The most overrated Steeler?

You have a point. But let me counter it. Something to consider, on top of the fact that Bradshaw called his own plays, was that Bradshaw didn't even have an offensive coordinator until 1983, his final season, when he played just one game. He had a QB coach from 1971-73. And that's it. That's all. He had nobody. He WAS the offense--the entire burden fell on him. So I disagree that he would have been nothing anywhere else. I think, in some respects, he might have been better: more controlled, more disciplined, because he might have had some actual coaching. Furthermore, can't the same arguments about talent be made of Joe Montana? Jim Kelly? Troy Aikman?

When I think of Bradshaw, I can't help but think of the one-man Super Bowl highlight reel he was. The TD pass to Swann in SB X was especially epic, considering the moment. The Steelers were protecting a five-point lead late in the game. It was third and 5 or 6. Instead of calling for a short pass to get the first and give them a new set of downs, Bradshaw instead went for the jugular. Remember: it's HIS offense. He said, "Hell with it, we're putting the game away right here." It took cajones to throw that pass. Bigger cajones to call it. I'm sure Noll about had a heart attack on the sidelines.

Based on the numbers, I can see why some might say he's overrated. But the numbers didn't tell the whole story.

 

Let's not forget, however, that Lynn missed a ton of time due to injuries--in fact, I believe it was the concussions that forced him into retirement. To me, this might be a factor in terms of him being overrated. There has been similar discussion about this with my Troy post in this thread.

The fact that Lipps has more career receptions and yards, despite playing fewer games, only shows how much the passing game developed in the 80s.

 

Most overrated Steeler of all time: Franco Harris, after 1976. He was done, washed up. Not the same back. He didn't have the speed or power at that point. 1977 was his sixth season in the NFL and the wear and tear was starting to show. Watch him in SB XIII and XIV...it's just painful. There was a reason Sidney Thornton started getting more snaps by that point. (SORRY Franco, sorry Steeler Nation...just being honest!!!!!)

 

Well I didn't say this before, but I'm not considering anyone I didn't see play. So for me that means early-mid 90s and beyond. I don't know if he's the most overrated of all time. In fact, I'm sure he isn't. That's just who I could think of. I still haven't thought of anyone worse, so far... It's kind of hard to come up with guys, because lots of players are overrated when they're succeeding, but then it all comes crashing down. So do they still count as overrated? Kemoeatu's a great example of that. Now everyone knows how bad he is, but they didn't used to.

"After the terrible times of Kordell..." Considering how off-topic that was and our history, I'm thinking you want to have a conversation about this, so let's consider the facts. Maddox's year was 2002. That's the year after Kordell's Steelers went to the AFCCG and lost in that game we had a whole thread about, where our special teams gave up a 17 point swing and we lost by 7. We disagreed about Kordell's performance in that game. You said he was the reason we lost, I said he played well enough to win and special teams was the reason we lost, with Kordell only failing to lead a last minute comeback that he shouldn't have had to make.

Then, in 2002, Kordell lost the first two games (don't remember them, but according to the stat line he had one bad game and one decent game), and was putting up pedestrian numbers in week 3 against the Browns when he was pulled for Maddox. Maddox finished the game, we won in overtime, and he became the starter. Over the course of the season he played the best football of his career, leading to the insane Maddox Mania that took over the fan base. I know it was the turnovers that kill you (and everybody) when it came to Kordell, so it's worth noting that during this greatest stretch of Tommy Maddox's career, he had 16 INTs and 8 fumbles in only 11 starts. It's also worth noting, since this is after/during the terrible times of Kordell, that Maddox got hurt during a miserable performance against the Titans, and Kordell nearly lead one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history. We were down 24 with 8 minutes left in the game, needing 3 TDs with three 2-point conversions to tie. Kordell got us 2 TDs and two 2-point conversions, but we couldn't get the onside kick with 2 minutes left. Kordell went on to win the following two games before Maddox came back and gave the world arguably the most embarrassing performance in NFL history against the expansion Texans.

And we know what happened after that. In 2003 he was kind enough to help us draft Ben Roethlisberger, and the two years after that he did what he could to keep us out of the playoffs.

