Steelers 70s Championship Era: Most Underrated

User avatar
GameBeforeTheMoney
Posts: 576
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 3:21 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Steelers 70s Championship Era: Most Underrated

Post by GameBeforeTheMoney »

In terms of unsung hero on the team or NFL history in general? If it's NFL history in general, I'd say Terry Bradshaw.

Unsung hero, I'd say Andy Russell. Not just a solid player, he's the veteran all those great future players like Lambert and Ham looked up to in their early years.
Podcast: https://Podcast.TheGameBeforeTheMoney.com

Website/Blog: https://TheGameBeforeTheMoney.com

Author's Name: Jackson Michael
JuggernautJ
Posts: 1379
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2014 7:14 pm
Location: NinerLand, Ca.

Re: Steelers 70s Championship Era: Most Underrated

Post by JuggernautJ »

GameBeforeTheMoney wrote: Unsung hero, I'd say Andy Russell. Not just a solid player, he's the veteran all those great future players like Lambert and Ham looked up to in their early years.
Other than Moon Mullins Russell is the player who first came to my mind for this topic.
I am pretty sure he would be better remembered had he not retired after the Steelers second Super Bowl win.
With four championships on his resume Andy would probably be in Canton.
Brian wolf
Posts: 2981
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:43 am

Re: Steelers 70s Championship Era: Most Underrated

Post by Brian wolf »

Though he wasnt part of their championship era, John Rowser set the tone for their young defense with his physical play at cornerback. When he joined the Broncos, he got rough in a game with Lynn Swann and HC Noll believed that other cornerbacks noticed what Rowser was doing and tried to intimidate Swann the same way ...

Rowser got a ring as a rookie with the Packers, helped the Steelers and Broncos become great defenses but never played in a SB, leaving Pitts after the 1973 season and Denver after the 1976 season.
Jay Z
Posts: 937
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:42 pm
Location: Madison WI

Re: Steelers 70s Championship Era: Most Underrated

Post by Jay Z »

Brian wolf wrote:Though he wasnt part of their championship era, John Rowser set the tone for their young defense with his physical play at cornerback. When he joined the Broncos, he got rough in a game with Lynn Swann and HC Noll believed that other cornerbacks noticed what Rowser was doing and tried to intimidate Swann the same way ...

Rowser got a ring as a rookie with the Packers, helped the Steelers and Broncos become great defenses but never played in a SB, leaving Pitts after the 1973 season and Denver after the 1976 season.
Rowser did play in SB II, though not as a starter.
Brian wolf
Posts: 2981
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:43 am

Re: Steelers 70s Championship Era: Most Underrated

Post by Brian wolf »

Somebody could correct me but I think Rowser left Pitts and Denver over money because he had solid seasons in 1973 and 1976, though the teams went younger ...
NWebster
Posts: 549
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 8:21 pm

Re: Steelers 70s Championship Era: Most Underrated

Post by NWebster »

Brian wolf wrote:Somebody could correct me but I think Rowser left Pitts and Denver over money because he had solid seasons in 1973 and 1976, though the teams went younger ...
I'm surprised no Mike Wagner's. Though I'd probably take Andy Russell as well. I would not go LC and think he absolutely doesn't belong in the Hall of Fame and is a borderline HOVG though he's above the line for that. I think Greene on that line had the sort of halo affect that Aaron Donald has today, everyone around h benefitted.
Brian wolf
Posts: 2981
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:43 am

Re: Steelers 70s Championship Era: Most Underrated

Post by Brian wolf »

If Greenwood does get into the HOF, its because of his postseason play. He was awesome in three of his four SB games ...
User avatar
74_75_78_79_
Posts: 2331
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2014 1:25 pm

Re: Steelers 70s Championship Era: Most Underrated

Post by 74_75_78_79_ »

GameBeforeTheMoney wrote:In terms of unsung hero on the team or NFL history in general? If it's NFL history in general, I'd say Terry Bradshaw.

