It’s alright, you can admit it. After all, everyone is guilty of it.
You’ve watched a player and, with a dreamy sigh, swooned. Whether they spin a perfect spiral, rumble as if they’ve been spellbound to believe they’re a stampeding elephant, or recurrently let themselves into the backfield to wrestle down a passer, you say to yourself, “Man, he’d look good in black and gold.”
Some watch on fall Saturdays, trying to figure out who the Steelers might pick in the next spring’s draft. When their names are called, we hop up and point at the television. Others pay attention to the pro ranks, matchmaking a player’s ability and reputation to their favorite franchise’s tradition.
Admittedly, we’ve all been armchair general managers. That’s why Madden exists, of course. If on a hunch, you want to deal a package of picks and starting linebacker for a quarterback, just because he had a great showing against Syracuse in relief a few years ago, feel free.
While you go to do that, here are five players that would have been fun to watch play with the Steelers.
Johnny Manziel
Wait, wait. Hear me out.
Say what you want about Johnny Football’s time with the Browns. A lot of it would probably be true. Just remember, you probably wouldn’t have been happy in Cleveland, either.
I can’t be the only one who would have loved to see Manziel in Pittsburgh, right? His charisma and sandlot style of play made him a household name at Texas A&M. He won a Heisman. Not many other players could have prompted me to tune into the Alliance of American Football.
Us Steelers faithful can thank Manziel for at least helping make sure the Browns were sorry for a few more years and that Cleveland fans kept being sad.