The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some interesting quarterbacks throughout the history of the organization. The two most notable players at the position are obviously Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger, while there have been some other exciting players at the position in between. One of those players was Kordell Stewart, who completely changed how some people viewed the quarterback position. He was a raw athlete who could line up all over the field, and he played a big role in why the quarterback position looks the way it does today in terms of mobility.
Tom Pidgeon / Getty Images
Kordell Stewart played quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and punter for the Pittsburgh Steelers during his career.
The Steelers selected Stewart in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft out of the University Of Colorado. He was a three-year starter for the Buffaloes and used his arm and legs to make an impact on the field. He was a Second Team All-American in 1994, and he is widely considered one of the best players to ever play for Colorado. The school went through a rough patch with football, but that changed when Deion Sanders signed on to be the head coach ahead of the 2023 season. He brought his son, Shedeur Sanders, with him to play quarterback, as well as two-way star, Travis Hunter.
The trio had some success over their two years together, and it was recently announced that both Sanders and Hunter would be getting their jerseys retired by the football program. Some fans took issue with this, as Stewart's jersey is not in the rafters and he certainly had a better collegiate career than Sanders.
Kordell Stewart doesn’t have his number retired. He won two bowl games and finished in the top 10 twice. But he wasn’t the coach's son. 🤷♂️
— Brian Drake (@DrakeFantasy) April 15, 2025
Colorado is an unserious program. https://t.co/hL0xyBa8XS
Stewart won a bowl game with the Buffaloes in 1993 and 1995, and his team finished in the Top 10 twice while he was the starting quarterback. That is not an easy feat, and it should be recognized by the university. Sanders is largely responsible for the Colorado program getting things turned around as the program was 1-11 in 2022, but there is no reason that his jersey should be retired prior to Stewart's.
Stephen Gross / UPI
Former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Tommy Maddox is congratulated by teammate Kordell Stewart after running for a five-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter in a 2001 game.
During Sanders' first season with Colorado, the team went 4-8, and Stewart never had a season like that with the Buffaloes. The highest ranking Sanders ever led his team to was 16th, but that didn't last long as Colorado sat in the 20s for most of the second-half of the 2024 season. The program finished the year ranked 25th, therefore cementing that Sanders never had the team success that Stewart did.
There is only one possible reason that Sanders would have his jersey retired prior to Stewart's, and that is nepotism. His father being the head coach played in his favor, and it is utterly ridiculous that his jersey is being retired. Hunter deserves the recognition as he won the Heisman Trophy, but Sanders does not. The trio did a great job turning the program around, but they never quite had the necessary amount of success.
David Zalubowski / Associated Press
Former University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders looking downfield for a receiver.
Steelers In Play To Draft Shedeur Sanders
The Steelers could try and make Sanders the next quarterback in Pittsburgh, which would mean he is following the career path of Stewart. There is a chance the young quarterback will be available for Pittsburgh to pick at 21, while trading up for him is also a possibility. For most of the 2025 offseason, it seemed like Sanders would go in the top five of the draft, but now there doesn't seem to be a real chance he goes in the top eight. If he falls into the teens, expect Pittsburgh to try and trade up as their pick gets closer.
What do you think about Colorado retiring Sanders' jersey? Let us know in the comments below!
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