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Mark M. Malone (born November 22, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils.
He was a two-year starter at Arizona State University and was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 28th pick in the 1980 NFL draft. Malone set an NCAA record with a 98-yard touchdown run against Utah State in 1979, the longest run ever by a college quarterback at that time, which wasn't surpassed until 2021.
After returning in 1983, he threw just twenty passes all year. The 1984 season saw him take the brunt of playing time as the Steelers attempted to deal with the changeover from Bradshaw (who had retired after 1983). David Woodley (traded to Pittsburgh after Miami drafted Dan Marino) started seven games before concussions and a fractured shin forced Malone in to start what would end up being nine of the last ten games of the season. Malone threw for 2,137 yards while going 6–3 with 16 touchdowns to 17 interceptions. He led the league in yards per pass completion with 14.5, which was likely helped by games such as against San Diego, where he went 18-for-22 attempts for 253 yards with 4 touchdowns and an interception. The Steelers went 9-7 (which included giving the San Francisco 49ers their only loss that year), which was good enough for a wild card spot and a matchup against the Denver Broncos that saw Malone tapped to start. He had two early fumbles that were recovered by Denver, but he went 17-of-28 for 224 yards and threw a touchdown pass that tied the game in the third quarter before Pittsburgh pulled away in the fourth to win 24–17. The Divisional Round win gave Pittsburgh a berth in the 1984 AFC Championship Game against the Miami Dolphins. Malone went 20-of-36 for 312 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions as Miami pulled away by halftime in a 45–28 victory.
Malone ultimately never started a full season for the team due to injuries, which ranged from a dislocated big toe to a ripped elbow that needed staples. In 1985, he started eight games and threw for 1,428 yards with thirteen touchdowns to seven interceptions. He won AFC Offensive Player of the Week on opening day vs. the Indianapolis Colts by going 21-for-30 for 287 yards while tying Bradshaw's record for passing touchdowns with five (which also included a rushing touchdown). He threw a career high in yards with 374 against Cincinnati on September 30, but a toe injury hindered him. David Woodley started six games for the team while Scott Campbell had the other two. In 1986, a miserable start on opening day on the road in Seattle had fans in Pittsburgh ready to boo for the home opener by the first series. Malone stated later that he tried to not let the fans get to him as he had seen with Stoudt years earlier, but he instead got wound up too tight in trying to press early. He threw for one touchdown against eight interceptions in the opening three games (all resulting in losses). So negative was his reputation that WPXI-TV, the NBC affiliate that Malone did a weekly pregame show for, had a quarterback popularity poll done for the team that saw Malone finish third with 17% to Campbell and rookie draft pick Bubby Brister. A swollen thumb as a result of striking a helmet on an incomplete pass saw him miss the next two games for Brister. Malone went 6–8 as a starter while throwing for 2,444 yards with 15 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. Malone had a career high in rushing touchdowns with five, doing so on 31 carries for 107 yards. When asked about him, Bradshaw had stated that Malone had adequate skills, but that "he can't carry a football team. Let's just say that he's not my kind of quarterback. And the fans here don't like his style. I get letters." Malone responded that with a few more talented players, the team would be a title contender. In his final season with the Steelers in 1987, he started 12 games (going 6-6 while Steve Bono started the other three games) and threw for 1,896 yards while throwing for six touchdowns to 19 interceptions. He led the league in game-winning drives with three.
He was traded to the San Diego Chargers on April 12, 1988, as Pittsburgh favored Brister as a starter instead. He was tabbed to start eight of the last ten games of the season. He lost the first six before winning the last two, one of which came against Pittsburgh. In his final start as a player, he went 6-of-10 for 91 yards while running for a touchdown in a 24–13 win over Kansas City. Going 2–6, he threw for 1,580 yards and threw for six touchdowns to 13 interceptions. He then moved to the New York Jets for 1989, throwing two passes before retirement. He was the fourth-ranked quarterback in franchise history at the time with 8,582 yards. For his career Malone passed for 10,175 yards and 60 touchdowns, and he rushed 159 times for 628 yards and 18 touchdowns.
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