Steelers Great Terry Bradshaw Detailed How Mike Webster's Posterior Occasionally Killed Drives

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been blessed to have some extraordinary quarterbacks stay for their entire careers, especially Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger. While these "Men of Steel" won six combined Super Bowls, they were still just mortal humans who made mistakes. Bradshaw and Roethlisberger had their share of fumbled balls and interceptions, like all quarterbacks. 

Bradshaw's on-field errors were often amplified by the media's portrayal of him as a "dumb blonde," a label that he found hurtful and unfair. Despite his numerous achievements, he was often the subject of jokes and ridicule. While Bradshaw has admitted that these comments have affected him, it's disheartening that many believed these stereotypes. 

Turning over the ball is about the biggest mistake you can make as a quarterback. Bradshaw shared in his book It's Only A Game that he hated that feeling of the walk of shame to the sideline, knowing you hurt your team. Bradshaw said he knew, too, that Head Coach Chuck Noll was waiting on the sideline to cuss him out for the screw-up.

However, Bradshaw noted that he may have been unfairly blamed for some of the fumbles. They weren't all because he had butterfingers or was careless with the ball. While he said he isn't going to point fingers at anyone, an unlikely source caused some of those fumbles: center Mike Webster's gluteus maximus. Or perhaps Webster's should be called a "gluteus minorus" based on Bradshaw's frustration at how its lack of size impacted the game. 

"Fans just naturally assumed I fumbled the ball because I was so clumsy, not because Mike Webster's butt wasn't big enough. So if anyone is to blame for my fumbles, it would be Mike Webster's parents, who raised a strong boy, but he definitely needed a bigger butt."

According to Bradshaw, it is, unfortunately, one of the details of the game that casual fans might miss. While Webster may have been the backbone of that offensive line, he had his quirks. No one is perfect. This one happened to rear (pardon the pun) its head when the Steelers played an opponent with a massive nose tackle. Bradshaw said it was the only time he was nervous on the field. 

"In those situations, Mike had a tendency to lower his butt so he could gain some leverage against the tackle. That made things a little more complicated for me. When he snapped the ball, his butt would go down and then he'd shoot forward; at times that would push my hand down and I'd end up missing the snap."

Bradshaw said he loathed seeing the ball just bouncing loose down the field. He said it became the most valuable possession in the world for those few seconds. Both teams' players were willing to sacrifice their safety to be in possession. He said he was expected to throw himself in the pile to try to claim the ball, and he did. 

Fortunately for Bradshaw and the Steelers, Webster didn't cause many fumbles. He is considered one of the league's all-time best centers. He played a substantial role in the Black and Gold winning four Super Bowls, was nominated to nine Pro Bowls, and was a five-time First Team All-Pro. More than any of that, Webster was durable and reliable. When he left Pittsburgh to go to the Kansas City Chiefs for two seasons in 1989, he'd played more games (220 of them), than any other Steeler. Roethlisberger ultimately broke that record in 2020. Over his 18 seasons, Roethlisberger played in 249 games before when he retired. 

Sadly, the world lost Webster in 2002 when he passed away from heart failure at the young age of 50. Ultimately, he had one final gift to the game he loved so much. His post-football life and death raised awareness of CTE. Thanks for this should go to his selfless family, who were willing to publicly fight a heartbreaking battle to prevent other former players and their families from suffering the same fate. 

Steelers Need The Next Mike Webster And Fast

The Steelers have always valued the significance of having a Pro Bowl-level center. To the layperson, snapping the ball a few feet might not seem like a big deal, but Bradshaw's explanation proves that it is an art form. For this reason, the Steelers have a history of having great players in the middle of the offensive line, and Webster set the tone, leaving huge cleats to fill. Some of his successors have also been incredible - Dermontti Dawson and Maurkice Pouncey immediately come to mind. In contrast, some recent centers fell short of the mark.  

The Steelers' first selection is currently 20th overall, and it will be interesting to see how this shakes out. Many believe that Powers-Johnson is the best center in the draft, but still a reach at 20. They also agree that Frazier may not last until the Steelers pick in the second round. That leaves a myriad of possibilities for filling the many holes on their roster before the season starts.

Is there a center the Steelers should try to get in the upcoming draft? What do you think of Bradshaw's recollection of Webster? Click to