The STUPIDEST DRAFT EXPLANATION in Pittsburgh Steelers HISTORY | 1981 NFL Draft
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- čas přidán 17. 04. 2022
- At the 1981 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Pitt quarterback Rick Trocano in the 11th round with pick #292. While the pick itself might have been fine, as it was an 11th rounder (and those typically don't even make it into the NFL), when team owner Art Rooney explained his justification for why the team picked him... let's just say it made no sense whatsoever, and left a ton of people baffled, even more than 40 years later. This is the story behind the 1981 Steelers, and the bizarre time that they drafted a QB that, by their own admission, was not very good and could not throw a football
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#nfl #steelers #nfldraft #pittsburghsteelers #draft #nflthrowback #football #sports #highlights - Sport
You should cover the Eli Herring story. Guy was a projected 1st to 3rd round pick out of BYU. He turned down the NFL because of his religious beliefs but the Raiders picked him anyway. He turned down $500k and became a teacher
Glad principles exist occasionally.
@Peter Goezinya Not, nearly, as strange as BYU having Jim McMahon, at, QB, later, Steve Young, but, between them, the, starting, QB, for, their only, National Championship, was, actually, Robbie Bosco, (who).
@Peter Goezinya Mormons, aren't exactly the same as all persons of faith
@@teen_laqueefa Of course, nobody's identical.
@Peter Goezinya As mentioned, numerous variances.
Love how you unearth these stories! If you are looking for any more suggestions, I have a few as a Steelers fan:
- The time James Harrison lost a game for the Steelers (2008 vs Giants) because he was put into the game as the emergency longsnapper. He ended up snapping the ball over the punter's head which led to a game-tying safety and eventual game-winning TD on the ensuing field position. This was the year he won DPOY and had the 100 yard INT return in the Super Bowl.
- Lynn Swann's final ever play in the NFL (1982 playoffs) was a failed hail mary pass that went to John Stallworth, and Swann said he was so upset by the pass not going to him that pretty much never spoke to Bradshaw again.
- Anything from the Buddy Parker era, like the time he taped up his hands so that he could fight two of his players when they came back to the team hotel.
We covered some of these stories in our podcast but your videos do these stories better justice.
The, Steelers, better, send, Bernard, Karmell, Pollard, Christmas, Cards, forever, or, they, don't, win, the, SB, they, beat, the, Patriots, exactly, four, times, (2004, 2008, 2011, 2018), the, other, three, years, they, went, to, the, SB, and, won, twice, at, least, Lynn, Swann, retired, with, dignity.
Norm Van Brocklin: Imma challenge all these reporters to fight me
Buddy Parker: hold my beer, I gotta tape up 🥊🥊
@@Phateagle262 Wishes, are, best, unspoken.
How about all those bogus calls that let yall win games you shouldn't have?
@@garyhall7867 that never happens
That 1980 Pitt Panthers squad is still one of the most talented CFB teams I have ever seen. Dan Marino. Mark May. Russ Grimm. Jimbo Covert. Bill Maas. Rickey Jackson. Hugh freaking Green! Carlton Williamson. They had decent receivers, too. If they'd have had a great WR on that team, wow what they might have done.
Having Heart alone was good enough to remove physically impressive Rob Johnson in Buffalo. 40 year old Flutie couldn't throw the ball more than 20 yards and could win in the NFL.
Don't forget the Steelers had Johnny Unitas in the mid 50's, but didn't think he was good enough either.
They also had Len Dawson before he headed off to Kansas City.
Could be that Mr. Rooney did that as a favor to someone who worked for Pitt
They could have drafted Marino just 2 years later...
Man, those shoulder pads. He looks like a 1980s female executive.
😄😄😄😄😄😄
Bill Dudley is a hall of famer who absolutely could "pass" and "run". I think Art Rooney might just be saying "we know he's limited physically, but he's a winner. Look at another guy who people questioned the athleticism of, he turned out pretty good. This guy might too."
