updated 5:04 p.m. ET March 3, 2006

PITTSBURGH - Tommy Maddox, who lost his starting quarterback’s job shortly after Ben Roethlisberger’s arrival in 2004, was released Friday by the Pittsburgh Steelers in a long-expected salary cap move.

Also cut was Willie Williams, a cornerback on the Steelers’ 1995 Super Bowl team who unexpectedly became a starter again after returning to the team in 2004. He was deactivated for most of last season after being beaten out by Ike Taylor.

Maddox became one of the NFL’s unlikeliest success stories in years when, after retiring from football and becoming an insurance agent, he returned after a six-year absence and a short stay in the XFL to lead the Steelers to a 10-5-1 record and the second round of the playoffs in 2002.

Maddox, becoming an NFL starter for the first time at age 31, completed 234 of 377 passes for 2,836 yards, 20 touchdowns and 16 interceptions and set a Steelers single-game record of 473 yards passing against Atlanta that season. His breakthrough season came only months after the former Broncos first-round draft pick was the XFL’s one and only MVP.

But Maddox, whose ascension to starter pushed longtime Steelers QB Kordell Stewart off the team, subsequently lost his job following a 6-10 season in 2003 — after the Steelers restructured an offense that had long been built around the run to fit Maddox’s downfield throwing.

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After Maddox injured an elbow during the second game of the 2004 season, first-round draft pick Roethlisberger replaced him and has been the starter since except for five games missed to injury. Maddox played poorly in both of the games he started and lost last season, and Charlie Batch subsequently replaced him as Roethlisberger’s backup.

The Steelers’ two losses with Maddox at quarterback were among the reasons they finished 11-5 and had to go on the road throughout the AFC playoffs while becoming the first team to win three road playoff games and the Super Bowl.

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Maddox fell out of favor with coach Bill Cowher after throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble in the 23-17 overtime loss to Jacksonville on Oct. 16. As a result, Maddox started the 16-13 overtime loss at Baltimore on Nov. 20 only because Roethlisberger and Batch were hurt.

Maddox was to make $900,000, plus bonuses of $200,000, and have a cap value of $1.7 million next season. The Steelers hope to re-sign Batch to remain as Roethlisberger’s backup.

Williams was to make $1.235 million next season.

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