Trade History: Deals lead to Super Bowl success for the Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers began as the Pirates in 1933 and, even after changing their name in their eighth season, the team was not good for a very long time. In fact, the franchise made just one playoff appearance in its first 39 years of existence. However, during the 1970s, Pittsburgh went to the playoffs eight straight years and won four Super Bowls thanks to the “Steel Curtain” defense, as well as the offensive talents of one of the players on this list.

After their championship in Super Bowl XIV, the Steelers went another 15 years before they finally got another chance to win a title. Since 1994, Pittsburgh has gone to nine AFC Championship Games and four Super Bowls, winning twice. At least seven players from those squads appear on this list, with two others from the early era and one recent acquisition who might be playing for a title this year if the Steelers can continue their hot start to the 2020 season.

Some notable trades that will not get a breakdown include: A 1994 move that led to the Steelers taking linebacker Jason Gildon; a 1998 deal that brought in defensive tackle Jeremy Staat (an ill-fitting choice for Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defense); a 2001 draft pick trade that allowed the Steelers to select linebacker Kendrell Bell; and a deal with the Colts in 2004 that gave Ricardo Colclough to Pittsburgh and talented, but often-injured, safety Bob Sanders to Indianapolis. With that being said, here are the 10 most influential trades in Pittsburgh Steelers history.

1. October 7, 1958:

Steelers acquired: QB Bobby Layne

Lions acquired: QB Earl Morrall, a second-round pick in the 1959 NFL Draft and a fourth-rounder in 1960

Layne was an All-American at Texas in 1947 and was the third overall pick by the Steelers in the NFL Draft the following year. He was traded to the Bears and spent the 1948 season backing up Sid Luckman before he was moved again, this time to the New York Bulldogs, who had recently moved from Boston (where they were known as the Yanks for the previous five seasons). New York went 1-10-1 in 1949, changed their name back to the Yanks, and sent Layne packing once again. The quarterback was allowed more time to develop in Detroit, and he soon became a star. He was a four-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro, and a two-time league-leader in passing yards. Thanks to Layne’s leadership, the Lions went to three straight NFL Championship Games against the Browns from 1952-54 and won the first two. The “Blond Bomber” had Detroit in position for a fourth championship game appearance but broke his leg late in the 1957 season. Tobin Rote threw four touchdown passes as the Lions routed the Browns for their most recent title.

Layne returned to Pittsburgh, the team that originally drafted him in 1948. He made the Pro Bowl his first two seasons after the trade, including 1958, when he had a career-high 2,510 yards in a season split between the Lions and Steelers. Layne retired in 1963 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame four years later. He died from cardiac arrest in 1986.

Morrall is best-known for leading the Baltimore Colts to Super Bowl III in place of an injured Johnny Unitas in 1968. A 1955 All-American at Michigan State, Morrall was taken by the 49ers with the second overall pick the following year. San Francisco sent him to Pittsburgh, and he made the Pro Bowl in 1957. Morrall spent six years in Detroit, mostly as a reserve. His best season was 1963, when he posted 2,621 yards and 24 touchdowns. Morrall was traded to the Giants (1965-67) then to the Colts (1968-71) before the Dolphins acquired him off waivers in 1972. He backed up Bob Griese in Miami until retiring in 1976 after 21 seasons in the NFL.

The 1959 second-round pick was used on Indiana guard Mike Rabold, who played 12 games as a reserve in 1959. He spent a year with the Cardinals, two with the Vikings, and four with the Bears before retiring in 1967. Detroit took Maryland Eastern Shore defensive tackle Roger Brown in 1960. Brown was selected to five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams during his seven-year stint with the Lions. He was part of the original “Fearsome Foursome” along with Darris McCord, Sam Williams, and Pro Football Hall of Famer Alex Karras.

