New England received Pittsburgh's 1974 tenth-round selection…
New England received Pittsburgh's 1974 tenth-round selection and ultimately also regained John Smith, who returned to the Patriots and became a long-term kicker for the franchise. That combination left New England with the stronger practical outcome from the 1973 move. The B grade reflects the retained compensation and Smith's later value, supporting a New England Patriots Win verdict.
New England Patriots Received
- pick 1974 tenth round pick (selection not identified)
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- player John Smith
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1973-08-07, New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers completed this exchange. New England Patriots received 1974 tenth round pick (selection not identified), while Pittsburgh Steelers received John Smith. Historical team, player, draft, and transaction records support the compensation and provide enough career context to compare the practical value each franchise ultimately received.
New England Patriots Return
New England received Pittsburgh's 1974 tenth-round selection and ultimately also regained John Smith, who returned to the Patriots and became a long-term kicker for the franchise. That combination left New England with the stronger practical outcome from the 1973 move. The B grade reflects the retained compensation and Smith's later value, supporting a New England Patriots Win verdict.
Pittsburgh Steelers Return
Pittsburgh acquired kicker John Smith from New England in August 1973, but released him before he established lasting value with the Steelers. Smith later returned to New England and built the more significant portion of his career there. The D grade reflects Pittsburgh's failure to realize sustained benefit from the acquisition despite surrendering a tenth-round selection in the exchange.
Value in Hindsight
Pittsburgh's problem is that Smith did not provide the Steelers with lasting value, while New England ultimately held the draft compensation and later regained the kicker for the productive portion of his career. That makes the asymmetry unusually clear for a small transaction. The Patriots' B is restrained because the original pick was only a tenth-rounder, but Pittsburgh's D reflects how little it realized from the acquisition.
Final Verdict
The final call is New England Patriots Win. New England Patriots earns a B, and Pittsburgh Steelers earns a D. The grades reflect New England's retained draft compensation and Smith's later long-term Patriots career against Pittsburgh's failure to obtain lasting value from the kicker it acquired.