Arizona Cardinals–Pittsburgh Steelers Trade History

The Cardinals received cash for the rights to Ed 'Jeep' Brett in September 1936. The surviving record does not establish the payment amount or a downstream roster use for it. Brett, meanwhile, produced 18 games and 11 starts for Pittsburgh over two seasons, so the Cardinals' return is best treated as legitimate but unquantified compensation rather than a measurable football outcome.

Arizona received Joe Coomer in the December 1946 exchange. The surviving professional record does not show the Cardinals extracting a substantial, durable advantage from Coomer, so the return is best treated as modest rather than inflated by uncertain later outcomes. That result supports a C- grade and fits an even overall verdict.

Pittsburgh acquired halfback and defensive back Bob Hanlon from the Chicago Cardinals for a 1950 twelfth-round pick, No. 152, used on Bob Sharpe. Hanlon played all 12 games for the Steelers in 1949, started seven and intercepted three passes while also returning kicks. Sharpe did not create comparable documented NFL value. The return was modest, but Pittsburgh received the clearer immediate contribution from the documented transaction.

The Cardinals acquired Joe Geri and got one season of usable backfield and kicking value. Geri appeared in all 12 games in 1952, started once and scored 28 points. That was a legitimate short-term return, but it did not match the multi-season line play Pittsburgh received from Lou Ferry.

Pittsburgh and the Cardinals exchanged Gern Nagler and Ken Hall around September 2, 1959, amid a quick sequence of late-summer player movement. Historical player records support the swap but do not reveal a durable value gap between the two returns. With neither side gaining a clearly superior long-term payoff, an Even Trade and matching C grades remain appropriate.

Pittsburgh acquired Ken Kortas from the St. Louis Cardinals for quarterback Terry Nofsinger on February 16, 1965. Kortas remained with the Steelers through 1968 and became a regular defensive contributor, while Nofsinger produced a more limited Cardinals return. Four seasons of useful Pittsburgh service make the Steelers the clear winner in hindsight.

Pittsburgh traded running back Charlie Davis to St. Louis for a 1976 sixth-round pick that became defensive lineman Gary Dunn. Dunn spent 12 seasons with the Steelers, played 146 games and made 105 starts, an exceptional return from pick No. 159. The Cardinals also received real value from Davis, who started 12 games in 1975 and remained with the club for multiple seasons. Pittsburgh wins, but St. Louis deserves meaningful credit.

Arizona Cardinals received Marv Kellum, while Pittsburgh Steelers received 1978 eighth round pick (#208-Rick Moser). Pittsburgh traded linebacker Marv Kellum to St. That return earns a C+ grade for Arizona Cardinals, and the overall verdict is Pittsburgh Steelers Win. The grade stays proportional to the direct value each club realized from this exchange.

Arizona Cardinals received J.B. Brown in the exchange with Pittsburgh Steelers. J.B. Brown played 15 games with six starts for Arizona during the Cardinals' 1998 playoff season. He supplied useful immediate secondary depth at a low acquisition cost. The B- grade reflects the direct value Arizona Cardinals realized from the deal, while the Pittsburgh Steelers Win call weighs actual regular-season service and clearly connected draft value rather than name recognition alone.

Pittsburgh sent a fifth-round pick to Arizona and received cornerback Bryant McFadden plus the sixth-round selection used on Antonio Brown. McFadden returned as a starter, while Brown became a four-time first-team All-Pro and one of the most productive receivers of his era. Arizona selected John Skelton, who provided some quarterback starts but could not balance the return.

Arizona Cardinals received a conditional 2014 pick (not conveyed) from Pittsburgh Steelers, sending Levi Brown the other way. Neither side realized meaningful value, supporting an even low grade. That outcome supports a C- grade for Arizona Cardinals, and the overall verdict is Even Trade. The grade stays proportional to the size of the exchange and the direct value created for the original club.

Arizona Cardinals received Marcus Gilbert from Pittsburgh Steelers. Marcus Gilbert tore his ACL before the 2019 opener, never played a regular-season game for Arizona, and later opted out of the 2020 season. The F grade reflects the direct value Arizona Cardinals realized from the transaction, with the final Pittsburgh Steelers Win call based on actual service and clearly traceable draft outcomes rather than projected value.