Assessment: Layne was a star and a leader for the Lions during the 1950s, when they won three championships. Detroit traded him away on the downside of his career and benefited from Brown and his five Pro Bowl selections. LIONS

2. April 11, 1960:

Steelers acquired: FB John Henry Johnson

Lions acquired: A third-round pick in the 1961 NFL Draft and a fourth-rounder in 1962

Johnson started his college career at St. Mary’s, but had to transfer when the California school dropped its football program after his freshman year. The Arizona graduate was selected by the Steelers in the second round of the 1953 NFL Draft, but instead chose to play in Canada with the Calgary Stampeders. Johnson earned the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the Western Interprovincial Football Union (WIFU), which merged into the CFL in 1981. He joined the 49ers as part of their “Million Dollar Backfield” in 1954 (which included quarterback Y. A. Tittle, as well as running backs Hugh McElhenny and Joe Perry), and he earned a Pro Bowl selection his first year. Johnson converted to fullback, and he spent three years in San Francisco and three more in Detroit, winning a title with the Lions in 1957.

Johnson had his best years after the trade to Pittsburgh. He was named to three Pro Bowls and had two 1,000-yard seasons. Johnson ranks fifth in team history with 4,381 rushing yards and is tied for seventh with 26 touchdowns. After six years with the Steelers, he finished his career with the Oilers in 1966 as a 37-year-old. Johnson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 and passed away in 2011. Although the cause of death was not announced, it was reported that he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, and his brain was later donated to help study the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

The Lions used the picks on Dick Mills and John Lomakoski. Mills was a former University of Pittsburgh tackle who played 22 games in two seasons with Detroit. Lomakoski was a Western Michigan product who played just three games in 1962. He was a sales representative for Procter & Gamble after his playing career and passed away in 1999.

Assessment: Although Pittsburgh was in the midst of a 25-year playoff drought during Johnson’s tenure, he was a solid player in an era when the fullback was the featured runner. Detroit’s two players appeared in just 25 games combined. STEELERS

3. March 9, 1973:

Steelers acquired: A fourth-round pick in the 1974 NFL Draft

Patriots acquired: S Ralph Anderson

The fourth-round pick became a fantastic playmaker in Pittsburgh’s most successful era. John Stallworth was an Alabama A&M product who wasn’t a full-time starter until his fourth season. He spent his entire 14-year career with the Steelers, posting three 1,000-yard seasons, earning three Pro Bowl selections, and being named an All-Pro in 1979. Stallworth played just four games due to leg injuries in 1983, but set career-highs with 80 receptions, 1,395 yards, and 11 touchdowns to earn Comeback Player of the Year honors the following season. Overall, he ranks third in team history with 8,723 yards and 63 scores, and he is fourth with 537 catches.

However, Stallworth was at his best in the postseason, where he totaled more than 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns in 18 career playoff games. He was a member of four championship teams and was an offensive force in two title games. Stallworth had 115 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard connection from Terry Bradshaw, in a 35-31 Steelers win over the Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII. The following year, he totaled 121 yards and had a 73-yard score in a 31-19 victory against the Rams. Stallworth retired after the 1987 season and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002. He started multiple businesses and became a part-owner of the Steelers in 2009.

Anderson was a former West Texas State (now West Texas A&M) safety who had four interceptions in two years with the Steelers. He played just one season with the Patriots after the trade, totaling two interceptions and two fumble recoveries before retiring in 1973.

Assessment: While the “Steel Curtain” defense got the cool nickname, Pittsburgh’s offense that included quarterback Terry Bradshaw and fullback Franco Harris, plus receivers Stallworth and Lynn Swann, was a great collection of talent. Stallworth went on to have a Hall of Fame career while Anderson played one season in New England. STEELERS

4. April 20, 1996:

Steelers acquired: RB Jerome Bettis and a third-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft

Rams acquired: A second-round pick in 1996 and a fourth-rounder in 1997

Bettis was a star at Notre Dame, and he earned Pro Bowl selections in his first two NFL seasons. He also was named an All-Pro and the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1993 after rushing for 1,429 yards and seven touchdowns. Bettis added another 1,000-yard campaign the following year, but the Rams changed to a pass-heavy scheme in 1995. St. Louis asked Bettis if he wanted to convert to fullback or get traded. He chose the second option and flourished as Pittsburgh’s lead back.