Yeah, that's it exactly. I'm a Steeler fan from this era and every single video this guy has made about the Steelers from this time period, he has fabricated goofy takes out of thin air by taking news clippings/quotes out of context. It makes me wonder if the rest of his videos are misrepresenting the facts as well?
@@TheTicktockman321 I'm getting that exact same feeling. Seems like the actual goofiness or outrage is getting exaggerated in order to make a video. Some of this stuff is just really small potatoes, not the WORST _______ IN FRANCHISE HISTORY!!!!
This is a fantastic video! I clearly remember Rick Trocano, Dan Marino was his backup in 1979 and 1980. So the Steelers drafted the wrong Pittsburgh Quarterback. They talked themselves out of drafting Marino just 2 years later. Maybe Rooney didn’t remember this correctly?
True, traditions, never, die.
That was an infamously bad draft decision. However, what if Gabriel Rivera hadn't driven drunk, wrecked, and ended his career? We might remember him as an all-time great
At least Rooney didn't draft a QB from that football hotbed Cal-Davis
@@donaldpaluga As a Jets fan that will always hurt forever.
@@eugenedenbrook322 yes, that is very true
Man, just don't say anything. When you get that late in the draft the picks are basically magic beans.
I wonder how that Marino fellow turned out.
He never won a title, what a bum!
@Musical Box Confirmed Jets fan.
@Musical Box Ah, a bandwagon Niners fan who is hot to trot when the going gets tough. The Dolphins only won as many games as they did in the 80’s and 90’s because of Marino, “pal”.
Your videos are fantastic. Love the research.
May and Grimm blocked for this guy, they also blocked Theismann into a superbowl who was also 6'0 tall. What does this mean? It means I am a trivia addict and nothing else.
Somehow, Russ Grimm is the only one of, "The, Hogs," in the, HOF, Jeff Bostic, and, Joe Jacoby, both, have to be one day.
@@matthewdaley746 Mark May gets overlooked too, on that counter play when Grimm and Jacoby go around the end on the right side they have plenty of room because of Mark May. Schlreth and Lachaey were beats too. McKenzie is another overlooked hog as well as Simmons who may have never made a pro bowl but he was a bit of a beast like Jacoby was. I guess I left out RC Theilmann too who finished his career in Washington but had great seasons in Atlanta before that.
@@johnliberty3647 Jim Lachey is, another.
I’m pretty sure the actual reason was just “He’s from Pitt”
Reporter: "So, Art, what kind of role do you think Trocano will play in your team's offense?"
Rooney: "Fuck if I know lol that guy stinks"
Wow--What a story...talk about making no sense and baffling everyone. Just an unreal story. Great draft video today. These draft videos the past few weeks have been awesome.
Wonder if the Trocano situation came back 2 bite Chuck Noll 2 years later when he took a pass on Marino in favor of Texas Tech lineman Gabe Rivera (and we all know what happened after that move!)????
Perhaps, minor, not, enormously.
It's not like anyone could have foreseen what happened to Rivera though...
@@Phateagle262 It exacerbated downward events.
Crazy... Best thing to say about this kid... he played two different positions on either side of the ball and he will get a chance to show us what talents he has.
I really love your videos; more often than not, you discuss events that I was unaware of. But...man, when you started talking about Bill Dudley, your already high pitched voice went up another octave, and my dog started whining!
Wow. Only eleven mentions of Dan Marino amongst the 77+ comments here. His name should immediately come to mind first in any discussion about Rick Trocano.
Restraint, was, attempted, honorable.
Let me make sure I have this right. Trocano was like Jimmy G is now to the 49ers. The team is winning games, but not due to QB play. However, "wins" are still attached to QBs?
Is that #13-Dan Marino in the cool Pitt trucker hat chewing tobacco at 1:22? No pads on, just a jersey, with the awesome hat, spitting
Yes, and I was wondering the same thing!
Watching Trucano here he sure looks faster than a 4.8 guy....
Trocano was a football player. How many quarterbacks can move to safety and play well? The Bullet Bill Dudley comparison is valid. Tough, smart and a leader.
