View source for Kordell Stewart

{{Short description|American football player (born 1972)}}
{{BLP sources|date=February 2018}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image       =
| number      = 10
| position    = [[Quarterback]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1972|10|16}}
| birth_place = [[Marrero, Louisiana|Marrero]], [[Louisiana]], U.S.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://old.post-gazette.com/steelers/20020129kordell0129p5.asp|title=They saw Kordell's potential}}{{Dead link|date=June 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 1
| weight_lbs  = 218
| high_school = [[John Ehret High School|John Ehret]] (Marrero)
| college     = [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado]] (1991–1994)
| draftyear   = 1995
| draftround  = 2
| draftpick   = 60
| teams       =
* [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] ({{NFL Year|1995}}–{{NFL Year|2002}})
* [[Chicago Bears]] ({{NFL Year|2003}})
* [[Baltimore Ravens]] ({{NFL Year|2004}}–{{NFL Year|2005}})
| highlights  =
* [[Pro Bowl]] ([[2002 Pro Bowl|2001]])
* Second-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1994 College Football All-America Team|1994]])
* First-team All-[[Big Eight Conference|Big Eight]] ([[1994 All-Big Eight Conference football team|1994]])
* Second-team All-Big Eight ([[1992 All-Big Eight Conference football team|1992]])
| statlabel1  = [[Passing attempts]]
| statvalue1  = 2,358
| statlabel2  = [[Passing completions]]
| statvalue2  = 1,316
| statlabel3  = [[Completion percentage]]
| statvalue3  = 55.8%
| statlabel4  = [[Touchdown|TD]]–[[Interception|INT]]
| statvalue4  = 77–84
| statlabel5  = [[Passing yards]]
| statvalue5  = 14,746
| statlabel6  = [[Passer rating]]
| statvalue6  = 70.7
| statlabel7  = [[Rushing yards]]
| statvalue7  = 2,874
| statlabel8  = [[Touchdown|Rushing touchdowns]]
| statvalue8  = 38
| pfr         = S/StewKo00 
}}

'''Kordell Stewart''' (born October 16, 1972) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] [[quarterback]] who played in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]. Nicknamed "'''Slash'''", he played [[college football]] for the [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado Buffaloes]] and achieved recognition in 1994 for the "[[Miracle at Michigan]]", a [[Hail Mary pass]] he completed to defeat the [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan Wolverines]]. He was selected by the Steelers in the second round of the [[1995 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1995 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1995/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-31|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

Stewart held a variety of roles for the Steelers before becoming their starting quarterback in 1997, which saw him help guide the team to an [[AFC Championship Game]] appearance. His most successful season was in 2001 when he led Pittsburgh to the conference's top seed and a return to the conference championship, while earning [[Pro Bowl]] honors. Stewart's performance declined the following year, resulting in him being released by the Steelers. Afterwards, Stewart played one season for the [[Chicago Bears]] and held a backup role during two seasons with the [[Baltimore Ravens]]. He ranks sixth in quarterback rushing touchdowns at 38.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/sports/articles/2016-01-04/panthers-qb-newton-continues-assault-on-nfl-record|title=Newton ties Steve Young's rushing TD record; Panthers beat Bucs 38-10 to clinch NFC's top seed}}</ref>

==Early life==
Kordell Stewart was born in [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]]. He attended [[John Ehret High School]] in [[Jefferson Parish, Louisiana]].

==College career==
In 1991, Stewart received a scholarship to the [[University of Colorado Boulder]]. Playing under coach [[Bill McCartney]], he became one of the most prolific quarterbacks in school history, setting several [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Buffaloes]] records, including most passes completed, most passing yards, and most touchdown passes.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.cubuffs.com/pdf5/47598.pdf?SPSID=62928&SPID=255&DB_OEM_ID=600 | title=Colorado Football Individual Records | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606163302/http://www.cubuffs.com/pdf5/47598.pdf?SPSID=62928&SPID=255&DB_OEM_ID=600 | archive-date=June 6, 2011 }}</ref>