“The Bus” earned the Comeback Player of the Year Award in 1996, and he was also named to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro Team after scoring 11 touchdowns. Bettis set career-highs with 375 carries (which led the NFL) and 1,665 yards the following year. He ran for 105 yards and a score in the 1997 AFC Championship Game, but the Steelers lost to the Broncos. Bettis played 10 seasons in Pittsburgh, totaling four Pro Bowl selections and starting his Steelers tenure with six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He ranks second in team history with 10,571 yards and 78 touchdowns.

Although he was a backup to Willie Parker at the end of his career, Bettis was still effective in the playoffs. He had a touchdown in each of Pittsburgh’s three AFC playoff games in 2005 and added 43 yards in a Steelers victory over the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL (Parker set a game record with a 75-yard scoring run in the third quarter). Bettis retired on the championship podium after the victory.

After his playing career, he worked as a studio analyst for NBC’s Sunday Night Football coverage, opened a restaurant, and he hosts a radio show, and runs a sports camp that helps children with asthma. The 2001 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year and 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee even starred in a Geico commercial where he bowled over the competition once again.

Pittsburgh’s 1996 pick became Steve Conley, a former Arkansas linebacker who spent parts of three seasons with the Steelers and played 20 games. He was released in 1998 and appeared in one contest with the Colts. Conley spent one season each with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders and the XFL’s Chicago Enforcers before retiring in 2001.

In 1996, St. Louis selected Ernie Conwell, a former University of Washington tight end who played in two Super Bowls. Although he was used primarily as a blocker, Conwell was a part of the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams team that defeated the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. Two years later, he had his best season, totaling 38 receptions, 431 yards, and four touchdowns, but St. Louis was defeated for the title by New England. After amassing 1,574 yards and 10 scores in seven seasons with the Rams, Conwell signed with the Saints in 2003, where he spent his final four years. He retired after New Orleans released him in 2007.

The 1997 pick was packaged with two others, allowing the Rams to move up in the fourth round and select Ryan Tucker, a tackle from Texas Christian. Tucker played 59 games in five seasons with St. Louis, and he was a reserve in both of the team’s Super Bowl appearances. He signed with the Browns in 2002 and played 75 games in eight seasons. However, he received two PED suspensions during his tenure, and he retired in 2010 rather than face an eight-game ban.

Assessment: Although Conwell was a good blocker, he had limited involvement in the passing game, despite being a part of one of the most high-powered passing attacks in NFL history. Tucker was a reserve with the Rams and wasn’t a factor even before his PED issues. While Conley was a non-factor, Bettis became a bruising runner who reminded Pittsburgh fans of Franco Harris. STEELERS

5. April 17, 1999:

Steelers acquired: Second-, third- and fifth-round picks in the 1999 NFL Draft

Vikings acquired: A second-round pick in 1999

The Steelers used the 1999 second-round pick on Scott Shields, a former Weber State safety who had four interceptions and 62 tackles in 26 NFL games. He had three interceptions with NFL Europe’s Scottish Claymores in 2002, but he retired after a failed tryout with the Chiefs two years later.

The best player from this deal was the third-rounder, which turned out to be Joey Porter, a Colorado State product who converted from running back to linebacker before his junior year. Porter spent his first eight seasons with the Steelers, earning three Pro Bowl selections and an All-Pro nod in 2002, when he had nine sacks and four interceptions. Overall, he ranks third in team history with 60 sacks and 17 forced fumbles, and he made three tackles in the Super Bowl XL victory over the Seahawks. Porter made one more Pro Bowl when he amassed a career-high 17½ sacks with the Dolphins in 2008. After three years with Miami and two with Arizona, he retired in 2012.

