Who in your opinion would have been better for the Steelers?

[Coach]

It's a slow time of the year. One of the toughest times as a fan was the 1980’s for me. As a kid I was used to success. As a teenager I didn't see it often.

The best players from 1970’s got old, and the quarterbacks were Stoudt, Malone and Brister…. almost impossible to build a team around.

Two all time great QB’s from Pittsburgh were overlooked in the draft.

Who in your opinion would have been better for the Steelers?

Draft Joe Montana in 1979 or Draft Dan Marino in 1983?

A difficult question.

You could argue with Montana the Steelers could have won another super bowl in 1982, 1983, or 1984….and the 49ers would be way behind us in the Lombardi count.

Or you could say Marino in 1984 with his best season ( We lost to the Dolphins that year in the AFC championship game ) get us another ring, and has a second chance in the 1994, or 1995 seasons when the defense was once again dominant.

 

[oicu8ad]

Man, either one would have been great. Could you imagine going from Terry to Joe or Terry to Dan?

 

[ExUSAF]

I would go with Marino. Draft Joe Montana in 1979 with Bradshaw still in his prime and it's hard to say how that would have panned out. Marino in 1983 should have been a no-brainer. We were mauled in the AFC Championship game that year with Marino on the Miami sideline and Malone on ours. Give us Marino and the 45-28 shellacking would likely have been reversed. Hard to say if we would have beat the 49ers but we had already beat them in the regular season 20-17 with Malone at QB - at Candlestick. It was the 49ers only loss that season.

 

[Stryker]

Marino simply because our defense was always stout from the mid-late 80s on. You put him on a team with a dominant defense, and we would have been a dynasty. Also the timing works better for Marino's career vs Montana. Montana would have been done in 92-93, and Marino would have had till the late 90s. No way does Marino set the passing records in Pittsburgh, but he would have been a multiple SB champion. At the time of dyanasties, we could have competed very well against the 9ers, Dallas, and Buffalo with Marino as our QB. Oh, what could have been!

 

[Coach]

I would go with Marino. Draft Joe Montana in 1979 with Bradshaw still in his prime and it's hard to say how that would have panned out. Marino in 1983 should have been a no-brainer. We were mauled in the AFC Championship game that year with Marino on the Miami sideline and Malone on ours. Give us Marino and the 45-28 shellacking would likely have been reversed. Hard to say if we would have beat the 49ers but we had already beat them in the regular season 20-17 with Malone at QB - at Candlestick. It was the 49ers only loss that season.

I'd go with Montana. Bradshaw was finished by 1983. Joe was too clutch in the playoffs. I think with Joe we win in 1984 and build around him. Louis Lipps would have been a huge star with either man,

 

[fogdoctor]

Not drafting Marino is what resulted in my high blood pressure.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Not drafting Marino is what resulted in my high blood pressure.

I remember thinking "Are you people freaking nuts? He's right freaking here!"
Realistically though, everybody thought Bradshaw had a year or two left (he didn't) and Marino's performance declined in his senior season (I blamed new coach Foge Fazio, mostly a defensive-minded guy) which was the main reason he didn't get picked up until late in the first round. Marino's junior year was when he set the world on fire. His senior year, not so much.

 

[steelerscotty]

Marino. 1979 Brad still in his prime. There was no way to predict when his career would end but by the time we get to Marino he's near the end.

 

[diver]

Hard one. I am old enough to remember those times, and Bradshaw was his typical self, all over the place. From about '78 on, he was always hinting at retirement, getting into acting or whatever. Then, in one of his biographies, he stated that by '82 or '83 he wanted to play a number of more years.

He must have been a challenge to coach at times.

I'd go with Montana. I don't think they would've drafted Marino even if they were sure Bradshaw was done. Story was Noll told him it would be best for him to get away from home.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

Montana may have been a bust if drafted by teams other than San Fran or Cincy. People forget that back then, playing QB was much different. You didn't have all the dink and dunk and run after catch stuff. You didn't have small quick WRs going over the middle because they'd be dead. There was man coverage all over the place. Playing QB was all about 7 step drops and throwing down the field. You needed a big arm.

The west coast offense changed all that and Montana was a perfect fit. San Fran and Cincy were the two teams running it back then. If he got drafted by a team that ran a traditional offense, he probably would have struggled and gotten beaten out and then just been a backup. If he stuck around for 5 or 6 years, when the west coast offense started to spread throughout the league, maybe he winds up with one of those teams and has a good second half of a career.

If the steelers had drafted Montana, he would not have beaten Bradshaw out until his elbow quit and then he would have taken over a traditional offense not suited for his talents. He would have been mediocre on the steelers and maybe would have ended up a nobody.

