Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

They had a few starts but were mostly reserves: George Mira, Pete Bethard, John Huarte, John Stofa, Rick Arrington, Dick Shiner, Terry Hanratty.

My dad was a Hanratty man.
He disliked Bradshaw for all the reasons he was supposed to (he was dumb, a country bumpkin and wouldn't listen to Noll).

Dad had a change of heart in 1974...

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... nrTe00.htm

Someone I know from Pennsylvania has always said he thought Hanratty was the brains behind the Steelers offensive play calling. Is he correct? IDK

An odd trivia tidbit is that Jim Marshall's wrong-way run ensued following a pass completion from George Mira to Billy Kilmer.

vikingsfan1963 wrote:They had a few starts but were mostly reserves: George Mira, Pete Bethard, John Huarte, John Stofa, Rick Arrington, Dick Shiner, Terry Hanratty.

Mira - he was really highly-regarded coming out of college. He wasn't big and had a weak arm, but was more athletic than John Brodie. The Niners were always looking to replace Brodie, and every year after they drafted Mira the story going into the upcoming season was always "THIS will be the year when Mira unseats Brodie as starting QB". It never happened. Mira wound up with the Colts in some capacity in 1970, and Steve Sabol said that Mira called the offensive plays in Super Bowl V. Mira's kid was a very good LB at U of Miami during the Jimmy Johnson era, but he tested positive for steroids before the bowl game against Oklahoma.

Beathard - looked the part and had a strong arm, but was wildly inaccurate. He won the national title at USC and was a top draft pick. Got his starting opportunity after being traded to Houston, and the Oilers made the playoffs twice in three years with Beathard, but the Oilers were so impressed with Beathard that they traded him to the Cardinals for Charley Johnson. Brother is Bobby Beathard.

Huarte - I've read that he injured his shoulder late in his college career, and could never throw the ball well after that. His NFL stats back up this story. He must have been very smart, though, because he still managed to hang around in the NFL for 6 years.

Stofa - minor league football legend became perhaps the only QB to start for two different first year expansion teams. Very injury-prone.

Arrington - daughter is Jill Arrington, one-time sideline reporter to whom Lloyd Carr gave a memorable non-interview.

Shiner - the Steelers helped the Browns by trading Bill Nelsen to them for Dick Shiner. Had a decent career all things considered.

Hanratty - perhaps the last "Same Old Steelers" draft pick, Art Rooney Sr. really liked him at Notre Dame. Chuck Noll didn't want to draft him at all. Watching film of Hanratty, you notice that he has no arm strength. Every pass floats. He had a brief run of success coming off the bench in 1973 and lofting bombs for TDs, but he was usually terrible.

What about Terry Baker, the Heisman winner from Oregon St. who the Rams drafted #1 overall in 1963? Was he the Tebow of his era?

I don't think Baker started many games in his brief NFL stint. I believe Gary Beban even played less in the NFL than Baker. Oh, and some great observations about those QBs I listed.

vikingsfan1963 wrote:Someone I know from Pennsylvania has always said he thought Hanratty was the brains behind the Steelers offensive play calling. Is he correct? IDK

There has always been a strong Notre Dame influence in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania that has clouded the reputation of Hanratty . Terry was a classy fellow who was well-liked by Steeler fans and players alike. Unfortunately for Hanratty, he was not the brains or the talent behind anything during his time with the team. His most notable achievement was marketing an officially autographed Terry Hanratty clipboard late in his career with the Steelers.