Pittsburgh Steelers: The Top Ten Quarterbacks in Team History

Perhaps one of the most successful football franchises of the modern era, the Pittsburgh Steelers have traditionally been known for their championship caliber defenses. Yet over the years the Steelers have also had their fair share of offensive stars. Among those stars have been the quarterbacks who have guided the Steelers to six Super Bowl titles and numerous playoff appearances. Here then is a list of the top ten Steelers quarterbacks of all time.

Terry Bradshaw (1970-1983)
The first pick overall of the 1970 NFL Draft, Bradshaw is a four time Super Bowl champion who quarterbacked the Steelers to 107 regular season and 14 post season victories. A three-time Pro Bowler, and two-time Super Bowl MVP, Bradshaw was the 1978 NFL Player of the Year. At his best in post season play, Terry threw for 3,833 yards and 30 touchdowns in 19 games. Inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1989, Bradshaw passed for 27,989 yards and 212 touchdowns during his stellar career at Pittsburgh.

Ben Roethlisberger (2004-Present)
Drafted by the Steelers in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft, Roethlisberger has been at the helm of two Pittsburgh's Super Bowl victories. Though his off the field behavior has often been a distraction during his tenure with the Steelers, Roethlisberger has led the team to 69 regular season and 10 post season victories (through 1/25/2010). Trailing only Terry Bradshaw in the team's annals, Roethlisberger has passed for 22,222 yards and 142 touchdowns during the regular season. Ben also enjoyed a 503 yard passing game against the Packers in 2009, was named the 2004 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and selected to the Pro Bowl in 2007.

Neil O'Donnell (1991-1995)
In five seasons at Pittsburgh, O'Donnell was a competent quarterback who guided the Steelers to four playoff appearances and the Super Bowl in 1995. An accurate passer who threw for 12, 867 yards and 68 regular season touchdowns, O'Donnell's interception percentage (2.1%) is the lowest in team history. Selected to the Pro Bowl in 1992, O'Donnell posted 39 regular season and 3 post season victories for the Steelers.

Kordell Stewart (1995-2002)
Though he never piloted the Steelers to a Super Bowl appearance like Bradshaw, Roethlisberger and O'Donnell, Stewart was a versatile quarterback who posted 46 regular season and two playoff victories for the Steelers. Along the way he was selected to the 2001 Pro Bowl, and finished his career in Pittsburgh with 13,328 yards passing, 2,874 yards rushing, and 658 yards receiving. Kordell also accounted for a total of 110 touchdowns (70 passing) during his tenure with the Steelers.

Bobby Layne (1958-1962)
A Hall of Famer who spent the better part of his stellar career in Detroit before playing for the Steelers, Layne still guided Pittsburgh to 27 wins over a five year period. Along the way, Layne was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1958 and 1959, throwing for 20 touchdowns (in a 12 game season) in the latter. Before ending his career in Chicago, Layne would throw for 9,030 yards and 66 touchdowns for the Steelers.

Jim Finks (1949-1955)
Jim Finks was a good two way player for the Steelers in the 1950's who was elected to the Half of Fame in 1995, though mostly for his role as an NFL General Manager later in his career. Still, as a quarterback for the Steelers Fink threw for 8,622 yards and 55 touchdowns over a 79 game span. Along the way he would make the Pro Bowl in 1952, a year he lead the NFL in touchdown passes with 20. Fink would also lead the league in yards passing during his last season with the team in 1955.

Bubby Brister (1986-1992)
Drafted in the 3^rd round by the Steelers, Brister enjoyed a few good seasons as a starter for Pittsburgh, leading the team to 28 regular season victories along the way. Brister also lead the team to a playoff victory in 1989, and enjoyed his best season as a passer in 1990 when he threw for 2,725 yards and 20 touchdowns. Before moving on to Philadelphia in 1993, Brister complied 10,104 yards passing and 51 touchdowns for the team.

Tommy Maddox (2002-2005)
A former first round draft pick of the Denver Broncos, Maddox bounced around the NFL for four seasons, and then spent most of the next few years out of football, before catching on with the AFL and XFL for a few years. Finally finding a home in Pittsburgh, Maddox went on to enjoy a few successful seasons as a starter for the Steelers before giving way to Ben Roethlisberger. In five seasons at Pittsburgh, Maddox saw action in 43 games in which passed for 7,139 yards and 42 touchdowns. In one impressive outing in 202, Maddox threw for 473 yards and 4 touchdowns against Atlanta.

Ed Brown (1962-1964)
A two-time Pro Bowler before he came to Pittsburgh, Ed Brown nevertheless enjoyed a few successful seasons as the Steelers starting quarterback in 1963 and 1964. In 1963 he would throw for 2,982 yards and 20 touchdowns in leading the Steelers to a 7-4-3 record. Brown would finish his tenure with the Steelers with 5,821 yards passing and 38 touchdowns. While at Pittsburgh Ed would also double as the punter, averaging 40.6 yards per punt for the team during a three year stint.

Mark Malone (1981-1987)
Unfortunately for Mark Malone, his career as a Steelers starter came after the team's glory days of the 70's, and before their return to greatness this past decade. Still, Malone won 21 out of 45 games as the team's starter throwing for 8,582 yards and 54 touchdowns in the process. In 1985 Malone enjoyed a game against the Colts in which he passed for 5 touchdowns.