Twenty-three slots went by before the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Najee Harris in 2021. 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. Bell made three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams as a Steeler. The Tigers picked up their sixth commitment for the 2024 recruiting cycle - and their first running back - Wednesday with the public . That's the equivalent of more than two seasons. In Dick Hoak's 10 years as a Steeler, he only saw two winning seasons. Last season he was in the top five among running backs in several categories. Walter Abercrombie: To this day, Abercrombie is Baylor Universitys all-time leading rusher with 3,674 yards while scoring 22 touchdowns. Some readers are probably going to argue this is too high for Forte. The role of the fullback changed dramatically when the I-formation came into vogue in the 1980s. Year Top Defense. 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 . Each offense makes its own set of demands on running backs, and every back mentioned in this article needed a specific set of attributes to succeed. 1 1. He was Le'Veon Bell when Bell was at Michigan State. Starters per season [ edit] These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers . In the previous nine years, however, the Steelers had a top-15 player seven times. Unfortunately, injuries have slowed him over the last couple of years and prevented him from running for more than 865 yards in a season. The intent is to lean the offensive game plan toward the passing game and open up the defense with complex formations and plays. 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 1. All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points The team has selected second overall once, and third overall four times. Both backs had to run well with the ball and have the skills to block for the other. It's hard to believe, but the second decade of the 21st century is nearly complete. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 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. In his rookie season, Morris rushed for 836 yards and a 4.2 yards-per-carry average. Jerome Bettis is the latest Steelers running back to become a member in Canton, Ohio. (Note: The Steelers signed Derek Watt during the 2020 offseason and released Nix, who signed with Indianapolis. 22. Drafted by the Steelers in 1942 and in his rookie season led the NFL in rushing with 696 yards. Pittsburgh has fielded plenty of those defensive units over the years, and there are more than a few Steelers defenders in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 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. That changed over the last decade or so, due to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's emergence as an elite . He's rushed for only 2,599 yards this decade, but everyone knows he's far more than just a running back. Of course, we all know why. Pittsburgh Steelers Stats: The official source for Pittsburgh Steelers game statistics . He signed as an undrafted free agent who had run a 4.23-second 40 at the Scouting Combine the previous spring. But there were bright spots, and Walter Abercrombie was one of them. He ranks fourth all-time in franchise history for rushing yards and eighth all-time in receptions. His best season came in 2015, which was the year after Williams departed, when he rushed for 989 yards and six touchdowns for the 15-1 Panthers. He has six 1,000-yard seasons and six Pro Bowl nominations with the Eagles and Bills during the 2010s. 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 joins Franco Harris and John Henry Johnson. Overall contributions to the Steelers franchise. The quick-footed big guy ran over, through and around defenders for nine years with the Steelers. Current team members are listed in bold. Lynch was an underrated pass-catcher in his prime too. BARRY FOSTER set a Steelers single-season record with 1,690 rushing yards in 1992, and he got there with a 4.3 average while scoring 11 of the offense's 28 touchdowns. First running back gets drafted in the seventh round. The Senate passed the bill . He finished with 585 yards and scored six touchdowns including a 75-yard run. Great Pittsburgh Steelers players such as Heath Miller, Bennie Cunningham, and Eric Green, who could count among the best NFL players ever, have gone down as some of the best tight ends in Steelers franchise history. Harris managed to get 691 rushing yards, with an average of five yards. Dave Holcomb began working as a sports writer in 2013 after graduating from Syracuse University. He came to the Steelers after three seasons with the Rams which had earned him a reputation as a problem player. This list of past Steelers tight ends features former greats, current impact players, and even future stars. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? It's a smaller sample size, but Elliott has also posted 131.2 yards from scrimmage per game in his three seasons. Visit ESPN to view the Pittsburgh Steelers team depth chart for the current season Sowhos the greatest tight end in Pittsburgh Steelers history? Which of these tight ends has left a lasting legacy in the city of Pittsburgh? 