Pittsburgh Steelers received Jack Scarbath. Pittsburgh…
Pittsburgh Steelers received Jack Scarbath. Pittsburgh acquired Jack Scarbath, but his 1956 Steelers production was limited: 12 completions on 41 attempts for 208 yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions. That gave Pittsburgh short-term quarterback depth without creating sustained or high-level value. The return was measurable, but it did not develop into a major long-term advantage for the acquiring club.
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- player Jack Scarbath
Washington Commanders Received
- pick 1957 fourth round pick (#40-Jim Podoley)
- other cash
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1956-07-20, Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Commanders completed a trade in which Pittsburgh Steelers received Jack Scarbath, while Washington Commanders received 1957 fourth round pick (#40-Jim Podoley) and cash. This review credits only value the acquiring team actually realized and traces later assets only when the downstream connection is supportable.
Pittsburgh Steelers Return
Pittsburgh acquired Jack Scarbath, but his 1956 Steelers production was limited: 12 completions on 41 attempts for 208 yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions. That gave Pittsburgh short-term quarterback depth without creating sustained or high-level value.
Washington Commanders Return
Washington received cash plus Pittsburgh's 1957 fourth-round No. 40 pick and used the selection on Jim Podoley. Podoley started all 12 games as a rookie, produced 996 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns, and made the Pro Bowl. The traced draft outcome became an immediate impact player.
Value in Hindsight
Washington turned the pick into a rookie Pro Bowler with nearly 1,000 scrimmage yards, while Pittsburgh received only a brief, inefficient quarterback stint from Scarbath. The gap is substantial. Unidentified picks, cash amounts, or future consideration remain explicit rather than being converted into a guessed player or value. That keeps the comparison tied to documented outcomes instead of the apparent value of the names at the time of the trade.
Where the surviving record is incomplete, the evaluation stays deliberately conservative: documented games, starts, production, and traceable asset outcomes receive credit, while unsupported assumptions about hidden consideration or later careers do not.
Final Verdict
Washington Commanders Win. Pittsburgh Steelers earns a D+, while Washington Commanders earns a A-. The grades reflect the actual post-trade service, production, and traceable downstream value described above.