Who is the greatest QB in Steelers history?

We’ve debated that question on this board before but let’s settle this the democratic way…by voting on it. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I think Terry Bradshaw is the greatest followed by Big Ben and then Neil O’Donnell based on the fact that he did at least quarterback us to a Super Bowl even though he crapped the bed when he got there and got a mediocre CB a much larger contract than he deserved.

I think Terry Bradshaw is number one based on his play in the biggest games. He came up big in Super Bowls every single time he had to. Not by dinking and dunking but by firing missiles and rockets 40 and 50 yards downfield resulting in pivotal plays that changed the outcome of those games. For that reason alone, he’s the greatest in my mind. Sure, Ben has the better overall stats, but he was somewhat mediocre in Super Bowls save for one magical drive and phenomenal throw and catch to Santonio Holmes. In his first Super Bowl, he had the lowest rating for any winning quarterback in Super Bowl history and that still stands to this day.

Let’s here from you. Who’s the greatest quarterback in Steelers history and why?

 

Johnny Unitas

 

You can make that case, but I’m really looking for a quarterback that played for the Steelers in his most substantive years.

 

Mark Malone!

 

Kent Graham

 

Okay, I can see this is already getting off the rails…

But seriously, I’d like to know what Steeler nation really thinks.

 

Seriously, I have to give it to Ben. He did it at a high level longer than Terry. They're both Favreesque in that they threw really bad INTs. Terry more than Ben.

 

Kent nix..... Oh you said best.

 

you were so good in your youth

 

Truth be told; none of them. Why? It is difficult to compare teams as a whole of different era's; much less different QBs. There are too many variables associated with just the personnel each QB had to work with alone as different era's required different strategies to consistency win games. What worked in the 70s and 90s sure as hell is not working in the 2010s. There is a common core element though; finding a way to win even when certain aspects do not work out well during the course of the game.


However, if my feet were held to the proverbial fire on this one, the Blonde Bomber for me; a fan who has only seen him in replays no less. Terry's early year struggles definitely give Big Ben the advantage in terms of how their careers began. However, when comparing the two based on totality, Terry was more of a Clutch Performer than Big Ben was in Playoff Action. Granted, it also helps that arguably the greatest NFL Defense in the Steel Curtain helps but Terry had just as many big throws in those games as the Curtain had impact plays.


Outside of Big Ben's 2005 Playoff Stretch up until Super Bowl XL, his final drive in Super Bowl XLIII and overcoming the 21-7 deficit in the 2010 AFC Playoffs against the Ravens... not much else to speak of. Yes, statistically, Big Ben trumps Terry in just about every major metric; both good and bad. However, Pittsburgh has been more so a balanced team since the rule changes in 1977; one of the teams own in Mel Blount being the sole reason for it. For that matter, even on a level primarily based on stats; it is impossible to compare the two due in part to the era's in which they played.


For me, it ultimately comes down to who made bigger plays when they had to in big time situations; again namely playoffs. Terry seemed to have the penchant for doing so while Big Ben was never able to recover following his loss in Super Bowl XLV. Since Super Bowl XLV, Big Ben sadly has not been the same Big Ben that could get the team to the promised land like he once did back in 2005 and 2008. Now, unlike Terry, Big Ben did not have the defense needed to get him back for much of the 2010s; save for a 2016 AFC Championship Game against New England. However, unlike Terry, Big Ben was given arguably the best Steelers Offense of all time. I understand that, once again, a direct peer to peer comparison between era's is not feasible but having not only a Top 5 QB, arguably the best WR in the game at the time, arguably the best RB at the time, a Top 3 WR Corps and a Top 5 Offensive Line is quite the advantage in terms of quickly scoring points. The years of 2014-2018 greatly reflect on how, at one point, the Steelers Offense was near impossible to defend against due to the unique combination of personnel and variations that personnel could be used. The 1970s really was not about personnel matchups so much so as it was predicated on formation based ones; yet another major reason why comparing different QBs from different era's is not feasible to begin with. However, what is feasible is how each QB overcame the challenges before them. As a result, Terry wins this debate for me personally as he was able to deliver more times than Big Ben could.



In short? Terry Bradshaw may have likely made some of those who watched him growing up lose clumps of hair in the regular season. However, come playoff time, he proved his worth more times than not.

 

Side note: @jeh1856 has the correct answer here for none of them compare to Johnny U.

 

Bradshaw has 4 rings. Enough said.

 

Bradshaw was a leader, had a play to win attitude and by far had the best arm

 

If you hadn’t given “other” I wouldn’t have given you other

 

Im with you Jack, and I have seen 99% of the games between Bradshaw and Ben.

Bradshaw

Big Ben

Neil O'Donnell

 

Roethlisberger was mostly horrid in the playoffs. His best game by far was AFC Championship vs Broncos in '06. Ben was a damn good regular season QB....but Bradshaw was better overall.

 

I'd rank Kordell Stewart ahead of O'Donnell.

It should go....

Bradshaw
Roethlisberger
Stewart
O'Donnell

 

The thing I like about Bradshaw is he could overcome his ints, he had three turnovers in a Super Bowl but still won MVP IIRC.

 

You mean Magnum PI???LoL

 

He went to high school about 5 miles from where I live now. We graduated the same year but, my school's football team sucked!

 

I'm not ranking now. One had the greatest D ever, and one Did it Younger. One had more rings. One Did it with different Coaches, and players. Both won a SB with only one TD. The real TB12, and BB7 equal in My eyes. Some people though tell Apocryphal tales about one of the Qbs.

 

LoL

 

Using that logic, Joe Flacco not only has a ring, he was even SB MVP. Dan Marino never got a ring. Therefore Flacco is a better
QB than Marino was.

Bradshaw did have his best games in the playoffs, but if we needed to score in the final 2 minutes I'll take Ben as my QB.

 

There was a time when I would have said Bradshaw, but I'm torn between Ben and Terry. They both had their ups and downs.

 

I did something I rarely do on this one. I voted with my heart. It is so difficult to compare across eras, especially because Bradshaw played so much of his career before the NFL drastically changed the rules to open up the passing game before the 1978 season. The Mel Blount Rule was just one of the major changes.

I give Bradshaw a slight edge because he was better in the biggest games, but Roethlisberger had more than his share of clutch moments and he didn't have two Hall of Fame wide receivers, a Hall of Fame running back, and a Hall of Fame center there for most of his career the way Bradshaw did.