Let's get to it:
STEP GRESH FROM CHICAGO, IL: As a result of their 1–13 records, Art Rooney Sr. of the Steelers won a coin toss with George Halas of the Bears to determine who would select Louisiana Tech quarterback Terry Bradshaw (the consensus No. 1 prospect available in the 1970 NFL Draft). By modern NFL tiebreaking rules, the Steelers would have automatically been given the first pick anyway, as the Bears' one win came against the Steelers in Week 8. Does anyone know whether Rooney called, "heads" or "tails?"
ANSWER: The first thing to understand is that in 1970 the NFL Draft was barely a blip in the business of sports, as opposed to today's intense coverage and interest in an event that's broadcast live to a worldwide audience and attracts enough fans to make it a viable and sought-after traveling road show. Anyway, back then, ties in the draft order were broken by a coin toss rather than the current system tied to record and strength of schedule, and since the 1969 Steelers and 1969 Chicago Bears both finished 1-13, tied for the worst record in the league, there had to be a coin toss. The winner got the No. 1 overall pick in the ensuing draft.
And it's also worth noting that the actual date of the NFL Draft in 1970 was Jan. 27, and the regular season ended on Dec. 21 – for the Steelers that end came after blowing a 14-0 lead to a 4-9 New Orleans team in a 27-24 defeat. In 1969, both the Steelers and the Bears were bad teams, and one of the ironies is that Steelers Founder Art Rooney Sr. had been coming out on the short end vs. Chicago Bears Founder George Halas for decades, and he was about to snap a streak in a way that changed the course of his franchise's history.
On Jan. 9, two days before Super Bowl IV, which would be played on Jan. 11 in Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Dan Rooney and Ed McCaskey (George Halas' brother-in-law) met in a hotel ballroom, along with NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle serving in the role of coin-flipper. Because Art Rooney always said that when flipping coins, you let the other guy call it because then the pressure is on him to make the correct call, Dan Rooney said to McCaskey, "Go ahead, you call it." McCaskey called heads, the coin came up tails, and the Steelers won the right to make the first overall pick in that draft. The Steelers picked the quarterback from Louisiana Tech. The Bears traded the No. 2 overall pick to Green Bay, which took Notre Dame defensive tackle Mike McCoy, who played eight seasons with the Packers, Raiders, and New York Giants.
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NATE SKINNER FROM BREWSTER, MA: As we sit here today, what positions stick out as a need outside of WR for this year's upcoming NFL Draft?
ANSWER: As we sit here today, I refuse to engage in a discussion/analysis of something that is six months away, because there is WAY TOO MUCH left to this regular season, to say nothing about how the first couple of months of the free agency period might unfold. The rest of this season, and then the early portion of free agency could have huge impacts on the Steelers' approach to the 2025 NFL Draft.
BERNIE WEST FROM COLLEGEVILLE, PA: I want to thank Dale Geller from Cape Coral, Fl., for sharing the means by which to listen to the Steelers live radio broadcast during the live game. I did it during the Jets game and was infinitely more entertained by Rob King and Craig Wolfley, instead of Cris Collinsworth. I oftentimes have to watch the recorded game after putting my kids to bed. Does anyone out there in Steelers Nation have a resource for listening to the recorded version of the radio broadcast?
ANSWER: Good luck.
ERIC HUTTINGER FROM DAYTON, OH: I know a player shouldn't lose his job due to injury, but after watching tape of his play, is Mason McCormick our starting right guard going forward? He has been impressive, and his motor is nonstop.
ANSWER: The Steelers used a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Mason McCormick to prepare themselves for James Daniels becoming an unrestricted free agent in March 2025. But things were accelerated when Daniels sustained an Achilles injury that needed surgery and landed him on the injured reserve list. McCormick has filled in admirably since Daniels was injured, and even though he is not a finished product I can see a path forward where he is the team's right guard for a number of years.
MICKI ANDERSEN FROM FREDERICIA, DENMARK: I get so touched and happy when I read about how much the Steelers give back to the vulnerable people in the community. It's admirable to see the big stars take the time for children who are hospitalized, children and young people who have lost a parent, etc. I don't follow anyone other than the Steelers and occasionally the Cardinals, mostly because of Hjalte Froholdt. But I can't see anything similar on the Arizona website. Are the Steelers special in this area?
