He never made a Pro Bowl and never had a 1,000-yard season, but he appeared in 111 games over nine seasons and managed to rack up 3,989 career rushing yards. [5] Through 2021, eight Steeler first-round picks have gone on to have playing careers deemed worthy of enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Bill Dudley, Len Dawson, Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Rod Woodson, Troy Polamalu, and Alan . Well, he's worth a lot more now. One of the best free agent signings of the Mike Tomlin era, DeAngelo Williams was never thought to be more than a top backup running back. Williams recorded at least 730 rushing yards in a season four times during the 2010s, and he ended the decade with 4,246 rushing yards. 8 Oldest Running Backs in NFL - Oldest.org Franco Harris gets most of the credit for that infamous incident, but Terry Bradshaws passing attempt on that play was originally intended for Fuqua who was decleated by Jack Tatum. He earned the Super Bowl MVP award after running for 158 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings in Super Bowl IX. While those numbers may not seem impressive by todays standards, they were good enough to earn Tracy Pro Bowl appearances with the Steelers in 1958 and 1960. List of Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft picks - Wikipedia The Senate passed the bill . In 1966 when the Fighting Irish won the national title, Rocky was a member of that team. Damien Harris (New England Patriots) The 2021 season will only be Damien Harris' second full season with the Patriots as a running back, but he's shown his level of skill. 12. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, injured during his tour of duty and told he would never play football again. I enjoy the passing game, and I love that Ben Roethlisberger has matured into an elite quarterback, but it is hard for me to imagine there is a better way to play football than Steelers Football. In 2011 and 2013, he made All-Pro, and in 2013 he posted 2,146 yards from scrimmage. This led to fans chanting Hey Diddle Diddle, Rogel Up the Middle. There was just one occasion that the Steelers failed to use Rogel on the games first play. He would retire with 3,965 yards on the ground, second best in history for the Steelers at that time. In 1980, Thornton would average five yards-per-carry while carrying the rock 78 times. Parker was perhaps the fastest running back ever to play for the Steelers. When running the ball, they often do so out of one-back sets and shotgun and pistol formations. He made the Pro Bowl three times, from 2014-16. Jerome Bettis (1996-2005). 2013 Steelers 2014 Steelers 2015 Steelers 2016 Steelers 2017 Steelers 2018 Steelers 2019 Steelers 2020 Steelers 2021 Steelers 2022 Steelers 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 8-8 11-5 10-6 11-5 13-3 9-6-1 8-8 12-4 9-7-1 9-8. Every Tight End In Pittsburgh Steelers History, Ranked By Fans What those teams dont have is a legacy of bullying and dominating opponents, and that is what brought the Steelers six Super Bowl championships. It was a hard task to actually rank all of the great running backs . LeVeon Bell got off to a late start in his rookie season due to injuries but then proved he was worthy of his second round draft selection. TEAM SEASON GP REC W% W L T TD PTS PPG OPP PTS OPP PPG 1DWN 3DWN% 4DWN% Pittsburgh Steelers: 2013: 16: 8-8.500: 8: 8: 0: 41: 379 . Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have had three coaches, and each has used a different style of offense. Over the entire decade, he posted 6,417 rushing yards and 7,909 yards from scrimmage with the Titans, Jets and Cardinals from 2010-17. He made four Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team as a Steeler and inspired a Pittsburgh Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XLone of the greatest wins in Steelers history. Running Back Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap Bell will pay the price this season with a three-game suspension to start the 2015 season. This is a list of National Football League running backs by total career rushing yards, and includes the 31 running backs who have rushed for at least 10,000 yards, for which sixteen of them have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long history of smash-mouth football dating back to before they ever won their first Super Bowl. He finished with 585 yards and scored six touchdowns including a 75-yard run. Until recently, the fullback was an important player in the Steelers' offense. Former season 27 " Dancing With the Stars " competitor John Schneider has returned to social media following the death of his wife, Alicia Allain. While one is considered a fullback and the other a halfback, they share more commonalities than differences in their duties. Fuqua led the . When a running back like Jerome Bettis, Franco Harris, or John Henry Johnson tramples linebackers and safeties all game, it grinds opponents down and destroys their will to compete. Since there are only 11 players on offense, the running backs have to be able to function as a unit, and Le'Veon Bell could play halfback to Bettis' fullback. