I don’t always post sports blogs on this platform. In fact, I hardly ever do. The reason being is that there are plenty of sports bloggers who do a far better job than I do it plus, I don’t have the time to research the topic. If I maintained this blog fifteen years ago, it might have been a weather or media blog. But, this is 2024, and I am aspiring to make this blog what it is (one that centers around food, fitness, and fashion). I haven’t gotten there yet, but one day I will.
For now, today’s blog post is all about one of the best NFL drafts I got to witness, and that is the 2004 NFL Draft. Now most longtime fans will argue that 1983 was the best quarterback draft of all time. Understandable as it produced three Hall of Fame passers in John Elway, Jim Kelly, and Dan Marino. Two of those quarterbacks hailed from western Pennsylvania.
Three quarterbacks went early in the first round of the 2004 draft and all three would go on to have stellar careers with great numbers. One would play in the shadow of his big brother. The first two quarterbacks to get drafted swapped teams. My hometown team picked 11th and drafted a 6’5″ quarterback with a good arm out of Miami of Ohio. These three quarterbacks would win four Super Bowls between them from 2005 to 2011.
I was in my first year at Slippery Rock University, just about to finish up the Spring semester. That first year was a learning experience for me and I realized that I shouldn’t have taken my final year in Johnstown for granted. One of the kids on my floor in my residence hall was a big fan of the NFL. That last Saturday in April, I was in the basement lounge watching the draft on ESPN. The Chargers picked first and selected Eli Manning out of Ole Miss while the Giants picked fourth and drafted Philip Rivers out of North Carolina State. The rest is history.
Between the two quarterbacks, the Arizona Cardinals picked up a wide receiver out of Pitt named Larry Fitzgerald. He’d go on to have a good career in the desert. Just before the Steelers drafted Big Ben at #11, the Texans at #10 selected a cornerback whom Rocco and I thought had a funny sounding name. The cornerback’s name? Dunta Robinson, out of South Carolina.
A lot of Miami Hurricane players went early in the first round, including those who started on the 2001 National Championship team. Sad that Sean Taylor (5th pick, Washington Redskins) didn’t play long though, Lord rest his soul. Vince Wilfork won a couple of Super Bowls with New England and was intimidating on that defensive line during their two decade dynasty.
That year, Eli Manning took over mid-season for Kurt Warner while Philip Rivers sat on the bench for the first of two seasons. Another potential HOF quarterback was leading the Chargers to a successful season. Ben Roethlisberger started early in the season and led the Steelers to thirteen consecutive regular season wins. The team went four months without losing a game, finally falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game on January 23.
As I close off the blog, I will say that the 1974 draft was one of the best (for Pittsburgh) as the draft picks helped them win four Super Bowls. While 1983 and 2004 were the best quarterback drafts, 1999 and 2021 were the worst as draft picks were wasted on passers who fizzled out or who got traded. 2022 is getting there as one of the worst too.
Maybe one of those top 2021 picks might just be the answer in Pittsburgh, though. Anything better than the first round pick of 2022. At least they picked a winner in Big Ben 20 years ago today.
Stylish 🍒 