Steelers History Steelers News
Two Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterbacks Named to College Football Hall of Fame
Two former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks were announced as part of the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 on Wednesday.
Steelers quarterbacks Terry Hanratty and Michael Vick were both announced as part of the 18-man class that will be inducted during the National Football Foundation Awards Dinner in December.
Hanratty played at Notre Dame before the Steelers made him their second-round pick in the 1969 NFL Draft. At Notre Dame, Hanratty was a national champion in 1966 with the Irish, was a two-time All-American, a Heisman Trophy finalist and won the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the country’s best college passer.
With the Steelers, Hanratty started for a short time before giving way to 1970 No. 1 overall pick Terry Bradshaw. Hanratty made five starts in 1960, six in 1970 and one in 1971 before settling into a backup role. In 1974, head coach Chuck Noel benched Bradshaw, with Hanratty making four starts and Joe Gilliam one. Bradshaw eventually returned to the lineup, leading the Steelers to their first Super Bowl victory.
That was one of two Super Bowl wins for Hanratty with the Steelers, as they repeated in 1975. Hanratty played the last four offensive snaps of the game. The following season, he was waived by the Steelers in favor of rookie Mike Kruczek. Hanratty was claimed on waivers by the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hanratty backed up quarterback Steve Spurrier, making one start, a 42-0 loss to his former team. The Buccaneers finished the season 0-14, and Hanratty retired from the NFL.
Vick joined the Pittsburgh Steelers for one season in 2015, 46 years after Hanratty. A Newport News, Virginia native, Vick became a start at Virginia Tech, where he was an All-American, the Big East Rookie of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year and the winner of the Archie Griffin Award as college football’s most valuable player.
After two seasons with the Hokies, Vick was the No. 1 overall pick of the Atlanta Falcons ins the 2001 NFL Draft, and his combination of speed and athleticism changed the paradigm for quarterback play in the NFL. Vick spent six seasons in Atlanta before a dogfighting arrest derailed his career. He returned to the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009, and became a starter again 2010, winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year and returning to the Pro Bowl for a fourth time.
Vick started in Philadelphia for four seasons before he lost his starting job to Nick Foles amid injuries in 2013. Vick spent one season as a backup with the New York Jets, starting three games in 2014, and then came to Pittsburgh, where he started three games in relief of Ben Roethlisberger in 2015. Another hamstring injury with the Steelers ended Vick’s playing career.
After his playing days, Vick served as an analyst for Fox Sports and was just recently hired as the head coach at Norfolk State University.
The rest of the class includes Wisconsin running back Montee Ball, Auburn linebacker Gregg Carr, St. John’s wide receiver Blake Elliott, Minnesota center Greg Slinger, Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell, Tennessee defensive tackle John Henderson, Texas defensive back Michael Huff, North Dakota tight end Jim Kleinsasser, Cal offensive lineman Alex Mack, Michigan offensive lineman Terrence Metcalf, Oregon defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, West Virginia running back Steve Slaton, Miami linebacker Darrin Smith, Texas Southern defensive lineman Michael Strahan, USC defensive back Dennis Thurman and Wyoming wide receiver Ryan Yarborough.
Four coaches were also honored: Troy coach Larry Blakeney, Northwestern College coach Larry Korver, Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and Toledo, Michigan State, LSU and Alabama coach Nick Saban