Steelers' Terry Bradshaw Reveals Heartbreaking Hurt: "I Learned Through The Hurt And The Pain"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are considered one of the best organizations in all of professional sports, and a lot of have that has to do with the run the franchise went on during the 1970s. The Steelers won back-to-back Super Bowls twice, totaling four in the decade. It was one of the best dynasties in NFL history, and many amazing players were on those teams. This included a star-studded defense that was known as the "Steel Curtain", as well as a powerful offense led by Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, and others.

Bradshaw has become one of the more recognizable faces in sports media, and he is often making headlines due to questionable comments or some public outbursts, but he is a Hall Of Fame quarterback. He is one of the most successful players to ever play the position as the only quarterback with more rings than him is Tom Brady. 

Bradshaw's career wasn't always perfect in Pittsburgh. He began his career by throwing a lot of interceptions, and struggling quite a bit. He lost the starting gig in 1974 to Joe Gilliam after Gilliam agreed to play while most of the league was on strike. The former quarterback told an interesting story about that season during an appearance on the To The Point - Home Service Podcast. 

"They called Joe Gilliam." Bradshaw said. "He crossed the line, and went in and starting playing. Eventually he started strong, then he started fading. Then they put me back in to start. I didn't play well, they benched me, put Terry Hanratty in. He didn't play well. They benched him, put me back in, and I finished out the season and we won a Super Bowl."

If there is anything to take away from this comment from Bradshaw, it is that no matter how much it is discussed, the Steel Curtain will never get the respect it deserves. A team starting three different quarterbacks due to performance, and then winning the Super Bowl isn't something that is feasible in today's NFL.

Bradshaw went on to talk more about that time, before all of the success he and the Steelers are well known for. He spoke about not having the best relationship with his Head Coach Chuck Noll, who is considered one of the best to ever hold that role in the NFL. Bradshaw shared some of their interactions, and how Noll treated his quarterback.

"I did not like my head coach at all, Chuck Noll." Bradshaw said. "He was not a nice person. And he was mean to me. In all my 14 years of playing for him, he never shook my hand one time, say 'Nice job, Terry.' I was walking out, going onto the field to play the Cleveland Browns. And he stopped me and he said, 'You mess up out there today, and I'll bench your a** in the first half!' I'm glad I played for him, Sebastian, because I couldn't stand him, and I learned, I learned through the hurt and the pain of someone taking something from me that I absolutely love, which was quarterbacking the Steelers."

Noll and Bradshaw had a rocky relationship, but it sounds like it was something that was necessary in order to have the amount of success that the two had in Pittsburgh. The Hall Of Famer loved playing quarterback, especially for the Steelers, and he knew he could have that taken from him at any moment by Noll, which created the right amount of pressure to perform.

Steelers Legend's Constant Defense Of Kenny Pickett Makes Perfect Sense

Bradshaw is often in the headlines for defending former Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett. He was a fan of him when he was on the roster, and he has trashed the organization for the way it was operating while Pickett was in Pittsburgh. This is something the four-time champion still does, and it makes considering the start to his own career. Bradshaw didn't reach the success everyone knows him for until he was in the league for quite some time, and he feels like the organization did not give Pickett that same chance or opportunity.

What do you think about Bradshaw's comments about Noll? Let us know in the comments below!

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