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. In fact, no back has even finished top-two in consecutive years, and only Adrian Peterson (second in 2009 and 2015; first in 2012) and Le'Veon Bell (first in 2014; second in 2017) have even had more than one top-two year in a decade. In two seasons, he is already 18th among all Steelers backs in rushing. The 8 Best And 7 Worst Running Backs In Pittsburgh Steelers History Pittsburgh Steelers Depth Chart | ESPN Gordon averaged a career-best 5.1 yards per carry in 2018. Dudley also served his country during World War II as a member of the Army and played for that team while away from the NFL. Clemson running backs coach CJ Spiller got his man. If he had played in those games, Bell is easily in the top five on this list and maybe close to the top. It has been said that Rooney responded with the declaration that he would never again attempt to call a play for his team. He'll get the chance to continue his career with the Browns, but he'll miss the first eight games of 2019 because of a suspension. Pittsburgh Steelers Career Rushing Leaders. However, it's not too early to break down the best from the 2010s either. In addition, he got 52 receiving yards, with an average of 10.4. Today, with the explosion of the passing game, a star running back is a helpful asset but no longer a requirement. He ranks 23rd all-time among Pittsburgh rushers having gained 1,504 yards as a Steeler. In 2007, Fuqua created a candy and marketed it as The Immaculate Confection. But aside from that 1972 playoff game with the Oakland Raiders, Fuqua could be seen off the field wearing the flashiest of clothes that included shoes with see-through heals and live fish in them. At 244 pounds, Morris was a load running behind the offensive line and his numbers backed up his train rushing efforts. The role of the fullback changed dramatically when the I-formation came into vogue in the 1980s. 8. I could be wrong. Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 16: Latest Fantasy Lock and Flop Predictions He is currently the third leading rusher in Steelers history. For his service in the war, Bleier received the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. Jamaal Williams Dynasty Profile: Fantasy Outlook, Value, Projections Last season he was in the top five among running backs in several categories. In 1992, we found out who the heck that guy was: the man who would run for more yards in one season than any Steelers running back in team history. John Fuqua: How could any Steelers fan in the Nation of Black and Gold not smile when speaking of John Frenchy Fuqua. A fullback is not required in this type of offensive game plan. Sowhos the greatest tight end in Pittsburgh Steelers history? Harris disputed that and said he was 240 pounds as a rookie. Jackson never led the league in rushing and never made the All-Pro team. He has six 1,000-yard seasons and six Pro Bowl nominations with the Eagles and Bills during the 2010s. He signed as an undrafted free agent who had run a 4.23-second 40 at the Scouting Combine the previous spring. Standing 5-foot-11 and 195-pounds, Spears passes the . Mendenhall is currently No. In 2015 Williams rejuvenated his career with the Steelers, filling in for the suspended and injured Le'Veon Bell for 10 games. On a better team, Jones-Drew may have been able to flourish for longer than three seasons, but from 2009-11, he was one of the best backs in the league. He spent his first year in the NFL with the Giants before coming to the Steelers in 1970. In one of his final interviews before his . Included are player stats for the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) from 1945-2022, the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) from 1940-1942 and the Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) from 1933-1939. If I were to ask you to name the sixth-leading rusher in Steelers history, I bet youd say a lot of names before you got to Frank Pollard. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Bleier only ranks ninth in all-time rushing yards for the franchise, and he never made the Pro Bowl, but there is no denying the impact this gutsy running back had in winning four Steelers' Super Bowl championships. Power Ranking AFC North Running Backs | Steelers Now Ibrahim, who . Yes, that was his average. Pittsburgh Steelers Stats: The official source for Pittsburgh Steelers game statistics . Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. But it was his story of injury during the war that gave him notoriety at the start of his career. Outside linebacker Joey Porter came to Pittsburgh in 1999. Today, Johnson is one of the former Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Steelers have always had great defensive playersand that hasn't changedbut the Steelers of today have fallen into the trendy traps of modern offenses with little use for a fullback. Bill Dudley also played with the Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins after leaving the Steelers, and finished his career with 3,057 yards rushing, 1,383 yards receiving, punted the ball for a total of 7,304 yards, and on defense intercepted 23 passes. Drafted in the third round by the Steelers, Zereoue would play from 1999 to 2003 in Black and Gold before finishing his career in Oakland for one season and another in New England. In 1979, he started 10 games in place of Bleier and ran for 585 yards and six touchdowns. No matter what happens with the evolution of this position, these Pittsburgh tight ends have left a legacy for this that cant be taken away. Preston Pearson: Pearson wore Rocky Bleiers college number of 26 and was a solid football player who was a member of the Steelers first Super Bowl winning team in 1975 when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings 16-6 in Super Bowl IX. The stud running back finished with 3,943 yards which lands him seventh on Pittsburghs all-time list. OTHERS TO CONSIDER Starting this list chronologically is as good a way as any. Washington Commanders Release QB Carson Wentz | The 33rd Team His career ended on a sad note in Minnesota, but Peterson regained his form with another 1,000-yard season with Washington in 2018. It is unfortunate, and I would guess I am not alone in wishing the Steelers would return to their roots and play power football again. DeAngelo Williams Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images. Even putting a left end at right end can cause a drop. 1, Pittsburgh didn't have a top-25 running back. Joey Porter. He was also an excellent receiver, both out of the backfield and split out as a wide receiver. Emailed daily. The Best Pittsburgh Steelers Tight Ends Of All Time, Vote up the players who had the most success playing tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. Both men had the unfortunate circumstance of being behind other great players on the roster, Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw. 20 and retired with that number despite the departure of Pearson to Dallas. But you cant throw just any ball carrier out there and hope to have success; it takes a certain kind of player to fit into a power running offensive scheme. 