Back when Bradshaw was feeling his age in the early 80's I was wishing sooo hard that the Steelers would have found a way to get Marino back then. Had they found a way to get Marino *and* Tony Dorsett (both local talent) they'd have won 8 superbowls by now, and Marino wouldn't have had to languish in Miami without a ring, much less having his own shot at one for the thumb.
Two things that people forget: A lot of teams had somewhat soured on Marino by the time the draft rolled around. He had had a mediocre senior year (compared with his junior year). Some thought he had small hands for an NFL quarterback (don't know where that came from). There were whispers of drug use at Pitt (unfounded as it turned out). In a year when five QB's were picked in the first round, he was the last on the five.
And who did the Steelers pick that year? DT Gabe Rivera from Texas Tech. Had he not had his auto accident, Rivera would have been a GREAT player. The Raiders wanted him in the worst way. I remember seeing video of him the night he was picked. Unbelieveable! 290 pounds and he could run like a deer. On the video, I saw him chase a QB down the sidelines, catch him from behind, grab him in a bearhug, and squash him like a bug. John Steigerwald called him one of the most exciting picks the Steelers had made in years. He looked great in the preseason. He had this knack for collapsing the middle of the line with a power bull rush, and then, even if he didn't reach the QB, timing his jump just right to defect the pass. He must have done that 3-4 times during the preseason.
Rivera was one of the biggest "what ifs" in Steeler history. He and Anthony Anderson. Remember him? Runningback. Temple. Look it up.