stillers4me
04-25-2011, 07:16 AM
The greatest NFL draft that history forgot took place in Pittsburgh 40 years ago. It long has been overshadowed by the greatest draft ever, the one that produced four Hall of Famers for the Steelers in 1974.
That 1974 draft, however, could not touch the one the Steelers produced in 1971 in one important area. The '71 draft yielded eight Super Bowl starters, not to mention one Hall of Famer and six Pro Bowlers.
If '74 was the most glamorous draft in NFL history, the Steelers' '71 draft may have been its most productive, the one that formed the backbone for at least their first two Super Bowls. It still gnaws at Art Rooney Jr., the man in charge of that draft, that NFL Films gave it no mention in its series on "Top 10 Draft Classes." Pro Football Weekly listed it at No. 4. Both had the '74 draft as tops.
"When NFL Films did it, they didn't even have it included," Rooney Jr. said. "I asked them about it; they had some reason. I didn't want to argue, didn't want to look ungrateful."...............
Read more @ http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11115/1141767-66.stm
That 1974 draft, however, could not touch the one the Steelers produced in 1971 in one important area. The '71 draft yielded eight Super Bowl starters, not to mention one Hall of Famer and six Pro Bowlers.
If '74 was the most glamorous draft in NFL history, the Steelers' '71 draft may have been its most productive, the one that formed the backbone for at least their first two Super Bowls. It still gnaws at Art Rooney Jr., the man in charge of that draft, that NFL Films gave it no mention in its series on "Top 10 Draft Classes." Pro Football Weekly listed it at No. 4. Both had the '74 draft as tops.
"When NFL Films did it, they didn't even have it included," Rooney Jr. said. "I asked them about it; they had some reason. I didn't want to argue, didn't want to look ungrateful."...............
Read more @ http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11115/1141767-66.stm