| Drafted out of Colorado (2nd round 1995), Kordell Stewart became the Steelers Rookie of the year. The Steelers started utilizing his immense athletic ability to help the offense after the fifth game of that season. Stewart lined up at receiver, came in as quarterback for short yardage situations and option plays, and even executed a quick punt. He quickly earned the nickname "Slash" for the multiple roles he played. Highlights of his rookie season included a 71-yard touchdown reception, a 22-yard touchdown rush in which he broke 4 tackles, and a 32-yard touchdown pass, making him the first player of the 90's to score touchdowns all 3 ways. 1996 saw another spectacular season for "Slash" and he was voted as an alternate to the Pro Bowl and selected to the All-Madden Team. His highlights that season included a 31-yard third-down reception, an 80-yard touchdown run (longest scoring run by a quarterback in NFL history), and some exciting play when coming in at quarterback when needed. Stewart was the full-time starting quarterback for the 1997 season and an ill-advised attempted TD pass to Yancy Thigpen in the late minutes of the AFC Championship game (against Denver) marred what was otherwise an outstanding season. 1998 and 1999 were seasons which exposed some shortcomings in Stewart's play at quarterback. The ability to make big plays athletically was still quite evident but, with respective passer ratings of 62.9 and 58.2, a sentiment of doubt in Stewart's passing accuracy and decision-making ability were established and continued to grow with many fans. 2000 was a comeback year for Kordell. After losing the starting job to Kent Graham to start the season, Stewart regained the job, after an injury to Graham, to start 11 games and turn around what looked to be a very disappointing season for the Steelers. Although his passer rating was only 52.2, he had proven that his overall offensive performance was still an asset to the team and also that his teammates considered him a leader and had confidence in him. In 2001, Kordell again led the Steelers to the AFC Championship. He was elected to his first Pro Bowl and was named the Steelers' Most Valuable Player. 2002, the second-to-last year of his contract, is the pivotal year for Kordell Stewart. Although 2001 was a Pro Bowl season, a tendency to throw the interception seemed to re-establish itself late in the season and the trend also seemed to continue into the beginning of the 2002 season. Tommy Maddox was named the starter for game 4 and as of that point, Kordell Stewart's future in Pittsburgh is in doubt. At Colorado, Kordell finished his career as that school's all-time leading passer with 6,481 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 58.1 percentage. He was a second team All-America selection by the Associated Press his senior year. | 
