I know what Steelers fans will think when reading this post.
“Tim, this is nothing more than a giant ‘I TOLD YOU!'”
Let me say in advance, yes. Yes, that is exactly it.
No more. Not less. It’s a giant “I told you so”.
Because I did. Now I’m asking you to reevaluate.
I wrote a lot of columns that made a lot of people really angry. Tearing up Pirates, Penguins and Steelers. Or any time you mention Pitt.
Advance an unpopular opinion about a trade or draft choice. Some risky comments about how our local politicians were dealing with the coronavirus situation. Dance on some sensitive social or political opinions.
But under these circumstances, for each negative response or two, I usually get one or two positive responses.
But not for today’s example. I’m referring to an article I wrote about quarterback Tom Brady on January 7, 2020. Three days after his New England Patriots lost to the Tennessee Titans in the AFC playoffs, Brady looked bad in the process.
It was clear at the time that the long marriage between the franchise and its six-time Super Bowl champion, QB, was difficult, and he can get to the free agency. In the meantime, Pittsburgh was wading off-season to see if Ben Roethlisberger’s surgically repaired elbow would heal enough to allow him to return to wearing the Steelers uniform in 2020. If ever again.
So I came up with the idea that – despite almost 20 years of animosity against Brady in our beautiful city – Steelers fans would (and should) welcome him to the city if Ben Roethlisberger’s arm forced him to retire.
.@TimBenzPgh: Each #NFL fan base would embrace Tom Brady, even # Thieves fans https://t.co/i1c8e97TvV
– Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) January 7, 2020
Among negative tweets, Facebook responses and emails, I am sure that I have never received a more universal rejection of a story idea by our readers. I expected a negative reaction for provincial and emotional reasons. Not tactical football. But I have both.
Readers expressed hatred for Brady for his repeated defeat of the Steelers, the Patriots’ reign of terror over AFC and the allegations surrounding Spygate and Deflategate. But also, many thought that he would no longer be able to hack, and he would not help the Steelers if he went to Heinz Field.
Mason Rudolph would be better. A draft choice would be better. I am sure that if I looked carefully, I could find an answer “it would be better for them to have ‘Pato’ next year”.
I was accused of everything from the betrayal in Pittsburgh to the spread of the “clickbait”.
Yes. How did it all end?
Roethlisberger came back. He drove the Steelers for an 11-0 start. And Brady ended up having a better year. Now, he’s in the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Do you think the folks in Tampa would be happier with Rudolph or Duck? Or even Big Ben?
Nah, I don’t either.
The parishioner “we hate Brady because he was a patriot n’at a cheater”, I hoped. If my hypothetical happened and Roethlisberger had retired during the off-season, I think most Pittsburghers would have forgotten all that and salivated at the prospect of Brady being a bridge for a few years, maintaining the competitive attack while that strong defense continued to thrive.
But the contempt for Brady’s skills was just stupid. Especially compared to any quarterback that the Steelers would have ended up trotting on the day of the debut if Brady hadn’t come to Pittsburgh.
Consider these figures published by Brady in 2020-21. At 43, in his 21st season.
• Brady’s 4,633 passing yards are the fourth highest total of his career.
• Brady’s 40 touchdowns were surpassed only by the 50 he launched with the 18-1 Pats in 2007.
• Its 401 conclusions were overcome only once (402 in 2015).
• Brady has won three playoff games this year. The Steelers have had three in the past decade.
• What about all “Yes, what about Spygate and Deflategate?” theorists, this will be Brady’s sixth Super Bowl since Spygate. Your room since Deflategate. Your fifth if you count the victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the game after the scandal broke.
In the meantime, the Patriots made 7-9 and lost the Super Bowl.
So yes, clearly hiring Brady to replace Roethlisberger would have been a tragic mistake for the Steelers franchise. Good call to everyone who sent emails, tweeted and posted on Facebook.
Now that we look at it, the Steelers should have hired Brady to replace Roethlisberger, even if he remained healthy.
Yes, my email inbox is open if you want to respond to that comment as well.
Or if you want to tell me how stupid I am still because the Steelers are going to get it (insert Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Sam Darnold, Carson Wentz or Matt Stafford here) anyway in this off season. So, I’m still wrong.
Funny how things change. “We would never want Tom Brady to replace Big Ben. But give us Sam Darnold! “
I’m just kidding, Steelers fans. Enjoy the Super Bowl. I’m sure Dwayne Haskins will be taking you there soon.
By the way, my email inbox also accepts excuses.
Tim Benz is an editor on the Tribune-Review team. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets can be posted again. All emails are subject to publication, unless otherwise specified.
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Sports | Steelers / NFL | Breakfast with Benz