Former Steelers QB Kordell Stewart retires

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart officially retired on Wednesday, saying he needed closure nearly seven years after playing his final NFL down.

The 39-year-old planned to sign a one-day contract with Pittsburgh before walking away to give his football career a sense of finality.

Stewart played for the Steelers in eight of his 11 seasons, becoming a sensation in the late-1990s when his versatility as a quarterback, running back, wide receiver and kick returner earned him the nickname "Slash." He helped Pittsburgh to the 1996 Super Bowl and made the Pro Bowl as a quarterback in 2001 after leading Pittsburgh to a 13-3 record.

The former Colorado star split time between Chicago and Baltimore over his final three seasons, last playing as a backup with the Ravens in 2005.



Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/nfl/05/30/kordell.stewart.ap/index.html#ixzz1wO7jb6vL

Why would the Steelers want to sign a one-day contract with Kordell so he can retire a Steeler? It's not like he's a potential Hall Of Famer or a revered member of the Steelers family. He was a very polarizing and, arguably, largely unpopular member of the Steelers in his time here. They weren't going to do him any favors just to assuage his ego. Honestly, the revelation he wasn't already retired stunned the hell out of me.

Kordell Stewart gets closure, retires as a Steeler
Posted by Michael David Smith on May 30, 2012, 4:20 PM EDT


Kordell Stewart hasn’t played in the NFL in seven years and hasn’t played for the Steelers in ten years, but he was back in Pittsburgh today for a ceremony at which he retired as a Steeler.

“I just wanted some closure with my NFL career,” Stewart said. “I wanted to finish it off as a Steeler. This is where I started. I talked to Mr. [Art] Rooney and he gave me the opportunity to finish it out as a Steeler. This means a lot. It lets me know how much they appreciate what I have done. I just want to tell Mr. Rooney and Dan Rooney the appreciation I have toward them and how they stuck by me during the tough times. When I talk about the Rooney family and how they do their business, they do it better than anybody.”

After a successful college career as a run-pass threat at Colorado, no one was quite sure what to make of Stewart’s pro prospects. But the Steelers selected him in the second round of the 1995 NFL draft and created a new position for him, a receiver/running back/quarterback/special teams hybrid, and all those slashes in the name of his position earned him the nickname Slash. After two years as Slash, the Steelers made Stewart their starting quarterback, and he had an up-and-down career, capable of occasional brilliance but never able to produce consistently as a passer.

(Read More:) http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/05/30/kordell-stewart-gets-closure-retires-as-a-steeler/

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I guess the Steelers did do him that favor.

Buddha Bus wrote:

Kordell Stewart gets closure, retires as a Steeler
Posted by Michael David Smith on May 30, 2012, 4:20 PM EDT


Kordell Stewart hasn’t played in the NFL in seven years and hasn’t played for the Steelers in ten years, but he was back in Pittsburgh today for a ceremony at which he retired as a Steeler.

“I just wanted some closure with my NFL career,” Stewart said. “I wanted to finish it off as a Steeler. This is where I started. I talked to Mr. [Art] Rooney and he gave me the opportunity to finish it out as a Steeler. This means a lot. It lets me know how much they appreciate what I have done. I just want to tell Mr. Rooney and Dan Rooney the appreciation I have toward them and how they stuck by me during the tough times. When I talk about the Rooney family and how they do their business, they do it better than anybody.”

After a successful college career as a run-pass threat at Colorado, no one was quite sure what to make of Stewart’s pro prospects. But the Steelers selected him in the second round of the 1995 NFL draft and created a new position for him, a receiver/running back/quarterback/special teams hybrid, and all those slashes in the name of his position earned him the nickname Slash. After two years as Slash, the Steelers made Stewart their starting quarterback, and he had an up-and-down career, capable of occasional brilliance but never able to produce consistently as a passer.




(Read More:) http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/05/30/kordell-stewart-gets-closure-retires-as-a-steeler/



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I guess the Steelers did do him that favor.

please korki do tell

Buddha Bus wrote:

Why would the Steelers want to sign a one-day contract with Kordell so he can retire a Steeler? It's not like he's a potential Hall Of Famer or a revered member of the Steelers family. He was a very polarizing and, arguably, largely unpopular member of the Steelers in his time here.

This ^^

Buddha Bus wrote:

Honestly, the revelation he wasn't already retired stunned the hell out of me.

