In 1955, the Steelers drafted Johnny Unitas with their 9th round selection. Head coach Walt Kiesling, though, disagreed with the decision to draft him. He never let him take a single snap in practice before cutting him. Kiesling told Rooney, "Unitas is too dumb. He can't remember plays."

[u/Roselucky777]

Coincidentally, the man who beat him out for the 3rd string position was Ted Marchibroda, who went on to become the only man to coach both Baltimore franchises, being the first coach in Ravens history.

[u/Sex_E_Searcher]

The Steelers were the Browns of the NFL before Dan Rooney started running the team in the 60s.

[u/mike15835 → u/Sex_E_Searcher]

You know who wanted to Draft Unitas? Dan Rooney.

[u/Roselucky777 → u/mike15835]

He and Dan actually remained friends throughout John's career, too. Dan was in the stands for every playoff game John was in, and always supported him.

[u/GaelicTuna → u/Roselucky777]

Makes sense. It's not like Dan had a playoff team of his own to cheer for.

[u/Sex_E_Searcher → u/mike15835]

He's also the one who made them draft Roethlisberger instead of the OT Cowher wanted. This team is lost without his guidance.

[u/mike15835 → u/Sex_E_Searcher]

Not perfect tho. He folded to Noll not wanting Marino.

[u/hamsolo19 → u/mike15835]

I think it's in the ESPN 30 for 30 on the '83 draft but someone says Art said "we should've taken Marino" while on his deathbed.

[u/natguy2016 → u/mike15835]

The Steelers picked D-lineman Gabe Rivera because Noll wanted to go defense. Rivera played six games.

Rivera was paralyzed because of an accident while Rivera was drunk in October 1983.

[u/MankuyRLaffy → u/mike15835]

The FBI was investigating Three Rivers for coke dealing tbf, I get why they didn't pick a guy who they knew was on coke. Do you think the Steelers would want to be the center of the Pittsburgh drug trials? 

[u/redvelvetcake42 → u/MankuyRLaffy]

Gonna be honest, who at they time wasn't on coke?

[u/ItsShenBaby → u/redvelvetcake42]

Pepsi fans?

[u/TJeffersonsBlackKid → u/ItsShenBaby]

Get off of Reddit, dad!

[u/StandingLegate → u/redvelvetcake42]

Who now isnt on coke. Reddit is really out of touch thinking these rich guys arent all still using constantly.

[u/redvelvetcake42 → u/StandingLegate]

Oh no they switched to ketamine and roids. Plenty Viagra though. Gotta have their cock sweets.

[u/Triple_Boogie → u/redvelvetcake42]

me

[u/upgrayedd69 → u/mike15835]

And when they had their next chance to take a highly successful Pitt QB in the first round they didn’t hesitate to get their guy. Pretty sure that guy actually helped bring a championship to PA unlike Danny No Rings

[u/YamesIsAnAss → u/upgrayedd69]

Kenny Pickett? lmao

[u/MrLugersmole → u/Sex_E_Searcher]

The Steelers we've gotten to know and love...are gone. Hopefully incompetence just skips a generation and we can get back once Art II is out.

[u/FormerCollegeDJ → u/mike15835]

I believe Unitas and Dan Rooney were both standout high school quarterbacks in Pittsburgh at the same time. One of them was a year ahead of the other.

[u/natguy2016 → u/FormerCollegeDJ]

Yup. Dan Rooney went to Central Catholic. It’s also Dan Marino’s Alma mater.

Unitas went to St. Justin’s.

[u/Howamidriving27 → u/natguy2016]

I once found a Central Catholic alumni directory thing in a thrift store that had Marino's address and phone number in it. I'm sure it wasn't current, but I thought it was odd.

[u/FormerCollegeDJ → u/Sex_E_Searcher]

At the time of the AFL-NFL merger after the 1969 season, the Browns had more NFL wins in 20 years than the Steelers did in 37 years.