After his career ended, Porter spent one year as a defensive assistant at Colorado State and five with the Steelers, where he rose to the position of outside linebackers coach. He also had arrests for DUI in 2010 and passing a bad check to a casino in 2012, as well as several charges stemming from an altercation outside a Pittsburgh bar in 2017.

Pittsburgh sent two fifth-round picks, including the one in this deal, to the Raiders for a third-round pick in 2000. Hank Poteat was a University of Pittsburgh cornerback who returned punts and kicks during his first three years with the Steelers and made the All-Rookie Team as a punt returner. He played one game with the Buccaneers in 2003 and appeared in the Super Bowl XXXIX victory over the Eagles during his two-plus seasons with the Patriots. Poteat spent three years with the Jets and retired after playing with the Browns during the 2009 season. He turned to coaching and spent two years each with Kentucky Christian, the University of Pittsburgh, and Kent State before becoming the cornerbacks coach at the University of Toledo in 2007.

Minnesota gave up two extra picks to move up 15 spots and select Jim Kleinsasser, a fullback and tight end from North Dakota. Other than missing almost all of the 2004 season after tearing his ACL, Kleinsasser was durable, playing in 181 games. He had 1,688 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 13 seasons, and he also appeared in two NFC Championship Games (a 2000 shutout loss to the Giants and an overtime defeat by the Saints in 2009). However, Kleinsasser’s most famous moment might be when one of his touchdown catches appeared in the Adam Sandler movie, 50 First Dates.

Assessment: Although Kleinsasser was a mostly durable player and leads the way in movie references, Porter was a dominating pass rusher at times, earning four Pro Bowl selections and helping Pittsburgh beat Seattle in Super Bowl XL. STEELERS

6. April 21, 2001:

Steelers acquired: First-, fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 2001 NFL Draft

Jets acquired: A first-round pick in 2001

The Steelers selected Casey Hampton, a two-time All-American nose tackle at Texas, as well as the 2000 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, in the first round. Hampton played his entire 12-year NFL career in Pittsburgh, earning four Pro Bowl selections despite missing most of the 2004 season with a torn ACL. “Big Snack” was also a member of two Steelers championship teams. He had four tackles and his only career postseason sack in a win over Seattle in Super Bowl XL. Three years later, he made two stops in a 27-23 win against Arizona. Hampton retired after the 2012 season with 398 tackles and nine sacks in 173 games.

Pittsburgh used the other two picks on Mathias Nkwenti and Rodney Bailey. Nkwenti was a former Temple offensive tackle who became the first NFL player born in Cameroon. He played just two games with the Steelers before he retired in 2003. Bailey was an Ohio State defensive end who had 75 tackles and 9½ sacks in 60 games with Pittsburgh. He spent his first three seasons with the Steelers and earned a championship ring with the Patriots for XXXVIII, despite being on injured reserve. After a season with Seattle, Bailey returned to Pittsburgh in 2006, then spent the next year with Arizona before retiring in early 2008.

The Jets traded two extra picks to move up three spots and select University of Miami All-American wide receiver and punt returner Santana Moss 16th overall in 2001. Moss played his first four years with New York, posting 1,105 yards and a career-best 10 touchdowns in 2003. Although the Jets made the playoffs three times during his tenure, they did not get past the Division round.

New York sent Moss to Washington in a receiver swap for Laveranues Coles in 2004. Moss had three 1,000-yard seasons during his 10-year stay in Washington, including 2005, when he earned his only Pro Bowl selection after totaling 84 receptions, nine scores, and a career-high 1,483 yards. He finished his season with seven catches, 103 yards, and a touchdown in a loss to the Seahawks in the Division round. He retired after the 2014 seasons after amassing 10,283 yards and 66 touchdowns during his 14-year NFL career. Since he retired, Moss has starred in television ads for a Washington D.C.-area automotive company and was a color commentator for the Washington Valor of the Arena Football League.