Stewart led the [[Option offense|option-oriented]] Buffaloes to a pair of top-10 regular-season finishes in the [[AP Poll|AP]] and [[Coaches Poll|Coaches]] polls in 1992 and 1994 as well as wins in the 1993 [[Aloha Bowl]] and 1995 [[Fiesta Bowl]].<ref>{{cite web |url=  https://www.baltimoresun.com/1993/01/01/fiesta-bowl-college-football/|title= Fiesta Bowl College Football| date= January 1, 1993 |work= The Baltimore Sun |access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref> He was selected as a second-team All-American his senior year as nationally ranked No. 3 Colorado finished 11–1 in 1994.

One of his greatest moments for the Colorado Buffaloes occurred in the beginning of his college career. On September 5, 1992, Stewart started his first game as a sophomore as Colorado unveiled a pass-oriented offense that lifted the 12th-ranked Buffaloes past in-state rival Colorado State, 37–17. Stewart connected on 21 of 36 passes for a then school-record 409 yards and four touchdowns in the contest.<ref>{{cite news |title= Colorado unveils big pass-oriented offense |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19920904&id=uIIfAAAAIBAJ&pg=6781,1027107|newspaper= The Tuscaloosa News |location=  Tuscaloosa, Alabama| page= 5C | date= September 6, 1992|access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref>

On September 24, 1994, Stewart threw the [[Miracle at Michigan|game-winning]], 64-yard [[Hail Mary pass|Hail Mary touchdown pass]] into the end zone to wide receiver [[Michael Westbrook]] in the closing seconds to beat the [[1994 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan Wolverines]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/columns/story?columnist=maisel_ivan&id=2896389 | title=Stewart to Westbrook silenced Big House crowd | author=Ivan Maisel | work=ESPN.com | date=June 7, 2007 | access-date=June 7, 2007}}</ref>

===College statistics===
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
! colspan="15" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Colorado Buffaloes football}}"| Colorado Buffaloes
|-
! rowspan="2"| Season
! colspan="7"| Passing
! colspan="4"| Rushing
|-
! Cmp !! Att !! Pct !! Yds !! TD !! Int !! Rtg !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! TD
|-
! [[1991 Colorado Buffaloes football team|1991]]
| 1 || 2 || 50.0 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 58.4 || 18 || 144 || 8.0 || 1
|-
! [[1992 Colorado Buffaloes football team|1992]]
| 151 || 252 || 59.9 || 2,109 || 12 || 9 || 138.8 || 60 || 418 || 6.9 || 1
|-
! [[1993 Colorado Buffaloes football team|1993]]
| 157 || 294 || 53.4 || 2,299 || 11 || 7 || 126.7 || 102 || 524 || 5.1 || 6
|-
! [[1994 Colorado Buffaloes football team|1994]]
| 147 || 237 || 62.0 || 2,071 || 10 || 3 || 146.8 || 122 || 639 || 5.2 || 7
|-
! Totals !! 456 !! 785 !! 58.1 !! 6,481 !! 33 !! 19 !! 136.5 !! 302 !! 1,725 !! 6.3 !! 15
|}

==Professional career==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=February 2018}}
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 1 1/2
|       weight = 212
|         dash = 4.52
|    ten split = 1.60
| twenty split = 2.68
|      shuttle = 4.13
|   cone drill =
|     vertical = 36.0
|     broad ft = 10
|     broad in = 5
|        bench =
|     arm span = 31 1/2
|    hand span = 9 1/2
|    wonderlic =
|         note = All values from [[NFL Combine]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=23714 |title=Kordell Stewart, Combine Results, QB - Colorado |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=April 24, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ras.football/2020/01/06/kordell-stewart-ras/ |title=Kordell Stewart RAS |website=ras.football |date=January 6, 2020 |access-date=April 24, 2022}}</ref>
}}

