Former NFL quarterback Kordell Stewart opened up about his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers in a new op-ed for the Players' Tribune published on Thursday (February 4.)
Stewart spent the majority of the NFL career in Pittsburgh after being selected by the Steelers in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft and had a polarizing eight seasons in the Steel City.
The former University of Colorado standout brought a unique skill set to the franchise, earning the nickname "Slash" for his ability to provide a dual-threat option at quarterback -- years before the trend became common among NFL starters -- while also excelling at several other positions.
Stewart emerged as a franchise quarterback, but his time in Pittsburgh was polarizing and included an unproven 1998 rumor about him engaging in a lewd act with another man in a city park.
“It never happened,” Stewart wrote in the Players' Tribune feature. “It was a lie. But that wasn’t the point.”
Stewart, who is not gay, said he felt attacked by the city of Pittsburgh for the rumor, which he said the Steelers found was started by an individual local police officer. The former quarterback said he was asked by then-head coach Bill Cowher to address the team about it.
The rumor coincided with regression in Stewart's playing career and led to a damaged relationship with Pittsburgh fans which, the former quarterback revealed in the op-ed, included one fan throwing a beer at him and using a racial slur during a game in 1998.
Stewart also addresses several other topics during his playing career including his decision to primarily play quarterback despite many believing he would have excelled more at the wide receiver position, as well as losing his mother to cancer at a young age.
“When my mother finally passed away when I was 11, my dad stepped up and was there for me every single day of my life,” Stewart wrote. “He was a mother, father, best friend — everything to me.”
Stewart took over as the Steelers' starting quarterback during his third season, leading Pittsburgh to the AFC Championship Game before being eliminated the eventual Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos. He was benched in 1999 and wouldn't reclaim the starting job until after the Steelers' first game in 2000, but finished the season as the AFC Offensive Player of the Year.
The Steelers once again made the AFC Championship Game in 2000 but were eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots, and Stewart was once again benched after three games in 2001 before being released the following offseason.
Stewart started five games for the Chicago Bears in 2003 and spent his final two seasons as a backup for the Baltimore Ravens before announcing his retirement at the Steelers' facility in 2012.
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