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 also earned the first of two consecutive First-Team All-Pro selections. This decade, Sproles has also led the league in punt return yardage twice. Steelers running back James Conner (30) runs for a short gain past Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton (26) during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Murray is another back who put together three strong seasons during his career and led the league in rushing once. With teams shifting more to the passing game, these old-school running backs are becoming obsolete. Doctors had told him following the enemy attack that his football days were over. His 6-foot-2, 230 pound frame made it virtually impossible for one defender to take him down. Abercrombie played one more season in 1988 with the cross state Philadelphia Eagles before retiring. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Steeler running backs Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker, Sidney Thornton and Rashard Mendenhall all helped bring Lombardi Trophies to Pittsburgh. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2016, the last of which with the Titans. 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. Bam Morris: Morris story is a sad, tragic, and unfulfilled one. The All-Modern Era team is made up of 26 players - 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and four specialists. 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). If youve followed the Steelers, you've probably heard the term "Steelers Football." Who Is The Best Running Back In The NFL Right Now? Follow Holcomb on Twitter at @dmholcomb. 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. But he still turned in two more 1,000-yard seasons and recorded at least 800 yards from scrimmage in four seasons this decade. In 2011 and 2013, he made All-Pro, and in 2013 he posted 2,146 yards from scrimmage. 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. He led the Steelers in rushing from 1961 to 1964 and made three straight Pro Bowls from 1962 to '64. The Steelers had jumped offsides on the play and it was called back. All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD . Weve reviewed the most popular quarterbacks to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but among those signal callers, who are some of the players they were handing the ball off to when not throwing the rock? There was a time when almost every NFL offense was predicated on a feature back that got most of the carries and earned a big paycheck. He was cut twice but kept up his persistence. His best season was in 1985 when he rushed for 991 yards. LISTEN: Hounds, world soccer, PGA with Mike Grau, Steelers: Need for QB of the Future is More Apparent than Ever, Steelers: Defense Needs to Take Advantage of Inconsistent Bills Passing Attack, Steelers: Devlin Hodges Has Chance to Make Lasting Impression in Week 14, Steelers: James Washingtons Emergence Could Make Offense Dangerous. 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. 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 . Players were considered based on having careers with the Steelers from 1992 until the present. Murray rushed for 7,174 yards and 49 touchdowns with the Cowboys, Eagles and Titans in the 2010s. The move closes the latest chapter of Wentz's career after just one season in Washington. But from 2010-17, Forte averaged 1,419 yards from scrimmage per season. 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. A bruising Hall of Famer running back, Franco Harris was the perfect embodiment of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense during their championship runs in the 1970s. In 2005, speedy Willie Parker took advantage of paths cleared by Kreider, and the Steelers won the Super Bowl. 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. The real results of who touched it first is still undetermined to this day. Only stats for Regular Season Games have been included. All Rights Reserved. Johnson was a bruising fullback who spent time in San Francisco and Detroit before coming to Pittsburgh in 1960. Anderson was traded mid-season in 1986; he played four games for the Cardinals and eight for the Giants. name the pittsburgh steelers running back to the last 10 years. 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. 9-Rocky Bleier. 'We'll probably move a little slower than most of our peers, but we don't worry about the Jonses', 28-14 victory caps 7-2 finish, but season ends because Miami's win claims final playoff spot, 'He drinks the Kool-Aid that is Pittsburgh, Pa., he's a Steeler, he teaches it to the young guys', His 111 yards rushing, 10-yard catch for a TD, and physical presence throughout keyed 16-13 win, 'His versatility, his experience allows us to move him and Minkah to diversify our attack', 'The most challenging component of the weather, man, are the poor fans sitting in the stands', Dan Rooney: 'One of the finest, most thoughtful human beings I have ever known', 'I wanted to see Mitch's ability to bounce back from the last game relative to taking care of the ball', Three interceptions, blocked FG prove to be insurmountable mistakes in 16-14 defeat, 'You can take the energy out of an arena on the road when you do some of the things he does', The 19-16 victory represents first winning streak of season and is the third in last four games, The defense made some plays, such as Heyward's sack, but also allowed two 90-yard TD drives, 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers. Bleier starred in Super Bowl XIII with a touchdown reception and a recovered onside kick to seal Pittsburghs third NFL title. Hunt offers some stability in the pass-game as he had 44 . Even putting a left end at right end can cause a drop. LeVeon Bell made his mark with the Steelers running in this kind of offense. Here's the final tally of Steelers Now's consensus preseason 2022 power rankings of AFC North running backs. 