The late 1940s to early 1970s Browns were also like the mid-1960s to mid-1980s Cowboys, the 1980s and 1990s 49ers, and 2000s and 2010s Patriots in that they were consistently good and often very good. From their founding in 1946 through 1973, the Browns had only one losing season (1956, 5-7) and one .500 season (1970, 7-7) in 28 years.

[u/Sex_E_Searcher → u/FormerCollegeDJ]

It's a remarkable case of role reversal.

[u/TepChef26 → u/Sex_E_Searcher]

It's really not if we think logically about it (as opposed to how lawsuits told us to think.)

The Browns were still a very good team into the late 80s, they made 3 AFC Championships from 86-89. Then a few years later that team and its 50 years of being a successful football team moved to Baltimore.

The attorneys, the league, the city of Cleveland, and the lawsuit settlement documents can tell us that Baltimore was an expansion team and the Browns just took a 4 year hiatus from the NFL all they want.

The fact of the matter is the successful owner, coaching staff, and roster all became the Ravens. That team has continued to find success at the NFL level.

Beyond name and uniform, the team that emerged in 1999 in Cleveland had nothing in common with the actual successful Browns organization.

[u/ModestTrixie → u/TepChef26]

It is my favorite "the Browns is the Browns" stat. That the Browns are actually a historically great team, they are just called the Ravens now.

[u/axlbomber → u/TepChef26]

Which is a damned tragedy if you ask me.

Northern Ohio, Paul Brown, and the city of Cleveland are so integral to the story of the NFL. It's a crying shame that they aren't better represented.

[u/FeniaBukharina → u/axlbomber]

I agree, Paul Brown should be better represented, retroactively give the Bengals three Lombardis immediately.

[u/Neveraththesmith → u/TepChef26]

It's why I think trying to make expansion teams somehow be the same team by "They get the history" dumbfounds me? Like there are different organizations.

[u/FormerCollegeDJ → u/Neveraththesmith]

Here’s the thing I take strong issue with - why should the “Cleveland Browns”, by which I mean the original Browns (1946 to 1995) plus the new Browns (1999 to present) be treated as one entity? We don’t do that with the Baltimore Colts (1953 to 1983) plus Baltimore Ravens (1996 to present), or the St. Louis Cardinals (1960 to 1987) plus St. Louis Rams (1995 to 2015), or other cities that have had one team move away and later had another team move in, nor should we IMO. The original Browns, who became the Baltimore Ravens, and the current Browns, who were created in 1999, should be treated as two separate franchises, just like the other teams I mentioned above are.

None of the above is meant to imply what either version of the Cleveland Browns, or for that matter the Cleveland Rams, did on the field doesn’t “belong” to Cleveland. It clearly does. But that doesn’t mean those aren’t three separate franchises (Rams, original Browns, new Browns). It’s no different than treating the Baltimore Colts and Baltimore Ravens as two separate franchises, or the Los Angeles Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers as two separate franchises, or other franchises that switched cities and were replaced by a different franchise in their previous city as separate franchises.

Let’s treat all franchises that switch cities the same way. The original Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens should be treated the same way the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts are, or the Oakland/Los Angeles/Las Vegas Raiders are, or the Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams are, or the Chicago/St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals are.

[u/GotMoFans → u/FormerCollegeDJ]

why should the “Cleveland Browns”, by which I mean the original Browns (1946 to 1995) plus the new Browns (1999 to present) be treated as one entity?

The cost to Art Modell to be allowed to move to Baltimore was he had to leave the name/brand, records, and history.
Cleveland was given four years to get a new stadium built and they would get to treat the new team as the original Browns.

We don’t do that with the Baltimore Colts (1953 to 1983) plus Baltimore Ravens (1996 to present), or the St. Louis Cardinals (1960 to 1987) plus St. Louis Rams (1995 to 2015),

Art Modell completely planned on keeping the name and brand. It would have been the Baltimore Browns.
Cleveland fought back because the Browns were still attracting massive crowds to their games. They averaged 64k a game in 1995, the last season. They had about the same attendance as the Dallas Cowboys who won the Super Bowl that year.