 

if we're talking underrated, I have to go with ike taylor....... opposing qb's constantly avoid him and attack his bookend for a reason, and every yr. he's one of our biggest pro bowl snubs...... if not for his hands of stone, he would be listed among the top 5 cb's in the league.


overrated on the current team would be a tie for me between my 2 favorite whipping boys marcus gilbert and ziggy hood




overrated all time is tough........ definitely kordell stewart comes to mind... early in his career I was having visions of the next randall Cunningham, but we all know how that played out...
I hate to include lynn swann in this, but his stats just don't measure up to the hype.... but as he said..... it's his coat and he's not giving it back!!!!!
chris kemo was only overrated by himself and his agent
I liked neil odonnell, but he was definitely not worth what the jets gave him to leave us.
randle el was clearly overrated by the redskins
right now lamaar Woodley is living more on reputation than actual production, so that clearly qualifies
but i'll stick to my original............... kordell by a nose!!!!!!!!!!

 

don't forget len dawson too

 

Kordell's (wrongly, in my opinion) one of the most hated players in Steelers history. I get that you think he sucks, but overrated? To me that's like calling Neil O'Donnell overrated. Controversial, and everyone has a different opinion on him, but seems kind of impossible to overrate someone that half the city wants to set on fire.

We gave Kemo the contract, so it wasn't just him and his agent. It was the Steelers and the fan base, too.

 

kordell wasn't hated in the beginning........ the hatred developed because he couldn't live up to the hype, which clearly defines him as overrated......
we gave kemo the contract, because we had no better choices........ we obviously wised up though and kicked him to the curb

 

I consider Tommy Maddox a one year wonder myself. I think people liked him because he was sort of the underdog. We would not be shooting for our 7th or even 6th Super Bowl if Tommy Maddox would have stayed our qb. Period. But I can see what they say about him not having enough time to enter this conversation. Really when I think of overrated I really try and think of a guy that most analysts and outsiders like but the fans sorta know the truth about them ya know?

 

I have always admitted that Kordell Stewart was the ultimate reason for me liking the Steelers. I just thought it was so cool when I was a kid that he could play qb and wr. But I was like 13 years old and I'm sure there are many things about him that I didn't really see from an analytic perspective but it's still hard for me to hate on him ultimately because he was sorta my doorway to this obsession that I have today. I'm sure everyone has a sort of "guilty pleasure" athlete they like.

 

Dude that td up the middle was one of the most awesome Steeler plays ever though in SB 13. Probably my fave from him. Besides the IC of course. I know the ref got in the way but still. You gotta love the swagger.

 

Most under-rated....We cut this guy...Nuff said!!

Most over-rated...My opinion Kordell Stewart

 

Dont forget we passed on Dan Marino. ????? A Pitt guy?????

 

Let me be your lighting rod of hate and I know I'm going to get it.
Most overrated steeler was not a player .....

Bill Cowher

Good coach not a HOF though.

After this I will be taking a leave of absence for fear of my message board life.

 

I find it kinda funny that 12to88 doesn't agree with either Bradshaw or Swann being most overrated but instead offers up #32 Franco.... hhmmmm

Cajun-

 

There's good reason to say Bill was overrated, because his teams often fell apart in the big game. But he was no passenger on that 2005 team. We won that year with great coaching. Put a good SB victory together with over a decade of great teams, that's better than "good coach" if you ask me.

 

Okay, did I see that someone said Terry Bradshaw most over rated! You got to be kidding right! I also read that Ben is better than Bradshaw? Come on now, this is a No brainer. Teams did not pass back then like they do today. Terry had the best long pass than anybody ever, along with that he could zip it 70 yards at 10 feet off the ground. There is no comparison here.

 

Jerome Bettis

Thats why

Ala 2013 ravens

 

During Cowher's tenure here no team won more games than the Steelers. Cowher will go to the Hall of Fame.

 

If you count coaches then BA is a shoe in.

 

I know, eh? But I did clarify: Franco after a certain point in his career. LOL. I wimped out a little on that.

 

Indeed. It was his only really good run in either SB XIII and XIV. Heck, he didn't really break one in SB X, either. But according to Bleier, Franco was seething over a late hit on Bradshaw from Henderson. He got in the huddle and simply said, "Give me the ball!"

 

Are we talking on the team now or all time?

 

Well when I originally started the thread I was thinking all time but didn't really specify that and the conversation sorta went modern and I was fine with that because this is a team that's had some championships under its belt. But overall you can make it be anyone you want. If you notice in the first post I didn't name anyone because I was actually thinking about all time and that's REALLY hard to say.