The Pittsburgh Steelers have a rich history at wide receiver. Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, a dynamic duo of the 1970s. Hines Ward, an old-school player in the modern game. And on the field, Antonio Brown was as dominant a player in his prime as the franchise has ever seen. Had things broke just a little bit differently in the 1985 NFL Draft, Jerry Rice would’ve been part of that list.
Revealed by Steelers.com’s Bob Labriola during an Asked and Answered segment on the team website Thursday, Labriola shared the story of Pittsburgh planning to draft Rice 20th overall in the ’85 draft, unconcerned about his small school and slow 40 time. Until the San Francisco 49ers swooped in and stole him.
“[Steelers scout Bill Nunn] looked past all of that and was certain Jerry Rice was going to be a great pro, and by the time the 1985 NFL Draft was at hand he had convinced Chuck Noll of the same thing. The Steelers held the 20th overall pick in that draft, and as the picking in the first round moved into the teens, Noll was prepared to spend the team’s selection on Rice.”
To my knowledge, it’s the first time I’ve heard this story. But it tracks with how the team drafted. Nunn gave Pittsburgh the upper hand by drafting HBCUs, a crucial component of their 70s dynasty with players like Stallworth, Donnie Shell, and Ernie Holmes. But the NFL realized the talent pool there and by the 80s, those players weren’t the hidden gems for Nunn and the Steelers to draft. And Rice’s numbers were loud, an All-American, who set a college football record with 50 career receiving scores.
A perfect fit for Bill Walsh’s offense, the 49ers made a deal with the New England Patriots, trading up from No. 28 to No. 16 to select Rice. The rest is history, Rice becoming the greatest receiver of the modern era (I still contend Green Bay’s Don Huston can rival Rice’s status as greatest ever) with numbers that may never be matched. Rice still has more than 5,000 yards than any other player in history, more than 100 receptions compared to second place, and 41 more receiving scores than anyone else to ever step on the field. No active player is even close to breaking his records.
Instead, the Steelers’ consolation prize was DL Darryl Sims, who spent just two years with the team and registered three sacks. He did not become “Jerry Rice of pass rushers,” unfortunately.
It’s worth noting that even if the 49ers didn’t trade up for him, it was no guarantee Rice would fall into the Steelers’ laps. Picking 17th, the Dallas Cowboys had also expressed plenty of interest in Rice and may have taken him one pick later. And while Labriola’s story is credible, it wouldn’t be the first of a team saying it definitely would’ve drafted an elite player with the benefit of hindsight. These days, every coach says they were going to draft Patrick Mahomes now that he’s proven to be one of the greatest ever.
But Jerry Rice, Pittsburgh Steeler? He wouldn’t have had the stellar quarterback play San Francisco offered but given his work ethic and talent, probably would’ve had a similar career.