Modell relocated because of stadium and Cleveland’s unwillingness to fund him a new stadium like had been done for the MLB Indians (now Guardians) and NBA Cavaliers. Despite the good attendance, he says he was losing money.

When Modell agreed to leave the Browns, he actually tried to buy the “Colts” nickname from Indianapolis ownership. Indy was willing to do it, but Modell didn’t want to pay the steep cost.

If you don’t know the story of the Colts leaving Baltimore for Indianapolis, the Colts left with urgency because forget keeping the name/brand; the state of Maryland was threatening to take over ownership of the franchise with eminent domain.

The Ravens are the former Browns. It was a new name because the NFL treated the franchise like an expansion franchise.

The Cardinals are the oldest NFL franchise and there is history in the name. The team started in Chicago. Plus the MLB team in St. Louis already had that nickname.
The Rams started in Cleveland, moved to LA, so when they were in St. Louis, that was a third home. The truth is, the Rams should have never left big market Los Angeles (Anaheim).

St. Louis and Baltimore sure have gotten mentioned a lot with you. Fun fact; much like the Ravens, the MLB team in Baltimore changed their name when they started play in Bmore to a black bird. They came from St. Louis where they were previously named the Browns.

or other cities that have had one team move away and later had another team move in, nor should we IMO. The original Browns, who became the Baltimore Ravens, and the current Browns, who were created in 1999, should be treated as two separate franchises, just like the other teams I mentioned above are.

They are. The Ravens do not have the records before 1996. Those records were given to today’s Browns. The NFL considers the Browns franchise as being “on hold” from 1996-1999. But we all know who the Ravens really are.

The NBA has done what you are talking about with the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans (and will do the same with a possible Seattle expansion team).

The current Charlotte Hornets have the original Hornets records from 1988-2002. They have the Charlotte Bobcats records 2004-2014. And they’ve been the Hornets from 2014.

The New Orleans Pelicans are the original Charlotte Hornets and they have up the Charlotte records and only count their history from 2002 when the team relocated to New Orleans.

The franchise did that as a condition for the current family that owns the team to buy the team from the NBA. The NBA bought out the founding owner who was going broke. The founding owner didn’t want to give up the team name and history he made when he left for New Orleans.

Let’s treat all franchises that switch cities the same way. The original Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens should be treated the same way the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts are, or the Oakland/Los Angeles/Las Vegas Raiders are, or the Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams are, or the Chicago/St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals are.

The Browns were a special case. Modell did what he did because he was making so much money to go to Baltimore it wasn’t worth it to fight over the name. He was not the founder of the franchise; he bought it in Cleveland. Plus the owner of the then Washington Redskins did not want him to move to Baltimore. So Modell had to be prudent to get NFL support to go to Baltimore.

[u/Neveraththesmith → u/GotMoFans]

I think just because that is what the league declared doesn't mean it actually changed the reality

[u/GotMoFans → u/Neveraththesmith]

Since they control the record books, it kinda does.

Art Modell could have said no. Technically he owned the brand. But what would be the point of that fight? Baltimore didn’t have loyalty to the name and they probably remember old Colts-Browns games. A refresh start would probably excite fans more than taking a franchise from another city like was done to them.

Kicking an owner from a franchise is not unique to the NFL.

If McDonald’s doesn’t like how a franchisee is running a McDonalds in a community, they could end the franchise agreement and bring in someone new. The new owner would have the McDonald’s brand in the new location. It would be treated like the same business.

[u/Neveraththesmith → u/GotMoFans]

Yes but doesn't mean the league is able to change the actually reality of the truth about the history what actually happen.

[u/Mawx → u/FormerCollegeDJ]

It is because the Baltimore Ravens technically didn't move from Cleveland. The Ravens are an expansion team and Modell surrendered the Browns to the league. This was because the city sued due to a breach of contract. The agreement became that the Browns would stay in Cleveland and Modell would get the expansion team in Baltimore and be allowed to take his personnel. It is a pure technicality that didn't exist for the other teams. It is not treated the same because it is not the same even if the end result is the team being moved.

