stillers4me
01-21-2011, 10:57 PM
Dan Rooney wrote in his 2007 autobiography that the memory of passing on Dan Marino (http://www.nfl.com/players/danmarino/profile?id=MAR149079) in 1983, the quarterback who grew up down the street and starred collegiately across town, stuck with him for two decades. And it was that memory that motivated him to push his football people to draft Ben Roethlisberger (http://www.nfl.com/players/benroethlisberger/profile?id=ROE750381) in 2004, even as some of them leaned toward selecting Arkansas tackle Shawn Andrews (http://www.nfl.com/players/shawnandrews/profile?id=AND725489).
On draft day, Rooney recounted, "I couldn't bear the thought of passing on another great quarterback prospect the way we passed on Dan Marino in 1983, so I steered conversation to Roethlisberger."
The pick itself, might have seemed a little unconventional. The Steelers' 6-10 season in 2003 was an aberration, coming off consecutive division titles, and the roster was stocked in a win-now kind of way, making it an awkward place for a stud rookie quarterback to traverse. But the owner has pull, and Big Ben's talent was too much to overlook.........
read more @ http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/story/09000d5d81dd1e2c/article/big-ben-other-title-game-qbs-had-shot-to-grow-into-roles
On draft day, Rooney recounted, "I couldn't bear the thought of passing on another great quarterback prospect the way we passed on Dan Marino in 1983, so I steered conversation to Roethlisberger."
The pick itself, might have seemed a little unconventional. The Steelers' 6-10 season in 2003 was an aberration, coming off consecutive division titles, and the roster was stocked in a win-now kind of way, making it an awkward place for a stud rookie quarterback to traverse. But the owner has pull, and Big Ben's talent was too much to overlook.........
read more @ http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/story/09000d5d81dd1e2c/article/big-ben-other-title-game-qbs-had-shot-to-grow-into-roles