Fansided

Ranking the 30 Best NFL QB-WR duos in the modern era

By Brad Weiss

ANAHEIM, CA - CIRCA 1991:Joe Montana (16) of the San Francisco 49ers congratulates Jerry Rice (80) on his TD catch against the Los Angeles Rams at Anaheim Stadium circa 1991 in Anaheim,California on November 25th 1991. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - CIRCA 1991:Joe Montana (16) of the San Francisco 49ers congratulates Jerry Rice (80) on his TD catch against the Los Angeles Rams at Anaheim Stadium circa 1991 in Anaheim,California on November 25th 1991. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
11 of 30
Next
PITTSBURGH, PA – CIRCA 1979: Quarterback Terry Bradshaw #12 and wide receiver Lynn Swann #88 of the Pittsburgh Steelers look on from the sideline during a National Football League game at Three Rivers Stadium circa 1979 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – CIRCA 1979: Quarterback Terry Bradshaw #12 and wide receiver Lynn Swann #88 of the Pittsburgh Steelers look on from the sideline during a National Football League game at Three Rivers Stadium circa 1979 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) /

30 Best NFL QB-WR duos in the modern era

No. 20: Terry Bradshaw and Lynn Swann

Terry Bradshaw was the quarterback of one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history, winning four Super Bowls as the starting signal-caller for the Pittsburgh Steelers. With incredible talent on both sides of the ball, the Steelers dominated the NFL landscape in the 1970s, and the tandem of Bradshaw and Lynn Swann was a big reason why.

Though Swann never had a 1,000-yard season in his career, that does not minimize what he meant to this Steelers offense. He was the kind of wide receiver that could take the lid off the defense at any time, and there are plenty of highlights of him going up and making acrobatic catches, something that was not the norm during the 1970s.

Together, Bradshaw and Swann won four Super Bowls, and one of them was named the Most Valuable Player in the game in three of them. With Swann as his main target, Bradshaw led the NFL in passing touchdowns in both 1978 and 1982, which happened to be the last season that Swann played in the NFL.

By 1984, both men had retired, but they are reunited in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Home/NFL