5 players we wish spent time with the Steelers
By Brendan Howe
Jim Kelly
If you’re from Western Pennsylvania, chances are you’ve heard a thing or two about the region’s rich quarterbacking history.
Johnny Unitas was raised on Mount Washington. Dan Marino’s dad was a Post-Gazette delivery truck driver. Super Bowl champions Joe Namath and Joe Montana are from the area, too.
You can’t forget about East Brady native Jim Kelly.
Kelly steered Buffalo to four straight AFC titles from 1991-94. If not for running into Emmitt Smith’s dynastic Dallas Cowboys twice and Scott Norwood pushing his 47-yard field goal try wide right in Super Bowl XXV, the quarterback would’ve hoisted a few Lombardi Trophies.
Say Kelly slides in the 1983 NFL Draft and the Steelers don’t pass on him like they did Marino. Maybe Kelly doesn’t choose to play in the USFL instead. Forgettable names like Steve Bono and David Woodley would’ve never been trotted out in the following years.
Kelly spent eleven seasons with the Bills and made the postseason in all but three of them. Chuck Noll could have won more than two playoff contests after Terry Bradshaw walked away and possibly added to his then-record four league championships.
Instead, his teams were pedestrian, going 60-73 over his last eight campaigns.