Assessment: Moss had a solid career with four 1,000-yard seasons, but not only did most of his best years come with Washington, but he was never a part of a team with playoff success. Although Nkwenti and Bailey had uneventful careers, Hampton was a stalwart on Pittsburgh’s defensive line, was a four-time Pro Bowler, and won two titles. STEELERS

7. April 26, 2003:

Steelers acquired: A first-round pick in the 2003 NFL Draft

Chiefs acquired: First-, third- and sixth-round picks in 2003

Pittsburgh moved up in the first round to draft Troy Polamalu, a 2002 All-American and two-time All-Pac-10 safety at USC. Polamalu earned eight Pro Bowl and four All-Pro selections with the Steelers. He totaled 32 interceptions, 783 tackles, 12 sacks, 107 passes defensed, and he also had the most recognizable hair in football. Polamalu was a starter on two championship teams, but he also missed several games in 2009 (sprained MCL) and 2012 (strained calf). He retired in 2015 and was the Head of Player Relations during the brief run of the Alliance of American Football. In 2020, Polamalu was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

The first of the Chiefs’ picks was by far the most successful. Penn State running back Larry Johnson was an All-American, finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting and also earned the Maxwell (best all-around player), Walter Camp (player of the year as voted by coaches and sports information directors) and Doak Walker (best collegiate running back) awards after rushing for 2,087 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2002. Johnson spent his first two pro seasons behind Priest Holmes but broke out in 2005 with 1,750 yards and 20 touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl for the second straight year in 2006 while also earning All-Pro honors after posting 1,789 yards and 17 scores. However, Johnson was never able to recapture that magic over the rest of his career. He missed half of 2007 with a foot injury and was suspended for behavior issues stemming from an assault arrest the following year. After a slow start in 2009, the Chiefs traded Johnson to the Bengals. He spent one season each with the Redskins and Dolphins before retiring in 2011. Johnson has been arrested at least six times, mostly for assault and battery, with the most recent coming in 2014. 

Kansas City took University of Tennessee cornerback Julian Battle in the third round. Battle played 26 games as a reserve in three seasons with the Chiefs. He spent 2006 on Washington’s practice squad and played the next two years with Calgary in the Canadian Football League, helping the Stampeders win the 2008 Grey Cup before retiring. Kansas City traded the sixth-rounder to the Jets in a deal that allowed them to select Jordan Black and Jimmy Wilkerson. Black was a former Notre Dame tackle who played 48 games with the Chiefs and 94 overall in seven NFL seasons. Wilkerson was an Oklahoma defensive end who spent most of his eight-year pro career as a reserve. He had one sack in 72 games with Kansas City.

Assessment: Johnson was on his way to a stellar career but his off-the-field issues got in the way. Polamalu dealt with a few injuries, but he was arguably the NFL’s best safety for most of his career. STEELERS

8. (Part One) April 29, 2006:

Steelers acquired: A first-round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft

Giants acquired: First-, third- and fourth-round picks in 2006

(Part Two) April 11, 2010:

Steelers acquired: A fifth-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft

Jets acquired: WR Santonio Holmes

The tenure of Santonio Holmes in Pittsburgh began with a Draft Day trade from the Giants in 2006 and ended with him being sent to the Jets four years later. The Steelers and Giants swapped first-round picks, and Pittsburgh sent a couple more New York’s way in order to move up seven spots. Holmes was a wide receiver who was a member of Ohio State’s 2002 National Championship team as a freshman. He spent his first four years with Pittsburgh and his statistics improved each season. Holmes’ time with the Steelers ended after a 2009 season that saw him set career-highs with 79 receptions and 1,248 yards to go along with five touchdowns. Overall, he had 235 catches, 3,835 yards, and 20 scores. Holmes had arguably his best performance in Super Bowl XLIII, earning MVP honors after registering nine receptions, 131 yards and the game-winning touchdown with 35 seconds left as the Steelers edged the Cardinals, 27-23. However, his troubles off the field (charges for drug possession, assault, and domestic violence) led to Pittsburgh trading him away.

Pittsburgh moved the fifth-round pick from the Jets deal and received cornerback Bryant McFadden and a sixth-round selection. Since that pick became a memorable player, the trade will be broken down later in the list, but suffice it to say, the Steelers replaced a good receiver with a great one.

