Kordell Stewart
Encyclopedia
Kordell Stewart, nickname
d "Slash" (born October 16, 1972, in New Orleans, Louisiana
), is a former American
NFL quarterback
. Stewart attended the University of Colorado
and was drafted 60th in the 1995 NFL draft
by the Pittsburgh Steelers
. Playing for Colorado
in 1994 he completed a hail mary pass
to beat the University of Michigan
27-26, a play known as "The Miracle at Michigan
." Among NFL quarterbacks, his 38 rushing touchdowns ranks second all-time, behind Steve Young's 43. The NFL Network
named him #6 on its list of the 10 most versatile players in NFL history.
.
Stewart's mother died from lung cancer
when Stewart was 10 years old. As a result Stewart wore number 10 throughout his playing career in high school, college, and the NFL as a tribute to his mom, and became an anti-smoking advocate. With the Steelers Stewart's number 10 previously was worn by kicker
, Roy Gerela
, during the team's dynasty years in the 1970s. The number was worn later by quarterback, Scott Campbell
, from 1984 to 1986. From 2006 to 2010 the number was worn by wide receiver
, Santonio Holmes
. In 2010 quarterback, Dennis Dixon
, reclaimed his college number (10) when Holmes was traded to the New York Jets
.
Stewart attended John Ehret High School
in Marrero, LA, and lettered in football. As a junior, he passed for 1,645 yards and 19 touchdowns. As a senior, he passed for 942 yards and 17 touchdowns, ran for another 923 yards and 23 touchdowns, and was named Louisiana's Most Valuable Player and the New Orleans Player of the Year.
During his senior year in high school Kordell predicted that he would one day be the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
. Playing under coach, Bill McCartney
, he became one of the most prolific quarterbacks in school history, setting several Buffaloes
records, including most completed passes, most passing yards, and most touchdown passes. In 1992, Stewart threw for 2,109 yards with 12 TD against 9 INT and had 1 rushing TD. In 1993, Stewart threw for 2,229 yards with 11 TD against 7 INT. He also ran for 524 yards with 6 TD. In 1994, under new head coach Rick Neuheisel
, Stewart threw for 2,071 yards with 10 TD against 3 INT. He also ran for 639 yards with 7 TD.
Stewart led the Buffaloes single back, two tight end, pro-style attack to an 11-1 record and a top-3 finish in the AP
and Coaches
polls in 1994, as well as wins in the 1993 Aloha Bowl
and 1995 Fiesta Bowl
. He was selected as a second team All-American
his senior year.
On September 24, 1994, Stewart threw a game-winning, 74-yard hail mary pass
to Michael Westbrook
in the closing seconds to beat the University of Michigan
.
, the Steelers lost their offensive coordinator, Chan Gailey
. To replace him, the Steelers brought in Ray Sherman
from the Vikings. In addition, Stewart's leading receiver and Pro Bowler Yancey Thigpen
also left via free agency after the 1997 season. By mid-season in 1998, the Steelers had lost three of the five starting offensive linemen from the 1997 AFC Championship game and, as a result, Stewart and the Steelers offense struggled against the Denver Broncos.
quarterback to start the season
, and the team got off to a 1–3 start. When Graham injured his hip, Stewart was tapped to replace him. The team
finished 9–7 and barely missed the playoffs.
, Stewart had his best year as a pro, throwing for over 3,000 yards, completing 60 percent of his passes, and attaining a passer rating
of 81.7. He threw for 14 TDs and ran for 5 more. Stewart was elected to the Pro Bowl and was named the Steelers MVP.
The Steelers easily defeated the then-defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens
in the divisional playoffs. The eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots
defeated the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.
, and Stewart was released at the end of the season. Stewart did, however, keep the team's playoff hopes alive in his final appearance.
and was named the starter. After several poor performances in 2003
, he was replaced in favor of Chris Chandler
. After getting the same results from Chandler, he was reinserted as the starter, before getting benched in favor of rookie Rex Grossman
after the Bears were eliminated from the playoffs. Stewart was released at the end of the season. Stewart was signed in 2004
by the Ravens to play a backup role to Kyle Boller
, and later served as a replacement for the injured Anthony Wright
. However, he did not throw a pass that season. He was unexpectedly successful as an emergency replacement for punter
Dave Zastudil
, being named NFL Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance. He was released following the 2004 season, but due to an injury to starting quarterback Kyle Boller during Week 1 of the 2005 season
, the Ravens once again signed Stewart to be a backup to Anthony Wright
.
gave Stewart the nickname
"Slash" due to his abilities as a utility player able to play other positions such as running back
/ wide receiver
/ punter / returner.
