In this retrospective series, we'll use 20/20 hindsight to play General Manager of the Pittsburgh Steelers to review past drafts - focusing primarily on top 2-3 selections - and personnel decisions year-by-year and redraft or implement trades based on the Steelers roster at the time.
General rule: Any "redrafted" pick will generally fall within a 15-pick range and trade propositions being realistic and attainable.
Steelers situation and needs:
- The Super Bowl loss when the Steelers gave the Dallas Cowboys the game was a bitter pill to swallow.
- The Steelers were raided in free agency, losing Neil O'Donnell, Kevin Greene, Ray Seals, and Leon Searcy.
- Nobody knew at the time, but injuries were about to effectively end the runs of Steelers legends Rod Woodson and Greg Lloyd.
- Starters John L. Williams and Tom Newberry retired following the 1995 season.
- Bam Morris was arrested shortly after Super Bowl XXX and would eventually plead guilty on felony drug charges. He would eventually spend 10 years in prison.
- The Steelers had a gaping hole at QB and were in desperate need of making a trade of some form to replace lost talent.
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What were they thinking? Round One
Redrafting 1996: 1st Round - #29 Overall
The loss of Leon Searcy in to the biggest contract for an OT at the time was a blow, but even with capable players in John Jackson and Justin Strzelczyk to step up, the Steelers used their first round pick on another OT in Jamain Stephens as a "project" player based on his size: 6'6", 335 lbs. He played defense until midway through his junior year in college and the team stated they did not expect him to play much as a rookie. They were close - he was not active for a single game in 1996 and started only 1 game in 1997.
Stephens' lack of work ethic was called out by teammates early in his career. Bill Cowher would traditionally open camp with a series of 40-yard runs in front of a group of fans in Latrobe and they got a show from Stephens' performance. He had such trouble completing the runs that he collapsed in front of the fans and Greg Lloyd came over to waive the white flag over him. Jerome Bettis and Lee Flowers were a bit more empathic, as when Stephens tried to cut out early on the runs, Cowher called him out and made him finish so Bettis led a number of teammates to join around him and help urge him to finish. Flowers would state later: "We're going to run as a team, we're going to die as a team."
Stephens started 10 games in 1998 due injuries and was unimpressive. When he came to the following camp, after literally sitting down on his 11th of 14 sprints, looking at least 30 lbs overweight, it was the end of that project.
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The most lopsided trade in Steelers history
Tom Donahoe missed on round one, but the crown jewel of his career happened the same day. He broke with 26 years of Steelers "tradition" to make an aggressive draft day trade and robbed the St. Louis Rams blind. The Donahoe got Jerome Bettis and a 3rd (#72) to Pittsburgh for a 2nd (#59) and a 4th (#121). The Steelers were not the only team pursuing Bettis as the Houston Oilers were also making a bid, but Bettis wanted to go to Pittsburgh. Despite flourishing as part of the Los Angeles Rams under Chuck Knox in 1993 & 1994 - winning Rookie of the Year, named All-Pro and earning 2 Pro Bowl honors while rushing for 2,454 yards, many "experts" thought Bettis was washed up at 24 years old.
Bettis struggled and lost confidence when Rich Brooks took over as head coach of the Rams upon their 1995 move to St. Louis. Bettis would later admit that he fell victim to the LA glamour and glitz celebrity lifestyle and he held out prior to the season and did not get a new contract. Despite the fact he did not miss a game, Brooks held it against him and did not like Bettis.
Jerome Bettis, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
"It was a frustrating season because I came in after a holdout, and it was something that me and management were dealing with, but Brooks held it against me as if I did something to him""Each week he would pull me out of the football game after I performed fairly well. He would yank me. He did that the majority of the season until I hurt my foot."
“I’ll never forget, we were playing the Atlanta Falcons. I had a 41-yard run, and after that run, he pulled me. I didn’t play the rest of the game. I’m thinking to myself, ‘What is going on?’ ”
This was not just Bettis complaining. It was noticed by teammates and reported with these quotes actually coming per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 2011.
Todd Lyght, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
"It was a tough situation. He's our leading rusher. He comes back. He doesn't get a contract. It is a business, so you've got to take care of the business side of it. When that happened, all of the emotional and personal stuff got caught up between him and the coach — Coach Brooks — and it was beyond repair."
Bettis even pulled himself out of a game, hitting his breaking point and told Rams RB coach Johnny Roland he wouldn't go back in. He lost focus, confidence and was miserable.
Those "experts" thought the Steelers gave up too much for the trade and citing the Steelers would not be able to resign him in free agency. What those "experts" didn't know, Bettis went back home to Detroit. With the help of his parents and his coach at Notre Dame Lou Holtz, he found himself again. There was no better marriage of football team, city and player than the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jerome Bettis. The late great Myron Cope labeled him "The Bus" and it was not hard to meet on that contract.
After winning NFL Comeback Player of the Year and going on to rush for 6 consecutive 1,000 yard seasons, the only reason he didn't break the team rushing record was due to sitting out the final game in 1997 as the 2nd seed was clinched and Bettis was 29 yards short. Bettis was well out in front to win the 2001 rushing title until a groin injury sidelined him the rest of the season.
Brooks used the #6 pick to select Lawrence Phillips, who was already facing charges for assault for throwing his girlfriend down the stairs. He passed away in 2016, after being sentenced to 31 years in prison and Brooks was fired after 1996.
Grade A+
- Jerome is so special to the city of Pittsburgh that he more than trumps the biggest bust of the 1990s. He inspired the 2005 Steelers to win a Super Bowl. How else do you grade it?
- LB Earl Holmes was a 4th round pick and an underappreciated by solid ILB for many years.
- Will Wolford was a great FA signing as he would fit in at guard and tackle for the next 3 seasons until retiring.
Redrafting 1996: Why a Project?
The Steelers lost Leon Searcy, they also lost Ray Seals. Tony Brackens was not a project and was similar to Seals in many regards. The former Pro Bowl DE had 55 sacks on his career and would have been a great fit next to Joel Steed.
Have a take of your own? Pay tribute to the Bus with a comment below.
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