===Pittsburgh Steelers===
====1995–1996====
Stewart was used sparingly for select plays. In his first season,  he had 15 carries with 14 receptions (for a total of two touchdowns) while making a handshake deal with [[Bill Cowher]] to be given a chance for the quarterback position, as [[Neil O'Donnell]] was the incumbent and also slated to be a free agent after the 1995 season was over. After a few games of brief rushes and catches, he got his first pass attempt against the [[Cleveland Browns]]. The attempt resulted in a touchdown. In total, he threw seven passes that year.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/why-former-steelers-qb-kordell-slash-stewart-should-be-in-hall-of-honor-that-would-mean-the-world-to-me/amp/ | title=Why former Steelers QB Kordell 'Slash' Stewart should be in Hall of Honor: 'That would mean the world to me' | date=July 21, 2022 }}</ref>

In the 1996 playoffs, he was used for a couple of carries (nine combined) in Pittsburgh's run to [[Super Bowl XXX]]. Against Buffalo, he was used for a punt, which he kicked 41 yards to the endzone for a touchback. In the [[1995 AFC Championship Game|AFC Championship]] against the [[Indianapolis Colts]], he caught two passes for 18 yards and a touchdown that gave Pittsburgh a 10–6 lead at halftime in an eventual win. He ran four times for 15 yards in the Super Bowl loss to the [[Dallas Cowboys]], which proved to be his only trip to the big game. He is the only rookie in NFL history to take a snap at the quarterback position in a Super Bowl; in which he converted a 4th & 1 on a quarterback sneak.
<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StewKo00/gamelog/post/ | title=Kordell Stewart Playoffs Game Log | website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] }}</ref>

In 1996, Pittsburgh elected to use third-year backup [[Jim Miller (quarterback)|Jim Miller]] as their week one starter. When he fizzled out in the middle of the game, they went with [[Mike Tomczak]] (who had been with Pittsburgh since 1993), with the Steelers being bolstered by their [[Jerome Bettis trade|off-season trade acquisition]] of [[Jerome Bettis]]. Stewart played sparingly at quarterback (30 passes) while being more used for catches and runs. He rushed 39 times (his longest play being an 80-yard touchdown run versus Carolina) and caught 17 passes for a combined total of eight touchdowns.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199612220car.htm | title=Pittsburgh Steelers at Carolina Panthers - December 22nd, 1996 | website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] }}</ref> In the 1997 playoffs, he ran nine times for 48 yards against the Colts for two touchdowns.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199612290pit.htm | title=Wild Card - Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers - December 29th, 1996 | website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] }}</ref>

====1997====
Stewart was named the starting quarterback for the 1997 season. In his first season as a starting quarterback in the NFL, he led the Steelers to an 11–5 record. He was the first quarterback to throw for twenty touchdowns and run for ten in history. The Steelers went to the AFC Championship Game, which they lost to the [[Denver Broncos]]. Stewart threw three interceptions (two of which were made in the opposing Denver end zone), and lost a fumble accounting for all four Steeler turnovers in a 24–21 loss.

====1998–1999====
Prior to the [[1998 NFL season|1998 season]], the Steelers lost their offensive coordinator, [[Chan Gailey]] as he was signed as  the  Cowboys head coach. To replace him, the Steelers brought in [[Ray Sherman]] from the Vikings. In addition, Stewart's leading receiver and Pro Bowler [[Yancey Thigpen]] also left via free agency after the 1997 season. By mid-season in 1998, the Steelers had lost three of the five starting offensive linemen from the 1997 AFC Championship game and, as a result, Stewart and the Steelers offense struggled and failed to make the playoffs in both seasons.

====2000====
Coach Bill Cowher named [[Kent Graham]] quarterback to start the [[2000 NFL season|season]], and the team got off to a 1–3 start. When Graham injured his hip, Stewart was tapped to replace him. The [[2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season|team]] finished 9–7 and missed the playoffs by one game.

