Here’s the press release from the Pitt athletic department detailing who was drafted where (hint: Byham in the 6th to San Fran and Dickerson in the 7th to Houston). Also listed were undrafted free agent signings:
- Aaron Berry — Detroit Lions
- John Malecki — Tennessee Titans
- Mick Williams — NY Jets
- Bill Stull — KC Chiefs
Adam Gunn was invited to Green Bay’s spring mini camp but has not signed any deal.
Eye of a Panther has a solid recap with some links to the NFL team comments on the draft picks.
Script Pitt notes that Stull signing with KC puts him in competition with Tyler Palko to be the scout team QB. I have no comment.
When my two “hometown” teams – Steelers and Bucs – are not in the playoffs, I root for the team with the most Pitt boys. Always seems to be at least one there at the end.
The Steelers did sign Adam Graessle to take some of the load off Sepulveda during camp. Of course his chances of actually making the team are slim to none.
In Jan, 1982, despite a sore elbow, Bradshaw passed for over 300 yards in a playoff loss to the Chargers. The Steelers had their doctors and a specialist inspect his arm, and they advised that no surgery was needed … but gave Bradshaw strict instructions to rest his arm until July training camp. Bradshaw, who lived in native Louisiana in the off-season, apparently in communications with the Steelers assured all along that his arm was doing well.
Meanwhile, the Steelers, knowing all along that the drug rumors that followed Marino in his senior year were bogus, had him rated right behind Elway on the draft board. However, since the assumed Bradshaw was doing OK, they drafted DT Gabe Rivera, a priority due to the retirements of most of the vaunted Steel curtain DL in the early 80s. (Rivera became a rookie started until the unfortunate accidne that left him paralyzed.)
A few weeks after the spring 83 draft when the Steelers bypassed Marino, Bradshaw defied team orders and had his arm operated on by Louisiana doctors. Obviously, it was the wrong move since the only action Bradshaw ever saw after the operation was in late season ’83 when he played only the 1st half vs the NY Jets.
Bradshaw retired after the ’83 season succeeded by Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone and then Mark Malone (and a few others)… while Marino became the Dolphins’ starter after the 6th game and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie (and the rest is history.)
However, the Dolphins also had a young QB in David Woodley who had started since his rookie season and who had just led them to the Super Bowl as the youngest starting QB at that time. Marino was just too good a bargain for them to pass up, unlike the Steelers, and like you said, the rest is history.
Jacksonville just did the same by passing on Tebow because they had greater perceived needs. While Tebow is no Marino in terms of QB skills, only time will tell if Jacksonville made the same mistake by passing up the hometown hero.
