Chicago signs Kordell Stewart

Following two weeks of intense negotiations by both the Chicago Bears and Kordell Stewart's agent, the former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback signed a two-year, $4.75 million contract with Chicago.

The signing came just a day after the Arizona Cardinals, another team courting Stewart, signed a deal with Jeff Blake, effectively taking Stewart out of their sights and setting him squarely in Chicago's lap.

It was just a matter of hammering out a deal before Stewarts' signing with the Bears was complete.

Stewart joins Chicago after eight years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which can be described as a series of ups and downs for the former Pro Bowl quarterback.

During his tenure with the Steelers, Stewart took the team to the AFC Championship game just two years ago, losing to the New England Patriots, as well as incurring the wrath of coach Bill Cower.

Also, that same year, he set records for completion percentage (60.2), rushing yards (537) and finished fourth in the balloting for NFL MVP.

He has also has taken Pittsburgh to the title game in 1997 just two years after being drafted by the Steelers in the second round (60th).

One thing that might have compelled the Bears to purse Stewart so aggressively was his durability. He has never missed game as a starter, but has been pulled for inconsistent play in the past.

Stewart also adds another dimension to the Bears game by being a very mobile quarterback considered to be a real threat coming out of the backfield. This is something that Chicago hasn't seen since Jim Harbaugh was their quarterback back in the early 1990s and has desperately needed.

Chicago's General Manager Jerry Angelo has already stated that the Bears will now build their offense around Stewart to use all of his capabilities to their fullest potential.

The signing of Stewart comes after a week of furious activity by the Bears to sign a qualified starting quarterback.

Jake Plummer snubbed Chicago by signing with the Denver Broncos following a visit to Chicago last week. The Bears had offered Plummer more money than Denver, but he chose the Broncos instead, which opened the door for Stewart.

To liven things up even more, the Bears brought in former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Jeff Blake, right as Stewart was boarding a plane out of Chicago. Blake signed with the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday (March 12, 2003), so that left Stewart with Chicago and the Baltimore Ravens.

The Ravens acknowledged that they couldn't guarantee Stewart the starting job, so for Steward, Chicago was the obvious choice, which Stewart now says was his choice all along.