====2001====
As starting quarterback, Stewart led the [[2001 Pittsburgh Steelers|2001 Steelers]] to a 13–3 regular-season record and the top seed in the [[2001–02 NFL playoffs|AFC playoffs]]. Under the tutelage of new QB coach [[Tom Clements]] and new offensive coordinator [[Mike Mularkey]], Stewart had his best year as a pro, throwing for over 3,000 yards, completing 60 percent of his passes, and attaining a [[passer rating]] of 81.7. He threw for 14 TDs and ran for five more. Stewart was elected to the Pro Bowl and was named the Steelers MVP.

The Steelers easily defeated the then-defending Super Bowl champion [[2001 Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens]] in the divisional playoffs. The eventual [[2002 Super Bowl|Super Bowl]] champion [[2001 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]] defeated the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.

====2002====
Stewart began the 2002 season as the Steelers' starting quarterback, but after throwing an interception into double coverage in the end zone at home against the Cleveland Browns in the third game of the season, he was replaced by increasingly popular backup [[Tommy Maddox]], and Stewart was released at the end of the season. Stewart did start two games in place of an injured Maddox to keep the team's playoff hopes alive. Maddox returned, and Stewart never played in Pittsburgh again.

===Chicago Bears===
The following season, Stewart signed as a free agent with the [[Chicago Bears]] and was named the starter. After several poor performances in [[2003 NFL season|2003]], he was replaced in favor of [[Chris Chandler (American football)|Chris Chandler]]. After getting the same results from Chandler, he was reinserted as the starter, before getting benched in favor of rookie [[Rex Grossman]] after the Bears were eliminated from the playoffs. Stewart was released at the end of the season.

===Baltimore Ravens===
Stewart was signed in [[2004 NFL season|2004]] by the Ravens to play a backup role to [[Kyle Boller]], and later served as a replacement for the injured [[Anthony Wright (quarterback)|Anthony Wright]]. He did not, however, throw a pass that season. He was unexpectedly successful as an emergency replacement for [[punter (football position)|punter]] [[Dave Zastudil]], being named NFL Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance. He was released following the 2004 season, but due to an injury to starting quarterback Kyle Boller during Week #1 of the [[2005 NFL season|2005 season]], the Ravens once again signed Stewart to be a backup to [[Anthony Wright (quarterback)|Anthony Wright]].

==Nickname and legacy==
Pittsburgh Steelers color commentator [[Myron Cope]] gave Stewart the [[nickname]] "Slash".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://deadspin.com/361509/rip-myron-cope|title=R.I.P. Myron Cope|last=Leitch|work=Deadspin|access-date=September 19, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> He chose this name under the presumption that Stewart could play multiple positions—quarterback/receiver/rusher (quarterback "slash" receiver "slash" rusher).

After confining him to many utility roles during the 1995 season, when the Steelers made it to [[Super Bowl XXX]] only to lose to the [[Dallas Cowboys]], the team gave Stewart the opportunity to compete for the starting quarterback position in 1996. Following a preseason battle, Bill Cowher named [[Jim Miller (quarterback)|Jim Miller]] as the Steelers' starting quarterback and kept Stewart in his "Slash" role. Miller struggled at Jacksonville on opening day and was replaced by [[Mike Tomczak]] for the rest of the season. In a December 1996 game against the [[1996 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]], Stewart set a then-NFL record for longest touchdown run by a quarterback with an 80-yard rush.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}

While criticized often during his career (especially by the local media in Pittsburgh), more recent assessments of Stewart's career have been more positive. Some sportswriters have named Stewart the first modern [[dual-threat quarterback]], having played the position about 20 years before it became widespread. While Stewart wasn't the first such quarterback--notably, [[Fran Tarkenton]], [[Randall Cunningham]] and [[Steve Young]] were known to scramble while [[John Elway]] also ran the ball often (all except Cunningham are now in the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]])--Stewart was one of the first to run with the football as a form of offense as opposed to avoid defenders.<ref>{{cite web | title=Former Steelers LT Shares Kordell Stewart Feat He Called 'The Best Thing I Ever Saw' | date=July 6, 2025 | url=https://steelersdepot.com/2025/07/former-steelers-lt-shares-kordell-stewart-feat-he-called-the-best-thing-i-ever-saw/ }}</ref>

