Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Importance of a Franchise Quarterback to the Steelers Success

Since 1974, the Steelers have been to eight Super Bowls, winning 6 of them. Over the course of these last 40 years, the Steelers have had exactly two franchise quarterbacks. Terry Bradshaw went 4-0 in Super Bowls. Then, there was a long gap with one Super Bowl loss in between Ben Roethlisberger taking the team to three Super Bowls and winning two of them.

Roethlisberger and Bradshaw Are Franchise Quarterbacks
The point here is that it hasn't mattered that the Steelers have had some of best defenses over those 40 years. The also team went to an additional six AFC Championship games without advancing to the Super Bowl. Mark Malone, Neil O'Donnell, and Kordell Stewart were certainly not franchise quarterbacks and could not get that elusive fifth ring for the team. The franchise QB is important to success!

Some might argue that Roethlisberger is not a franchise QB. However, his overall record and two Super Bowl rings speak for themselves. He deserves the franchise QB moniker. While, there's still a few more years left for a productive Roethlisberger, the team really needs to start thinking about what's next or really loading up for a couple of more runs with him. This year's team may only be as good as a make-it-to-the-playoffs team. Our fan base really doesn't want to see another long drought of championships and years of mediocrity. It's time to start looking for and grooming that next franchise QB.