Landry Jones stirs up memories of other unlikely Pittsburgh sports heroes
Few people could have predicted that after six games of the NFL season, one of the most positive stories for the Steelers’ has to deal with all but forgotten third-string quarterback Landry Jones. With Ben Roethlisberger still nursing a left leg injury and Michael Vick struggling both mentally and physically, Jones stepped in on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals and instantly transformed from sports bar joke, to fan favorite.
Jones’ 168-yard, two-touchdown, no-interception showing, combined with four field goals from kicker Chris Boswell, powered Pittsburgh’s 25-13 victory. It would be safe to say that no one saw the former Oklahoma Sooner star assuming the role of savior for the team.
This performance got me thinking about other professional Pittsburgh athletes who made similar surprising ascensions to stardom and popularity among the local fan base. I hope these names spark some warm, fuzzy memories of Black and Gold pasts.
Sticking with the Steelers, could anyone have possibly guessed that Tommy Maddox would not only make a return to the NFL after roughly four years away, but also be named the league’s Comeback Player of the Year? Maddox’s success was not a complete surprise, as he was a first-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos in 1992.
Instead of becoming the heir apparent to John Elway, Maddox played for five different teams before being released and becoming an insurance salesman. After playing in the Arena Football League and the now defunct XFL, the Shreveport, Louisiana, native got his second chance in the Steel City.
Originally playing as the backup to Kordell Stewart in 2001, Maddox was given a shot at the starting job in 2002, a spot he held until 2004, when a then-untested rookie from Miami of Ohio wrestled the position away from the veteran.
Maddox lasted with the team until March of 2006, when he was released by Pittsburgh. He was granted tryouts by the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League, the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys.The award-winning quarterback also took a shot at professional golf, but was unable to successfully become a two-sport star.
Moving from the football field to the hockey rink, former goaltender Johan Hedberg quickly captured the hearts of Penguins fans in 2001 after being acquired from the Manitoba Moose of the International League. Hedberg was given the nickname “Moose” by fans after sporting his custom goalie mask that still bore the Moose logo on it.
The native of Nacka, Sweden, even played his way onto his native country’s Olympic team for the 2002 Games, which were held in Utah. Hedberg was eventually traded out of Pittsburgh to Vancouver prior to the 2003-04 campaign, and was never able to fully regain the level of success he enjoyed in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
“The Moose” played for the Canucks, Dallas, Atlanta, New Jersey and the New York Rangers, before ending his playing careers in the minor leagues during the 2013-14 season. However, Hedberg’s story didn’t end once he hung up his skates, as he is now the goaltending coach with the San Jose Sharks.
Finally, the Pirates were able to turn a little known infielder into the 2006 National League Batting Champion, thanks to a trade with the Boston Red Sox. In one of the few moves of that era that seemed to go in favor of the franchise, Freddy Sanchez, along with future All-Star closer Mike Gonzalez, were shipped to Pittsburgh for pitchers Jeff Suppan, Scott Sauerbeck and Anastacio Martinez at the 2003 trade deadline.
Sanchez’s time in a Bucco uniform peaked in 2006, when he batted .344 to bring the franchise its first batting title since Bill Madlock in 1983. Freddy stayed with the club until he was traded in 2009 to the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Tim Alderson in one of the team’s trademark salary dumps.
Shoulder and back injuries ultimately ended Sanchez’s playing career in 2012.
Luckily for him, he was able to add a pretty nice piece of team hardware to his batting crown, when the Giants won the 2010 World Series.