Within the local Pittsburgh media, [[Mark Madden]] and [[John Steigerwald]] often defended Stewart during his playing career and felt he was being unfairly judged. Longtime ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' writer Ron Cook would acknowledge years later that Stewart deserved better treatment during his time with the Steelers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cook |first=Ron |date=2021-02-05 |title=Ron Cook: Kordell Stewart deserved better during his time with Steelers |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/ron-cook/2021/02/05/pittsburgh-steelers-kordell-stewart-players-tribune-slash-ron-cook/stories/202102070067 |access-date=2021-11-04 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |language=en}}</ref> Stewart's performance has him ranked occasionally as the team's 3rd best quarterback of all-time behind [[Ben Roethlisberger]] (Stewart's more long-term successor who was drafted a year after Stewart was released) and [[Terry Bradshaw]], ahead of Hall of Famer [[Bobby Layne]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Ranking the Top 5 Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterbacks of All Time | date=May 12, 2024 | url=https://www.givemesport.com/best-pittsburgh-steelers-quarterbacks/ }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Ex-Steelers Quarterback Asks: Who is the 3rd-Best QB in Franchise History? | date=July 8, 2022 | url=https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/kordell-stewart-asks-3rd-best-quarterback/ }}</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Year
! rowspan="2" | Team
! colspan="3" | Games
! colspan="7" | Passing
! colspan="4" | Rushing
! colspan="4" | Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Record !! Cmp !! Att !! Pct !! Yds !! TD !! Int !! Rtg !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! TD
|-
! [[1995 NFL season|1995]] !! [[1995 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 10 || 2 || — || 5 || 7 || 71.4 || 60 || 1 || 0 || 136.9 || 15 || 86 || 5.7 || 1 || 14 || 235 || 16.8 || 1
|-
! [[1996 NFL season|1996]] !! [[1996 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 16 || 2 || — || 11 || 30 || 36.7 || 100 || 0 || 2 || 18.8 || 39 || 171 || 4.4 || 5 || 17 || 293 || 17.2 || 3
|-
! [[1997 NFL season|1997]] !! [[1997 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 16 || 16 || 11–5 || 236 || 440 || 53.6 || 3,020 || 21 || 17 || 75.2 || 88 || 476 || 5.4 || 11 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[1998 NFL season|1998]] !! [[1998 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 16 || 16 || 7–9 || 252 || 458 || 55.0 || 2,560 || 11 || 18 || 62.9 || 81 || 406 || 5.0 || 2 || 1 || 17 || 17.0 || 0
|-
! [[1999 NFL season|1999]] !! [[1999 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 16 || 12 || 5–6 || 160 || 275 || 58.2 || 1,464 || 6 || 10 || 64.9 || 56 || 258 || 4.6 || 2 || 9 || 113 || 12.6 || 1
|-
! [[2000 NFL season|2000]] !! [[2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 16 || 11 || 7–4 || 151 || 289 || 52.2 || 1,860 || 11 || 8 || 73.6 || 78 || 436 || 5.6 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[2001 NFL season|2001]] !! [[2001 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 16 || 16 || 13–3 || 266 || 442 || 60.2 || 3,109 || 14 || 11 || 81.7 || 96 || 537 || 5.6 || 5 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[2002 NFL season|2002]] !! [[2002 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 7 || 5 || 3–2 || 109 || 166 || 65.7 || 1,155 || 6 || 6 || 82.8 || 43 || 191 || 4.4 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[2003 NFL season|2003]] !! [[2003 Chicago Bears season|CHI]]
| 9 || 7 || 2–5 || 126 || 251 || 50.2 || 1,418 || 7 || 12 || 56.8 || 59 || 290 || 4.9 || 3 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[2004 NFL season|2004]] !! [[2004 Baltimore Ravens season|BAL]]
| 2 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 1 || −1 || −1.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[2005 NFL season|2005]] !! [[2005 Baltimore Ravens season|BAL]]
| 1 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 4 || 24 || 6 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0
|0
|-
! colspan="2"| Totals !! 125 !! 87 !! 48–34 !! 1,316 !! 2,358 !! 55.8 !! 14,746 !! 77 !! 84 !! 70.7 !! 560 !! 2,874 !! 5.1 !! 38 !! 41 !! 658 !! 16.0 !! 5
|}