Marino is one of the best talents to ever play. He could play in any system. He would have been great on the steelers or any team that drafted him. He would have won with the Jets and Rich Kotite.

The question then becomes, If the steelers have Marino does Bill Cowher ever coach for the Steelers?

If Marino takes over for Bradshaw, Noll probably coaches a few more years, and Cowher probably gets a different head coaching job. Maybe he coaches the Browns.

 

[diver]

Montana may have been a bust if drafted by teams other than San Fran or Cincy. People forget that back then, playing QB was much different. You didn't have all the dink and dunk and run after catch stuff. You didn't have small quick WRs going over the middle because they'd be dead. There was man coverage all over the place. Playing QB was all about 7 step drops and throwing down the field. You needed a big arm.

The west coast offense changed all that and Montana was a perfect fit. San Fran and Cincy were the two teams running it back then. If he got drafted by a team that ran a traditional offense, he probably would have struggled and gotten beaten out and then just been a backup. If he stuck around for 5 or 6 years, when the west coast offense started to spread throughout the league, maybe he winds up with one of those teams and has a good second half of a career.

If the steelers had drafted Montana, he would not have beaten Bradshaw out until his elbow quit and then he would have taken over a traditional offense not suited for his talents. He would have been mediocre on the steelers and maybe would have ended up a nobody.

Marino is one of the best talents to ever play. He could play in any system. He would have been great on the steelers or any team that drafted him. He would have won with the Jets and Rich Kotite.

The question then becomes, If the steelers have Marino does Bill Cowher ever coach for the Steelers?

If Marino takes over for Bradshaw, Noll probably coaches a few more years, and Cowher probably gets a different head coaching job. Maybe he coaches the Browns.

By 1982, the Steelers offense had morphed into one that had more West Coast elements to it. They still had the long ball, but they did a lot more with the backs, for example. Watch the '80 Super Bowl on youtube. Some of Franco's biggest plays in that game were West Cost type passes to him over the middle. In an early '82 game against Cincy he had 11 catches or something like that. They would have adjusted for Montana.

 

[F83]

Marino that would have stopped so many stopgap qbs and journeymen

 

[steelhurt]

Tough one but I'd have to go Dan Marino on this one. As it turns out Dan was plug and play which was rare back then but it would have been perfect timing with Bradshaw's last year in 83. Don't know how the Emperor would have used Dan's talents, probably not like the wide open Shula passing attack. Chas was more ground it out on the ground but it may have been too difficult for even Noll to limit Marino's passing attempts in the Steeler offense. With the solid defenses around Marino and good running attack we may have ended up with a coupe more super bowl trophy's.

 

[Troglodyte]

I've heard Marino liked to party in college and into his pro career and the NFL even swept a positive drug test under the rug because he was the face of the league at the time.

If true, the Steelers likely knew and passed on him in the draft because of it.

 

[slashsteel]

I've heard Marino liked to party in college and into his pro career and the NFL even swept a positive drug test under the rug because he was the face of the league at the time.

If true, the Steelers likely knew and passed on him in the draft because of it.

didn't stop a long career

I would have had no problem with Marino or Joe......Either would have represented well.

With drugs I am sure it always has been the more talent you have the more they try to work with you. Solve the problem etc.

And if your talent level is borderline you get made a example of.

Way it seems to have been for the longest of time.

 

[diver]

you have to put yourself in the context of the times. the late '70s and early '80s were a huge time for freebasing cocaine, The rumor was Marion indulged. True or not, with the stuf going on at the time, tou have to heed that. Remember, just a few years later Don Rogers died from cocaine as well as Lenny Bias. ****, Lenny Bias. As a huge Celtic fan I thought it would be championships as far as the eye could see. 3 days later the dream is dead.

 

[Wingman]

you have to put yourself in the context of the times. the late '70s and early '80s were a huge time for freebasing cocaine, The rumor was Marion indulged. True or not, with the stuf going on at the time, tou have to heed that. Remember, just a few years later Don Rogers died from cocaine as well as Lenny Bias. ****, Lenny Bias. As a huge Celtic fan I thought it would be championships as far as the eye could see. 3 days later the dream is dead.

Don't forget the replacement that they had for Bradshaw, Joseph Wiley Gilliam, Jr. was a professional football player, a quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League for four seasons. Primarily a backup, he started the first six games of the 1974 season. Joe had a big drug problem and it ultimately killed him. This more than worries about anything else may have had the steelers move away from guys with drug issues before they were part of the team. Now before anyone says he died after his playing days were over, I know that. But I suspect seeing what an individual with an addiction issue did to himself while with the team may have made them reluctant to choose a player that was rumored to have drug problems.