After confining him to many utility roles during the 1995 season, when the Steelers made it to Super Bowl XXX
only to lose to the Dallas Cowboys
, the team gave Stewart the opportunity to compete for the starting quarterback position in 1996. Following a preseason battle, Bill Cowher named Jim Miller
as the Steelers' starting quarterback and kept Stewart in his "Slash" role. Miller struggled at Jacksonville on opening day and was replaced by Mike Tomczak
for the rest of the season. In a December 1996 game against the Carolina Panthers
, Stewart set an NFL record for longest touchdown run by a quarterback with an 80-yard rush.
instead. Stewart had no comment following the low-key announcement he had been cut from the team.
Stewart made guest appearances on the TV shows Deal or No Deal
and Pros vs. Joes.
On April 29, 2008, in an interview on the WCNN 680 "The Fan," Stewart expressed interest in returning to the NFL. Also, according to ESPN2
's First Take on July 28, 2008, Stewart had not officially retired and had been working out at his home, to attempt a comeback during following pre-season. He later was put into free agency but was never picked up by a team.
He appeared in January 2009 as an analyst on ESPN
's College Football Live
, and then later appeared again in July during the show's "50 States Tour" for the show's episode regarding Colorado athletics. Stewart is currently an analyst for NFL post-game coverage for ESPNEWS.
Kordell will be a sideline reporter for the newly-formed United Football League.
, Georgia
. Stewart also is an avid golfer. In 1998 he was featured as a guest on the popular Nickelodeon game show, "Figure it Out!"
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d "Slash" (born October 16, 1972, in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
), is a former American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
NFL quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. Stewart attended the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
and was drafted 60th in the 1995 NFL draft
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. Playing for Colorado
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
in 1994 he completed a hail mary pass
Hail Mary pass
A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half....
to beat the University of Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
27-26, a play known as "The Miracle at Michigan
The Miracle at Michigan
The Miracle at Michigan refers to the final play that occurred during the American football game played on September 24, 1994 between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The game was decided on Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart's 64-yard...
." Among NFL quarterbacks, his 38 rushing touchdowns ranks second all-time, behind Steve Young's 43. The NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
named him #6 on its list of the 10 most versatile players in NFL history.
Early life and high school years
Stewart was born in New Orleans and was raised in Marrero, Louisiana, where his father, Robert Stewart Sr., and older brother, Robert Jr., own a barber shopBarber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
.
Stewart's mother died from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
when Stewart was 10 years old. As a result Stewart wore number 10 throughout his playing career in high school, college, and the NFL as a tribute to his mom, and became an anti-smoking advocate. With the Steelers Stewart's number 10 previously was worn by kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
, Roy Gerela
Roy Gerela
Roy Gerela is a former American football placekicker best known for his years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, with whom he won three Super Bowl rings....
, during the team's dynasty years in the 1970s. The number was worn later by quarterback, Scott Campbell
Scott Campbell (American football)
Robert Scott Campbell is a former professional American football player who played quarterback for six seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons. He played collegiately at Purdue University. He is currently a real estate broker and owner of Brownstone Realty in Hershey,...
, from 1984 to 1986. From 2006 to 2010 the number was worn by wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, Santonio Holmes
Santonio Holmes
Santonio Holmes Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Ohio State...
. In 2010 quarterback, Dennis Dixon
Dennis Dixon
Dennis Lee Dixon, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, reclaimed his college number (10) when Holmes was traded to the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Stewart attended John Ehret High School
John Ehret High School
John Ehret High School is a four-year public high school serving grades 9-12 located in unincorporated Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, near Marrero....
in Marrero, LA, and lettered in football. As a junior, he passed for 1,645 yards and 19 touchdowns. As a senior, he passed for 942 yards and 17 touchdowns, ran for another 923 yards and 23 touchdowns, and was named Louisiana's Most Valuable Player and the New Orleans Player of the Year.
During his senior year in high school Kordell predicted that he would one day be the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
College career
In 1991 Stewart attended the University of ColoradoUniversity of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. Playing under coach, Bill McCartney
Bill McCartney
William Paul McCartney is a former American football player and coach and the founder of the Promise Keepers men's ministry. He was the head coach at the University of Colorado from 1982 to 1994, where he compiled a record of 93–55–5 and won three consecutive Big Eight Conference...
, he became one of the most prolific quarterbacks in school history, setting several Buffaloes
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
records, including most completed passes, most passing yards, and most touchdown passes. In 1992, Stewart threw for 2,109 yards with 12 TD against 9 INT and had 1 rushing TD. In 1993, Stewart threw for 2,229 yards with 11 TD against 7 INT. He also ran for 524 yards with 6 TD. In 1994, under new head coach Rick Neuheisel
Rick Neuheisel
Richard Gerald "Rick" Neuheisel, Jr. , is an American football coach, former player, and attorney. He was most recently the head football coach at University of California, Los Angeles, a position he held from 2008 to 2011...
