Trade 1
September 16, 1957
Pittsburgh Steelers received Earl Morrall.
NFL Trade History
Earl Morrall NFL Trade History
TradeVerdicts connects Earl Morrall to 3 exact public NFL transactions involving Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, and New York Giants.
3 Recorded trades
5 Teams represented
1957–1968 Trade-history span
Teams in this profile: Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Detroit Lions Indianapolis Colts New York Giants
Player Transaction Context
Why Earl Morrall Appears in the Trade Database
This profile follows Earl Morrall across 3 recorded transactions from September 16, 1957 through August 25, 1968. Each connection below comes from the database relationship for that transaction rather than a name-only search.
Trade 2
October 7, 1958
Detroit Lions received Earl Morrall.
Trade 3
August 25, 1968
Indianapolis Colts received Earl Morrall.
Across this profile, the recorded verdicts are San Francisco 49ers Win; Pittsburgh Steelers Win; Indianapolis Colts Win. The timeline spans 1957–1968 and 5 represented teams.
How to Read This Profile
Trade History Overview
Every transaction below comes from an explicit player-to-trade relationship in the TradeVerdicts database. Name-only substring matching is not used.
The cards summarize the date, teams, assets, grades, and verdict. Open the full trade page for the complete analysis and sourcing context. Grading standards are explained in the TradeVerdicts methodology.
Chronological Timeline
3 Recorded Trades
Trade 1 of 3
Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers
Pittsburgh acquired quarterback Earl Morrall and guard Mike Sandusky from San Francisco on September 16, 1957, for linebacker Marv Matuszak and first-round picks in both 1958 and 1959. Morrall started 13 games during roughly a season and a half with the Steelers before being moved again. San Francisco therefore received the stronger direct package, even though its draft choices did not become enduring stars.
Assets Received
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Player Earl Morrall
- Player Mike Sandusky
San Francisco 49ers
- Player Marv Matuszak
- Pick 1958 first round pick (#8-Jim Pace)
- Pick 1959 first round pick (#8-Dan James)
Team Grades
Trade 2 of 3
Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh acquired Bobby Layne early in the 1958 season for Earl Morrall, a 1959 second-round pick, and a 1960 fourth-round pick. Layne immediately helped turn an 0-2 start into a 7-4-1 finish and remained the Steelers' primary quarterback through 1962. The deal delivered the established champion and future Hall of Famer Buddy Parker wanted, giving Pittsburgh several winning seasons and a new level of credibility at quarterback.
Assets Received
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Player Bobby Layne
Detroit Lions
- Player Earl Morrall
- Pick 1959 second round pick (#19-Mike Rabold)
- Pick 1960 fourth round pick (#42-Roger Brown)
Team Grades
Trade 3 of 3
Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants
Baltimore acquired Earl Morrall from the Giants in August 1968, with tight end Butch Wilson becoming the final return to New York. Morrall immediately replaced an injured Johnny Unitas, led the Colts to a 13-1 record and won NFL MVP honors before helping the franchise win Super Bowl V two years later. Wilson never approached that impact, making Baltimore the overwhelming winner.
Assets Received
Indianapolis Colts
- Player Earl Morrall
New York Giants
- Player Butch Wilson