The Pittsburgh Steelers are thrilled with the selection of Kenny Pickett in what was thought to be a poor class of quarterbacks last season. Pickett demonstrated he has the potential to be a franchise quarterback after the black and gold said goodbye to a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger. He gave the Steelers an elite signal-caller for almost two decades and holds virtually every Steelers’ regular-season passing record.
Mandatory Credit: Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY NETWORK
Steelers' Terry Bradshaw In Super Bowl XIII.
It is not the regular season; it is Super Bowl week and this week, Terry Bradshaw is the king of the Pittsburgh quarterbacks. Bradshaw was at the helm for Super Bowl IX, X, XIII, and XIV and he won all four games. He was not a big part of the game plan during the first two victories throwing just 33 passes in those two games, but he did manage to throw three touchdown passes versus 0 interceptions in those same games.
When the Steelers returned to the Super Bowl after a two-year hiatus, the game had changed substantially. The passing game was becoming a necessity and Chuck Noll put the game in Bradshaw’s hands during the team’s next two appearances. Bradshaw posted back-to-back 300-yard games and won Super Bowl MVP's against the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams.
In his final Super Bowl appearance, he brought the Steelers from behind in the fourth quarter with a beautifully thrown ball to John Stallworth to put Pittsburgh ahead for good 24-19. Bradshaw would play until 1983, but this was his final game on the big stage, and he went out as the first quarterback to win four Super Bowls.
NFL.COM
Steelers' John Stallworth catches a pass from Terry Bradshaw in fourth quarter of Super Bowl XIV.
The Steelers quarterback was a true product of his era. A 58.3 percent completion percentage seems like a poor performance compared to today’s game, but the 1970's were a different time. Bill Walsh’s west coast system didn’t exist, and teams commonly ran on third and long.
Bradshaw never posted a quarterback rating below 101.9 in the Super Bowl and out-dueled Roger Staubach in perhaps the greatest game ever played in Super Bowl XIII with 318 yards and 4 touchdowns. He held the record for most touchdown passes in a game for over a decade until a pair of San Francisco 49ers signal-callers passed him named Joe Montana and Steve Young. Bradshaw is still tied for third all-time for most touchdowns in one Super Bowl.
The Steelers Hall of Famer is sixth all-time in Super Bowl passing yards and he is the only quarterback to average double digits in yards per attempt at 11.1. He is third all-time with nine touchdown passes trailing only Montana and Tom Brady. Bradshaw’s career Super Bowl rating of 112.8 is good enough to earn him the fourth-highest career rating in the game’s storied history and is substantially ahead of Brady who is eighth on the list at 97.7.
Steelers' Terry Bradshaw Lands at 15 In Listing of Greatest Super Bowl QB's
Bradshaw is better known as a broadcaster to the NFL’s target demographic these days. He is 74 years old and people who do examine his playing career judge him against modern-day standards and dismiss his achievements. He earns more attention for gaffes than he ever did as a star quarterback in his playing days.
Recency bias is real, and fans of this generation are beyond guilty of comparing the stars of today to those of the past. In a recent list ranking Super Bowl quarterbacks by NFL.com, Bradshaw couldn’t crack the top 10. They look at statistics and player sizes and tell anyone who will listen that the best athletes of yesteryear wouldn’t be able to compete. Modern training is impressive and former players get no credit for how they would have benefited from growing up in this era.
NFL On Fox Sports
Former Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw's appearance on NFL on Fox.
Bradshaw will work the Super Bowl as part of the NFL on Fox team and America will welcome him into their living rooms to entertain them. When the endless coverage turns to Super Bowl history, he might get a mention of having played, but it will only be in passing. He will take it in stride like he has since Montana passed him in perception decades ago and have to seek solace in the reflection of his four forgotten Super Bowl rings.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Should Bradshaw be treated better by history during Super Bowl week as a player? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