I would say the guy to have picked was Montana, he was not as talented as Marino but was able to win more big games and seemed to do well with the rest of the team.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

By 1982, the Steelers offense had morphed into one that had more West Coast elements to it. They still had the long ball, but they did a lot more with the backs, for example. Watch the '80 Super Bowl on youtube. Some of Franco's biggest plays in that game were West Cost type passes to him over the middle. In an early '82 game against Cincy he had 11 catches or something like that. They would have adjusted for Montana.

Montana was drafted at the end of the 3rd round. They would not have adjusted for Montana. That's the point. At that time, a team would have had to change everything to fit Montana and Montana was not that big of a draft pick to change everything for him. He was not Elway coming out.

Mark Malone was a 1st rounder and the steelers didn't change their offense just to suit him. Malone is nowhere as good as Montana but he was athletic like Montana and may have done OK in a west coast offense which is based on a mobile QB (not a running QB) and timing throws. It's not just throwing some passes to the RB.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

At the time of the 83 draft, the Steelers had Bradshaw and thought he had a few year left. They also had drafted Mark Malone in the 1st in 1980. So why draft Marino or any QB in the 1st in 83?

Imagine if Landry Jones had been a 1st rounder a few years ago. Ben has good years left. Should the steelers be thinking QB in the 1st next year? No way.

The real mistake was probably made in 1985. By then Bradshaw was gone and Malone was struggling so they knew they needed a QB. In 85, they could have gotten Randall Cunningham in Rd 2, Frank Reich 3, Steve Bono 6. They all had solid careers. The could have drafted Doug Flutie in Rd 11. Flutie is a guy who could have been great if a team ever gave him a real chance. They also could have gotten Bernie Kosar as a supplemental pick in 85.

 

[Troglodyte]

Remember, just a few years later Don Rogers died from cocaine as well as Lenny Bias. ****, Lenny Bias. As a huge Celtic fan I thought it would be championships as far as the eye could see. 3 days later the dream is dead.

My best friend was a big Maryland Terps basketball fan and turned me on to it. As I recall though, Bias was a good kid who was doing coke for the first time, and not knowing what he was doing, mixed cocaine in a drink and overdose.

 

[diver]

Montana was drafted at the end of the 3rd round. They would not have adjusted for Montana. That's the point. At that time, a team would have had to change everything to fit Montana and Montana was not that big of a draft pick to change everything for him. He was not Elway coming out.

Mark Malone was a 1st rounder and the steelers didn't change their offense just to suit him. Malone is nowhere as good as Montana but he was athletic like Montana and may have done OK in a west coast offense which is based on a mobile QB (not a running QB) and timing throws. It's not just throwing some passes to the RB.

The point is they were adjusting with Bradshaw. They were changing the offense. Right now, on youtube, is a game I remember well. 1982, opening week against Dallas, Monday night.. They talk about the fact that the Steelers were changing the offense to incorporate more of the short passing game. They were doing more timing throws. Watch the game, you will see. If they would have taken Montana, they really wouldn't have had to change too much, because they were in the process already.

 

[diver]

My best friend was a big Maryland Terps basketball fan and turned me on to it. As I recall though, Bias was a good kid who was doing coke for the first time, and not knowing what he was doing, mixed cocaine in a drink and overdose.

It was devastating. Bird, McHale, Parish were all really in their prime. Bias was talked about as a bigger, better version of Michael Jordan. It is important to remember at the time Bias was drafted Jordan had his rookie year and was hurt most of his 2nd year. Nobody knew what he would become. Still, it speaks to the talent the kid had.

 

[Max Power]

Biggest mistake the Steelers ever made was not drafting Dan Marino. None comes close to it. The timing wasn't right for Montana to be considered a mistake of a missed pick.

What could have been....

 

[Wingman]

Biggest mistake the Steelers ever made was not drafting Dan Marino. None comes close to it. The timing wasn't right for Montana to be considered a mistake of a missed pick.

What could have been....

Not keeping John Unitas was I think a bigger mistake, he was already on the freakin team for try outs for chrisakes, no draft no nothin just sign the guy and you have one of the best qbs to play the game!

 

[diver]

Biggest mistake the Steelers ever made was not drafting Dan Marino. None comes close to it. The timing wasn't right for Montana to be considered a mistake of a missed pick.

What could have been....

Malone was drafted as the next guy in '80. One year earlier made that much of a difference?