Steeler running backs Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker, Sidney Thornton and Rashard Mendenhall all helped bring Lombardi Trophies to Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Myles Jack's cap hit grows significantly from $4.75 million last year to $11.25 million in 2023. The role of the fullback changed dramatically when the I-formation came into vogue in the 1980s. Vote below for who you think is the best Pittsburgh Steelers tight end of all time, then head over and check out the top Pittsburgh Steelers players ever. 2023 NFL free agent running backs: Ranking top 10 seeking new deals Last year's offensive rookie of the year award winner, Barkley was close to perfect for fantasy owners. LeVeon Bell made his mark with the Steelers running in this kind of offense. 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. Looking at an NFL game today, something seems to be missing. That lands him in the top five during the decade. Barkley reminded the NFL world this past season that he's one of the best running backs in the league by rushing for a career-high 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns. Barkley was a huge reason why the Giants returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Running backs are not the commodities they once were. 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. 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. By, Tom Rothenberg/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. They will be joined by this year's selection, making six for the 2022 season. 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. Washington Commanders Release QB Carson Wentz | The 33rd Team The following is another in a series that picks a Steelers All-Modern Era Team. NFL Top 10 Best Running Backs of the 2010s - #8 Arian Foster. These honorable mentions may not have a place on this list of all-time best Steelers running backs, but if you are a Steelers fan, there is a good chance you'll remember them fondly. Ranking every NFL running back drafted in Round 1 since 2000: LaDainian He is currently a free agent and the third oldest running back in the NFL, as well as the second oldest active running back. That's Steelers football. Before Franco Harris, there was John Frenchy Fuqua. His entire career was with the Steelers and he would finish those six seasons with 1,512 yards and 18 touchdowns. NFL Top 10 Best Running Backs of the 2010s - SOG Sports 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. Let's take a look back at the rest of the Steelers picks since the 2000 season. But twice he rushed for more than 1,400 yards, and as a rookie in 2012 Martin posted 1,926 yards from scrimmage. Top 12 Fantasy Running Backs: Hall of Fame Week Edition DWTS Alum Shares Heartbreaking Posts Following Wife's Death Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 Player Roster | NFL.com He would end up moving to the Dallas Cowboys where he would get a chance to face off against his former team in two more Super Bowls (X and XIII). Bleier was injured during his tour of duty and told he would never play football again, but he returned to the Steelers and fought his way back into football shape, eventually playing 10 more seasons in the NFL. It wasn't too long ago that Freeman was regarded as a top-five back in the league. Murray made the All-Pro team and Pro Bowl that year. 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. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. It is tough to guess what the future holds for Connor in the NFL. 10 Best Linebackers in Steelers History (+Honorable Mentions) Bill Dudley: Bullet Bill was his nickname and a great running back he was. Nick Chubb finished first the AFC North in 2021 with 1,259 rushing yards, despite finishing third with 228 carries. Franco Harris was a fullback, as was Merril Hoge and John Henry Johnson. 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. As a Steeler running back, Hoak would spend his entire career with Pittsburgh that began in 1961 as a seventh round draft pick after running for the Penn State Nittany Lions. 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 . The real results of who touched it first is still undetermined to this day. Parker was perhaps the fastest running back ever to play for the Steelers. Having gone through a tough contract negotiation in 1995, the Steelers instead of trying to settle traded Foster over to the Carolina Panthers who then cut the running back in training camp due to a failed physical. 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. Until recently, the fullback was an important player in the Steelers' offense. 1. Last edited on 19 February 2023, at 18:43, Boston Braves / Boston Redskins / Washington Redskins, List of National Football League records (individual), List of National Football League rushing champions, List of National Football League career rushing touchdowns leaders, List of National Football League annual rushing touchdowns leaders, "NFL Rushing Yards Career Playoffs Leaders", "History of the Career Rushing Yards Record", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_National_Football_League_career_rushing_yards_leaders&oldid=1140354500, This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 18:43. For his service in the war, Bleier received the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. But since then injuries have slowed him, and he's averaging 3.6 yards per attempt. I could be wrong. Watt is a fullback who saw a lot of snaps during his time with the Chargers.). 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. Johnson was a bruising fullback who spent time in San Francisco and Detroit before coming to Pittsburgh in 1960. Dick Hoak: The running backs coach for the Steelers for an incredible 35 years, Hoak was also an excellent player at the position he would spend so many years coaching up. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. But there were bright spots, and Walter Abercrombie was one of them. Former Steelers running back Willie Parker (39) acknowledges the crowd during a 2018 against the Chargers at Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long history of smash-mouth football dating back to before they ever won their first Super Bowl. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports. 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. He caught 57 passes for 338 yards as well. 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. Hunt only played eight games with the Browns last season after serving an eight-game suspension. He tailed off to 928 the following season and then suffered injuries in 2012 playing in just six games before the Steelers cut him loose where he signed with the Arizona Cardinals lasting just one season after 687 yards on the ground. Pittsburgh Steelers Career Rushing Leaders. Rashard Mendenhall: Like Barry Foster before him, Rashard Mendenhall was done with professional football by the age of 26. But Harris and the Steelers' rushing attack were just getting started. In nine seasons all as a Steeler, Pollard scored 20 touchdowns. Everything in the NFL goes in cycles. Clemson running backs coach CJ Spiller got his man. Daily Fantasy Football Week 16: Predicting DraftKings Top Performers List of Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterbacks - Wikipedia Pittsburgh Steelers Stats: The official source for Pittsburgh Steelers game statistics . The running back ran for 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns on 307 carries, and caught 74 passes for 467 yards and three touchdowns. He ran for 5,378 yards while playing at Heinz Field. The only exception in madden 22 was a glitched out ray Lewis that was 97 at mlb but 99 at r/lolb. 