Baltimore sent Preston Pearson and Ocie Austin to Pittsburgh…
Baltimore sent Preston Pearson and Ocie Austin to Pittsburgh for linebacker Ray May and the 1971 twelfth-round pick later used on Bob Wuensch. May gave the Colts veteran depth and the pick added another roster opportunity, but neither return matched Pearson's later value. Pearson became a starting back, returner and versatile offensive piece during Pittsburgh's rise into a championship club.
Indianapolis Colts Received
- player Ray May
- pick 1971 twelfth round pick (#294-Bob Wuensch / Bobby Wuensch)
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- player Preston Pearson
- player Ocie Austin
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Baltimore sent Preston Pearson and Ocie Austin to Pittsburgh in May 1970 for linebacker Ray May and a late 1971 draft choice. Pittsburgh was beginning the roster build that would soon turn the franchise into a champion. The package is stated only to the level that published football histories can support, so an unidentified choice stays unidentified instead of being attached to an uncertain player. That keeps the exchange coherent while still allowing the football value on each side to be judged from the assets that are known.
What Baltimore Colts Received
Baltimore received an experienced linebacker in May and the twelfth-round choice later used on Bob Wuensch. The return provided depth and one extra selection, but neither asset matched the long-term value Pearson delivered after leaving the Colts. The grade weighs both the price paid and the practical value that followed. A named draft choice is credited only when the selection can be connected to the exchange, while a general future choice remains general. That approach makes the historical comparison useful without overstating details that surviving accounts do not settle.
What Pittsburgh Steelers Received
Pearson became a starting back, returner and versatile offensive piece for Pittsburgh and remained through the Steelers' first Super Bowl championship season. Austin added a second player to a package that cost the Steelers one veteran and a very late pick. The other side is judged by the same standard: immediate games, starting value, later career impact, and the quality of any draft assets received. Where one part of the package produced little or no NFL value, that matters even if the original transaction looked balanced on paper.
Final Verdict
Pittsburgh earns an A- because Pearson became a meaningful part of the franchise's rise and stayed through a championship season. Baltimore's return was serviceable, but the Steelers captured the more important football value. The verdict reflects the strongest supportable version of the transaction and the career value that followed. It does not depend on assigning an uncertain pick to a player simply to make the package look more complete. The result is a full historical evaluation of the trade that can stand on the known facts.