9, we . The phrase is often proclaimed by an announcer after a Steelers running back plows over a few unlucky defenders. 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 Bleier was an outstanding lead blocker as well as being able to run the ball well and also had solid hands as a receiver. It was thought by the Steelers coaching staff and fans alike that Pittsburgh had found their new star running back. Keep in mind that accomplishments made only during this decade were considered for these rankings. Emailed daily. Foster timed his career perfectly for this list, breaking out with 1,616 yards, leading the league in rushing, in 2010. The only exception in madden 22 was a glitched out ray Lewis that was 97 at mlb but 99 at r/lolb. 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. Rocky Bleier: For some Steelers fans it might be hard to believe that Robert Patrick Bleier, known best in Steelers Nation as Rocky turned 69 years of age this year. Gurley has rushed for 4,547 rushing yards and recorded 6,430 yards from scrimmage with 56 touchdowns. In three of his four NFL seasons, Gurley has rushed for more than 1,100 yards and at least 10 touchdowns. He would retire with 3,965 yards on the ground, second best in history for the Steelers at that time. 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. James Conner was thrust into the spotlight in 2018 when halfback LeVeon Bell held out for the entire season. A dominant defense and an unstoppable running gamethats Steelers Football. Everything in the NFL goes in cycles. During his career, he's averaged 128.9 yards from scrimmage per game. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. He ended his career with only 1,512 rushing yards, but with two Super Bowl rings. PITTSBURGH (AP) Mike Tomlin wasn't ready to go there, with all due respect. 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. In the second concussion he encountered, it resulted in Hoge having to be resuscitated when he stopped breathing. 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. Williams didn't post a 1,000-yard season in this decade mostly due to the fact he shared the backfield with another player on our list. Hunt only played eight games with the Browns last season after serving an eight-game suspension. All-time Rushing Leader: Franco Harris 2,881 att, 11,950 yds, 91 TD . 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. Many NFL teams used a pro-style offense during the same period, and this was an age when the fullback was a vital ball carrier. Read on to find out why. John Fuqua ( 1970-76) Before Franco Harris, there was John "Frenchy" Fuqua. Gurley led the NFL in yards from scrimmage and won the Offensive Player of the Year award. Since missing the last five games of 2010, Gore has sat out just two games over the last eight years. Reports this off-season show he weighed in at 244 pounds from 232 last season. Many teams even rotate three or more backs throughout the game, with all getting an equal number of carries. In the end Rocky Bleier rushed for 3,865 yards, 1,294 yards receiving on 136 catches and scored 25 times. Fuqua led the . Charles also ran for 1,509 yards in 2012 and 1,033 yards in 2014. Players active with the Pittsburgh . 3 in NFL history. Franco Harris was a fullback, as was Merril Hoge and John Henry Johnson. Rob Burns / AP Photo. 5. A bullet pierced his left thigh in Vietnam and further injuries occurred when a grenade exploded near him putting shrapnel in his lower right leg. Ranking the AFC North running backs. By 1995, Foster was out of Pittsburgh and out of the NFL, thus ending his short, dramatic, and bizarre pro football career. He'll likely end up with a good chunk of dough in free agency, but it's hard to believe . Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. Born in the Ivory Coast, Zereoue played his high school football in Long Island, New York and then went on to be a star running back for the Mountaineers. 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. Winning three Super Bowls helps earn you a spot on this list too. Overall, Foster registered 6,270 rushing yards and 8,523 yards from scrimmage playing for the Texans and Dolphins from 2010-16. The power running back is a dying breed in football. Tracy ran for 2,717 yards and 15 touchdowns in his time with Pittsburgh and caught 96 passes for 1,322 yards and 14 touchdowns. In his first three seasons, Ingram ran for more than 600 yards in a season just once. The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He's been named All-Pro and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns during each of the last two years too. Pittsburgh Steelers Career Rushing Leaders. He spent his first year in the NFL with the Giants before coming to the Steelers in 1970. February 27, 2023 3 min Watch. 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. That's Steelers football. Frank Pollard: In the mid-1980s, a stout Frank Pollard became the Steelers primary running back. He had the highest usage rate among running backs at 35.8% and was third in red-zone touches with 61. When it comes to this room, the Steelers are indeed looking for them to step up.