Pittsburgh and Chicago swapped Charlie Bivins and Dan James…
Pittsburgh and Chicago swapped Charlie Bivins and Dan James on August 28, 1967. Neither veteran created meaningful long-term value for his new club. Bivins appeared in only two games for Pittsburgh before finishing the season with Buffalo, while James played two games for Chicago and then retired. With the package confirmed but both returns extremely short-lived, an even C/C result fits the outcome.
Chicago Bears Received
- player Dan James
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On August 28, 1967, Pittsburgh and Chicago exchanged veterans Charlie Bivins and Dan James. Historical transaction records list Bivins going to the Steelers and James going to the Bears on the same date. Both players had established NFL experience before the swap, but the relevant question is what each actually provided afterward, not the reputation built with the previous club.
Pittsburgh Steelers Return
Bivins had spent seven seasons with Chicago before the move, but Pittsburgh received only a brief look. NFL records credit him with two Steelers games in 1967, including seven rushing attempts for 23 yards and a touchdown plus one reception for 24 yards. He then finished the season with Buffalo, where he appeared in nine games. Pittsburgh therefore received only a short bridge contribution rather than a durable backfield piece.
Chicago Bears Return
James brought a much longer Pittsburgh résumé into the deal, including 91 games and 89 starts for the Steelers from 1960 through 1966. His value to Chicago, however, was similarly brief. Pro Football Reference credits him with only two Bears games in 1967 and no starts before his career ended. The Bears acquired experience, but not a lasting offensive-line solution.
Value in Hindsight
The symmetry is unusually strong. Both clubs traded a veteran who had done his best work elsewhere and received only two games from the incoming player. Bivins at least scored a touchdown for Pittsburgh, while James carried more established starting pedigree, but neither difference is large enough to create a meaningful hindsight winner. The transaction belongs in the modest roster-maintenance category rather than being graded through the lens of earlier career accomplishments.
Final Verdict
Call it even. Pittsburgh and Chicago each receive a C. The package is historically supportable, but both incoming players had extremely short tenures and neither side created meaningful long-term value. Keeping the grades level avoids manufacturing a winner from a swap whose post-trade results were nearly mirror images.