The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most iconic franchises in the history of the NFL. Their six Super Bowls are tied with the New England Patriots for most all time. Unlike the Patriots, however, their success wasn’t perpetuated by one man/GOAT.
The Steelers dominated two different eras. The Steel Curtain brought massive success to the franchise in the 1970s. The 90s were alright, but true glory didn’t come until the turn of the millennium. That’s when the Steelers took back what was theirs, a share of franchise dominance. The San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys had taken some accolades away from Pittsburgh, but the black and yellow took back the mantle as the premier franchise in football.
There was one thing that those two dynastic teams had in common; they were led by their defenses. The Steel Curtain consisted of Mean Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Ernie Holmes, and Dwight White. In the 2000s, the Steelers recreated great defensive dominance thanks to Troy Polamalu, Joey Porter, Casey Hampton, and James Farrior.
Despite the defensive efforts, the offenses were still great. Over six decades, there are bound to be some stars. While their stats aren’t the same as other franchises, they did have 13 offensive Hall of Famers. That includes just about every position. The hardest one to choose is the quarterback.
Quarterback
Terry Bradshaw
1970-1983
This one clearly came down to Ben Roethlisberger versus Terry Bradshaw. They have a ton of similarities. Both had some clutch moments and knew when not to just get in the way. They both got much, much better as time went on and became perennial Pro Bowl quarterbacks at the end of their careers.
Obviously, Bradshaw had the four Super Bowl titles to Roethlisberger’s two, but it was more than that. It was how they performed in the Super Bowl. Roethlisberger was famously mediocre in his two title clinchers. Despite having just 96 yards in his first Super Bowl win, Bradshaw totaled 932 yards and nine touchdowns in the Big Game.
Bradshaw was the first-overall pick in the 1970 NFL Draft. Famously, he was awful to start his career. He was so afraid to make mistakes that he wasn’t really doing anything. Bradshaw said it was when Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll told him to just go out there and make mistakes did he get the confidence to become the star he’s known as today.
Bradshaw was a dual threat, something that wasn’t common back in the 1970s. He could rush as well as quarterbacks of this era, finishing his career with 32 rushing touchdowns in his career. He also threw for 212 touchdowns.
Running Back
Franco Harris
1972-1983
This is another decision with two distinct options. First, we want to give props to Willie Parker and Le’Veon Bell, who both had incredible individual performances with the Steelers, but this comes down to Franco Harris versus Jerome Bettis. Both are Hall of Famers with amazing legacies. Both eat, sleep, and breathe the Steel City.
We’re going with Harris by a nose. Harris has the most iconic play in the history of the Steelers, catching the Immaculate Reception. He also leads all Steelers rushers in career yards with 11,950 yards. Heck, Franco Harris’s statue welcomes every visitor at the Pittsburgh Airport.
Harris was the Offensive Rookie of the Year when he entered the league in 1972, rushing for 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was also a one-time All-Pro in 1977. He led all rushers in touchdowns with 14 in 1976, and he made nine straight Pro Bowls to start his career.
In 1974, he put together one of the best playoff performances in history. He had 343 yards and six touchdowns, finishing off his run with a Super Bowl MVP. During all four Super Bowl runs, he held at least a share of the playoff league lead in rushing touchdowns.
Wide Receiver 1
Lynn Swann
1974-1982
Lynn Swann’s pure numbers aren’t going to pop off the screen. He finished his career with fewer than 5,500 yards. He only had 51 touchdown receptions in the regular season. It’s because Lynn Swann didn’t play for Week 5. He didn’t mind the rest of the offense seeing the big plays on a random Sunday in October against the Cleveland Browns. No, he cared about Super Bowls, and he performed at the Super Bowl.
In his second Super Bowl (Super Bowl X against the Cowboys), and his first as a starter, Swann had four catches for 161 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 40 yards per reception. He became the first player to win Super Bowl MVP as a receiver.
In his next two Super Bowl performances, Swann had 124 yards and 79 yards, with a touchdown in each. This is how someone with 5,000 yards receiving in their career gets a gold jacket.
At the time of his retirement, Swann had the most receiving yards in Super Bowl history. He’s since been passed by Jerry Rice and Travis Kelce, but he remains in third place despite all the years since he’s last played.
Wide Receiver 2
John Stallworth
1974-1987
It’s absolutely insane that the Pittsburgh Steelers added their two best wide receivers in the same season. The Steelers' 1974 draft class is considered the best in history. They got four Hall of Famers in Swann, Jack Lambert, Mike Webster, and John Stallworth. Donnie Shell could also be on that list, as he was draft eligible that year, but eventually went undrafted and still made the HOF.
Stallworth fell to the third round of the draft in part because many scouts saw him run the 40-yard dash on a wet track. The Steelers waited to see him run on a dry track and were pleased with the results. He took a year to establish himself in the NFL, but he was a starter from Year 2 until the end of his career.
When comparing Stallworth’s career against others not in the Hall of Fame, his numbers aren’t that impressive. He finished 8,723 yards, just ahead of Tyler Lockett and Adam Thielen all-time. Injuries had a lot to do with that, but he is very deserving of his Hall of Fame jacket. He was incredible when the Steelers absolutely needed a big play.
What’s most insane about Stallworth’s career is that he has multiple catches that are tops for longest plays in Super Bowl history. His 75-yard touchdown in Super Bowl XIII tied a record at the time. The next season, he had a 73-yard touchdown that gave the Steelers a lead over the LA Rams that they would never relinquish.