, Stewart threw for 2,071 yards with 10 TD against 3 INT. He also ran for 639 yards with 7 TD.
Stewart led the Buffaloes single back, two tight end, pro-style attack to an 11-1 record and a top-3 finish in the AP
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
and Coaches
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
polls in 1994, as well as wins in the 1993 Aloha Bowl
Aloha Bowl
The Aloha Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game played in Honolulu, Hawaii at Aloha Stadium. With the exception of the 1983-86 playings, the Aloha Bowl was traditionally played on Christmas morning in Honolulu. For most of its...
and 1995 Fiesta Bowl
1995 Fiesta Bowl
The 1995 IBM OS/2 Fiesta Bowl, played on January 2, 1995, was the 24th edition of the Fiesta Bowl. The game featured the Colorado Buffaloes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.-1st half:...
. He was selected as a second team All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
his senior year.
On September 24, 1994, Stewart threw a game-winning, 74-yard hail mary pass
Hail Mary pass
A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half....
to Michael Westbrook
Michael Westbrook
Michael Deanailo Westbrook is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. Westbrook spent 7 seasons with the Washington Redskins from 1995 to 2001 and the 2002 season with the Cincinnati Bengals before retiring...
in the closing seconds to beat the University of Michigan
1994 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1994 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1994 college football season. Led by Gary Moeller in his last season as head coach, the Wolverines participated in the Holiday Bowl.-Schedule:...
.
1997
Stewart got his chance to start at quarterback in 1997. Prior to that, with Neil O'Donnell as the starting quarterback, he played wide receiver. In his first season as a starting quarterback in the NFL, he led the Steelers to an 11–5 record and the AFC Championship Game.1998–1999
Prior to the 1998 season1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
, the Steelers lost their offensive coordinator, Chan Gailey
Chan Gailey
Thomas Chandler "Chan" Gailey, Jr. is an American professional and college football coach. Gailey is the current head coach of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League ; he was formerly the head coach of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets college football...
. To replace him, the Steelers brought in Ray Sherman
Ray Sherman
-College career:Sherman played college football at Fresno State as a wide receiver and defensive back. In 1974, he took a job as graduate assistant for San Jose State...
from the Vikings. In addition, Stewart's leading receiver and Pro Bowler Yancey Thigpen
Yancey Thigpen
Yancey Dirk Thigpen is a former professional American football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers , the Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Tennessee Oilers/Titans...
also left via free agency after the 1997 season. By mid-season in 1998, the Steelers had lost three of the five starting offensive linemen from the 1997 AFC Championship game and, as a result, Stewart and the Steelers offense struggled against the Denver Broncos.
2000
Coach Bill Cowher named Kent GrahamKent Graham
Kent Douglas Graham is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League. Graham played quarterback at the University of Notre Dame before transferring to Ohio State University...
quarterback to start the season
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
, and the team got off to a 1–3 start. When Graham injured his hip, Stewart was tapped to replace him. The team
2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record from 1999 in which they failed to qualify for the playoffs. While Pittsburgh did improve to 9–7 and had their first winning season since 1997, it was not enough for the team to qualify for the playoffs...
finished 9–7 and barely missed the playoffs.
2001
As starting quarterback, Stewart led the 2001 Steelers to a 13–3 regular-season record and the top seed in the AFC playoffs. Under the tutelage of new QB coach Tom Clements and new offensive coordinator Mike MularkeyMike Mularkey
Michael Rene Mularkey is an American professional football coach and a former college and professional football player. He played college football for the...
, Stewart had his best year as a pro, throwing for over 3,000 yards, completing 60 percent of his passes, and attaining a passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
of 81.7. He threw for 14 TDs and ran for 5 more. Stewart was elected to the Pro Bowl and was named the Steelers MVP.
The Steelers easily defeated the then-defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens
2001 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2001 Baltimore Ravens season was the team's sixth year in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings: - Playoffs :-Roster:-References:* *...
in the divisional playoffs. The eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots
2001 New England Patriots season
The 2001 New England Patriots season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Football League and 42nd season overall. They finished with an 11–5 record and a division title before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVI....
defeated the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.
2002
Stewart began the 2002 season as the Steelers' starting quarterback, but after throwing an interception into double coverage in the end zone at home against the Cleveland Browns in the third game of the season, he was replaced by increasingly popular backup Tommy MaddoxTommy Maddox
Thomas "Tommy" Alfred Maddox is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, the XFL and the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA.-Early years:At L. D...
