The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of pro football’s most storied franchises.
From 1933-71, the Pittsburgh Steelers — originally dubbed the Pirates — played in a total of one postseason game. There was a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1947.
It’s safe to say that things have changed for the Black and Gold the last four-plus decades. No team has won more regular-season contests since the 1970 merger. No franchise has corralled more division titles while the organization is tied with the New England Patriots with a league-best six Super Bowl victories.
Since 1969, only Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin have been head coaches for the Steelers. The first two are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But this is a look at the 10 greatest players in franchise history. And it also doesn’t include a slew of superstars and even a few Hall of Famers who suited up for this club over the years who will be mentioned throughout.
10. John Stallworth, WR
He is one of three members of the team’s fabled 1974 draft class to be on this list. That year, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected four future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and did it all in the first five rounds. And they would add another in undrafted free agent safety Donnie Shell.
Talk about a haul? Wide receiver Lynn Swann was a first-round pick, middle linebacker Jack Lambert from Kent State came in the second and center Mike Webster was a fifth-round selection.
Of course, there was also wideout John Stallworth, a fourth-round pick from Alabama A&M. For quite a few years, he was the franchise’s all-time reception leader with 537 catches, good for 8,723 yards and 63 scores. These days, Hines Ward is the franchise’s all-time leader with 1,000 receptions and was Super Bowl XL MVP. But Stallworth and Swann (who retired after nine seasons) both came up big in the playoffs on numerous occasions. The former — who totaled 57 grabs for 1,054 yards and 12 scores in 18 postseason contests — would walk away from the game following the 1987 season.
9. Ernie Stautner, DT
In case it wasn’t clear in the introduction, the Pittsburgh Pirates/turned Pittsburgh Steelers were one of the worst franchises in the league for nearly 40 years. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that the club had its share of standout players during its lean years. For instance, outside linebacker Andy Russell toiled with the club a few years before Jack Ham (1971) and Jack Lambert (1974) joined the team. He was a Pro Bowler in 1968 and 1970, earned five additional invitations and was a part of Pittsburgh’s first two Super Bowl championship teams.
Another case in point is Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle Ernie Stautner, who probably received more notoriety for his days as an assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys as perhaps he did on the field with the Steelers. But make no mistake, he was a rough and tumble performer and one of the best ever at his position, earning a total of nine Pro Bowl invitations during his 14 seasons in the National Football League.
Stautner played in a total of 173 regular-season games and made 143 starts. While individual sacks were not an official stat those days, the former Boston College product had a nose for the ball with a pair of interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries.
8. Ben Roethlisberger, QB
He was pressed into duty sooner than expected. In the second week of the 2004 season, Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback Tommy Maddox was injured in Baltimore. Enter rookie Ben Roethlisberger, the No. 11 overall selection in the draft that year. He would take his lumps in that game but became head coach Bill Cowher’s new starting signal-caller and he’s been the main man behind center (when available) ever since.
A total of 218 regular-season outings later, the former Miami of Ohio product ranks eighth in NFL annals in passing yards (56,545) and ninth in NFL history with 363 aerial scores. There have been three Super Bowl appearances and the club won titles in 2005 (XL) and 2008 (XLIII).
This past season, Roethlisberger was shelved after one game and one half with an elbow injury that would require surgery but he’s looking quite healthy these days. So what about Pittsburgh’s chances of getting to Super Bowl LV? ESPN’s Ryan Clark (via Allison Koehler of USA Today) isn’t optimistic. Nonetheless, “Big Ben” has made quite a mark on this franchise and it will be interesting to not only see how much longer he plays but how he and the Steelers’ offense performs this fall.
7. Troy Polamalu, S
Although the official ceremonies for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020 won’t take place for another year, Canton, Ohio, will definitely have a very big Pittsburgh Steelers’ feel to it that summer. Along with former head coach Bill Cowher and veteran safety Donnie Shell, the Hall will be welcoming standout safety Troy Polamalu, who was elected during his first year of eligibility.
The Steelers moved up in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft, orchestrating a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to select the former USC product with the No. 16 overall selection that year. He played in all 16 contests but did not make one start. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t make an impression as he totaled 23 stops on defense and 15 more on special teams. There were two sacks, one forced fumble and four passes defensed.
A look at the career resume shows so much more. The eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro used guile and superb athleticism to carve out a Hall of Fame career. The 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year finished his 12-year career with 32 interceptions and seven fumble recoveries, with five of those turnovers returned for scores. And there was his pick-six in the 2008 AFC title game that sent then-rookie quarterback Joe Flacco and the rival Ravens home.
6. Mike Webster, C
The Pittsburgh Steelers have had their share of outstanding offensive linemen over the years such as guards Alan Faneca and David DeCastro, both one-time first-round selections by the team. The former has been a finalist for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame each of the last five years while DeCastro has been with the team since 2012 and is a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro.
But where the Black and Gold have really cornered the market is the center position. Current pivot Maurkice Pouncey has been named to eight Pro Bowls in 10 seasons. University of Kentucky blocker was a second-round pick in 1988, made the move from guard to center the following year and would earn seven Pro Bowl invitations, six All-Pro nods and a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
But the run really started in 1974, when Chuck Noll and the Steelers used a fifth-round choice on Wisconsin’s Mike Webster. He wasn’t the team’s starting center in Super Bowl IX and X but that would change quickly. Although he would spend his final two NFL seasons with the Chiefs, he was named to nine Pro Bowls with the Black and Gold. And his ability to handle interior linemen one-on-one was arguably his greatest strength.
