One return went to the house. The quick-footed big guy ran over, through and around defenders for nine years with the Steelers. He'll go down as one of the best power backs in history, and in this decade Lynch has carried the ball 1,791 times for 7,778 yards. Peterson then signed with the . Despite suffering continuing pain and losing weight down to 180 pounds, Rocky spent the next two years putting on weight and fighting for a roster spot. He started alongside Franco Harris in four Super Bowl victories and both backs ran for over 1,000 yards in 1976. During his career, he's averaged 128.9 yards from scrimmage per game. 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. [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 . Dudley owns 44 touchdowns to his credit. Parker ran for 1,200 yards or better in three straight seasons and led the Steelers to two Super Bowl wins. 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 it is, he has 5,336 rushing yards and nearly 8,000 yards from scrimmage since coming into the league in 2013. Former season 27 " Dancing With the Stars " competitor John Schneider has returned to social media following the death of his wife, Alicia Allain. Fuqua would have to be the most colorful player in Steelers history as well as the most controversial. . The former Heisman Trophy winner is another example of a highly regarded college back getting off to a slow start in the NFL. Charles also ran for 1,509 yards in 2012 and 1,033 yards in 2014. Or write about sports? The running back said that he was only trying to stimulate conversation about the topic but because of it he lost an endorsement deal with Champion Sports. By his second season as a Steeler, he had become the heir apparent to Jerome Bettis. He joins Franco Harris and John Henry Johnson. He also posted many of his best seasons in the previous decade, which robbed him of a chance at the top 10 on this list. Over the past six years, he has covered the NFL, NHL, MLB, fantasy sports, college football and basketball, and New Jersey high school sports for numerous print and online publications. During the decade, he has 8,834 rushing yards five 1,000-yard seasons and 71 touchdowns. In 2011 Jones-Drew led the league with 1,606 rushing yards and 386 touches. His teammate Terry Hanratty, the QB at Notre Dame during that tenure became a Steeler as well. If youve followed the Steelers, you've probably heard the term "Steelers Football." But from 2010-17, Forte averaged 1,419 yards from scrimmage per season. 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. By, Tom Rothenberg/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Ingram's best season came in 2017 when he posted 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. The controversy arose when the ball deflected off of Tatum or Frenchy. NAME GP RUSH YDS ATT YPC RUSH YDS/G RUSH TD REC YDS REC TRG AVG REC YDS/G REC TD; Felix Jones: 16: 184: 48: 3.8: 11.5: 0: 63: 9: 13: 7.0: 3.9: 0: Isaac Redman: 3: 12: 10: 1.2 . Prior to being drafted by the Army for service, Bleier was a University of Notre Dame product graduating in 1968 earning a degree in Business Management. All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD . Harris disputed that and said he was 240 pounds as a rookie. Players were considered based on having careers with the Steelers from 1992 until the present. 5. 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. But since then he has a pair of 1,000-yard rushing years and 4,545 yards on the ground in five years. The number of games they started during the season is listed to the right of their name: These quarterbacks have the most starts for the Steelers in regular season games. 9-Rocky Bleier. He's averaged 101.2 rushing yards per game during his career and led the NFL in that category each of the last three years. Rashard Mendenhall: Like Barry Foster before him, Rashard Mendenhall was done with professional football by the age of 26. 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. Rocky Bleier came to the Steelers in 1968. Mendenhall provided the following reason for retiring so young: Football was pretty cool, but I dont want to play anymore. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . While Gore has never led the league in rushing or made All-Pro, his consistency lands him at No. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. By 1995, Foster was out of Pittsburgh and out of the NFL, thus ending his short, dramatic, and bizarre pro football career. Bettis was team-first through some questionable demotions and worse decisions as to the direction of the offense, and he welcomed Duce Staley and mentored Willie Parker along the way to a Super Bowl championship to complete a quest his teammates had dedicated to him. 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 . All rights reserved. Quite a contrast to kick off this list. The top photos of RB Le'Veon Bell throughout 2014 season. 1. OTHERS TO CONSIDER Starting this list chronologically is as good a way as any. 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. 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 . By the time the fourth quarter rolls around, it is easy to see why opposing defenses would wish they were somewhere else. He stepped in for a banged-up Willie Parker in 2009 and ran for 1,108 yards and seven touchdowns. The Steelers won a lot of games in the late-90s to mid-2000s by lining up 250-pound running back Jerome Bettis behind 250-pound fullback Dan Kreider and bulldozing any defense that came before them. 