Unsung hero, I'd say Andy Russell. Not just a solid player, he's the veteran all those great future players like Lambert and Ham looked up to in their early years.
No, not a ‘Rushmore’ QB, but Terry should be more historically regarded amongst the masses! I don’t, really, ever want to hear again how the entire team around him ‘carried’ him! Yes, it begins with Noll and the Steel Curtain, and their running attack, but I seriously don’t think any other QB that era - Staubach included, as much as I respect the heck out of him - wins the ’Burgh four Lombardis in that span. Maybe some win two, maybe some win three (Rog, perhaps, being an example), but only Terry could have won them all four! ’78/’79 was his utter double tour de force! He WAS the MVP, plain and simple! Despite all else still around him at that point, he plays too bad a game…Steelers don’t win!

I agree on Andy Russell. Not being around in ’78 & ’79 quite the reason for no Canton. But I think a simple Steelers three-peating in ’76 (he still being onboard) would have done the job as well!
User avatar
Bryan
Posts: 2509
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 8:37 am

Re: Steelers 70s Championship Era: Most Underrated

Post by Bryan »

Brian wolf wrote:Though he was replaced by Donnie Shell, who made many great plays for the championship teams, Glen Edwards was an enforcer in the secondary ... Ron Johnson had a great rookie season for the 78 champions. Ferocious against the Cowboys in the SB.
I think besides the entire offensive line, I'd have to agree with Glen Edwards. He had terrible hands (don't let the INT totals fool you...if he was more of a ballhawking FS with the Steel Curtain rush, he would have been leading the NFL in INTs every year), he wasn't very big, but he could cover a lot of ground, had great instincts and was a big hitter. He fit in really well with the Steelers Cover 2 scheme. He was really coming into his own from 1974 -76, but he had a contract dispute in 1977 and Noll felt that Edwards half-assed it the entire year and shipped him off to SD. Edwards remained productive and missed out on being a 4-time SB champ with Pittsburgh.

As a side note, I remember reading that had JT Thomas lived up to his draft potential (1st round pick) and had become a dominant CB, the Steelers defense would have been beyond unstoppable. I thought Thomas was a pretty good player. He had a blood disorder that kept him out of some games and eventually was moved to S, but I guess I never considered him as not living up to his potential.

I disagree about Ron Johnson...he wasn't very good at all and was the "Tom Brown" of the Steelers secondary. Once the Steel Curtain slowed down, he became a complete liability. After a miserable 1980 season (16 starts, 1 INT! 22nd ranked pass defense), the Steelers tried to move Johnson to FS to mimic Glen Edwards, but Johnson didn't have Edwards' instincts.
User avatar
GameBeforeTheMoney
Posts: 576
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 3:21 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Steelers 70s Championship Era: Most Underrated

Post by GameBeforeTheMoney »

74_75_78_79_ wrote:
GameBeforeTheMoney wrote:In terms of unsung hero on the team or NFL history in general? If it's NFL history in general, I'd say Terry Bradshaw.

Unsung hero, I'd say Andy Russell. Not just a solid player, he's the veteran all those great future players like Lambert and Ham looked up to in their early years.
No, not a ‘Rushmore’ QB, but Terry should be more historically regarded amongst the masses! I don’t, really, ever want to hear again how the entire team around him ‘carried’ him! Yes, it begins with Noll and the Steel Curtain, and their running attack, but I seriously don’t think any other QB that era - Staubach included, as much as I respect the heck out of him - wins the ’Burgh four Lombardis in that span. Maybe some win two, maybe some win three (Rog, perhaps, being an example), but only Terry could have won them all four! ’78/’79 was his utter double tour de force! He WAS the MVP, plain and simple! Despite all else still around him at that point, he plays too bad a game…Steelers don’t win!

I agree on Andy Russell. Not being around in ’78 & ’79 quite the reason for no Canton. But I think a simple Steelers three-peating in ’76 (he still being onboard) would have done the job as well!
I totally agree! Bradshaw made two of the biggest throws in SB history -- the one to Swann in 10 and to Stallworth in 14. They may have lost both of those games without those plays. He isn't the guy I would say is the greatest QB of all time, but I don't understand why he isn't better recognized for his arm strength and clutch throws.
Podcast: https://Podcast.TheGameBeforeTheMoney.com

Website/Blog: https://TheGameBeforeTheMoney.com

Author's Name: Jackson Michael
Post Reply