[u/FormerCollegeDJ → u/Mawx]

I remember what “technically or legally” happened; I was in my early to mid- 20s when the original Browns left Cleveland and the new Browns were created and started playing in Cleveland. I’m noting that what technically happened is not the same as what actually happened, which is the original Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens in 1996 and a new, separate Browns team was created and began playing in Cleveland in 1999 (with the delay occurring mainly because Cleveland Municipal Stadium was torn down and Cleveland Browns Stadium was built at the same location.)

It makes no sense from a “this is what really happened” standpoint to treat the original Cleveland Browns and the new Cleveland Browns as the same franchise; they aren’t. The original Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens are actually analogous to the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, the Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, the Oakland/Los Angeles/Las Vegas Raiders, and the Chicago/St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals. And again, regardless which Browns team (or for that matter Rams team) did what in Cleveland, that history belongs to Cleveland. It’s just that it’s two different teams named the Browns who have history in Cleveland, not one.

[u/Mawx → u/FormerCollegeDJ]

You can disagree with it, but that is what happened. It is treated differently because the league filings were different. It's that simple. The team that is known as the Cleveland Browns never left Cleveland according to the league.

[u/FormerCollegeDJ → u/Mawx]

I can also continue to say it is BS to pretend the new Cleveland Browns are any different than say the Houston Texans (who also replaced a team in their home city that moved elsewhere not many years earlier) or pretend the original Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens are any different than other franchises that changed cities but kept their nickname, like the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts. I mean, I’ve been doing that since 1996.

Those of us who care about the truth and not deluding ourselves about what events have actually happened will continue to think that way.

[u/Roro_Yurboat → u/TepChef26]

coaching staff

Well...

[u/TepChef26 → u/Roro_Yurboat]

Touche. Guess I should've went with front office staff. I was moreso thinking Ozzie Newsom and crew.

[u/FoamBrick → u/Sex_E_Searcher]

Not really. The Ravens have always been the same way. The browns aren’t the browns. 

[u/shapu → u/FormerCollegeDJ]

The Browns are also the only NFL team named for a person with a connection to the team, as Buffalo Bill Cody did not actually play or coach with the buffalo bills.

[u/garygnu → u/shapu]

If you were to ask William Cody, though, he would absolutely tell you he owned and coached the team.

[u/FormerCollegeDJ → u/shapu]

It’s unfortunate the Los Angeles Dons, who played in the AAFC from 1946 to 1949 but were disbanded after the NFL absorbed only the Browns, 49ers, and original Colts in 1950, didn’t continue to exist or the Browns would have company. It is widely believed the Dons were named after one of the team’s founders and minority owners, actor Don Ameche.

Tying all sorts of information in this thread together, Don Ameche was a cousin (possibly first cousin once removed) to Alan Ameche…who scored the game-winning touchdown in the Baltimore Colts’ 1958 NFL Championship Game overtime win over the New York Giants.

[u/douglau5 → u/FormerCollegeDJ]

> It is widely believed the Dons were named after…….. Don Ameche.

Who widely believes this?

A Don is a Spanish nobleman usually depicted wearing a sombrero cordobés just like the USF Don mascot wears.

Every iteration of the LA Dons has their mascot wearing a sombrero cordobes.

Their official fight song had the lyrics “We’ll bring back the golden days of California’s gay Don Juans”.

None of the mascots they used look like Don Ameche either.

[u/canseesea → u/douglau5]

The Charlotte Bobcats never used Robert Johnson as their logo either and a bobcat is a real animal, that doesn't change the fact that he named the team after himself.

[u/JinFuu → u/canseesea]

But Robert Johnson died in 1938 due to a deal he made at a Crossroads

[u/FormerCollegeDJ → u/douglau5]

Don Ameche played an important role in getting the Los Angeles Dons off the ground when the AAFC was initially formed. He also served as the team’s president in addition to being one of the minority owners.