The Giants used the first-round pick on Mathias Kiwanuka, a Boston College defensive end who was a two-time All-American and the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2004. He played 120 games in nine seasons with New York, and he registered 412 tackles, 13 forced fumbles (tied for fourth in team history), and 38½ sacks (ninth). Kiwanuka was a member of two Giants title teams, with both Super Bowl victories coming against the Patriots. He missed Super Bowl XLII after suffering a broken leg in November 2007 and was a reserve in the win four years later. Kiwanuka, whose grandfather was the first prime minister of Uganda, retired after the Giants released him in 2015.

New York’s other two picks were Gerris Wilkinson and Guy Whimper. Wilkinson was a former Georgia Tech linebacker who played 58 games in five seasons with the Giants. He started the 2007 Wild Card game and made seven stops in a win over the Buccaneers. Although Wilkinson was a reserve for the rest of the playoffs, he made one tackle in New York’s Super Bowl XLII victory against New England. He signed with the Jaguars in 2011, but retired after he did not make their roster. Whimper was an East Carolina tackle who played 78 games, mostly as a reserve, in seven NFL seasons. He spent his first three years with the Giants and was a reserve in Super Bowl XLII. Whimper signed with Jacksonville and started 22 games in three seasons with the Jaguars. He retired after playing with the Steelers in 2013.

Holmes played four seasons with the Jets after the trade. He scored a touchdown against his old team in the 2010 AFC Championship Game, but the Steelers won, 24-19. Holmes’ career began to decline after he suffered a Lisfranc injury in his foot in 2012. He spent one more season with the Jets and played nine games with the Bears before retiring in 2014.

Assessment: Pittsburgh got the best years from Holmes and the pick turned into an even better wide receiver. Holmes began declining after joining the Jets, and Kiwanuka was the only player the Giants received who regularly had solid production. STEELERS

9. (Part One) April 24, 2010:

Steelers acquired CB Bryant McFadden and a sixth-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft

Cardinals acquired: A fifth-round pick in 2010

(Part Two) March 13, 2019:

Steelers acquired: Third- and fifth-round picks in the 2019 NFL Draft

Raiders acquired: WR Antonio Brown

The saga of Antonio Brown began with the aforementioned trade with the Cardinals. McFadden was the original centerpiece of the deal. A former high school All-American, McFadden was a Florida State cornerback who was drafted by the Steelers late in the 2005 second round. He had 153 tackles and seven interceptions in his first four seasons with Pittsburgh, and he made two stops in Super Bowl XL and three more in Super Bowl XLIII. After starting all 16 games with Arizona in 2009, McFadden returned to the Steel City and played in another title game, making four tackles in a loss to the Packers in Super Bowl XLV. He retired after Pittsburgh released him in 2012 and, like many former Steelers, he went into the media field after his playing career.

Brown was a sixth-round pick who was a two-time All-American and a two-time MAC Special Teams Player of the Year with Central Michigan. During his nine-year tenure in Pittsburgh, Brown had seven 1,000-yard seasons, including leading the league twice and a career-high 1,834 in 2015 (which, despite being the fourth-highest single-season total in league history, the mark did not lead the league since Julio Jones had 1,871). “AB” was also selected to seven Pro Bowls, earned All-Pro honors four straight years, and led the league in receptions twice. He played in Super Bowl XLV as a rookie and was Pittsburgh’s leading receiver in a 2016 AFC Championship Game loss to New England. Despite posting 104 receptions, 1,297 yards, and a league-high 15 touchdowns in 2018, Brown was dissatisfied with his role in the Steelers’ offense. He also argued with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, skipped practices late in the season, and had an off-field incident that involved him throwing furniture off his apartment balcony. All those factors led to his trade to the Raiders in March 2019. Brown left Pittsburgh with the second-most receptions (837), yards (11,207), and touchdowns (74) in team history.