2023 NFL draft: 4 running backs for Chargers to watch at Combine Across the decade, Martin has posted 5,356 rushing yards and 32 total touchdowns. Postseason. The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2020 running back room has the assortments of all the skillsets you could find around the NFL. In 2012, the Steelers found themselves with JONATHAN DWYER as their leading rusher, which is what led to the spending of a second-round pick in the following draft on Le'Veon Bell. Peterson missed all but one game in 2014 because of a child abuse case, but he returned to lead the NFL in rushing during 2015. Seasons: 90 (1933 to 2022) Record (W-L-T): 666-585-23 Playoff Record: 36-27 Super Bowls Won: 6 (8 Appearances) Championships Won *: 6 . 2022 Fantasy Football - Top 10 RBs - Faceoff Sports Network Tackles. Drafted by the Steelers in 1942 and in his rookie season led the NFL in rushing with 696 yards. RASHARD MENDENHALL came to the Steelers as a first-round pick in 2008, and after spending the bulk of his rookie season on the injured reserve list, he rushed for 3,309 yards on 812 carries (4.1 average) and 29 touchdowns from 2009-11. In 79 games with the Steelers, he carried the ball for 3,343 yards and 22 touchdowns. (Fullback Roosevelt Nix spent most of 2019 injured and did not appear to have a viable replacement.) He stepped in for a banged-up Willie Parker in 2009 and ran for 1,108 yards and seven touchdowns. Buffalo 2007-10; Seattle 2010-15, '19; Oakland 2017-18. He'll likely end up with a good chunk of dough in free agency, but it's hard to believe . Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Overall, he ran for 4,731 yards and 28 touchdowns playing for the Rams, Falcons and Patriots from 2010-15. 10 Best Linebackers in Steelers History (+Honorable Mentions) Of course we are talking about the Immaculate Reception. As an undrafted rookie in 2004, Bill Cowher took a chance on the 5-foot-10, 209-pound first-year player and Parker impressed sharing time with The Bus, Jerome Bettis. But Stewart posted 5,366 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns in the decade. Both backs had to run well with the ball and have the skills to block for the other. But he stayed. In 2015 he finished second in the league in rushing and earned a spot on the All-Pro Team. For the purposes of this article, I will be considering the following: Its tricky to piece it all together, but I think these are the best Steelers running backs of all time. List of Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterbacks - Wikipedia In 2012, he made the All-Pro team with 1,590 rushing yards and 1,786 yards from scrimmage. Trump can be sued by cops United States 11:10 am - 10,090 views; Train crash toll now 57 Greece 9:38 am - 3,746 views; Snow, rain end drought California 9:32 am - 1,290 views; More World News But twice he rushed for more than 1,400 yards, and as a rookie in 2012 Martin posted 1,926 yards from scrimmage. Year-to-year repeatability among the top fantasy running backs The Steelers ran out the pro set for most of the 1970s and 1980s under head coach Chuck Noll. From the time Fran Rogel became the teams starting running back in 1950 until his retirement in 1957, Pittsburghs first play from scrimmage in every game Rogel was in the backfield began with a handoff to the California State Teachers College and Penn State University product with a rush into the middle of the offensive line. List of National Football League career rushing yards leaders During that year, Peterson won league MVP the last running back to do so. Read on to find out why. Chubb is not the most dangerous or highly . He ran for over 1,000 yards in his first season and scored 10 rushing touchdowns on his way to winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Picking Le'Veon Bell here might be one of those choices that spurs debate among fans, but it comes down to the belief he's going to become the Steelers' version of Marshall Faulk. In the second concussion he encountered, it resulted in Hoge having to be resuscitated when he stopped breathing. Best: Franco Harris. Visit ESPN to view the Pittsburgh Steelers team depth chart for the current season A good scoring drive based on running plays eats up the clock and keeps the ball out of the hands of the other team's offense. James Conner finished his career in Pittsburgh as the #17 ranked rusher in Steelers history. Since missing the last five games of 2010, Gore has sat out just two games over the last eight years. Sep 20, 1992; San Diego, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Barry Foster (29) in action against San Diego Chargers defenders Junior Seau (55) and George Thornton (93) at Jack . Merril Hoge was a versatile fullback who could carry the ball, catch passes, and block. steelers running backs last 10 years - shantisrl.com TODAY: Running backs Since the merger in 1970, the Pittsburgh Steelers have rushed for more yards than any other team in the National Football League, and this commitment got two of their running backs elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Lucrative opportunities to leave. Drafted by the Steelers in the first round with the 23rd pick in 2008, Mendenhall replaced Willie Parker and had successive years of 1,000 or more yards rushing in 2009 and 2010 with a high of 1,273 in 10. He was Le'Veon Bell when Bell was at Michigan State. name the pittsburgh steelers running back to the last 10 years. They got a lot of carries in an era when both the fullback and halfback needed to contribute to the running game. Parker had a shot to lead the NFL in rushing in 2007, but he broke his leg in the regular season's penultimate game and finished with 1,316 yards.
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