Pete Gonzalez
Encyclopedia
Pete Gonzalez is a former professional American football
quarterback
. He played collegiately for the Pittsburgh Panthers
.
football team. In 1997, he led the Panthers to a come-from-behind-victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers
in the Backyard Brawl
41-38 in double overtime. (It was the first season of the current overtime rules in college football
, which was designed to eliminate tied games
.) He subsequently took Pitt to their first bowl game in eight years with an appearance in the Liberty Bowl
.
as an undrafted
free agent in 1998. He spent two seasons with the Steelers, both years as the third-string quarterback, throwing just one pass that was complete for eight yards. The one pass came in the 1999 season opener against the Cleveland Browns
(the Browns' first game in four years
), in which the Steelers won 43-0 and had put Gonzalez in late in the game after the outcome had been decided.
After the Steelers chose not to resign him--starting quarterback Kordell Stewart
was the only quarterback carryover for the 2000 season
from 1999, a year they had four quarterbacks on the roster the entire season (Stewart, Mike Tomczak
, Gonzalez, and Anthony Wright)--Gonzalez signed with the Buffalo Bills
, but was cut in training camp and never returned to football as a player.
Gonzalez was the last Steelers player to wear number 7 before Ben Roethlisberger
arrived in 2004.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. He played collegiately for the Pittsburgh Panthers
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
.
College career
Gonzalez was the starting quarterback for the University of PittsburghUniversity of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
football team. In 1997, he led the Panthers to a come-from-behind-victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
in the Backyard Brawl
Backyard Brawl
The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played annually or semi-iannually and may also be used to refer to other...
41-38 in double overtime. (It was the first season of the current overtime rules in college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
, which was designed to eliminate tied games
Tie (draw)
To tie or draw is to finish a competition with identical or inconclusive results. The word "tie" is usually used in North America for sports such as American football. "Draw" is usually used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations and it is usually used for sports such as...
.) He subsequently took Pitt to their first bowl game in eight years with an appearance in the Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
.
NFL career
Gonzalez signed with the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
as an undrafted
Undrafted
An undrafted sportsperson or undrafted free agent is specific type of sportsperson who plays, or attempts to play, in a professional sports league without first being selected in a draft....
free agent in 1998. He spent two seasons with the Steelers, both years as the third-string quarterback, throwing just one pass that was complete for eight yards. The one pass came in the 1999 season opener against the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(the Browns' first game in four years
Cleveland Browns relocation controversy
The Cleveland Browns relocation controversy was the decision by then Browns owner Art Modell to move the National Football League team from its longtime home of Cleveland, Ohio to Baltimore, Maryland for the 1996 NFL season...
), in which the Steelers won 43-0 and had put Gonzalez in late in the game after the outcome had been decided.
After the Steelers chose not to resign him--starting quarterback Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart, nicknamed "Slash" , is a former American NFL quarterback. Stewart attended the University of Colorado and was drafted 60th in the 1995 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers...
was the only quarterback carryover for the 2000 season
2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record from 1999 in which they failed to qualify for the playoffs. While Pittsburgh did improve to 9–7 and had their first winning season since 1997, it was not enough for the team to qualify for the playoffs...
from 1999, a year they had four quarterbacks on the roster the entire season (Stewart, Mike Tomczak
Mike Tomczak
Michael John "Mike" Tomczak is a former American football player. Tomczak played quarterback for several NFL teams including the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers....
, Gonzalez, and Anthony Wright)--Gonzalez signed with the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, but was cut in training camp and never returned to football as a player.
Gonzalez was the last Steelers player to wear number 7 before Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
arrived in 2004.