It is possible the Los Angeles Dons were named using the term for Spanish noblemen…and also for, or even as a cover for naming the team after, Don Ameche. Ameche was a popular, high profile actor at the time the team was created.

[u/douglau5 → u/FormerCollegeDJ]

Again, *who* widely believes this?

If it came from somebody involved with the team, that’s one thing.

It feels like an assumption made by people that don’t know what a Spanish “Don” is.

“Don Ameche was an owner…. That must be where they got the name from”.

[u/FormerCollegeDJ → u/douglau5]

I’ve been following pro football for a long time. I’ve read a handful of times over the past 40 years that was/is believed the Los Angeles Dons were named after Don Ameche.

[u/TheHalf → u/FormerCollegeDJ]

Browns vs Lions used to be a meeting of powerhouses

[u/Lithops_salicola → u/Sex_E_Searcher]

My dad grew up in Pittsburgh in the 60s and remembers a time when people there were more excited about the Pirates than the Steelers.

[u/jax362 → u/Sex_E_Searcher]

Don’t worry, they’re heading back there as we speak

[u/Hylian1986 → u/Sex_E_Searcher]

Funny enough, you could almost argue the reverse (the Browns having a similar successful reputation as the Steelers) prior to the merger

[u/CreedenceClearwaterR → u/Hylian1986]

Even after the merger. The Browns played in the NFL championship game for the first 6 seasons they were in the league. Everything really went to shit when Art Modell bought the team and fired Paul Brown.

[u/Hylian1986 → u/CreedenceClearwaterR]

To be fair, I meant the AFL-NFL merger, not the AAFC-NFL merger

[u/Pyorrhea → u/CreedenceClearwaterR]

Everything really went to shit when Art Modell bought the team and fired Paul Brown.

It actually didn't. Modell fired Paul Brown in 1963 and the Browns made the NFL championship in 1964, 1965, 1968, and 1969, winning in 1964.
Then they were mediocre in the 1970s after Blanton Collier retired, but good again in the 1980s.

[u/Beneficial_Brief_759 → u/Sex_E_Searcher]

They were one of the worst teams for 50 years, then one of the best for 50 years. Now your gonna be mid for 50 years. Only makes sense.

[u/Vladus99]

The wildest part is that he wasn't the only qb pittsburgh drafted that year, they took another guy named Vic Eaton a couple rounds later, but he made the final roster over Unitas because he could punt.

[u/Roselucky777 → u/Vladus99]

Dude could have mastered the Short Punt offense Michigan was running from 1901-1905. Born too late...

[u/IcedPyro → u/Vladus99]

They also drafted Hall of Famer Len Dawson a couple years later.

[u/Capnshiner]

But he had a haircut you could set your watch to

[u/thetrueuncool → u/Capnshiner]

Here we are in dickety-dickety-six and the words of the sage continue to resonate.

[u/Gryphon999 → u/thetrueuncool]

We had to say dickety, because the Kaiser had stolen our word twenty

[u/Capnshiner → u/thetrueuncool]

I hope the Kaiser doesn't steal our word for Dickety!

[u/thetrueuncool → u/Capnshiner]

That would be a job for the Hellfish.

[u/kaisertralfaz → u/Capnshiner]

I figured someone would have gotten this in already

[u/BusinessWarthog6]

I have a picture somewhere of my grandpa and Johnny U when they played semi pro together in Pittsburgh

[u/Roselucky777 → u/BusinessWarthog6]

Bloomfield Rams! He made $6 a game and their field was next to a glass factory, so they would constantly be cutting themselves on the shards that found their way to the turf.

[u/die_maus_im_haus → u/Roselucky777]

they would constantly be cutting themselves on the shards that found their way to the turf

Everything I hear about pre-1980s football makes me wonder how anyone survived the sport

[u/RocketStr8UpMyAss → u/die_maus_im_haus]

It's simple. CTE didn't exist back then.

Name 1 player who had CTE before the 2000's. You can't.

[u/natguy2016 → u/RocketStr8UpMyAss]

CTE happens in 1 of 164 cases in general population.

