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Friday, June 13, 2003

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

If it were up to Charlie Batch, the Steelers' starting quarterback would make more money this season than his backup.

	Steelers' stance right and risky Steelers Notebook

That would happen if Batch were the starter and Tommy Maddox No. 2.

"Right now, he's the guy," Batch said yesterday, "and I have to actually try to get him out of there."

Batch knows the job belongs to Maddox, but it does not mean he has to wave a white flag. Batch believes he fulfilled a goal the past month to convince his coaches and teammates he is a viable alternative at quarterback.

"I'm pushing him and he's pushing me to be the best we both can possibly be because you want to be that guy. You can't rotate the quarterback position; you're either the guy or you're not. I'm hungry because I want to be in there. He's hungry because he hasn't been there for a long time over the course of his career. We're both trying to get into that situation."

Maddox and his agent, Vann McElroy, were rebuffed in their attempts to get the Steelers to redo a contract that calls for him to make less money than Batch this year and next. They said the Steelers promised to do something about it after the season.

Maddox said he does not think that has happened before in the NFL, but Batch has proof it has because it happened to him in Detroit in 1998 and '99. He became the starter three games into his rookie season, replacing Scott Mitchell. Both Mitchell and another veteran, Frank Reich, made more money than Batch. The Lions signed veteran Gus Frerotte as a free agent in '99, and he, too, made more money than Batch as his backup.

Counting their bonuses, Batch will earn $250,000 more than Maddox this season and another $250,000 more in 2004.

"Honestly, I've been in that situation," said Batch, who remains on friendly terms with Maddox. "In Detroit, my first two years I was in that same situation. Yeah, it's a tough situation, but there was nothing I could do in that situation. I just went out and played ball and let everything else take care of itself."

It worked because a year later, the Lions signed Batch to a long-term contract that paid him a $10 million signing bonus. Other than for injuries, Batch did not lose his job in Detroit until a new Lions regime released him last June.

The Steelers signed Batch after their minicamp last year, so he was at a disadvantage when he reported to training camp to compete with Maddox behind starter Kordell Stewart.

"Last year, I came into training camp the first day trying to learn everything. Those guys were here and were just refreshing their memories when they went to training camp. Last year, we were competing for the backup job. Now, he's the starter, and I'm competing to be the starter. It can't do anything but better the situation. Whatever happens is going to better the team. I think that's how everybody else sees that, as friendly competition"

Batch does not believe Maddox's contract or pay disparity will be a distraction to him or the team. Neither does the captain of the offense, Jerome Bettis.

"It could be a distraction, but the way this organization has been, I don't see them letting it become a distraction," Bettis said. "And the type of person Tommy is, I don't see him letting it become a distraction. Tommy is not the type of person who will let something like that get out of hand."

Coach Bill Cowher said he was glad Maddox addressed the issue now rather than later.

"It is a dead issue and it won't be an issue once we get to camp," Cowher said. "It is one of those things that came up. It was going to have to be discussed at some point. He answered all the questions, and it is going to be a dead issue from here on out.

"You can't avoid some of the things that take place right now, and those are some of the obstacles that we have to deal with. Tommy dealt with it yesterday."