ANSWER: I don't know enough about other NFL teams to evaluate the level of their involvement in their communities, but the Steelers have a history of this going all the way back to the 1970s when Art Rooney Sr. was involved with the United Way to the degree that he appeared in a national commercial that was shot inside Three Rivers Stadium while surrounded by some of the children served by the agency. It's also worth pointing out that Franco Harris, Joe Greene, Lynn Swann, Jerome Bettis, and Cam Heyward all have been winners of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which honors NFL players for excellence on the field and within their communities. In addition to the many players who are involved individually within the community, when Coach Mike Tomlin was hired in 2007 he started what he termed the Rookie Club, where that year's rookies are taken as a group to get involved in the community on their day off each week during the season.
GENE MADEC FROM GROTON, CT: Is there any update on L.C. Greenwood making the Pro Football Hall of Fame? I think it's a travesty that he hasn't already been inducted.
ANSWER: Joe Rutter wrote the following for TribLive on Oct. 26 about L.C. Greenwood's latest snub by the Pro Football Hall of Fame voters:
"The quest for the Pittsburgh Steelers to get late defensive end L.C. Greenwood into the Pro Football Hall of Fame ended on the second round of voting. Greenwood was not among the 31 players who survived the reduction announced by the Hall of Fame.
"A nine-member Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee has been tasked with finding three finalists among former players whose careers ended before the 1999 season. Greenwood was among the 182 initial candidates, and he remained on the ballot when the list was whittled to 60. Committee members voted for 25 players in the second phase of the cutdown process. All those tied for the No. 25 spot remained eligible. The list will be reduced to nine semifinalists in November. The only defensive linemen remaining on the ballot are Jim Marshall and Harvey Martin."
DOUGLAS PIPER FROM STATE COLLEGE, PA: In reference to Martin Abelson's question from Oct. 20 about the injuries that prevented Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier from playing in the 1976 AFC Championship Game, I recall that early in the week (when it was still thought that Frenchy Fuqua would be out for the Raiders game) that there was talk of putting a big set of shoulder pads on Terry Bradshaw and letting him play running back with Mike Kruczek at quarterback. Was that something that was seriously discussed, or was it just an idea that spread through the fanbase with no basis in reality?
ANSWER: I will admit to being old, but I'm not old enough to have been around the Steelers in 1976, and so while I don't know for sure but my instinct tells me there is no realistic scenario in which Chuck Noll would take a two-time winning Super Bowl quarterback, have him put on "a big set of shoulder pads" to have him play running back against the Oakland Raiders and go with rookie Mike Kruczek at quarterback. No way, and if Noll wasn't in favor, then it didn't happen.
AL WARNER FROM EAST SPRINGFIELD, OH: Watching vintage videos I noticed the shoulder pads seemed much bulkier in the 1970s than they are now. Is because of improvements in materials and design or because the game has become less violent?
ANSWER: There have been advancements in equipment in all sports, not just football. Protective gear has become better at the same time being lighter and less bulky. Football played at the professional level remains a violent sport.
DANIEL PARDUE FROM STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN: Very doubtful that it will happen this year, but has the whole AFC North ever made the playoffs?
ANSWER: No. That has never happened.
SCOTT GILLIAM FROM OAK HARBOR, OH: Justin Fields got wins against the Broncos, Chargers, and Raiders, all in the AFC West. Assuming Russell Wilson is the starter on Christmas Day, how did he do the past 2 seasons against the Chiefs while playing for the Broncos?
ANSWER: During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the Broncos were 1-3 vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. On Nov. 12, 2022, Russell Wilson completed 23-of-36 (63.9 percent) for 247 yards, with 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, and a rating of 100.1 in a 34-28 loss. In the penultimate regular season game that season, Wilson completed 26-of-38 (68.4 percent) for 222 yards, with 1 touchdown, 1 interception, and a rating of 81.3 in a 27-24 loss. Then in 2023, on Oct. 12, Wilson completed 13-of-22 (59.1 percent) for 95 yards, with 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions, and a rating of 46.6 in a 19-8 loss to the Chiefs. Lastly, on Oct. 29, 2023, Wilson completed 12-of-19 (63.2 percent) for 114 yards, with 3 touchdowns, no interceptions, and a rating of 119.3 in a 24-9 victory.
ED SHANK FROM BEREA, OH: It was special for the Steelers organization to honor the 50th anniversary of the 1974 Super Bowl team. Especially to introduce each member at halftime. For those of us who remember watching that team win, (and for others who didn't), is there any video available showing those introductions of each player? It would be very special to this lifelong Steelers Nations fan to see these honorable men once more accepting the gratitude of the Steelers fans present at the game.
ANSWER: Go to youtube.com/steelers. When you get to that site, go up to the search engine at the top of that page and type: 50th anniversary Super Bowl IX celebration. That will take you to another page, where the first video is a replay of the halftime ceremony during the game vs. the Jets. It's 8:18 long, and you'll enjoy every second.
