5 greatest draft regrets in Pittsburgh Steelers history

Passing on Dan Marino in the 1983 draft was the Steelers biggest regret

Many should have known that this would make the top choice on this list. This is something that the Steelers have been regretting since that draft year concluded. Many thought that Marino would be the guy if he fell to Pittsburgh, which he did. The local kid playing for his hometown team had a nice ring to it.

The scenario seemed like it was primed to happen but Chuck Noll and the black and gold shocked everyone by selecting a defensive tackle instead. This created some heartache among fans and created the biggest “what if” scenario in the history of the team. He would have been able to come in and make this club much more competitive than what happened in the 80s.

The Steelers stuck to their guns and tried to replicate what made them successful in the 70s by taking a defensive tackle to start their rebuild. That did not work this time around as that pick, Gabe Rivera, would have his career cut short by a car accident. Of course, the quarterback in question here went on to have one of the best careers by a player at his position ever.

No one will ever truly know what kind of success Marino and the Steelers might have had together. They could have been a terrible match, but this player was something special. It seems like this regret even piqued Pittsburgh’s interest by taking Kenny Pickett this time around.

The Steelers have made some bad moves in the draft, despite them being one of the best clubs to select players. They are not perfect and these are some of the worst regrets that the franchise holds.