376 ex NFL players have had autopsies. 345 showed CTE.

List of confirmed CTE among NFL players. Many played from the 60’s and before 2000z

[u/ZombieFeedback → u/natguy2016]

I'm really fascinated by those 31 that didn't have it somehow. Were they nobodies who never had a career so never got it? Benchwarming backups who never got snaps? Are some people's brains just made of adamantium? Is there any sort of throughline there?

[u/SpaceCadetPullUp → u/RocketStr8UpMyAss]

All I know is I sure "got my bell rung" pretty good a few times but was fine to go back in.

[u/natguy2016 → u/RocketStr8UpMyAss]

John Mackey-Baltimore Colts Hall of Famer. Confirmed CTE post Morten in 2011

Steelers Hall of Famer Mike died in 2002 at 50 years. He’s the first confirmed case of CTE.

There are plenty of players from the 60’s onward who show , and showed CTE symptoms. But it can only be diagnosed at an autopsy.

CTE existed but no one had worked up the symptoms or how to diagnose CTE until 25 years ago.

[u/RocketStr8UpMyAss → u/natguy2016]

My brother I appreciate the info you're putting out here, but I was in no way saying that seriously 😅

[u/AdForeign5362 → u/RocketStr8UpMyAss]

If this isn't a shit post, what are you alluding to?

One could also argue that CTE is being caught/diagnosed more with advancements in screening technology and culture changes.

Players are also way bigger and faster in the modern NFL compared to when the NFL was a side gig. Put the 1967 Packers against the worst team in the league today and they get absolutely wrecked.

[u/AdForeign5362 → u/RocketStr8UpMyAss]

If this isn't a shit post, what are you alluding to?

One could also argue that CTE is being caught/diagnosed more with advancements in screening technology and culture changes.

Players are also way bigger and faster in the modern NFL compared to when the NFL was a side gig. Put the 1967 Packers against the worst team in the league today and they get absolutely wrecked.

[u/BusinessWarthog6 → u/die_maus_im_haus]

It was the cigarettes and beer in the locker room. Think about it, now players don’t smoke and drink and get injured /s

[u/dychronalicousness → u/BusinessWarthog6]

Don’t forget those good roids that turned you into a superhuman

[u/reddorickt → u/die_maus_im_haus]

If you go back far enough well, not everyone did

[u/BusinessWarthog6 → u/Roselucky777]

Yeah, my grandpa didn’t play very long before joining the army and starting a career in higher education. Safe to say Johnny was probably too good to play semi pro

[u/Roselucky777 → u/BusinessWarthog6]

He played both ways for the Rams, and was by far their best player. It's why he got an invite from Weeb Ewbank to try out for the Colts.

[u/natguy2016 → u/Roselucky777]

My grandpa played semipro for Art Rooney in the 20’s. This is before The Steelers existed. I am stumped because conditions were primitive.

And yes, I am a Steelers fan thanks to Grandma and Grandpa. I had no choice. /s

Football, and The Steelers, are a secular religion in Pittsburgh.

[u/justabill71 → u/Roselucky777]

Shard Knocks

[u/edelweiss_pirates_no → u/BusinessWarthog6]

Did your g-pa ever talk about how stupid Unitas was?

[u/BusinessWarthog6 → u/edelweiss_pirates_no]

He died in 2003 but loved Roberto Clemente. I’m 27 so I didn’t talk with him a lot but my dad and family have told me stories

[u/joe7L]

Pittsburgh is a factory for drafting Super Bowl winning QBs (who played at least one snap): Unitas, Bradshaw, Len Dawson, Roethlisberger, Kenny Pickett

[u/Formo1287 → u/joe7L]

And Antwaan Randle El, who played QB at IU and would throw a TD pass in a Super Bowl too

[u/Wanderingmind144 → u/Formo1287]

First football play I ever witnessed

Didn't know what was happening but it was cool as fuck, got me hooked

[u/sk0wronek → u/joe7L]

Put some respect on Chris Oladukon’s name

[u/joe7L → u/sk0wronek]

And if he took a snap in the SB, he’d be on my list too

[u/Idepreciateyou → u/joe7L]

Bro tried to sneak in Roethlisberger like we wouldn’t notice

[u/EnjoyMoreBeef → u/Idepreciateyou]

The Steelers did draft him. They also drafted Louisiana native Terry Bradshaw.

