Terry Hanratty

NFL player


DateOfBirth=Birth date and age|1948|1|19|mf=y
Birthplace=Butler, Pennsylvania, United States
DateOfDeath=
Position=Quarterback
number=5
College=Notre Dame
DraftedYear=1969
DraftedRound=2/ Pick 30
DatabaseFootball=HANRATER01
PFR=HanrTe00
Awards=Sammy Baugh Trophy (1967)
Records
years=1969–1975
1976
teams=Pittsburgh Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
ProBowls=
HOF=

Terrence Hugh "Terry" Hanratty (born January 19, 1948 in Butler, Pennsylvania) is a former professional American football quarterback in the NFL during the 1960s and 1970s and earned two Super Bowl rings as the backup quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, his hometown team.

Hanratty attended St. Paul Catholic School and Butler High School in Western Pennsylvania before going to the University of Notre Dame where he was a three year starter and was twice an All-American. Hanratty and Jim Seymour formed a formidable passing/receiving duo leading Notre Dame to the national championship in 1966. They became known as the Baby Bombers and later, as Mr. Fling to Mr. Cling. Hanratty was a resident of Stanford Hall during his tenure at Notre Dame except for his final year. He lived in 235 Walsh Hall his senior year. Hanratty would also be teammates and friends with halfback Rocky Bleier at Notre Dame before the two were teammates in Pittsburgh.

In 1969, Hanratty was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft by the Steelers' new head coach, Chuck Noll, and was the starting quarterback for a short time before losing the job to the Steelers' No. 1 overall draft pick Terry Bradshaw. Hanratty would be the last Pittsburgh-area native to start a game at quarterback for the Steelers until current backup and Homestead native Charlie Batch would fill in for an injured Ben Roethlisberger for two games during the team's most recent Super Bowl-winning season in 2005. Hanratty suited up for Super Bowl IX, but did not see action. However, he did play in Super Bowl X in what turned out to be his last game as a Steeler.

After that season, Hanratty was selected in the 1976 expansion draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were possibly the worst team in NFL history and the only team to finish a season 0-14. As the backup quarterback for Steve Spurrier, Hanratty made only a handful of appearances, and his sole start came in Week 13 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This would be Hanratty's final season in the NFL before retiring. He finished his career with 2,510 passing yards, 24 touchdown passes, and 35 interceptions. He completed only 38 percent of his pass attempts, which led to a relatively poor overall rating of 43.0.

Following his retirement from football, Hanratty worked as a stock broker for many years. He is now retired from his second career, spending time with his family and coaching his daughter's championship softball team. Hanratty was on hand to see Brady Quinn break his record for passing touchdowns.