5 greatest draft regrets in Pittsburgh Steelers history

PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 09: Jarvis Jones #95 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during the game against the New York Jets on October 9, 2016 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 09: Jarvis Jones #95 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during the game against the New York Jets on October 9, 2016 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
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Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers throws a pass against the Atlanta Falcons during the game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Falcons won 23-20. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross/Allsport
Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers throws a pass against the Atlanta Falcons during the game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Falcons won 23-20. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross/Allsport

The Steelers bypassed Brett Favre and took Huey Richardson in 1991

This is where things could have gotten interesting for the Steelers. They just came out of the dreaded 80s decade that saw the team fall into obscurity. It was an odd time that saw Pittsburgh starting to grow something new.

Chuck Noll was entering his final season as the head coach for the franchise, and it was long overdue at this point. The team had been without steam for a while and could not stay competitive. The final first-round pick under Noll’s direction was one of the worst, if not the worst, busts in Steelers history.

Huey Richardson was a linebacker that many thought could become a defensive stalwart for the club. That never happened and he would be off Pittsburgh’s roster just one year after being their top selection. It was a new era with Bill Cowher coming in but cutting a first-round pick after one season is almost unheard of.

Things get worse in this scenario when you realize that Brett Favre went to the Falcons in the second round. That could have given the black and gold a future Hall of Famer at quarterback and catapulted them into Super Bowl contention. He could have turned out differently if he did not play for the Packers, but this is an interesting scenario that would have been fun to watch play out.

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