Article

Perspective Of An Average Steelers Fan: Franchise Quarterback On The Roster?

By David Orochena

Posted on September 4, 2022 at 3:30 pm

Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers at quarterback from 2004 to 2022. This year, the Steelers will have a new quarterback. The question is when will the next Steelers franchise quarterback emerge and is he on this season’s roster.

THE BRADSHAW ERA

The Pittsburgh Steelers have just two franchise quarterbacks in their long history. Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger helped earn six Lombardi Trophies for the Black and Gold. From 1970 to 1982, Terry Bradshaw started 157 of 185 regular season games played by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He appeared in ten games as a backup. Terry Hanratty and Joe Gilliam filled the backup role from 1970 through 1975. Then Mike Kruczek backstopped from 1976 to 1979. Pittsburgh selected two quarterbacks in the 1980 draft. Mark Malone in the first round and Cliff Stoudt in the fifth. Hanratty started 12 games during the Bradshaw era. Gilliam made seven starts. The Steelers won all six games Mike Kruczek started in 1976 but never threw a touchdown pass. Bradshaw started every game from 1977 through 1979. Then Stoudt picked up a start in 1980. Mark Malone started two in 1981 both narrow losses.

Here are some statistics for backup quarterbacks that started games during the Bradshaw era:

Name	GS	Record	CMP	ATT	CMP%	Yards	TDs	INTs	Sack	PY/G
Terry Hanratty	12	6W-6L	59	156	37.8	925	7	13	7	77.1
Joe Gilliam	7	4W-2L-1T	91	205	44.4	1205	4	11	7	172.1
Mike Kruczek	6	6W-0L	43	72	59.7	577	0	3	9	96.2
Cliff Stoudt	1	0W-1L	18	37	48.6	310	0	1	1	310
Mark Malone	2	0W-2L	28	60	46.7	309	1	3	6	154.5

Statistics from Pro Football Reference

In fact, Bradshaw’s last season as a fulltime starter was in the strike-shortened 1982 season. He started all nine games but began his final season on the bench due to injuries. He completed 28 of 39 passes for 325 yards and two touchdowns in his final playoff appearance. But his two interceptions contributed to a 31-28 loss to the San Diego Chargers. Bradshaw had offseason elbow surgery. So, Cliff Stoudt started the first 14 games in 1983. Bradshaw started the next game against the New York Jets. But he reinjured his elbow throwing a touchdown pass to Calvin Sweeney to stake out a 14-0 lead. He left the game never to play again.

21 SEASON GAP

There was a 21 season gap from Terry Bradshaw’s last game in 1983 and Ben Roethlisberger’s emergence in 2004. 13 quarterbacks started games for the Pittsburgh Steelers following Bradshaw’s final game. Until finally, Ben Roethlisberger started his first game in week three of his rookie season in 2004.

Here are the statistics for those thirteen interim starting quarterbacks:

Name	Seasons	G	GS	Record	Cmp	ATT	CMP%	Yards	TDs	INTs	Y/C	Y/G	Rating	Sacks
Cliff Stoudt	1980-1983	30	16	9W-7L	244	479	50.9	3217	14	28	13.2	107.2	57.9	56
Mark Malone	1980-1987	60	46	21W-24L	690	1374	50.2	8582	54	68	12.4	143	62.4	77
David Woodley	1984-1987	60	46	21W-24L	690	1374	50.2	8582	54	68	12.4	143	62.4	77
Scott Campbell	1984-1986	24	2	0W-2L	51	115	44.3	721	5	7	14.1	30	54.3	11
Bubby Brister	1986-1992`	61	57	28W-29L	776	1477	52.5	10104	51	57	13	165.6	69.8	145
Steve Bono	1987-1988	5	3	2W-1L	44	109	40.4	548	6	4	12.5	109.6	59.7	7
Todd Blackledge	1988-1989	6	5	2W-3L	60	139	43.2	776	3	6	12.9	129.3	50.5	8
Neil O’Donnell	1991-1995	66	61	39W-22L	1069	1871	57.1	12867	68	39	12	195	81.8	148
Mike Tomczak	1993-1999	84	27	15W-12L	546	973	56.1	6649	37	43	12.2	79.2	71.6	50
Jim Miller	1995-1996	5	1	0W-1L	45	81	55.6	520	2	5	11.6	104	57.6	4
Kordell Stewart	1995-2002	113	80	46W-29L	1190	2107	56.5	13328	70	72	11.2	117.9	72.3	145
Kent Graham	2000	12	5	2W-3L	66	148	44.6	878	1	1	13.3	73.2	63.4	13
Tommy Maddox	2001-2005	42	32	15W-16L-1T	603	1036	58.2	7139	42	40	11.8	170	76.7	82

Statistics from Pro Football Reference

Neil O’Donnell and Kordell Stewart lead this group. But even with a Super Bowl and several playoff seasons neither qualifies as a franchise quarterback.

THE ROETHLISBERGER ERA

Ben Roethlisberger anchored the Steelers from 2004 through 2021. He started 247 of 289 regular season games during that span. That’s over 85% of the games. He also came in off the bench in his NFL debut and later in 2015. He started all regular season games four times: 2008, 2013, 2014, and 2018. Eight back-up quarterbacks started 42 games during the Roethlisberger era. Tommy Maddox was not technically a back-up in 2004 but soon became one. He started five games 2004-2005. Charlie Batch started nine games between 2005 and 2012. Dennis Dix got three starts, Byron Leftwich one, Michael Vick three and Landry Jones five. Then Duck Hodges got five six starts in 2019 when Ben went on injured reserve after the second game. Mason Rudolph started eight games in 2019. Then one each in 2021 and 2022.

Here are some statistics for backup quarterbacks that started games during the Roethlisberger era:

Name	GS	Record	CMP	ATT	CMP%	Yards	TDs	INTs	Sack	PY/G
Tommy Maddox	5	2W-3L	59	123	48.0	713	3	6	14	142.6
Charlie Batch	9	6W-3L	137	221	62.0	1652	9	11	9	183.6
Dennis Dixon	3	2W-1L	34	58	58.6	399	1	2	5	133.0
Byron Leftwich	1	0W-1L	18	31	58.1	179	0	1	4	179.0
Michael Vick	3	2W-1L	35	60	58.3	333	2	1	8	111.0
Landry Jones	5	3W-2L	95	144	66.0	1029	6	5	9	205.8
Duck Hodges	6	3W-3L	88	140	62.9	877	4	8	13	146.2
Mason Rudolph	10	5W-4L-1T	202	333	60.7	2081	13	10	15	208.1

Statistics from Pro Football Reference

CONCLUSION

Mason Rudolph remains on the roster. But the Steelers acquired veteran Mitch Trubisky during the offseason. Plus, Pittsburgh drafted Kenny Pickett in the first round. Currently, Mitch Trubisky appears set to start week one of the 2022 season. But will Mike Tomlin opt to start Kenny Pickett at some point in the season? The Roethlisberger era has ended. Will one of these quarterbacks start one of their own or just be another name on a list on interims starters?