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. Harris is one of the main reasons the Steelers won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. Gurley led the NFL in yards from scrimmage and won the Offensive Player of the Year award. In the following AFC title game against Miami, Pollard was held to just 48 yards rushing. Fran Rogel was also a local product having grown up in North Braddock, Pennsylvania. 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. In many ways, this style of offense is the polar opposite of the methods the Steelers used to win six Super Bowls. That's the equivalent of more than two seasons. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. Keep in mind that accomplishments made only during this decade were considered for these rankings. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Today's NFL teams do not use fullbacks as often as they once did, instead favoring spread offenses and dynamic passing attacks featuring three or more wide receivers and multiple tight ends. Pittsburgh Steelers Draft History. Willie Parker: Fast Willie Parker actually lands in third place all-time among Pittsburgh rushers. 7. Last season he was in the top five among running backs in several categories. The Steelers had jumped offsides on the play and it was called back. Murray made the All-Pro team and Pro Bowl that year. His best season was in 1985 when he rushed for 991 yards. He had the highest usage rate among running backs at 35.8% and was third in red-zone touches with 61. Murray is another back who put together three strong seasons during his career and led the league in rushing once. The move closes the latest chapter of Wentz's career after just one season in Washington. Bam Morris: Morris story is a sad, tragic, and unfulfilled one. In Dick Hoak's 10 years as a Steeler, he only saw two winning seasons. Dickerson was traded mid-season in 1987; he played three games for the Rams and nine for the Colts. He led the Steelers in rushing in 1965, 1968, and 1969. Rob Burns / AP Photo. There have been some running backs in Steelers history who had one or two good seasons in Pittsburgh, then went on their way. Nick Chubb finished first the AFC North in 2021 with 1,259 rushing yards, despite finishing third with 228 carries. The intent is to lean the offensive game plan toward the passing game and open up the defense with complex formations and plays. He was cut twice but kept up his persistence. DeAngelo Williams Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images. In an era that de-emphasizes the workhorse back, McCoy has nearly amassed 10,000 rushing yards and more than 13,000 yards from scrimmage this decade. Outside linebacker Joey Porter came to Pittsburgh in 1999. The following is the Pittsburgh Steelers all-time roster, browsable by last name or position. Let us know your thoughts down in the comments!For Business Inquiries: insid. In 1984 while beating the Denver Broncos in the playoffs, Pollard ran for 99 yards and two scores, a game won by Pittsburgh 24-17. Insider insists Tom Brady could sign with 49ers in 2023, The 'Most recent first-round NFL quarterbacks' quiz, Seven Cubs pitchers combine for spring no-hitter vs. Padres, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones comments on Tony Pollard rumor, Ben Simmons suffers back injury while rehabilitating, Insider: It's Packers, Jets 'or bust' for Aaron Rodgers, QB Anthony Richardson doesn't understand his 'project' label, Vikings HC reveals 'crazy' thoughts about star WR, XFL player released for giving another team plays from own playbook. In nine seasons all as a Steeler, Pollard scored 20 touchdowns. He scored seven touchdowns and caught the ball 22 times for an additional 204 yards and a 9.3 yards-per-reception mark. 6:02; See All. The running back fell just short of 1,000 yards from scrimmage last season after finishing with 1,414 yards in his rookie campaign. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. In the second concussion he encountered, it resulted in Hoge having to be resuscitated when he stopped breathing. Chubb is not the most dangerous or highly . But Jackson was still one of the best runners of the 2010s. With a 3.5 yards per carry average and zero touchdowns, his rookie season was a major disappointment, but Gordon has answered all his doubters since then. He is currently a free agent and the third oldest running back in the NFL, as well as the second oldest active running back. Eight players have been recognized as having held the career rushing yards record in the NFL. Abercrombie played one more season in 1988 with the cross state Philadelphia Eagles before retiring. In 2015 Williams rejuvenated his career with the Steelers, filling in for the suspended and injured Le'Veon Bell for 10 games. Find out more. The last two seasons, with now-departed James Conner the No. Barry Foster: Unfortunately for Barry Foster, his career was short in the Burgh. If he had played in those games, Bell is easily in the top five on this list and maybe close to the top. 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. James Conner was thrust into the spotlight in 2018 when halfback LeVeon Bell held out for the entire season. The 33rd Team. Those three men will be bypassed for this article despite Johnson ranking third in the all-time rushing yardage for the Black and Gold. In 2005, speedy Willie Parker took advantage of paths cleared by Kreider, and the Steelers won the Super Bowl. What those teams dont have is a legacy of bullying and dominating opponents, and that is what brought the Steelers six Super Bowl championships. Reports this off-season show he weighed in at 244 pounds from 232 last season. The following is another in a series that picks a Steelers All-Modern Era Team. Who Is The Best Wide Receiver In The NFL Right Now? He also earned the first of two consecutive First-Team All-Pro selections. Starters per season [ edit] These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers . 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Took pay cuts, and continued to stay. Only stats for Regular Season Games have been included. Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD . The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Teams run RPOs, or run-pass option plays, where the quarterback decides after the snap whether he will hand the ball off or throw a pass. If it was Fuqua who the ball last touched, it would not be a legal catch by Harris according to the rules in 1972. 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. Jerome "The Bus" Bettis tops our list as the Steelers best running back of all time. 12. Drafted by the Steelers in 1942 and in his rookie season led the NFL in rushing with 696 yards. Injuries hurt Foster later in his career, but he did record 1,246 rushing yards in 2014. From '61 to '64, he was part of a powerful rushing attack along with Hall of Famer John Henry Johnson. With teams shifting more to the passing game, these old-school running backs are becoming obsolete. It was a hard task to actually rank all of the great running backs . As a punter, he kicked the ball 18 times during his career and averaged 32 yards per punt. Bettis will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2015 in August, and the accomplishments to be praised that day are only part of why he was the man during his 10 seasons with the Steelers. 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. Sidney Thornton: Another stout running back for Pittsburgh was the bullish Thornton who weighed in at 230 pounds during his play days in Pittsburgh from 1977 to 1982. Williams had his first 1,000-yard season and averaged 13.3 ppg. 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. See the full player roster for the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers. 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. His rookie contract was voided after his fourth season, after just one in Pittsburgh, and there were opportunities to leave. Bill Dudley was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966 and 10 year prior was inducted into College Footballs Hall of Fame. Until recently, the fullback was an important player in the Steelers' offense. In Pittsburgh, he was everything but. Allain died on February 21, 2023, following a . Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Looking at an NFL game today, something seems to be missing. Mendenhall spent five seasons in Pittsburgh and was a member of two Super Bowl teams. By Ross Kelly and Tony Adame, updated on October 18, 2022. He is currently the third leading rusher in Steelers history. Jerome Bettis (1996-2005). Born Byron Morris, drafted in the third round of the 1994 draft, Morris immediately made an impact with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming to them from Texas Tech University. Meanwhile, at No. In a move many in the NFL community felt was inevitable, the Washington Commanders released quarterback Carson Wentz on Monday in a move that will save the team $26.12 million against their 2023 salary cap. steelers running backs last 10 years When it comes to this room, the Steelers are indeed looking for them to step up. Current team members are listed in bold. The 32-year-old has been a bit of a journeyman, playing for five different teams this decade. does st martin parish have school tomorrow. James Conner is at the forefront . Najee Harris warming to Steelers' running back-by-committee approach. The Pittsburgh Steelers Hall-of-Fame running back Franco Harris died Wednesday, just before the 50-year anniversary of his "Immaculate Reception" play. In 2015 Williams rejuvenated his career with the Steelers, filling in for the suspended and injured Le'Veon Bell for 10 games. He will be called an innovator or maybe even a genius when his team wins a Super Bowl by smashing its way through flimsy NFL defenses that are designed to stop passing attacks. 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. Le'Veon Bell was one of the best Steelers running backs of all time. Players active with the Pittsburgh . They got a lot of carries in an era when both the fullback and halfback needed to contribute to the running game. With the Redskins, Cowboys and 49ers, Morris has 5,931 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in the 2010s. Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. The team made it to the playoffs ten times ( 1992-1997 , 2001-2002 , 2004-2005 ) and had a 12-9 record under Coach Hoak in playoff games. Offseason Strategy: Already having their starting running back for the immediate future, the offseason as it concerns the running back position will be dedicated solely toward seeking out quality . 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 . Clemson running backs coach CJ Spiller got his man. He has six 1,000-yard seasons and six Pro Bowl nominations with the Eagles and Bills during the 2010s. 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. He was intensive care for 48 hours and this forced his retirement. Ibrahim, who . He also was a punt returner, bringing back 20 punts with a 14.0 average per return. Harris played 980 offensive snaps during the regular season . 