And this ^^

Kordell was an amazing athlete. Although he was never a real quarterback, it was always exciting when he played because you never knew what was going to happen. When Chan Gailey and Yancy Thigpen left (end of '97 season) he was not very productive. Being demoted in favor of a has-been and previously released player (Kent Graham) really wasn't fair to him. He did, however come back even better after Graham went down and won MVP of The Steelers when he gave us a 13-3 season (going to the Pro Bowl). If not for his biggest blunder against The Browns and Tommy "Gun" Maddox coming in to win the game, he might have continued as a Steeler. Instead of keeping him on the team in some capacity with his athleticism, they simply cut him after that season.

I think Kordell loved being a Steeler. I saw him on TV quite a bit over the last few years; often wearing his Steelers #10 jersey. Whether you loved him or hated him, he played hard and did his best to perform. He was always exciting (even though I closed my eyes and cringed every time he threw it deep). I am truly happy for him and his family. I will always remember him as Slash and one of the best and most athletic weapons we ever had.

BornaSteelersfan wrote:

Kordell was an amazing athlete. Although he was never a real quarterback, it was always exciting when he played because you never knew what was going to happen. When Chan Gailey and Yancy Thigpen left (end of '97 season) he was not very productive. Being demoted in favor of a has-been and previously released player (Kent Graham) really wasn't fair to him. He did, however come back even better after Graham went down and won MVP of The Steelers when he gave us a 13-3 season (going to the Pro Bowl). If not for his biggest blunder against The Browns and Tommy "Gun" Maddox coming in to win the game, he might have continued as a Steeler. Instead of keeping him on the team in some capacity with his athleticism, they simply cut him after that season.

I think Kordell loved being a Steeler. I saw him on TV quite a bit over the last few years; often wearing his Steelers #10 jersey. Whether you loved him or hated him, he played hard and did his best to perform. He was always exciting (even though I closed my eyes and cringed every time he threw it deep). I am truly happy for him and his family. I will always remember him as Slash and one of the best and most athletic weapons we ever had.

Sometimes I think about what could have been if we had kept O'Donnell, and Kordell had remained "Slash." But then it depresses me, so I stop thinking about it.

As much as I disliked Kordell at QB, Graham was much much worse.

Quote :

Honestly, the revelation he wasn't already retired stunned the hell out of me.

Seriously! I was like retire from what?????

BornaSteelersfan wrote:

Kordell was an amazing athlete. Although he was never a real quarterback, it was always exciting when he played because you never knew what was going to happen. When Chan Gailey and Yancy Thigpen left (end of '97 season) he was not very productive. Being demoted in favor of a has-been and previously released player (Kent Graham) really wasn't fair to him. He did, however come back even better after Graham went down and won MVP of The Steelers when he gave us a 13-3 season (going to the Pro Bowl). If not for his biggest blunder against The Browns and Tommy "Gun" Maddox coming in to win the game, he might have continued as a Steeler. Instead of keeping him on the team in some capacity with his athleticism, they simply cut him after that season.

Don't get me wrong, I thought Kordell was an amazing athlete and was great as "Slash", but his stubbornness at staying as a mediocre QB was what got him shown the door in Pittsburgh. He wouldn't accept the role (and possible pay cut) of "Slash". I think the Steelers organization would have loved to have kept him in that capacity as he was a dynamic playmaker when given those opportunities, but he wanted to be a starting QB in the NFL which he proved he no longer was.

I agree he probably deserved somewhat better than being benched for Kent Graham though.

Things might have been different if he had switched to WR. I thought he could have been really good/great for us.
Too bad!

This just in Chad Scott at the age of 47 signs a one day contract to retire a Steeler

solardave wrote:

This just in Chad Scott at the age of 47 signs a one day contract to retire a Steeler

Don't give 'em any ideas, Dave!

Buddha Bus wrote:

solardave wrote:

This just in Chad Scott at the age of 47 signs a one day contract to retire a Steeler

Don't give 'em any ideas, Dave!

Wouldn't that be the ultimate WTF!!!!

solardave wrote:

Buddha Bus wrote:

solardave wrote:

This just in Chad Scott at the age of 47 signs a one day contract to retire a Steeler

Don't give 'em any ideas, Dave!

Wouldn't that be the ultimate WTF!!!!

No.... that would be Mitch Berger.