==Post-NFL career==
Following Boller's reactivation on November 9, 2005, the Ravens cut Stewart instead of keeping him as a third-string player, activating running back [[Musa Smith]] instead. Stewart had no comment following the announcement he had been cut from the team.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}}

Stewart made guest appearances on the TV shows ''[[Deal or No Deal]]''<ref>[http://www.16wmktg.com/kordell-stewart#!kordell-stewart/c1neo 16W Marketing, LLC: Kordell Stewart]</ref> and ''[[Pros vs. Joes]]''.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0951049/ IMDB.com: Pros vs Joes (Kordell Stewart Gets Revenge on the Refs), Season Two, Episode Two], February 1, 2007</ref><ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1564253/ IMDB.com: Pros vs Joes (Kordell Stewart Slashes Through the Joes), Season Two, Episode Six], March 1, 2007</ref>

On April 29, 2008, in an interview on the [[WCNN]] "680 The Fan", Stewart expressed interest in returning to the NFL. Also, according to [[ESPN2]]'s ''[[ESPN First Take|First Take]]'' on July 28, 2008, Stewart had not officially retired and had been working out at his home, to attempt a comeback following pre-season. He later was put into [[free agency]] but was never selected by a team.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}}

He appeared in January 2009 as an analyst on [[ESPN]]'s ''[[College Football Live]]'', and then later appeared again in July during the show's "50 States Tour" for the show's episode regarding Colorado athletics.

Stewart was also a sideline reporter for the [[United Football League (2009)|United Football League]]{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} and is currently{{when|date=September 2015}} an analyst on various ESPN shows such as ''NFL Live'',{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} ''NFL 32'',{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} ''Take 2'',{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} and ''[[Mike and Mike in the Morning]]''.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

Stewart officially retired from the NFL in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/kordell-stewart-retires-seven-years-after-last-game-09000d5d82972957 |title = Kordell Stewart retires ... Seven years after last game|website = [[NFL.com]]}}</ref>

In 2025, Stewart accepted a voluntary Offensive Coordinator role with [[South Forsyth High School]] in Georgia.

==Personal life==
Stewart has a son, Syre, with his ex-girlfriend Tania Richardson.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hellobeautiful.com/2631672/kordell-stewart-porsha-stewart-split-divorce-tania-richardson-date/|title=Kordell Stewart Hung Out With Baby Mama Night Before Divorce Announcement|website=Hello Beautiful|date=March 29, 2013 |access-date=March 29, 2013}}</ref>
Stewart met [[Porsha Williams]] in 2009 at downtown Atlanta's Luckie Lounge.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2012/11/16/meet-porsha-williams-stewart-the-newest-real-housewives-of-atlanta-cast-member |title=Meet Porsha Williams Stewart, the newest 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' cast member &#124; Radio & TV Talk |access-date=March 11, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127101827/http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2012/11/16/meet-porsha-williams-stewart-the-newest-real-housewives-of-atlanta-cast-member/ |archive-date=January 27, 2013 }} Introducing Porsha williams-stewart</ref> On May 21, 2011, they married in a lavish ceremony that was featured on [[WE tv]]'s ''[[Platinum Weddings]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thelist.com/422610/heres-what-porsha-williams-net-worth-really-is/|title=Here's What Porsha Williams' Net Worth Really Is|first=Adam |last=England|website=The List|date=May 27, 2021|access-date=July 22, 2022}}</ref> Stewart appeared as himself alongside Williams on [[Bravo (American TV network)|Bravo's]] ''[[The Real Housewives of Atlanta]]'' season 5 and 6.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Stewart |first1=Kordell |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KgR2jwEACAAJ |title=Truth: The Kordell Stewart Story |last2=Copeland |first2=Stephen |date=November 18, 2016 |publisher=Core Media Group |isbn=9780996267540}}</ref> Stewart filed for divorce from Williams on March 22, 2013, on the grounds that the marriage was irretrievably broken. Initial reports stated he was unwilling to pay any spousal support.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/kordell-stewart-porsha-williams-split-article-1.1299470 |location=New York |work=[[New York Daily News]] |access-date=September 22, 2015 |date=March 26, 2013 |title=Kordell Stewart, Porsha Williams split: Former NFL player files for divorce from 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star |first1=Zayda |last1=Rivera}}</ref>