Rick was a neighbor of mine until we both moved recently. He’s a nice guy who had a great post NFL career. I’m no expert on football but I’ll leave this quote from Teddy Roosevelt for you to ponder.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Look, I don't think Jag Gator has I shot on leading the NFL twice in rushing, but I will be looking out for him leading the league in field goal percentage.
Excellent rant on Bill Dudley's bona fides, since the man was just minding his own business while his legacy was insulted. I'd like to add that Dudley, like many other players, lost some early NFL seasons serving in World War II.
Trocano actually made the team that year, he was in the 1981 team photo wearing number 14, that was the year when Cliff Stout broke his right wrist up in Seattle after a Steelers Seahawks game mid season, he hit a punching bag so hard that he broke his wrist, the Steelers then tried to activate Trocano the following next few days but he had to go through waivers in order to be activated, the browns scooped him right up, as the television stations here in Pittsburgh were interviewing Rick you could tell he was on the verge of tears because because he was headed to Cleveland. Unfortunately for Rick he never did make it into any preseason games that year for the Steelers.
Art's neurons weren't firing like they used to at that stage of the game. Thanks for the Rick Trocano career highlight reel.
2 years later they had a chance to draft another QB out of Pitt. Dan Marino
Typical Steelers, completely goofed.
@@matthewdaley746 not typical at all
@@duskthunder9274 Typical, enough, for, this.
@@matthewdaley746 for what
@@duskthunder9274 This, thread, and, overview.
I could imagine how good the Pittsburgh Steelers would have been in the 90s with Dan Marino at the helm and those great defenses with Greg Lloyd and Kevin Green... Rod Woodson and Carnell Lake... Very unfortunate 😢
You fail to mention the Pitt defense was simply brutal during his years as a starting QB. Hugh Green, who should have won the Heisman, anchored that defense. Trocano could afford to make some mistakes and the defense would pick up the slack.
I wonder how many devastating decisions have been made by owners with this reckless thinking
I think Rick also has a tryout with the Maulers in '83
1980’s Tim Tebow except Tebow was a 1st rounder. He can’t play but all he does is win somehow
Tim Tebow did have plenty of size and done speed. I think he would have been great if he shifted to TE.
I mean no disrespect whatsoever-JG9
When someone says they mean no disrespect, SOMEBODY IS ABOUT TO BE DISRESPECTED!-Jim Rome
Rooney is a legend, but that was pretty amusing.
A, possibly, overrated, legend.
10:46 his lineman is moving faster than he is
That's why the Squealers went down in flames in the 80s culminating in the Browns disemboweling them 51-0 in Pittsburgh in '89.....
Then there's that time the Steelers passed on hometown hero and Pitt QB Dan Marino
Marino also threw a lot of interceptions at Pitt too, he turned out ok.
Alas, without, effective, RBs.
Should do one one the Seahawks taking Dan McGwire over Brett Farve. Even though Chuck Know wanted Farve and was over ruled by Tom Flores.
Knox was so POd that he refused to go to McGwires intro press conference.
I can't blame Knox, he got Flored by the decision.
@@iamhungey12345 yeah Knox was always looking out for what's best for the Seahawks sadly Flores wasn't.
I feel especially sorry for Trocano. Imagine feeling the elation of being drafted into the NFL, only to hear the team who drafted you say they don't think you're any good. What does that do for your self-esteem? Would you work harder to try to prove them wrong, or refuse to play so much as a scrimmage for that team and demand a trade?
You have to realize that this video is completely wrong. He was elated and honored not just to be drafted but to have been so based on the intangibles that he brought. He played well and was about to make the team before an injury forced the team to cut him. They thought they could sneak him through waivers but Cleveland grabbed him. He played 2 seasons for them before an injury forced him out of the league.
Maybe they drafted him more as a safety ? Drafting a QB the year after spending a #1 pick on Mark Malone makes no sense whatsoever.
Dan Marino 1982 season at Pitt: 17TD 23INT
Pittsburgh Steelers and making the wrong draft decision on Pitt quarterbacks, name a better duo
Marino would've ruined his career in Pittsburgh
They were a full on run first team and his growth would've been stunted
Hanging onto, Championship, QBs, too long, because, they've, "earned the right," to dictate their exit, seems, right up there, totally.
