Baltimore acquired linebacker Marty Schottenheimer from…
Baltimore acquired linebacker Marty Schottenheimer from Pittsburgh on August 27, 1971 for a conditional 1972 tenth-round draft choice. The Colts' official trade history marks the choice with the notation for a transaction canceled by an unmet condition. Schottenheimer never appeared in a regular-season game for Baltimore, so the Colts received only preseason roster rights while retaining the conditional pick.
Indianapolis Colts Received
- player Marty Schottenheimer
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- pick conditional 1972 tenth-round pick (condition not met; no pick conveyed)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Baltimore obtained Marty Schottenheimer from Pittsburgh on August 27, 1971, with a conditional tenth-round choice in the 1972 draft attached as the return. The Colts' official transaction history marks that choice with the same asterisk it defines as a trade canceled because a condition was not met.
Baltimore's Side
Schottenheimer did not become a regular-season contributor for the Colts. NFL and Pro Football Reference career records show his final regular-season playing action came in 1970. Baltimore therefore received only a late-preseason evaluation of a veteran linebacker rather than games, starts, or production after the transaction.
Pittsburgh's Side
Because the condition was not satisfied, Pittsburgh did not receive the tenth-round choice. That distinction prevents the Steelers from being credited with a draft selection that never transferred. The Steelers had already acquired Schottenheimer earlier in 1971, so this move simply ended a short stay without generating a realized asset in return.
Comparing the Returns
Neither team gained durable value. Baltimore gave up no pick because the condition failed, while Pittsburgh surrendered rights to a player who never appeared for the Colts in the regular season. The transaction was low-risk for Baltimore and low-cost for Pittsburgh, but neither side converted it into meaningful production or draft capital.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Baltimore and Pittsburgh each receive a C. The Colts took a no-cost look at Schottenheimer, and the Steelers lost no productive player while receiving no selection. With the conditional pick never conveyed and no subsequent Baltimore playing value, there is no meaningful separation between the two sides.
The conditional tenth-round pick never conveyed, and Schottenheimer did not appear in a regular-season game for Baltimore. Pittsburgh therefore recovered the player without receiving draft compensation, while the Colts gained only a brief preseason look. No durable roster or draft value changed hands.