In March 2017, Kordell won a $3 million lawsuit against internet personality Andrew Chad Caldwell, who made headlines in 2014 in front of a St. Louis church stating that he was delivered from homosexuality. Andrew Caldwell claimed to have a gay relationship with Kordell. Since the lawsuit, Kordell has still not been paid by Andrew Caldwell. In 2021 on an episode of [[Tamron Hall]], Kordell referenced the incident, which led to Andrew Caldwell going to social media threatening to file a lawsuit against both Tamron Hall and Kordell for mentioning the issue that Andrew Caldwell denies despite evidence that proved he made up the false accusations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rohrbach |first=Ben |date=2017-03-15 |title=Kordell Stewart wins $3 million lawsuit against male YouTube sensation who said they dated |url=http://sports.yahoo.com/news/kordell-stewart-wins-3-million-lawsuit-against-male-youtube-sensation-who-said-they-dated-155159771.html |access-date=2021-11-04 |website=sports.yahoo.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Stewart is an avid golfer and carried a nine [[Handicap (golf)|handicap]] when he was an active NFL player.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/2004/12/24/Kordell-Stewart-puts-Pittsburgh-experience-in-perspective/stories/200412240192 |title=Kordell Stewart puts Pittsburgh experience in perspective| author=Chico Harlan |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=December 24, 2004 |access-date=December 4, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://businessgolfblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/former-steelers-qb-kordell-stewart.html |title=Former Steelers' QB Kordell Stewart Retires| author=Suzanne Woo  |publisher=Business Golf Blog |date=May 30, 2012 |access-date=December 4, 2013}}</ref>

Stewart was the cover athlete for the 1997 video game [[NFL Blitz (1997 video game)|NFL Blitz]].

On March 23, 1998, Stewart appeared on the first-ever cover of ''[[ESPN The Magazine]]'' alongside [[Kobe Bryant]], [[Alex Rodriguez]] and [[Eric Lindros]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/27500438/got-next-four-athletes-appeared-our-first-cover |title= Who's got next? The four athletes who appeared on our first cover | author=Steve Wulf |work=[[ESPN]] |date=September 10, 2019 |access-date=June 3, 2021}}</ref>

Stewart later published an essay on ''[[The Players' Tribune]]'', detailing the racism and false rumors of homosexuality he [[Racial issues faced by black quarterbacks|faced as the Steelers' quarterback]].<ref name="Kordell Player">{{Cite web |last=Stewart |first=Kordell |date=2021-02-04 |title="You Know What I Heard About Kordell Stewart???" |url=https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/kordell-stewart-nfl-football-pittsburgh-steelers |access-date=2021-11-04 |website=The Players' Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060827144957/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=STEWAKOR01 Career NFL stats at DatabaseFootball.com]}}
* {{cite news|journal=Post-Gazette|title=Newsmaker: Jim Wexell / Talk show fight costs him a job, gets praise|date=January 13, 2002|author=Milan Simonich, Post-Gazette Staff Writer|url=http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20020113newsmaker0113p4.asp}}{{Dead link|date=June 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

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[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:John Ehret High School alumni]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:American football quarterbacks]]
[[Category:Baltimore Ravens players]]
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[[Category:Colorado Buffaloes football players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Atlanta]]
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[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players]]
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[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
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[[Category:Players of American football from Marrero, Louisiana]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
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