How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Slash?

We all know how Korky wanted to be the star QB after honing his skills as slash with O'Donnel and then Neil jet setting off to NY. What would Kordell be known for now if he just accepted the role of Slash and being the couple of downs a game QB just to keep the Defense honest. I really missed those days and looking back I can't help but wonder how different his career could have been had he stuck with the Slash role. One thing for sure. That offensive threat was anything but vanilla. Even though it wasn't during his Slash role I will never forget that 90 yard QB TD run.

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

I always liked Kordell Stewart when I was a kid. That's when he was Slash and I thought it was SO cool that he could play qb and wr. But as far as how it would've turned out differently who knows? I can say that apparently when the Bus wrote his book he said that the Steelers "set kordell up to fail" so maybe he thinks that he could've been a great qb in the right situation. But didn't he have like 3 different OC's in like 4 years? That's pretty tough. Just ask Alex Smith.

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

How did they set Kordell up to fail, what can be easier than throwing out of play action while you have one of the top running games in the league? Kordell was actually pretty good that one year, but he just wasn't consistent. He didn't have great accuracy either.

To me, the closest to "Slash" we had after the real Slash left was was Randel El or a Ward.

A.R.E. may have been a more polished receiver, but Kordell had the capability to make more game changing plays. Kordell probably would not have had a better career than Ward:

A.R.E. < Kordell < Ward

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

I think Kordell was set up to fail...not on purpose....but when the Steelers brought in Gilbride...he tried to change Kordell into something he was not.....Kordell was not good enough to carry a team on his shoulders...but he was good enough to make plays at the NFL level...but needed an OC that used him to his fullest.


HACK

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

Hack, I agree with your assessment here (I sure you feel validated now). I still believe if they would have know how to use a player like Korky he would have excelled. He was such a good athlete that they were not sure how to use him. I guess he was a little ahead of his time. I'm pretty sure that you could go back and find dozens of players that were "almost" great but didn't make it due to circumstances. This would be how my wife describes me except for saying "almost great" and she would say my status is due to me, but, now I'm just being nit picky.

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

Maybe he was "Ahead of his Time", and we simply didn`t know how to use him to our fullest advantage?
AFTER he came along, we`ve had qb`s like Mike Vick, etc, but none of them has had a stellar career, either...
Maybe Cam Newton, could come along, and make me eat my words.
He certainly had a great rookie campaign, but I have a feeling defenses will adjust to him.
Even with the rule changes, it just seems that running qb`s are more of a gimmick, than a legitimate threat.
A qb, with a quick release, that can beat you in a "West Coast" offense, may be dangerous, possibly even more dangerous, if he is a threat to run, but, I don`t see Aaron Rodgers, or Drew Brees, Marcia Brady, etc... taking off on twenty yard plus scrambles very often...
And before you bring up Te(BLEAH)bow, remember he threw a pass, that beat us, not a 90 yard scramble.
Maybe I missed the original point. Could Slash have been a better receiver, than qb?
I think probably, but that wouldn`t be a "Slash", role, would it?
edit..
(IowaJim, That`s funny, I had already typed the "ahead of his time", thing, just hadn`t posted it, was still typing, when I posted and saw your reply. I guess strange brains come to similar conclusions, sometimes... `Cause I am fairly sure neither of us, qualify as a great mind, thinking of the same idea at the same time... )

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

I suppose I might say that if you look at the whole picture that Steve Young would HAVE to be the greatest scrambling qb of all time. He did wind up in the Hall of Fame but his career was definitely shortened. I think Ben might go down as one of the great scrambling qb's as well. The one thing that Steve Young had though was that he was extremely accurate as a passer. I believe at the time that he retired he was the most accurate passer of all time. But most of the time I feel like guys scramble because they are NOT accurate passers. That might've been why Kordell seemed so predisposed to run because he had more confidence in his feet than he did in his arm.

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

That`s kinda funny Blount, because one of the things I miss about the "Young Ben", was his ability/willingness to scramble, for a first down/touchdown(even if disputed),when he had to.
For the sake of this conversation, I am only talking about running forward, not scrambling around in the pocket, to stay alive, and then finding an open receiver/runningback, to chuck it to/underhand, shovel pass it to.
Before he wrecked his bike, had a few concussions, he was fearless about picking up a third and long with his legs.
Even if he was one of the slowest guys on the field, he could recognize, where there was open space on the field, that his big, slow ass, could get to, to pick up a first down, because all the DB`s were covering his receivers, and IF they did get to him, they would have a hard time bringing his 6foot 220 pound plus, butt to the ground...
And he wasn`t afraid to take advantage of that.
I`m not sure if it has been age, injuries, or coaches, telling him not to do that, but there sure are times when i miss it!!!!
On the other hand, It is hard to find a qb, who can keep the play alive, behind the line of scrimmage, and still make an off-balance throw, to whoever gets open, better than he can!
There are quite a few throws, where I am terrified he is gonna get called for being over the line of scrimmage, that go for big gains.
I wouldn`t change the gunslinger, that he is, for anything, but there are a whole lotta times, when I am screaming at the tv... RUN, BEN!!! DAMMIT, RUUUUUNNNN!!!! Just get the first down, on third down, and start over!!!
Just `cause I`ve seen him do it when he was younger, and I am sure he still could, if he would take the chance to do it now.

