Some might not know, but the Steelers drafted Johnny Unitas in the ninth round of the 1955 NFL Draft. At the time, Pittsburgh remained the laughingstock of the NFL. They rarely made the playoffs and struggled to find wins throughout the regular season.
It was over twenty seasons of disappointment for the black and gold, but they hoped to turn things around. Unitas was a ninth-round pick, so his prospects of making the team weren't great.
It was an interesting story to see Unitas get drafted by his hometown team, but he would have to overcome the odds to make a name for himself.
Unfortunately for Unitas and the Steelers, he was not able to beat out Ted Marchibroda or Jim Finks for a roster spot. He was let go after training camp and spent time away from football working in construction. He played semiprofessional football that season with the Bloomfield Rams before signing with the Baltimore Colts the following year.
Pittsburgh had a local savior in their grasps before they let him go
It would have been football justice to see a local Pittsburgh kid like Unitas take the Steelers from a joke of a team into contention.
He was a project player, but it was a new era of football that was starting to rely more on the passing game. Unitas was coming out of the draft after suffering an injury-riddled Senior season at Louisville. It caused him to fall off draft boards. He was a tall lanky prospect coming out of college who many thought couldn't handle the physicality of the NFL.
Pittsburgh had another hometown product in Marchibroda who was taken fifth overall in the 1953 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He was in a good position to start at quarterback while long-time player, Finks was expected to be the backup. He spent many years in Pittsburgh and had a good chunk of starting experience.
Neither Marchibroda nor Finks had good playing careers in the NFL, which makes cutting Unitas a tough pill to swallow.
The Steelers continued to suffer after they cut Unitas
After letting Unitas go, fans of the Steelers had no end in sight to stop their suffering.
It was a team that could not find good players and keep quality guys around the organization. Losing became a habit until the Steelers finally turned things around in the 1970s. Until then, many thought of the organization as one that required sympathy. People almost felt bad for how poor the club was.
While Unitas went out and had a Hall of Fame career, the Steelers went through another 27 starting quarterbacks between 1955 and 1969. Terry Bradshaw finally broke the long streak of not having a franchise guy at the position. If the Steelers just held onto Unitas, both the player and the team could've had different outcomes.
During Unitas' 18-year playing career, Pittsburgh finished with a record of a laughable 106-139-9.
Unitas created a Hall of Fame career for himself
Getting cut by the Steelers was probably the best blessing in disguise for Unitas.
He had to take a detour in his professional career in 1955, but if he stuck with the Steelers, he might not have had the same level of career. Sometimes the place and fit help make a player get to another level that they might not be able to elsewhere. He signed with the Baltimore Colts in 1956, and the rest is history. It put him into a fantastic situation that resulted in a lot of success.
A list of accolades during his career includes a Super Bowl victory, three NFL Championships, three NFL MVPs, five first-team All-pros, ten Pro Bowls, and so many more great recognitions.
It was a great career for Unitas during his time with the Colts. His number 19 is now retired with the organization, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. If he stayed with the Steelers, who knows if his fate would change. One thing is for sure, if Pittsburgh kept him around, they would've had more success with him at quarterback.