The 1970s featured some of the best football that our older generation was able to watch. Even though it has been 50 years since the start of that decade, the 70s and the great NFL players that played during that time will not be forgotten. The 1970s All-Decade Team was selected by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The squad features first and second team offensive, defensive, special teams, and head coaches.
The quarterback position is one of the most important positions in football. The first-team winner was Terry Bradshaw, while the second-team winners were Roger Staubach and Ken Stabler. Here is why these three were deserving of this recognition.
Terry Bradshaw (Steelers)
If Leovegas was online back then, the Steelers would feature the best odds for winning every week. A lot of that had to do with the man throwing the ball on the offense. Bradshaw finished his career with 27,989 passing yards and 212 touchdowns on route to being a four-time Super Bowl champion and two-time Super Bowl MVP. Bradshaw led the league in passing touchdowns in 1978, which was the same year he won the MVP. All three times Bradshaw made the Pro Bowl (1975, 1978, and 1979) were during the 70s.
Bradshaw began his 13-year NFl career with the Steelers in 1970 and played all the way up to 1983. Even though the Steelers have not officially retired his No. 12, the franchise does not issue the number out to anyone, so nobody can wear it ever again. You can catch Bradshaw as he is one of the analysts for FOX NFL Sunday.
Roger Staubach (Cowboys)
Staubach literally spent his entire career with the Cowboys in the 70s. Staubach debuted into the league in 1969 and retired from the team in 1979. During the course of his career, he led the Dallas Cowboys to two Super Bowl championships, while he captured one Super Bowl MVP himself. He was a six-time Pro Bowl selection, including a five-year stretch from 1975-1979. He led the league in passing yards four times during the 70s, while winning the NFL Man of the Year Award in 1978.
Even at the age of 78, Staubach remains a fixture in the NFL world. He participates in radio shows every so often to talk about the current climate of the NFL.
Ken Stabler (Raiders)
Stabler left the world too soon at the age of 69 in 2015. Stabler spent time with multiple professional teams, but he played for the former Oakland Raiders from 1968 to 1979. Stabler led the Raiders to a Super Bowl during the 1977 season, and won an MVP trophy in 1974. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection in the 70s, two-time passing touchdowns leader, and two-time First-Team All-Pro.
Even though his career touchdown-interception ratio (192-222) is nothing spectacular, he will also be remembered as the quarterback that helped deliver a Super Bowl. Stabler was one of the list of industries in terms of his play on the field, especially when he powered through several bad Raider teams.