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

Yeah what's funny is when he's behind the line of scrimmage I'm like "THROW IT! CRAP!" but when he gets past the line of scrimmage I'm like "Get the 1st and get down but take somebody out in the meantime!" lol. I actually get some kind of sick joy out of seeing people just hanging off of him and bouncing off of him. I think maybe he has a force field.

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

OK. Back to the subject at hand. Somehow, I think it was hijacked into a Big Ben scrambling thread. LOL. But,


I really think Korky shined with O'Donnel's success. Let's not forget that Neil was the 2nd best completion percentage passer in the NFL until Aaron Rogers took over 1st two years ago and is now number 3 on that list. Both O'donnel and Kordell bought into the theory but Korky just could not wait to be that player that he once was when he was with the University of Colorado. To me that was his ultimate downfall whether he was set up to fail or not. He could have been a really, really special NFL player had he kept the role of Slash with a suitable above average QB at the helm.

I remember sticking up for him many times as just a QB only to end up with my foot in my mouth just as often.

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

I also remember sticking up for Neil O'donnel as well. Whether Kordell Stewart was great, good, average, or even terrible really means nothing to me. It's because of him that I became a Steelers fan so regardless he will always hold a special place in my heart. The same goes for Kevin Green as well. And Yancey Thigpen to boot.

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

I loved Kordell as Slash. However, his natural position was at QB. I know that many do not want to accept that and want to believe in the made up notion that he was the worst QB ever in Steelers history, that is simply a myth. I've stated the following before on here and I'll state it once again. The guy clearly was the best QB between the Bradshaw and Ben years. He made it to a probowl in 2001,was a runner up in 97, took us to two AFC championships in 97 and 01, named team MVP, runner up for league MVP, what other QB even came close to doing that during those years as a starting QB? Thats not even close to being one of worst QB's in 35 years, let alone the worst. People forget that our entire team played horrible from 98-00 due to numerous FA losses, injuries, multiple coaching changes etc. You can't pin that solely on the Kordell.

During his 5 year career as a starter, after having an amazing season in 97, leading his team to the AFC championship, he loses his OC, Chan Gailey, star WR Thigpen and half of his starting O-line to FA and injuries. He loses another WR, Charles Johnson to FA, leaving the most horrible WR corp I've ever seen with Courtney Hawkins being the Steelers star WR? Then, not to mention that the Steelers went through 4 different OC's in 5 years, Gailey, Sherman, Gilbride and Mularkey. Its shocking that Kordell had the success that he did after experiencing all of that. Name me one other QB in history that ever had to deal with all of that?

So, yes, I believe that Bettis' comments in his book were correct, I wasn't the least bit surprised when I read that. Ask someone on the team or connected with the team during those years and they will agree.

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

LOL, I hear ya TomlinEra, you and I have said the same thing time and time again. I just had to state the obvious once again

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

Sorry but it was Kordell who set up Kordell to fail. He was drafted as a QB but was judged to be better suited to the slash role, in which he excelled. Think Tim Tebow only with sprinter speed and decent arm or a Mike Vick who could run pass routes and get open. But wanting to be a QB and only a QB, he hated the slash role and pressed the coaches on it until they gave him his chance. I probably would have done the same thing if I were him but to say he was set up for failure by our coaches is not correct.

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

If Cowher hadn't brought in Joe Walton? or Whoever in, to make Kordell a pocket passer, folks would have been saying, if this Mike Vick hangs around long enough he will rival Kordell's stats

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

Kordell was turned into slash by the coaches...he was playing on the scout team and our top ranked defense was having problems with him....coaches figured out a way to get his talent on the field. When Kordell became the starting Qb...you could not have him out there at WR going over the middle. People get mad at him for being what he was.....its like being mad at a plow horse for not winning the kentucky derby. Kordell was probably a top 10 Qb for 3 to 5 years during his career....and that was with all the turnover mentioned above.........Ben very was complaining about getting a new oc after 8 years.....what would he sound like after 4 in 5 years


Hack

 

Re: How good could Kordell Stewart have been if he stayed Sl

I was never sold on the whole "slash" idea.