.com/articles/31715-wish-says-reporter-firing-not-due-to-downsizing |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Indianapolis Business Journal |language=en-US}}; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Lansing, Michigan. At each station, The Associated Press named him Reporter of the Year{{Cite web |last=gonzo@mlive.com |first=John Gonzalez {{!}} |date=2011-12-31 |title=Former Michigan TV reporter Brad Edwards discusses his firing at Indiana station: 'My dismissal is as mundane as money' |url=https://www.mlive.com/tv/2011/12/brad_edwards_my_dismissal_is_a.html |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=mlive |language=en}}.

In 2021, Edwards opened up about a rare leukemia diagnosis to the Chicago Tribune{{Cite web |date=2020-08-21 |title=CBS Chicago anchor Brad Edwards opens up about rare leukemia diagnosis |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-ent-cbs-chicago-anchor-brad-edwards-20200821-4sgiwms2v5ekjnobxgse327ihi-story.html |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Chicago Tribune}}.

Edwards was born in Grand Rapids, MI on January 5th, 1979 to the late Don "The Animal" Edwards, a Hall of Fame collegiate basketball player at Central Michigan University. He was later a Division I football and basketball official{{Cite web |last=Skaminsk@mlive.com |first=Steve Kaminski {{!}} |date=2016-02-22 |title=All-time greats: Legacy of underdog Don 'The Animal' Edwards lives on half-century later |url=https://www.mlive.com/sports/grand-rapids/2016/02/all-time_greats_legacy_of_unde.html |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=mlive |language=en}}, and Francine K. Edwards, a registered nurse. Edwards attended Michigan State University as an education major, but later switched to journalism. He graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor's degree in telecommunications.

Edwards began his career as a part-time reporter in Lansing, MI at WSYM-TV/WELG-TV from 2000-2001, while attending school. Following graduation from Michigan State University in 2001, Edwards stayed in Lansing, MI and served as weekend anchor and reporter for WLNS-TV.

In 2003, Edwards moved to Grand Rapids, MI to join WOOD-TV as a weekend anchor and reporter.

Edwards relocated to Detroit, MI where he worked as a reporter and anchor for WJBK-TV from 2007-2010{{Cite web |last=afoley@mlive.com |first=Aaron Foley {{!}} |date=2011-12-30 |title=That was fast: Ex-WJBK reporter Brad Edwards 'escorted from the building' of new job |url=https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/2011/12/that_was_fast_ex-wjbk_reporter.html |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=mlive |language=en}}. His year-long inquiry into the Wayne County morgue led to the burial of dozens of indigent souls, and the fast-tracking of funding for a massive facility expansion{{Cite web |last=joosting@mlive.com |first=Jonathan Oosting {{!}} |date=2010-01-29 |title=Too broke to bury: Unclaimed bodies now pile up in trailer outside Wayne County Morgue |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/2010/01/too_broke_to_bury_unclaimed_bo.html |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=mlive |language=en}}.

From 2010-2011, Edwards served as anchor and investigative reporter in Indianapolis at WISH-TV.

Edwards was hired as a general assignment reporter for WBBM-TV in Chicago in March of 2012. Edwards immediately became the 10 p.m. lead reporter and joined the team of CBS 2 Investigators, working alongside longtime investigative journalists Pam Zekman and Dave Savini. Edwards was promoted to main anchor in March of 2019{{Cite web |date=2019-03-15 |title=Feder: New CBS 2 anchor Brad Edwards says he's still 'just a news guy' |url=https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190315/feder-new-cbs-2-anchor-brad-edwards-says-hes-still-just-a-news-guy |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Daily Herald |language=en-US}}.

In 2021, Edwards won the nation's top broadcast writing award: the National Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in writing{{Cite web |date=2021-10-27 |title=CBS 2 Chicago Accepts National Edward R. Murrow Award For Overall Excellence, Brad Edwards Accepts Murrow Award For Excellence In Writing - CBS Chicago |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/cbs-2-chicago-accepts-national-edward-r-murrow-award-for-overall-excellence-brad-edwards-accepts-murrow-award-for-excellence-in-writing/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}. His exposé on Chicago's broken water billing system - Getting Hosed - won Emmy Awards in 2019{{Citation |title=Cat. 6h Win - Brad Edwards, WBBM and Kayla Molander, WBBM |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJplhHql8ZQ |access-date=2023-11-15 |language=en}}, 2020{{Cite web |title=NATAS Chicago/Midwest {{!}} 2020 Emmy® Nominees & Winners |url=https://chicagoemmyonline.org/emmy-awards/award-archives/2020-emmy-nominees-winners/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |language=en-US}} and 2021{{Cite web |title=NATAS Chicago/Midwest {{!}} 2021 Emmy® Nominees |url=https://chicagoemmyonline.org/emmy-awards/award-archives/2021-emmy-nominees-winners/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |language=en-US}} and the 2020 RTDNA / NEFE award for Personal Finance Reporting{{Cite web |title=RTDNA and NEFE announce 2020 Personal Finance Reporting Award winners - Radio Television Digital News Association |url=https://www.rtdna.org/news/rtdna-and-nefe-announce-2020-personal-finance-reporting-award-winners |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=www.rtdna.org}}.