@@fredleeland2464 you’re probably right but maybe Marino would’ve won a Super Bowl with a more balanced team
@@fredleeland2464 Terry Bradshaw, was, cooked at that point, and, seemingly, everybody, but, The, Rooney, Family, also, knew that, what a pity.
@@jasonfire3434 Without, him, they, were, the only team to, beat, the 1984 49ers, a team as underrated as the 1985 Bears, were, overrated, just stellar.
I don't remember this, but I kinda wonder how much of this was placating a shared fan base.
Art was starting to get goofy at this point, wasn't he?
No, it, was, the, worst, kept secret in Pittsburgh, for, years, truly, was, they quit putting up, with, it, when the parades, stopped, period.
only thing old man rooney was good at was saying 'we gonna beat them cowboys'.
@@stevenbauer4799 They, beat, themselves, period.
@@matthewdaley746 yep sure did.
@@stevenbauer4799 Like, snare, drums, totally.
Most of the 80s were not kind to the Steelers, after a complete decade of sustained success...
After, 1979, they went from experienced to old, and, like, the 1990s Cowboys, years of horrible drafting, finally, caught up, with, them, that simple.
1989 was such a fun season, Bubster was good in 1989 (outplayed elway in the AFC divisional playoff). 1985 AFC championship game (got destroyed but still a good team) . only 1-2 really bad years, and we got Rod Woodson in 1987.
@@rook1196 Diamonds located during rough.
I feel like the context of what Rooney was saying is completely lost here. Rooney wasn't saying that he was untalented, he was saying he wasn't a great athlete. Bill Dudley was not a great athlete, but was a HOFer. Rooney was saying that despite his physical limitations, he was a good football player. May not be true, but that was his point.
Art Rooney made a draft decision about a quarterback. Too bad none of your fans have a history of weighing in on this topic.
Two years, later, the Steelers got burned in the draft a lot, more, but, the fact is, after, their legendary 1974 Draft, they pretty much, flatlined, despite, winning, four, SBs, as a result, their run came to a screeching thud.
Didn't Rooney have a feeling Marino was on COKE?
@@teen_laqueefa He, wasn't, miserable, deflection.
@@matthewdaley746 I know, I hate Pittsburgh, Marino not going there is sad though
@@teen_laqueefa Yeah, and, if you have, "a, cocaine habit," the only, worse, place to go, than, Miami, in the 1980s, was, South America, which just goes to prove, that, The, Rooney, Family, were, as, good, at lying, as they, were, at ownership, awful.
11:05 Rooney roast 🔥
Got to love @Official JaguarGator9 . He has a lot of heart
So did Shane Falco-Jimmy McGinty
I want to see a video about Shawn Knight.
at 1:20 is that a young Dan Marino in the ball cap?
Sure is.
Very entertaining.
A lot of younger people today don't realize that Pitt was a national power in 70's into the mid 80s with players like Tony Dorsett, Dan Marino and Hugh Green
Hugh Green was a BEAST! No one talks about him enough.
@@stevenwolford3754 He didn't have the same success in the NFL that Dorsett and Marino had
@@DMS-pq8 True. He was a fairly decent LB for TB and MIA for about 8-10 years back in the 80's...but he didn't have the accolades that Dorsett and Marino had. Monster at PITT though.
@@stevenwolford3754 Finished 2nd in the Heisman vote which is remarkable for a defensive player
Bummer for Tracono- he did nothing wrong- he played above his abilities at Pitt and the Steelers drafted him. With great power comes great responsibility- like protect don’t down-talk the player you picked.
Maybe he was trying to pull-off a Tony Dungy. College QB converted to NFL safety.
Dan Rooney was an honest man so he spoke the truth. Bottom line he was never going to make the team and it was good PR. He was a winner from the local school.
Was number 73 Mark May?
No wonder the Steelers had trouble establishing a bona fide franchise QB after Terry Bradshaw retired! Nothing that Art Rooney and Chuck Noll said about Trocano made any sense.
