NFL fans today recognize the New England Patriots as a dominant franchise, but history shows that the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed just as much success, and over a longer period of time. Like the Patriots, the Steelers have won Super Bowl titles. Pittsburgh has also played in and hosted more conference championships than any other NFL team (16 and 11 times, respectively). So we thought we’d dive into the Steelers’ storied history and come up with an all-time Pittsburgh Steelers team. It’s an impressive lineup that includes 10 Hall of Fame players (and likely one or two future inductees). As a bonus, we asked a Steelers super fan, ESPN Honolulu’s own Chris Hart, to add his comments on some of our choices.
Here we go…
OFFENSE:
QB – TERRY BRADSHAW. (1970-83) 4x Super Bowl champion. 3x Pro Bowler. 1x 1st-Team All-Pro. 1x 2nd-Team All Pro. 2x Super Bowl MVP. 1x NFL MVP (1978). (HOF)
CHRIS HART: “Yes, the original ‘TB12’ was the QB for four SB wins, but I think Ben Roethlisberger is head and shoulders above Bradshaw as a QB. The thing people don’t remember about Bradshaw is that he had a cannon! And he was VERY athletic!”
RB – FRANCO HARRIS. (1972-83) 4x Super Bowl champion. 9x Pro Bowler. 1x 1st-Team All-Pro. 2x 2nd-Team All-Pro. 1x Super Bowl MVP. (HOF)
CHRIS HART: “In the late ‘70’s fans were already saying that he was “washed up.” Especially when they had Sidney Thornton busting through the line. Thornton was a big bruising back who beat out Rocky Bleier for the starting fullback job.”
FB – JEROME BETTIS. (1996-05) 1x Super Bowl champion. 6x Pro Bowler. 2x 1st-Team All-Pro. 1x 2nd-Team All-Pro. (HOF)
CHRIS HART: “As a FB, ‘The Bus’ was the most loved player after Rocky Bleier.”
C – MIKE WEBSTER. (1974-88) 4x Super Bowl champion. 9x Pro Bowler. 7x 1st-Team All-Pro. (HOF)
CHRIS HART: “The Steelers always have had great centers. Kinda like the Chicago Bears and middle linebackers. From Ray Mansfield to Mike Webster to Dermonti Dawson to Markice Pouncy as well as Jeff Hartings – wow, what a list of All-Pros! Mike Webster spent his last year in Pittsburgh grooming Dawson, but perhaps he did too great of a job because he replaced him. I think the best center they ever had was Dawson (who was a HOFer, too), but I like the choice of Webster because he was so small.”
G – DAVIS DECASTRO. (2012-present) 5x Pro Bowler. 2x 1st-Team All-Pro.1x 2nd-Team All-Pro.
CHRIS HART: “Really struggled his first year in the league – looked like a draft bust!”
G – ALAN FANECA. (1998-2007) 1x Super Bowl champion. 9x Pro Bowler. 6x 1st-Team All-Pro. 2x 2nd-Team All-Pro.
T – JON KOLB. (1969-81) 4x Super Bowl champion. 1x 1st -Team All-Pro.
CHRIS HART: “No argument here. He had big guns, but later we found out basically all the Steelers in the 70’s were on ’roids!”
T – TUNCH ILKIN. (1980-92) 2x Pro Bowler.
TE – HEATH MILLER. (2005-15) 2x Super Bowl champion. 2x Pro Bowler.
CHRIS HART: “No doubt!”
WR – ANTONIO BROWN. (2010-18) 7x Pro Bowler. 4x 1st-Team All-Pro. 1x 2nd-Team All-Pro.
WR – HINES WARD. (1998-11). 2x Super Bowl champion. 4x Pro Bowler. 3x 2nd-Team All-Pro. 1x Super Bowl MVP.
CHRIS HART: “I would actually put John Stallworth here. Stallworth or Lynn Swann, just because they were so awesome at a time when the QBs didn’t pass as much as they do now. It was a running game in the 70’s.”
DEFENSE:
DE – L.C. GREENWOOD. (1969-81) 4x Super Bowl champion. 6x 1st-Team All-Pro. 2x 2nd-Team All-Pro.
DE – “MAD DOG” DWIGHT WHITE. (1971-80) 4x Super Bowl champion. 2x Pro Bowler. 1x 2nd-Team All-Pro.
CHRIS HART: “I would actually have someone else here, I don’t know who yet. John Banaszak and Gary Dunn were probably better than him, and they proved it when they joined the team.”
DT – “MEAN” JOE GREENE. (1969-81) 4x Super Bowl champion. 10x Pro Bowler. 5x 1st-Team All-Pro. 3x 2nd-Team All-Pro. 2x NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1972, 1974). (HOF)
NT – CASEY HAMPTON. (2001-12) 2x Super Bowl champion. 5x Pro Bowler.
OLB – JACK HAM. (1971-82) 4x Super Bowl champion. 8x Pro Bowler. 6x 1st-Team All-Pro. 2x 2nd-Team All-Pro. (HOF)
OLB – JAMES HARRISON. (2002, 2004-12, 2014-17) 2x Super Bowl champion. 5x Pro Bowler. 2x 1st-Team All Pro. 2x 2nd-Team All-Pro. 1x NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2008).
CHRIS HART: “He was at least twice by the Steelers. Both he and Jack Lambert came from Kent State.”
MLB – JACK LAMBERT. (1974-84) 4x Super Bowl champion. 9x Pro Bowler. 6x 1st-Team All-Pro. 2x 2nd-Team All-Pro. 1x NFL Rookie of the Year (1974).1x NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1976). (HOF)
CB – ROD WOODSON. (1987-96) 1x Super Bowl champion. 12x Pro Bowler. 6x 1st-Team All-Pro. 2x 2nd-Team All-Pro. 1x NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1993) (HOF)
CB – MEL BLOUNT. (1970-83). 4x Super Bowl champion. 5x Pro Bowler. 2x 1st-Team All-Pro. 4x 2nd-Team All-Pro. 1x NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1975). (HOF)
S – TROY POLAMALU. 2x Super Bowl champion. 8x Pro Bowler. 4x 1st-Team All-Pro. 2x 2nd-Team All-Pro. 1x NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2010). (HOF)
S – DONNIE SHELL. (1974-87) 4x Super Bowl champion. 5x Pro Bowler. 3x 1st-Team All-Pro. 1x 2nd-Team All-Pro. (HOF)
SPECIAL TEAMS:
K – GARY ANDERSON. (1982-94) 4x Pro Bowler. 2x 1st-Team All-Pro. 1x 2nd-Team All-Pro.
P – BOBBY WALDEN. (1968-77) 2x Super Bowl champion. 1x Pro Bowler.
RS – ROD WOODSON. (1987-96) 1x Super Bowl champion. 12x Pro Bowler. 6x 1st-Team All-Pro. 2x 2nd-Team All-Pro. 1x NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1993) (HOF)
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