Washington acquired Don Owens from Pittsburgh for Dale…
Washington acquired Don Owens from Pittsburgh for Dale Atkeson in September 1957. Owens immediately became a regular, starting ten games for Washington that season. Atkeson's Pittsburgh opportunity was derailed and did not produce comparable regular-season value. The exchange therefore favors Washington clearly, though the limited scale of the player swap keeps the grade below elite territory.
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- player Dale Atkeson
Washington Commanders Received
- player Don Owens
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Pittsburgh and Washington swapped Dale Atkeson and Don Owens on September 11, 1957. The transaction paired two players rather than cash or draft capital, so the cleanest hindsight test is direct post-trade service. Owens immediately found a meaningful role in Washington, while Atkeson's Pittsburgh path did not produce regular-season value.
Pittsburgh Steelers Return
Washington acquired Don Owens from Pittsburgh for Dale Atkeson in September 1957. Owens immediately became a regular, starting ten games for Washington that season. Atkeson's Pittsburgh opportunity was derailed and did not produce comparable regular-season value. The exchange therefore favors Washington clearly, though the limited scale of the player swap keeps the grade below elite territory.
Washington Return
Pittsburgh received Dale Atkeson while Don Owens went to Washington. Owens became a ten-game starter for Washington in 1957, whereas Atkeson did not create a comparable Steelers return after the move. That post-trade production gap is large enough to make Washington the winner, with Pittsburgh receiving little realized football value from its incoming player.
Value in Hindsight
The comparison is straightforward because one incoming player became a regular starter and the other did not produce comparable service. Washington received ten starts from Owens, while Pittsburgh's return never materialized on the field in the same way. For a modest 1950s player swap, that is more than enough separation to justify a B for Washington and a D for Pittsburgh.
Final Verdict
The final call is Washington Redskins/Commanders Win. Pittsburgh Steelers receives a D grade and Washington Redskins/Commanders receives a B grade. The grades focus on post-transaction value, role, longevity, and the scale of the assets exchanged. Because this was a relatively small historical transaction, the evaluation stays proportional rather than treating ordinary roster value like a franchise-changing blockbuster. The better grade goes to the club that received the more useful football return after the move.