Trocano was not drafted as a QB. This was clear to everyone at the time. That is just one of the many false assumptions that is made in the video.
I'm about 6 minutes in and I feel bad for this poor guy lmao
Pitt's offense wasn't exactly "modern", in Trocanos defense. They chucked it down the field and hopef for the best w/ Collier and Collins; I think they averaged 16 yards a completion in 1980. Sherrill accepted turnovers because his defense was the best in the country; it blew up in a 37-24 loss to Florida St that cost the Panthers the national title; I really think they would have whooped Georgia, even w/ Herschell...
1981 squared everything, though.
I think anytime a QB comes out of PITT the steelers are thinking Dan Marino and how they missed out so never again so if they have a pick and Pitt has a QB there there's a good chance Steelers will draft them so if the Steelers draft and the QB from Pitt is there when their on the clock don't be surprised.
It's like they were determined to draft the home town guy. Whether or no t if he's the right guy to draft.
Two, years, later, situation-flipped.
They did it this time
@@duskthunder9274 When in 1983 the Steelers should've drafted Dan Marino.
Does your voice get higher as the video goes on and your incredulity grows? Welcome to Pitt football.
The Steelers selected the wrong Pitt QB, they passed on the hometown kid Marino which from what I heard there were several in the organization spilt on who to take. I heard some wanted Marino and others wanted Gabe Rivera and ultimately, Mr. Rooney had the final decision and Gabe Rivera was the pick.
The Steelers could have easily won Super Bowls in the 1990s with the stout defense and running game they had, they just lacked the championship big game caliber QB and Dan Marino, would have given them that QB they lacked.
What's with the recent Pitt videos? First Kevan Barlow now Trocano. Who's next?
Tyler Palko
How about the Pittsburgh pa. Hockey team
This guy's videos are so much fun to watch, and you could be making $5 million a year on "mainstream" media...but you need a voice coach.
Drink more whisky. Smoke more cigarettes. Lower that pitch, hoss...and retire at 30...
The Pirates won the NL East 6 times. They won 9 division titles 1969-93. Since then they’ve won 0.
Cheapness reaps its bounty.
Ok..u got the Dudley thing...but u gotta understand the ...Chief.....for that statement tp make any sense..
More Steelers context!
Isnt that DAN MARINO behind the coach 1:21 future draft pick iof the miami dolphins why didnt the steelers go after him?
Terry Bradshaw lied to their faces, and, they believed him, the fact that there, was, no salary cap, makes their inaction even, worse, in hindsight, pathetic.
yes it is.
They said they didn't want to draft him since he grew up in Pittsburgh and lived there his whole life
Rooney wanted him to get life experience outside the city
@@stevenbauer4799 Unluckiest, outstanding, QB, ever.
@@fredleeland2464 Art Rooney, was, a complete moron who ran the Steelers right into the ground until Chuck Noll arrived to save them from his idiocy, by that time, he, was, also, clearly, senile, but, nobody had the balls to point that out, and, deferred to his recent, success, (which he had next to nothing to do, with).
I blame coach Fodge fazio. He destroyed Pitt's Football program. And He wasted Dan Marino's potential on terrible coaching. Losing to Todd Black ledge ? Yeah, anyone remember him ? No. Just as much as Pitt has been try to recover from that mistake.
you mean national champion quarterback from penn state yeah no one remembers him at all
Art Rooney didn’t know much about football. Dan Rooney and Chuck Noll are responsible for the rise of the Steelers.
Don't sugarcoat it, he knew, neither, Jack, nor, S***, about football, (or, anything else, at, the end), but, he, was, still, more, than, happy to take all of the credit, though, tell me, why, exactly, was, this guy, ever, so, revered, no, seriously, why do good things happen to bad people, really.
This is true since The Steelers had a chance to draft Dan Marino in the 1983 draft as starting QB instead the Steeler drafted Defensive Tackle Gabriel Rivera since they already had QB Mark Malone.
@@BrentHarmon They, seriously, crashed, awful.
