All-Time Steelers QBs Ranked: Bradshaw #1, Roethlisberger #2

Bill Mackrides

#13 · Pittsburgh Steelers
Retired 1 Year In The NFL
🏆 2× NFL champion (1948, 1949)
Bill's
HAIR
9.2
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Bill Mackrides or the Steelers?

Bill Mackrides Legacy

HEYTC AI
Bill Mackrides, the scrappy Nevada Wolf Pack gunslinger who rose from offensive line obscurity to backup two-time NFL champ with the Eagles, embodied the grit of football's leather-helmet era. Philly's third-round pick in '47, he learned the hard way under Tommy Thompson—blind in one eye—taking brutal hits that left memories foggy but rings gleaming from those '48 and '49 titles. A CFL All-Star detour in Hamilton preceded a Steelers stint, yet his legacy shines as Nevada's trailblazing QB starter, predating Kaepernick by decades. Bill Mackrides passed in 2019 at 93, a first-class gentleman of the gridiron.
Bill Mackrides passed away on January 22, 2019 at the age of 93.

Bill Mackrides Rating Breakdown

Season
Average
Fantasy
Non-Factor
Playoffs
Non-Factor
Overall
Cooked
1 year with the Steelers

Bill Mackrides Career Stats via Wikipedia

1,583 Pass Yards
15 Touchdowns
28 INTs
0.0% Comp %
9.2 HAIR

Frequently Asked Questions About Bill Mackrides

Is Bill Mackrides in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

No, Bill Mackrides never made it to Canton—his 1,583 yards and 15 TDs over six seasons with the Eagles, Giants, and Steelers just didn't move the Hall voters' needles. Think about it: in the leather-helmet era, he was a Nevada Wolf Pack legend with a record 10.9 yards per attempt in '48, but NFL immortality? That's for the four-down closers, not the spot starters.

How would Bill Mackrides perform in today's NFL?

In today's pass-happy NFL, Mackrides' arm might carve out a niche as a deep-ball artist—his college clip of 10.9 yards per attempt was groundbreaking back then, and modern rules shield QBs like never before. But with a 36.5 career rating and 28 picks, he'd be a shaky backup at best, dodging blitzes in shotgun while dreaming of those '50s run-stuffing defenses.

How does Bill Mackrides compare to Terry Bradshaw?

Mackrides vs. Bradshaw? Night and day under center for the Steelers—Bill's 9.2-ish rating in black-and-gold (94-for-48, wait, 48 completions?) screams '50s struggle bus, while Terry's 81.63 lit up the '70s with Super Bowls and steel curtains. Bill was the appetizer; Bradshaw devoured the main course, mustache and all.