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. Today we ranked the Pittsburgh Steeler Running Backs throughout their franchise! His performance in the 1989 playoffs, when he turned in back-to-back 100-yard games against Houston and Denver, is the stuff of Steelers' legend. All Rights Reserved. All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points All Rights Reserved. But it was his story of injury during the war that gave him notoriety at the start of his career. LeVeon Bell: Finally we have our current star in the making. Lists that rank the greatest players and coaches in the history of the NFL franchise. BAM MORRIS followed Foster, but after a couple of promising seasons, he was released after pleading guilty to felony possession of marijuana in June 1996. 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. Playing players out of position in mut will make there overall go down now. Christian McCaffrey (2019) This past season, McCaffrey became the third running back in NFL history to generate over 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in a single season. 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. NFL Top 10 Best Running Backs of the 2010s - #8 Arian Foster. Parker set the record for longest rushing touchdown from scrimmage in a Super Bowl (XL) with a romp of 75 yards which still stands today. In 27 games Hunt has 2,151 rushing yards, 2,984 yards from scrimmage and 25 touchdowns. The 34-year-old made All-Pro twice, in 2008 and 2009, but he added two more All-Pro nominations during 2012 and 2015. More like he will get exposed yet again as being the most overrated running back in the league . Watt is a fullback who saw a lot of snaps during his time with the Chargers.). In 1966 when the Fighting Irish won the national title, Rocky was a member of that team. In two seasons, he is already 18th among all Steelers backs in rushing. The All-Modern Era team is made up of 26 players 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and four specialists. 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. 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 But twice he rushed for more than 1,400 yards, and as a rookie in 2012 Martin posted 1,926 yards from scrimmage. Fuqua was not an original Steelers having been drafted by the New York Giants and then traded to Pittsburgh. 2. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Overall, Foster registered 6,270 rushing yards and 8,523 yards from scrimmage playing for the Texans and Dolphins from 2010-16. He has held the all-time rushing yards record since 2002 and is . 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. Morris signed with Baltimore Ravens where he lasted just two seasons before the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs took a chance on him in 1998. The on-field portion of the NFL Combine begins on Thursday, marking the start of the testing circuit that propels some prospects into the stratosphere while ruining the stock of others. 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. He'll likely end up with a good chunk of dough in free agency, but it's hard to believe . Unfortunately, his tenure with the Steelers came to a dramatic end with a contract dispute in 2018, but during his time with the team, he was one of the greatest. NICK CHUBB, CLEVELAND BROWNS. Unfortunately, injuries have slowed him over the last couple of years and prevented him from running for more than 865 yards in a season. Some teams also used them as receivers, and fullbacks like Larry Centers made a living catching passes out of the backfield. Running backs are not the commodities they once were. In both seasons, he made All-Pro. As the tight end position increasingly becomes more of a focal point in offensive schemes , one. Still, "CJ2K" comes in at No. Murray rushed for 7,174 yards and 49 touchdowns with the Cowboys, Eagles and Titans in the 2010s. 9, we . Yes, the Pittsburgh Steelers coach understands the symmetry between Saturday night's 13-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and a playoff victory over the same franchise 50 years ago, the one that ended with Steelers running back Franco Harris snagging a deflected . 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. Overall contributions to the Steelers franchise. (Note: The Steelers signed Derek Watt during the 2020 offseason and released Nix, who signed with Indianapolis. To no ones surprise, Art Rooney Sr. mailed a post card to his running back while in recovery that said, Rock We need you. That was the kind of man The Chief was. He was Le'Veon Bell when Bell was at Michigan State. Merril Hoge: Lasting until the 10th round in the 1987 NFL draft, Merril Hoge was a tough as nails runner for the Steelers who suffered a rash of concussion injuries that would cost him his career. In his rookie season, Morris rushed for 836 yards and a 4.2 yards-per-carry average. Franco Harris was a fullback, as was Merril Hoge and John Henry Johnson. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some great tight ends throughout the franchises history. Visit ESPN to view the Pittsburgh Steelers team depth chart for the current season Across the decade, Martin has posted 5,356 rushing yards and 32 total touchdowns. 'Top 10, he would not get laughs' Thirty-five picks elapsed before a team drafted a running back last year. He finished his career in Pittsburgh with 3,115 rushing yards, 241 receptions, and 34 total touchdowns. Join our linker program. These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, it's not too early to break down the best from the 2010s either. Sowhos the greatest tight end in Pittsburgh Steelers history? As a Steelers, he was occasionally brilliant but more often disappointing. 1, Pittsburgh didn't have a top-25 running back.