5 greatest backup quarterbacks in Pittsburgh Steelers history
- An exciting fan favorite narrowly misses the cut
- Where does Tommy Maddox land on the lis
3. Byron Leftwich
Byron Leftwich was a top-10 pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars but found himself in Pittsburgh as the backup quarterback on two separate occasions.
Stint one was during the Steelers' 2008 Super Bowl season. Leftwich came in for Roethlisberger in five games that season, however, most were in blowout wins. Still, Leftwich performed admirably before heading down to Tampa Bay to vie for a starting position.
Leftwich's second stint saw more crucial action for Leftwich. The veteran stepped in for an injured Roethlisberger in Week 9 to help preserve a 16-13 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. He'd be called upon to start for the only time in his Steelers career the following week against the Baltimore Ravens in primetime.
The Steelers fell to the Ravens 13-10 that night. Leftwich completed just 46% of his passes and threw a pick. But the numbers don't tell the full story. Leftwich rushed for a 31-yard touchdown within the first minute of the game. As he crossed the goalline, Leftwich broke a rib. Leftwich was asked to throw the football 39 times in the game.
Though the Steelers lost what would end up being Leftwich's final game as a player in the NFL, he more than earned the respect of the fanbase as one of the most appreciated backup quarterbacks in team history.