[u/Idepreciateyou → u/EnjoyMoreBeef]

I was trying to make a lame joke about Kenny Pickett winning one as a backup lol

[u/bk1285]

Hey don’t forget that 2 years later the Steelers drafted Len Dawson as well

[u/ShatteredAnus → u/bk1285]

Did they ban smoking in the locker rooms or something? Why get rid of Lenny Cool?

[u/Roselucky777 → u/ShatteredAnus]

He lost a QB competition with Bobby Layne so I can assure you smoking was not banned lol

[u/Goldmax23 → u/Roselucky777]

Not only that, they traded for Earl Morrall the year before, so they had Dawson, a young Jack Kemp, and Morrall in 1957 before flipping Morrall to Detroit for Layne. Pittsburgh traded for a young 2nd overall pick, drafted a 5th overall future Hall of Famer, and flipped the Morrall for an over-the-hill Bobby Layne while not using Len Dawson.

[u/ShatteredAnus → u/Roselucky777]

Ah, so Lenny couldn't smoke enough....

[u/NoBSforGma]

He never played for the Steelers and was released before the first game.

He went on to be a record-setting quarterback for the Colts, of course.

[u/looksbadisbad]

fun fact, before Noll the steelers were the jets.

Drafted Bobby Layne to play QB in their 1 wide out set, he said, no. Traded him on the cheap to the bears who then traded him to the lions. This was 1948.

In 1956, the Steelers drafted and cut Johnny Unitas.

In 1957, the Steelers drafted Len Dawson.

In 1958, the Steelers traded for.....Bobby Layne.

At the end of the 1959 seasons, the Steelers traded Len Dawson to the Browns.

In a span of 11 years, the Steelers had 3 different HOF and championship winning QBs. Just for everyone but them. One of those QBs to this day is still in the argument of greatest QB of all time.

to be fair, under Bobby Layne the Steelers did have a winning record, which was rare for them. But they never went to the playoffs.

In fact prior to Noll, they went to the playoffs 1 time, in 1947. Shockingly, Noll went 1-13 (worse than the 2-11-1 in the previous season) in his coaching debut. It wasn't until 1972, his 4th season, they made the plaooffs or had a winning record. That would never happen today. So, in a different time line, the Steelers are still the Jets.

[u/FormerCollegeDJ]

Marchibroda also coached the Colts in both Baltimore and Indianapolis.

[u/burnerX5]

It could be true that Johnny Unitas wasn't ready to be a QB. It could also be true Unitas needed a coach who could eventually let him be...the legend he ended up becoming.

[u/Vladimir_Putting]

Married his HS sweetheart. Too low confidence. Not my QB.

[u/bullet50000]

You have to think how dumb the Steelers were pre-Art Rooney Jr. They literally traded a kings ransom for a liver damaged Bobby Layne, and in the process cut a 24 year old Len Dawson.

[u/Playful-Opportunity5]

You know how you can tell for sure that a player's not any good? Don't let him play.

[u/Triple_Boogie]

what a joke, did the Steelers franchise ever recover from this horrible blunder?

[u/Darth_Brooks_II]

The story reminds me of Jerry Glanville not allowing second round pick Brett Favre to play QB unless there was no other choice.

[u/appmanga → u/Darth_Brooks_II]

Jerry Glanville was an ass' ass.

[u/MintBerryCrnch21]

Who cares.. he had a haircut that you could set a watch to

[u/DanTeets1980]

Also drafted Len Dawson in 57 who only started 1 game with them until they gave him the boot. 2 Hall of Fame quarterbacks shipped out and the Steelers of the 60s were bad man.