In 2021, Illinois instituted two new state laws following a revelatory investigation by Edwards and his team{{Cite web |date=2021-08-27 |title=Bills Strengthening Privacy For Sexual Assault Victims Signed Into Law After CBS 2 Investigation - CBS Chicago |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/bills-strengthening-privacy-for-sexual-assault-victims-signed-into-law-after-cbs-2-investigation/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}. The statutes protect the identities of sex abuse victims, after Edwards' series showed a deeply disturbing pattern of unfettered public access to such information.

In 2022, Edwards was named primary anchor to CBS News Chicago, the station's 24/7 streaming network{{Cite web |date=2022-04-06 |title=Feder: CBS 2 hires Joe Donlon as top news anchor as Brad Edwards moves to streaming service |url=https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20220406/feder-cbs-2-hires-joe-donlon-as-top-news-anchor-as-brad-edwards-moves-to-streaming-service |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Daily Herald |language=en-US}}.

Edwards served on the Board of Directors at the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago from 2017-2021{{Cite web |title=Presenters |url=https://www.wearehereconcert.com/presenters |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=We Are Here Concert |language=en}} and has been a board member for Devices 4 the Disabled since 2020{{Cite web |url=https://devices4thedisabled.org/about/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=devices4thedisabled.org}}. He is currently the CBS 2 Chicago's SAG-AFTRA Steward.

Brad Edwards is the first openly gay, main news anchor in the City of Chicago, IL. He came out to his parents when he was 20-years-old.

He is the youngest of two sons. His brother, Matt Edwards, is an NFL official{{Cite web |title=The complete 2023 NFL Roster of Officials {{!}} NFL Football Operations |url=https://operations.nfl.com/officiating/the-officials/2023-roster-of-nfl-officials/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=operations.nfl.com |language=en-US}}.

Edwards met Ginger Zee, ABC News' Chief Meteorologist, while working as an anchor at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, MI. Zee wrote extensively about their friendship in her New York Times bestselling 2017 autobiography Natural Disaster. Chapter 7 is entitled Brad{{Cite web |last=gonzo@mlive.com |first=John Gonzalez {{!}} |date=2017-12-05 |title=From breakdowns to breakups, Ginger Zee tells all in "Natural Disaster' |url=https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/2017/12/ginger_zees_memoir_natural_dis.html |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=mlive |language=en}}. Edwards and Zee dated for 18 months. The two remain close friends today.

Brad's godmother and Aunt, Barbara Edwards, was killed on September 11, 2001{{Cite web |title=Barbara G. Edwards |url=https://www.pentagonmemorial.org/biographies/barbara-g-edwards/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=9/11 Pentagon Memorial |language=en-US}}. She was returning home on American Airlines Flight 77 after attending a friend's wedding in Connecticut. In 2021, Brad wrote and produced her untold story that aired on CBS Chicago's Sunday night special Remembering 9/11: 20 Years Later{{Cite web |date=2021-09-11 |title=Barbara Edwards, CBS 2's Brad Edwards' Aunt, Was Killed On 9/11; For A Family, The Fireball Still Burns 20 Years Later - CBS Chicago |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/barb-edwards-brad-edwards-aunt-9-11-family-story/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}.

Edwards father, Don Craig Edwards, passed away on July 30, 2005 at age 61 after a battle with cancer{{Cite web |title=Don Edwards Obituary (2005) - Grand Rapids, MI - Grand Rapids Press |url=https://obits.mlive.com/us/obituaries/grandrapids/name/don-edwards-obituary?id=14224529 |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Legacy.com}}.

In 2017, Edwards was diagnosed with large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia{{Cite web |date=2020-08-21 |title=CBS Chicago anchor Brad Edwards opens up about rare leukemia diagnosis |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-ent-cbs-chicago-anchor-brad-edwards-20200821-4sgiwms2v5ekjnobxgse327ihi-story.html |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Chicago Tribune}}. He resides in Chicago.