5. Franco Harris, RB
It almost seems somewhat magical. Penn State running back Franco Harris was the No. 13 overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chuck Noll’s club was coming off a 6-8 season and was making strides. But the addition of the former Nittany Lion gave the Black and Gold quite the weapon.
Harris would total 188 carries for 1,055 yards and 10 scores and earn NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He also caught 21 passes during the regular season. But it was his “Immaculate Reception” in the 1972 AFC Divisional Playoffs vs. the Oakland Raiders that gave the franchise its first-ever postseason win.
Harris would go onto a stellar career in the Steel City. Add in his 170 yards rushing in eight games with the Seattle Seahawks and the Pro Football Hall of Famer ranks 15th in NFL annals with 12,120 yards on the ground. And he’s one of only 24 players in league annals with 100 total touchdowns.
But the nine-time Pro Bowler and four-time Super Bowl champion always seemed to come up big in the playoffs. He ran for 158 yards and one score in earning Super Bowl IX Most Valuable Player honors. His 400 postseason carries remains a record and his 1,556 rushing yards in the playoffs is second all-time behind fellow Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith (1,586).
4. Terry Bradshaw, QB
He was the first overall pick in 1970. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw took his lumps early in his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He even lost his starting job several times in 1974 as the club was on its way to its first Super Bowl title. But he grew during that fifth NFL season and came up big a year later in Super Bowl X as Pittsburgh repeated.
In 1978, the NFL underwent massive rule changes that would change the game significantly. From adjustments to pass protection to receivers not being pushed around past five yards, the league looked for teams to throw the football more. And it proved to be the right tonic for Bradshaw, threw for an NFL-high 28 scores while capturing league Most Valuable Player accolades. The Steelers would finish 14-2 and go onto win Super Bowl XIII and he was the game’s MVP.
A year later, the team made it four Super Bowl victories in six years and Bradshaw was the contest’s Most Valuable Player for the second straight year. He finished his career with 212 TD passes and 210 interceptions but was a much better player during the second half of his career. And he usually saved his best for the postseason.
3. Jack Ham, OLB
It’s a multi-faceted discussion when it comes to the greatest outside linebacker in the history of the NFL. Of course, it definitely depends on what scheme you’re talking about. When it comes to the 3-4 defense, you would be hard-pressed to get an answer other than New York Giants’ superstar and Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor. But in regards 4-3 scheme, the popular choice has been Pittsburgh Steelers’ standout Jack Ham, who also has a bust in Canton, Ohio.
The former Penn State standout was a second-round pick in 1971 from “Linebacker U.” And he always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. He created a lot of problems for opposing offensive coordinators and his ball skills were superb. He played in 162 games and made 160 starts. He picked off at least one pass in each of his 12 seasons and finished with 32 interceptions, to go along with 21 fumble recoveries. It added up to being a six-time All-Pro and an eight-time Pro Bowler.
In 16 postseason appearances, he picked off five more passes and recovered three fumbles. And, of course, he’s a four-time NFL champion despite the fact that he missed Super Bowl XIV due to injury.
2. Jack Lambert, MLB
He was a second-round draft choice in 1974 from Kent State University. Some would say he looked more like a basketball player and 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds appeared to be undersized when it came to playing the middle linebacker position in the NFL. But Jack Lambert wasted little time making a huge impression on the Black and Gold and the league in general.
He was the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1974 and it was a season in which the club won its first Super Bowl. A season later, the Steeler repeated as champions and Lambert played a huge role in the team’s 21-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. The club’s emotional stalwart arguably the tide in the third quarter. With the club trailing 10-7 and Cowboys’ safety Cliff Harris harassing Lambert’s teammate Roy Gerela after a missed field goal. The fiery defender tossed the Hall of Fame defender aside and Pittsburgh gained the momentum.
Like teammate Jack Ham, Lambert had a nose for the ball. He finished with 28 interceptions and 17 fumble recoveries in 11 seasons. He also had one of the great defensive performances in the team’s Super Bowl XIV win over the Rams with 14 tackles and a critical interception.
“Count Dracula in Cleats” was a nine-time Pro Bowler and earned All-Pro honors eight times.
1. Joe Greene, DT
In 1969, the Pittsburgh Steelers hired Chuck Noll to be their newest head coach. That year in the draft, the team owned the fourth overall selection and opted for a solid prospect from North Texas State. Defensive tackle Joe Greene wasted little time making an impact on a franchise that was starving for success. He would become the cornerstone of one of the greatest defensive units in NFL annals and a franchise that would capture a total of four Super Bowl titles in a six-year span.
Greene was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in both 1972 and 1974. That first season, Noll’s Steelers finished 11-3 and would make just the second playoff appearance in the team’s history. Two years later, those club would be Super Bowl IX champions. That ’74 defensive front, featuring Greene, Ernie Holmes and ends L.C. Greenwood and Dwight White, was stifling in postseason victories over the Bills, Raiders and Vikings.
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The 13-year superstar was named to 10 Pro Bowls and earned four All-Pro nods. But more importantly, he was the initial building block of what would be one of the more dominant teams in the history of the NFL.