, and Stewart was released at the end of the season. Stewart did, however, keep the team's playoff hopes alive in his final appearance.
2003–2005
The following season, Stewart signed as a free agent with the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and was named the starter. After several poor performances in 2003
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
, he was replaced in favor of Chris Chandler
Chris Chandler
Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...
. After getting the same results from Chandler, he was reinserted as the starter, before getting benched in favor of rookie Rex Grossman
Rex Grossman
Rex Daniel Grossman, III is an American football quarterback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League . Grossman played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans and Washington Redskins of...
after the Bears were eliminated from the playoffs. Stewart was released at the end of the season. Stewart was signed in 2004
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
by the Ravens to play a backup role to Kyle Boller
Kyle Boller
Kyle Bryan Boller is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at The University of California.Boller has also played for the St...
, and later served as a replacement for the injured Anthony Wright
Anthony Wright (quarterback)
Anthony Lavron Wright is a retired American football quarterback. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 1999...
. However, he did not throw a pass that season. He was unexpectedly successful as an emergency replacement for punter
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
Dave Zastudil
Dave Zastudil
David Michael Zastudil is an American football punter for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League...
, being named NFL Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance. He was released following the 2004 season, but due to an injury to starting quarterback Kyle Boller during Week 1 of the 2005 season
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, the Ravens once again signed Stewart to be a backup to Anthony Wright
Anthony Wright (quarterback)
Anthony Lavron Wright is a retired American football quarterback. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 1999...
.
Nickname
Pittsburgh Steelers color commentator Myron CopeMyron Cope
Myron Cope , born Myron Sidney Kopelman, was an American sports journalist, radio personality, and sportscaster who is best known for being "the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers."...
gave Stewart the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"Slash" due to his abilities as a utility player able to play other positions such as running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
/ wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
/ punter / returner.
After confining him to many utility roles during the 1995 season, when the Steelers made it to Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
only to lose to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, the team gave Stewart the opportunity to compete for the starting quarterback position in 1996. Following a preseason battle, Bill Cowher named Jim Miller
Jim Miller (quarterback)
James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...
as the Steelers' starting quarterback and kept Stewart in his "Slash" role. Miller struggled at Jacksonville on opening day and was replaced by Mike Tomczak
Mike Tomczak
Michael John "Mike" Tomczak is a former American football player. Tomczak played quarterback for several NFL teams including the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers....
for the rest of the season. In a December 1996 game against the Carolina Panthers
1996 Carolina Panthers season
-Regular season:-Postseason:-Week 2: at New Orleans Saints:Acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars, quarterback Steve Beuerlein did not throw a single pass, instead rushing three times for a net loss of ten yards; Kerry Collins handled the quarterbacking duties, throwing for 171 yards and one pick...
, Stewart set an NFL record for longest touchdown run by a quarterback with an 80-yard rush.
Post-NFL life
Following Boller's reactivation on Wednesday, November 9, 2005, the Ravens cut Stewart instead of keeping him as a third-string player, activating running back Musa SmithMusa Smith
-Baltimore Ravens:Smith was drafted with the 13th pick of the third round in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played sparingly for much of 2003 and 2004. However, during a Week 11 game with the Dallas Cowboys in 2004, Smith suffered a compound fracture of his right tibia while being horse-collar tackled...
instead. Stewart had no comment following the low-key announcement he had been cut from the team.
Stewart made guest appearances on the TV shows Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which was the Dutch Miljoenenjacht produced by Dutch producer Endemol. It is played with up to 26 cases with certain sums of money...
and Pros vs. Joes.
On April 29, 2008, in an interview on the WCNN 680 "The Fan," Stewart expressed interest in returning to the NFL. Also, according to ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
's First Take on July 28, 2008, Stewart had not officially retired and had been working out at his home, to attempt a comeback during following pre-season. He later was put into free agency but was never picked up by a team.
He appeared in January 2009 as an analyst on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's College Football Live
College Football Live
College Football Live is a show that airs weekdays on ESPN or ESPN2, and ESPNU. Its premiere was on Monday, July 23, 2007. Rece Davis is the lead host, but it also features ESPN college football analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Lou Holtz, Mark May, Desmond Howard, Bob Griese, and others...
, and then later appeared again in July during the show's "50 States Tour" for the show's episode regarding Colorado athletics. Stewart is currently an analyst for NFL post-game coverage for ESPNEWS.
Kordell will be a sideline reporter for the newly-formed United Football League.
Personal life
Stewart has a son named Syre. He now resides in AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Stewart also is an avid golfer. In 1998 he was featured as a guest on the popular Nickelodeon game show, "Figure it Out!"