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. 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. Ranking Every Steelers Running Back of All Time! - TIER LIST The Senate passed the bill . Including last season when Bell sat out because of a contract dispute, the two-time All-Pro has missed 34 games in his six-year career. Barry Foster first came to the attention of Steeler Nation in 1990 when he treated a kickoff as a punt, stood aside, and watched the ball bounce along the ground until the opposing team recovered it. 2022 Offseason Positional Review - Running Back - Steelers Depot If Lions general manager Brad Holmes follows that plan exactly, Minnesota Golden Gophers' Mohamed Ibrahim would be a great late-round running back prospect for Detroit to target. 2. Los Angeles' running backs are in a bit of a limbo right . All of that, plus the fact Bettis averaged over 1,000 yards per season with the Steelers (10,571) and scored 78 touchdowns, puts him on the All-Modern Era team, and his partner in the backfield is Le'Veon Bell. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2016, the last of which with the Titans. Williams had his first 1,000-yard season and averaged 13.3 ppg. While that trio may be the best-best-of-the best to run behind Pittsburghs all-time offensive lines, there have been more than a handful of outstanding running backs for Pittsburgh since they began play in 1933. In the I-formation, the fullback lines up behind the quarterback, and the halfback (tailback) lines up behind the fullback. 5. As a Steeler, Bettis crashed his way for 10,571 rushing yards and 78 rushing touchdowns, both second-best in team history. He finished his career in Pittsburgh with 3,115 rushing yards, 241 receptions, and 34 total touchdowns. Of course, we all know why. Fuqua would have to be the most colorful player in Steelers history as well as the most controversial. 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. The controversy surrounds what is called by many as the Greatest play in NFL history. Ibrahim, who . Do you have a blog? He ranks 23rd all-time among Pittsburgh rushers having gained 1,504 yards as a Steeler. The 32-year-old has yet to post a 1,000-yard season this decade, and judging by the fact he had only six rushing attempt last season, he's probably going to end the 2010s without one. LeVeon Bell: Finally we have our current star in the making. 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. He also was a punt returner, bringing back 20 punts with a 14.0 average per return. Former season 27 " Dancing With the Stars " competitor John Schneider has returned to social media following the death of his wife, Alicia Allain. Pittsburgh Steelers: 15 best running backs in franchise history 8 Oldest Running Backs in NFL - Oldest.org It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. He joins Franco Harris and John Henry Johnson. Mendenhall is currently No. NFL combine: How elite draft prospect Bijan Robinson represents league The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. As it is, he has 5,336 rushing yards and nearly 8,000 yards from scrimmage since coming into the league in 2013. He would retire with 3,965 yards on the ground, second best in history for the Steelers at that time. He was Le'Veon Bell when Bell was at Michigan State. This decade, Sproles has also led the league in punt return yardage twice. He led the Steelers in rushing in 1965, 1968, and 1969. Today, with the explosion of the passing game, a star running back is a helpful asset but no longer a requirement. [3], List of National Football League career rushing yards leaders, Players with at least 10,000 rushing yards, Players with at least 1,000 postseason rushing yards. Player Team Age Total Value Avg./Year Total Guaranteed Fully Guaranteed Free Agency; Christian McCaffrey: 49ers: 27: $64,063,412: $16,015,853: $36,346,412: $30,062,500 Dickerson was traded mid-season in 1987; he played three games for the Rams and nine for the Colts. 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. Here's the final tally of Steelers Now's consensus preseason 2022 power rankings of AFC North running backs. That's the equivalent of more than two seasons. It's an inspiring story, but if Bleier wasn't one of the best running backs in Steelers' history, he wouldn't have made this list. The stud running back finished with 3,943 yards which lands him seventh on Pittsburghs all-time list. Others were blocking fullbacks who spent their careers opening holes for star backs. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Advertisement In some form or fashion, the Steelers will need to add quality depth to . Another big bruising back that also has surprising quickness, Bell at 244 pounds is turning into a super star in the NFL. 7. Greatest Power Backs in NFL History | Stadium Talk All-time Passing Leader: Ben Roethlisberger 5,440/8,443, 64,088 yds, 418 TD, All-time Rushing Leader: Franco Harris 2,881 att, 11,950 yds, 91 TD, All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD, All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points, All-time AV Leader: Ben Roethlisberger 208 AV, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Friday, March 3, 2:32PM. Today, Abercrombie spends his days atsthe Executive Director for his alma mater leading the Baylor B Association which is an organization of previous letter winners for the university. Abercrombie played one more season in 1988 with the cross state Philadelphia Eagles before retiring. I predict that sometime in the next decade, an offensive coordinator will go back to power football and line up with a tight end, a fullback, and a tailback in an I-formation for most of the game. One return went to the house. In his rookie season, Morris rushed for 836 yards and a 4.2 yards-per-carry average. Bleier starred in Super Bowl XIII with a touchdown reception and a recovered onside kick to seal Pittsburghs third NFL title. 1. Dave Holcomb began working as a sports writer in 2013 after graduating from Syracuse University. 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. Keep in mind that accomplishments made only during this decade were considered for these rankings. Still, Bleier became a starter in the backfield with Harris and shined. Peyton Hillis and the 15 Greatest White Running Backs of the Super Bowl He was an example of how great players can not only break the rules and succeed, but sometimes even make up their own rules. Top-15 NFL Seasons by Running Backs in the 2010s Of course we are talking about the Immaculate Reception. It's a smaller sample size, but Elliott has also posted 131.2 yards from scrimmage per game in his three seasons.