Steelers' Kordell Stewart Is Sick And Tired Of Analytics Determining The Fate Of NFL Quarterbacks

The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of amazing stories about the players who have worn the black and gold, but few are as unique as Kordell Stewart's. The multi-positional athlete was certainly a polarizing figure during his time with the Steelers, but he has positive memories of those years. Stewart recently spoke about his NFL career and the opposing views on whether he was actually a quarterback or receiver. In Stewart's eyes, that's the wrong question to be asking.

Steelers Found Unique Success By Letting Stewart Be Stewart

Coming out of Colorado, Stewart wasn't considered to be a polished, NFL-ready quarterback, but the Steelers saw enough value to select him in the 2nd round of the 1995 NFL Draft (60th overall). He was never seen as the heir to the franchise quarterback spot, that was supposed to be Neil O'Donnell. After O'Donnell chose the New York Jets over the Steelers following the Super Bowl XXX loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Steelers still hesitated about handing the keys to Stewart.

Despite the rocky path to the starting role, Stewart found other ways to contribute. He served as a running back, wide receiver, and even punter. The question of what position he actually played has followed him around ever since college, but he doesn't think that is where the focus should be. In an interview with Cofield & Co. on ESPN, Stewart talked about the kind of player he was and what makes an NFL quarterback.

"My time derived around, 'He's a better receiver than he is quarterback,' but I was the first quarterback in the history of the organization, dated back to 1933, to ever complete over 60% of his passes, but I was considered as a receiver. So, if I was a receiver completing over 60% of my passes and the first to ever do it, what were those guys before me who played the position? What were they? How good were they?... You see where I'm coming from? So, from an analytics standpoint, I think it's a bunch of crap!"

Stewart finished his career with 14,746 passing yards and 84 touchdowns through the air, most of which happened with the Steelers. Along with his passing statistics, Stewart produced in every possible way he could find. After the 2005 season, he retired with nearly 3,000 yards rushing to go with 38 scores, 658 yards receiving with five touchdowns, rounded out by a punting average of 35.3 yards. Few players in the modern NFL can boast a stat sheet as eclectic as Stewart's, even if he never blossomed into what would be considered a franchise quarterback.

Steelers Had A Winning Quarterback In Stewart

In the NFL, everything comes down to winning, and legacies are made in Super Bowls. For Stewart, he never got to realize the dream of playing for an NFL championship, but he looks back on his career fondly. While he didn't bring another Lombardi to Pittsburgh, he is confident that he was still successful. Stewart knows that while there are many who see his style and career as more a miss than anything, he won, and that is what matters.

"I mean, I was ready, no one else was, and it was very controversial, right? It was very controversial. It was just so many things that were happening that had nothing to do with the game, you know. It's like, we get so caught up in the analytics of how you gauge a quarterback, right? To the point where you're forgetting that you're winning games!... When I came along doing what I'd done, it was very controversial, but I had a pretty darn good career, particularly in Pittsburgh, finishing 46-29. And that's a winning record! That's winning 63% of your games, and that's a pretty high percentage coming out of that city.

It's refreshing to see a retired quarterback look back on his career with positive memories despite never winning a Super Bowl or making it to one. Bill Cowher was faced with a unique challenge after his Super Bowl loss, having Stewart, Tomczak, and Jim Miller as the team's quarterbacks. Even though Cowher ended up not starting Stewart, the 1996 season was where he started to make believers out of the Steelers.

Perhaps if Stewart had played in the more recent version of the NFL, he would have found far more success than he did during his career. With players like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts putting on shows with their legs and arms, Stewart would have fit right in. Regardless of the what-ifs, Stewart is appreciative of the opportunities he got and the life it allowed him to lead.

Should the Steelers ride with Kenny Pickett for 2024 or make a big move for someone else? If so, who?