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Thread: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

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    Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Matt Fitzgerald | Last updated 1/21/21

    Ben Roethlisberger almost had a wildly different start to his lengthy tenure as Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback. Neil O’Donnell was all but finished with his NFL career when he got the call from his former head coach Bill Cowher to return to the team in 2004.

    In an interview with Rich Salgado on "Big Daddy & Friends," O’Donnell discussed how he made the decision not to play for the Steelers one last time, which had a crazy ripple effect on the franchise and the course of Big Ben’s development.

    The beginning of Roethlisberger’s tenure indeed could’ve gone very differently. Big Ben got drafted 11th overall out of Miami (Ohio) in 2004, and O’Donnell had only returned for one game in 2003 for the Titans, as Jeff Fisher lured him out of his initial retirement following the 2002 campaign.

    After a five-year stint serving as Steve McNair’s backup with the Tennessee Titans ran its course, O’Donnell nearly came back for a 15th NFL season. However, he declined Cowher’s offer, Pittsburgh rolled with a rookie Roethlisberger and the rest is history.

    “I’m a little superstitious,” O’Donnell said. “Everyone know what number I wore [No. 14]…If I could write a storyline saying I played in the NFL for 14 years, with, knock on wood, no really major surgeries…I didn’t want to take the chance going back one more year.”
    O’Donnell added that he could’ve gone to Minnesota to play another two seasons for the Vikings but preferred instead to spend more time with his family.

    During his time with the Steelers in the 1990s, O’Donnell posted an impressive 39-22 record as a starter, highlighted by guiding Pittsburgh to four playoff berths and Super Bowl XXX against the Dallas Cowboys.

    What if O’Donnell would have taken the job?

    Despite how late in his career the second Steelers stint opportunity arrived, O’Donnell still had something in the tank. In the Titans’ final game of 2003, he made his final NFL start and completed 18-of-27 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns in a 33-13 victory, which improved Tennessee’s record to 12-4 at the time.

    to read rest of article:

    https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/artic...12680_33875168

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Fuck him and that 27-17 score, and fuck Brown

    Think that sums up everything


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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    I'm not sure I believe this one. How much later did this come out? Plus if O'Donnell came back, there may have been a fan revolt

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Sadly he was probably the best we had in between Bradshaw & Ben.

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Quote Originally Posted by st33lersguy View Post
    I'm not sure I believe this one. How much later did this come out? Plus if O'Donnell came back, there may have been a fan revolt
    It is true. I remember reading about it but it was a little blip in Steeler history. Not sure why it is being brought up again

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Quote Originally Posted by JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue View Post
    Sadly he was probably the best we had in between Bradshaw & Ben.
    He woulda won a SB if he stayed in Pittsburgh

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Cowherd obviously lived in his fears

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    Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    O’Donnell wasn’t a bad QB. Had some miscommunications with some WRs in the biggest game of his career but overall, he wasn’t terrible.

    Thank the Football Gods that he didn’t return!! They may not have won XL had he returned...even if Ben started that season. Ben’s rookie year was excellent experience. One of my favorite seasons. Beating the two eventual Super Bowl teams, both undefeated in back to back weeks was exciting!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Dwinsgames View Post
    you are a Kenny Pickett enabler

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger



    Live footage of me confronting the “unnamed” QB about how he got paid off to throw Super Bowl XXX.

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Quote Originally Posted by 86WARD View Post
    O’Donnell wasn’t a bad QB. Had some miscommunications with some WRs in the biggest game of his career but overall, he wasn’t terrible.

    Thank the Football Gods that he didn’t return!! They may not have won XL had he returned...even if Ben started that season. Ben’s rookie year was excellent experience. One of my favorite seasons. Beating the two eventual Super Bowl teams, both undefeated in back to back weeks was exciting!!!
    He wasn’t terrible until he left Pittsburgh. He had one of the best OLs at the time.

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Quote Originally Posted by NCSteeler View Post
    Cowherd obviously lived in his fears

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    Colin?

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Neil O’Donnell was a perfect fit For the way the 90’s Steelers teams were built. They had a balanced offense and needed a quarterback that didn’t turn the ball over, and until XXX, that was what O’Donnell was. He didn’t make many mistakes.

    He was the first victim of the Free Agency craze in the 90’s when the Jets threw big bucks at him. O’Donnell wins the ‘97 Championship game and the Steelers don’t regress hard in the late 90’s.

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Quote Originally Posted by DesertSteel View Post
    Colin?
    Damn auto correct and I didn't even look at it. LoL

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Quote Originally Posted by teegre View Post
    Live footage of me confronting the “unnamed” QB about how he got paid off to throw Super Bowl XXX.
    Since then, every time I've smashed a cockroach under my foot I've said: "Die you filthy Neil O'Donnell!" Of course, you're probably thinking to yourself (or saying out loud): "You never said that Peon, and you're only riding my coattails," and you'd be right, but in hindsight (and after watching that clip) I wish I had.
    “They say you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone. So I got rid of everything to see what I had.” ~ Steven Wright

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Quote Originally Posted by Craic View Post
    You know, the more I think about that SB, the more I wonder if the blame should actually fall on Thigpen (I think it was him) who failed to read a blitz and run a hot route.
    That second INT to Brown was Andre Hastings and it was a hot read. Hastings went inside and ODonnell, obviously, threw outside. Neither ones fault other then miscommunication as the hot read can go in or out for that play. The play was designed for Hastings the whole time.

    I think ODonnell admitted that the first one to a brown just sailed on him.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dwinsgames View Post
    you are a Kenny Pickett enabler

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    Re: Former Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell nearly returned to start over Ben Roethlisberger

    Quote Originally Posted by 86WARD View Post
    O’Donnell wasn’t a bad QB. Had some miscommunications with some WRs in the biggest game of his career but overall, he wasn’t terrible.

    Thank the Football Gods that he didn’t return!! They may not have won XL had he returned...even if Ben started that season. Ben’s rookie year was excellent experience. One of my favorite seasons. Beating the two eventual Super Bowl teams, both undefeated in back to back weeks was exciting!!!
    I think they still would have went QB in 2004 if he was available, O'Donnell would've been brought out of retirement to play so he wouldn't have been a long-term solution at that point.

    I still stand by my belief that if he stayed in Pittsburgh, he would have won a super bowl. He was good enough to get us to the dance, and we would have had Kordell Stewart stay in his "Slash" position, where he was at his best

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