The Steelers used the two picks from the Raiders to select Diontae Johnson and Zach Gentry. Johnson was a Toledo product who posted team-highs with 59 catches and five touchdowns, to go along with 680 yards receiving, as well as 248 yards and a score on punt returns as a rookie in 2019. He is among the leading receivers on a Steelers team that is undefeated through October. Gentry converted from quarterback to tight end as a freshman at Michigan. He had one catch in four games with the Steelers in 2019 and has not appeared in a game yet this season.

Kurt Warner retired after the 2009 season and the Cardinals used the pick acquired in the McFadden trade to try and replace the future Hall of Fame quarterback. John Skelton was a star with Fordham in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). However, his NFL career was not quite so successful. Skelton split time as a starter with Derek Anderson, Kevin Kolb, and Ryan Lindley during his three seasons, and his career totals of 3,707 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions, as well as his 8-9 record, are underwhelming. He was released by the Cardinals in 2012 and retired in 2015 after failed tryouts with the Bengals, 49ers, Titans, and the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes.

Brown lasted less than six months in Oakland before his antics became too much to withstand. He missed time with frostbitten feet after a cryotherapy session, threatened to retire rather than wear a new league-sanctioned helmet that was designed to help limit brain damage, and he threatened Raiders general manager Mike Mayock after being fined for missing several practices. Brown was released in early September without ever playing a game for Oakland, and he faced legal issues after being signed by New England. His off-field transgressions include sexual assault allegations being brought against him by multiple women and facing burglary and battery charges after he and a friend attacked a moving truck driver. Brown was suspended for the first eight games of the 2020 season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He was signed by Tampa Bay in late October and will make his first appearance for the Buccaneers against the Saints on November 9.

Assessment: Pittsburgh easily won the first trade. Despite all of Brown’s faults and poor choices, he was one of the best receivers in the game during his tenure, and he was selected to the All-Decade Team (both for Inside the Hashes and the “official” one selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame). Skelton was another one of those players who were great in college but could not match that production in the NFL. Although Johnson is still young and has the potential to develop more as a receiver, he has the benefit of being compared to the train wreck that was Brown in 2019. STEELERS

10. September 16, 2019:

Steelers acquired: S Minkah Fitzpatrick, a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and a seventh-round pick in 2021

Dolphins acquired: First- and fifth-round picks in 2020 and a sixth-rounder in 2021

Fitzpatrick came into the NFL already having a trophy case full of awards. He was a high school All-American, a Sporting News Freshman All-American in 2015, and was honored twice more at Alabama. The two-time champion with the Crimson Tide also won the Jim Thorpe (best defensive back) and Chuck Bednarik (best defensive player) awards in 2017. Fitzpatrick had 80 tackles and two interceptions as a rookie with the Dolphins, but playing out of position for a bad team was too much, and he requested a trade early in the 2019 season.

After being sent to Pittsburgh, Fitzpatrick had 57 tackles, five interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and two touchdowns, which earned him Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections. He has 30 tackles and one interception (returned for a score) for the undefeated Steelers so far this year.

The 2020 fourth-round pick was Kevin Dotson, a guard who was a two-time All-Sun Belt honoree at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Dotson has played every game so far this season, and he has made two starts in place of the injured Stefan Wisniewski.

Miami used the 2020 first-round pick on Austin Jackson, a high school All-American who was a first-team All-Pac-12 tackle with USC. He started the first four games this season before he suffered a foot injury and was placed on injured reserve. In addition to his football exploits, Jackson also donated bone marrow to his younger sister, who suffered from a rare form of anemia that prevented her body from producing red blood cells. The Dolphins selected Jason Strowbridge in the fifth round. The former North Carolina defensive end has yet to appear in an NFL game.

Assessment: Although this trade cannot be fully evaluated until all of the picks have been made, it is clear that Fitzpatrick is a special player who is probably not done winning awards or championships. STEELERS

All NFL statistics and awards courtesy of Pro Football Reference.

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Writer

-By: Kevin Rakas