In 1970
The Steelers selected Terry Bradshaw with the first overall pick in that draft out of Louisiana Tech. He guided the Steelers to 4 Super Bowl Championships with a cast of future hall of famers. The argument could be made that Bradshaw was the key component of those teams and Super Bowl wins. Bradshaw needed very little time to be successful in the NFL, and once he did, he became a legendary hall of fame quarterback with 4 of those most important trophies as proof of his dominance at the position. Bradshaw and coach Noll quite often did not see eye to eye, but managed to work together for the common goal.
Terry Bradshaw Highlights
Has There Ever Been a Quarterback in The NFL so loved and so despised
In 2004 The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Ben Roethlisberger, a 6'5" quarterback out of Miami University of Ohio with the 11th pick of the first round. Two other quarterbacks were chosen ahead of him. One named Manning, the other Phillip Rivers. There was much debate over who was the best quarterback in that draft, but the cards fell the way they did and the Steelers were determined to take a quarterback that year to eventually take over for Tommy Maddox.
Who else had a shot at Big Ben? The Chargers took Eli Manning, the Raiders took Robert Gallery, the Cards took Larry Fitzgerald, the Giants took Phillip Rivers then swapped QBs with the Chargers, The Redskins took Sean Taylor, the Browns took Kellen Winslow, the Lions took Roy Williams, the Falcons took Deangelo Hall, the Jags took Reggie Williams, the Texans took Dunta Robinson. In that crowd about half of those teams have stable quarterback situations, less if you take out the oft-injured Matt Stafford and out for the year Matt Schaub. Wouldn't the Brownies have loved to have Roethlisberger for the last 7 years instead of the rotation they've put on the field. They probably would have found a way to screw him up though.
In his rookie season Roethlisberger was forced into action after Tommy Maddox went down against the Ravens. Maddox was on the decline and never was able to unseat Roethlisberger again. He won an unprecedented 13 straight games as a rookie and also took the Pittsburgh Steelers to the AFC Championship.
Since that rookie season he has had his ups and downs, 2 Super Bowl Championships and off field issues that have kept him from being one of the most popular quarterbacks in history. He has been involved in unsteelerlike behavior that brought many rumors of an imminent trade. There were undoubtedly behind the scenes discussions with him laying it on the line and explaining that that behavior does not fly with the Steelers.
Following his first Super Bowl victory he was involved in a very serious motorcycle crash causing multiple injuries. Amazingly enough, that incident is just one indicator of one of his greatest characteristics, his toughness. Despite those injuries he started the season opener.
Ben is known for his escapability and his playground style of football. His receivers know to never stop trying to get open on a play because there is always a chance that Ben will escape the rush after the play becomes broken and find them wherever they may be. His size doesn't hurt either. It is very rare for Ben to go down without a number of players piled on.
He has broken many of the Steelers passing records, and before he is done he will undoubtedly hold many of the rest. Another former quarterback might keep a few. Let's see, his name was Bradshaw I think. No, Roethlisberger hasn't made us forgot that guy, but if he keeps out of trouble and wins another Super Bowl or two, it will certainly make him a very popular figure in Pittsburgh lore.
Ben Roethlisberger Highlights
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