“We put The Chief on a pedestal for being a great leader, but conveniently forget that he didn’t care for winning and ran the team like a fucking country club!” -Steve “UrinatingTree” Linkowski
@@kenmograd2009Brutal honesty definitely, perfectly.
...bullet...bill dudley i think bécane h.o.f. and u have to have knowlege of old man Rooney for this to make any sense..which it would...Good story tho
so the steelers will draft this pitt jag but not marino lol... i hope they dont pass on another certain pitt qb if he falls to them
They're consistent, assume it.
It's a moot question because unless something crazy happens, Pickett will be gone by then.
@kevinramsey417 Better, hope that happens.
They did
@@duskthunder9274 History, now, unfolds, wearily.
Goodness good did the Steelers go into a dark place with QBs in the 80s. Man they couldn’t pick them after Bradshaw retired. Yikes!
He, was, basically, done, after, his, fourth, SB, 1982 would have exposed him, were. it, not, for, "The, Strike," but, The, Rooney, Family, just didn't want to risk, A, PR Disaster by releasing him, and, so, they passed over Dan Marino, and, absolutely, positively, never, lived to regret that decision, oh, wait.
@@matthewdaley746 1982 would have exposed Bradshaw? Bradshaw led the league in TD passes in 1982; he had a lot of great games that year which I remember well.
@@first_rays9292 Nine Games, obscuring narrative.
@@matthewdaley746 True, only 9 games plus his brilliant playoff game against SD, which is statistically one of the best games he ever played. Personally, I don't care much for stats. However, I remember that season very well, and except for 2 games that year in which Bradshaw played perhaps more poorly than I have ever seen a QB play, for the rest of that season Bradshaw was awesome.
@@first_rays9292 Totally, misleading, truly, was.
It makes sense that a stupid rule was named after this guy
It was named after his son Dan who became the "real" owner of the team in the late 60's.
Garbage. You completely missed the point that Rooney was making and you completely misrepresented what Dudley meant to the Steelers and the situation that Trocano was being drafted into and why he was drafted. You completely missed the entire context of this situation. Dudley came to a Steeler team that was clearly the worst in the league, not just that season but EVERY YEAR! He immediately made them a respectable team and changed the entire culture and by the time he left, they were in playoff contention. That happened from the intangibles that Dudley brought not his skill. The Steelers weren't without skilled people in those lean years. They lacked heart. Dudley was the dynamo that brought the Steelers into respectability for the first time.
Trocano was NEVER drafted to be a QB!!!!! They made that clear. He was drafted to be an athlete and/or special teams contributor. The Steelers had a roster filled with aging vets with tons of Super Bowl rings and a bunch of unproven youngsters that felt entitled to be the next in line for more. The 1980 team was an excellent roster that had gotten soft and complacent on the young side and fragile on the old side. They beat great teams but lost too many games to bad and mediocre teams. Rooney wanted to make a statement about the intangibles that the team lacked and he made it clearly enough that any of us with intelligence could grasp it. The Steelers also had the worst special teams in the league in 1980. The unit was the clear reason the team lost 3-4 games that year. With a better unit they could've had home field advantage in the playoffs.
Trocano ended up being a good pick and had the team made after a fine camp until a bunch of injuries forced the team to cut him. He then played 2 strong seasons for Cleveland on ST before injuries ended his career.
This guy gets on my nerves. He talks like a 14 year old girl with braces and a deviated septum. Uhhggg.
Is NFL fixed?
No
I don't think Rooney's comments are the least bit outrageous. What's outrageous is having 12 rounds of an NFL Draft. I guarantee that every head coach and owner felt similar about the guys they drafted in these late rounds, which is exactly why the league took a chainsaw to nearly half the draft. You're lucky to find a guy with a pulse in the 11th round.
You absolutely butchered everything about this story. Dudley was small & slow for a HB, but he was great because of intangibles.
Selectively picking stats - why did you ignore that Steelers had their first winning season in 1942? Why did you select 1945, when he played 4 games because of WWII? Do you understand why they traded him? No-because he was too small for Jock Sutherland’s single wing formation.
You’re running low on ideas if you’re twisting a quote from Art Rooney to frame a narrative