Wide Receiver 3
Antonio Brown
2010-2018
This one is complicated for sure. Choosing Antonio Brown over Hines Ward is like taking someone’s polar opposite. Ward was beloved in Pittsburgh because he was basically the Little Engine That Could. He ignored his size disadvantage to become a dual threat. He was the best blocking wide receiver in the league, and he could get 1,000 yards through the air. However, Antonio Brown is the most talented wide receiver since Randy Moss.
Brown broke 1,000 yards in just his second season in the league. He had 1,100 yards and two touchdowns. He also returned a kick for a touchdown. He would end up with more than 1,000 yards seven times in Pittsburgh. It was more than 1,400 yards four times. Brown got chunk plays every time Roethlisberger threw his way.
Brown’s 2015 performance is one of the best single-season performances of all time. He had 1,834 yards, which is fifth on the all-time receiving list. He led the league in catches twice, receiving yards twice, and touchdowns in 2018 when he hit paydirt 15 times.
If this guy had a good head on his shoulders, he might be the best wide receiver of all time. Instead, he forced his way out of Pittsburgh, got in tons of trouble off the field, proved to be more problems than he was worth, and a list of other issues that made him a headache for everyone involved.
Tight End
Heath Miller
2005-2015
Tight end is one of the few positions in Pittsburgh history that doesn’t have a clear star. We’re looking at the likes of Bennie Cunningham and Eric Green. These aren’t exactly household names. Maybe at the end of his career, current Steelers tight end Pat Friermuth will take this crown, but he’s not there yet.
Heath Miller was a good tight end for a long time. He was as reliable as they come, and played a really good outlet for Ben Roethlisberger for 11 seasons. He won two Super Bowl titles, including Super Bowl XL in his rookie season. That year, he came in second for Offensive Rookie of the Year, rounding out a great introduction to the NFL.
Miller never broke 1,000 yards, but he was always getting north of 500 yards receiving and was a source of tranquility in the red zone. He scored 45 touchdowns in his regular season career, and he added four touchdowns in the playoffs.
This wasn’t a player who is making the Hall of Fame, but he might be in the Steelers Ring of Honor one day. He’s beloved in the city, and he gets to retire with two very pretty rings in his showcase.
Offensive Line
Jon Kolb
1969-1981
Jon Kolb protected the blind side of Terry Bradshaw for four Super Bowl wins. That’s enough to get on this list, but he embodied the culture of Pittsburgh football. He was possibly the strongest player in the NFL. His ability to push people around added to the hard-nosed reputation that usually came from the Steelers' defense. While still competing for the Steelers, he joined some of the first World Strongest Man competitions, placing in the top five in some events.
In the Super Bowls, Kolb always faced the best pass rusher on the other team. That included Minnesota's Jim Marshall, Dallas' Harvey Martin twice, and the Rams' Fred Dryer. He allowed zero sacks to those three superstars. Kolb was dominant, especially when it mattered the most.
Somehow, Kolb never made a Pro Bowl. We bet he didn’t care about that. His priority was helping his team win, and there were few offensive tackles who were better winners than Kolb.
Offensive Line
Dermontti Dawson
1988-2000
The Steelers can stake a claim to two of the best centers in the game's history, with one literally replacing the other as the legend moved on. Let’s start with the “replacement.” Dermontti Dawson joined the Steelers in 1988 and held onto the center position for over a decade. Dawson played guard in his first year, using his deceptive quickness to get ahead of defensive linemen.
He moved to center full-time in 1989 and was named to seven consecutive Pro Bowls from 1992 to 1998. He was voted the best center in the league (first-team All-Pro) six times in his career. Despite playing center, many in the league considered him the best offensive lineman of the 1990s.
Unlike many of the players on this list, Dawson unfortunately didn’t get to win a Super Bowl title. He played in between two eras, which included quarterbacks Bubby Brister, Neil O’Donnell, Mike Tomczak, and Kordell Stewart. This wasn’t the best era of Steelers football, but Dawson was one of the best to ever wear the uniform.
Offensive Line
Mike Webster
1974-1988
Before Dawson, Mike Webster put together an incredible career in the middle of the line. He won four Super Bowls with the Steelers, anchoring the protection for Terry Bradshaw. Iron Mike was nasty and strong, a combination that personified Pittsburgh in this era. That’s why he was the team’s long-time captain, considered the leader of those Super Bowl teams.
Bradshaw often gives a ton of credit to Webster, saying he wouldn’t be the player he turned out to be without him. That impact was recognized by the league. Webster was a first-team All-Pro seven times and played in the Pro Bowl nine times. It really wasn’t fair to the other good centers in the league that Webster was taking over the one thing they could accomplish.
Webster was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997, putting together one of the most inspiring speeches at the induction ceremony. He left an incredible legacy, including shortening the sleeves on jerseys to allow him to avoid losing leverage. He was also the first NFL player diagnosed with CTE from multiple concussions. That changed how the league looked at head injuries and helped players today protect themselves for their future after football.
Offensive Line
Alan Faneca
1998-2007
Alan Faneca was gigantic. We have to start there. His size was as impressive as you’ll find from a guard in any era. He stood at 6’5 and weighed 316 lbs. The six-time All-Pro helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XL. It’s rare that offensive linemen, especially guards, get credit for offenses performing well, but Faneca was always synonymous with the Steelers' positive play.
He was incredibly durable, missing just two games in his career after securing the starting guard spot. He would switch between guard and tackle throughout his career based on the Steelers’ needs. He would always start as a guard, but he played whatever position head coach Bill Cowher needed him to play.
Faneca was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. His ability as a run blocker might have been tops of his era. Nobody could open running lanes like Faneca. The Steelers always had a great running game. And they rode that running game to a championship at Super Bowl XL.
Offensive Line
Marvel Smith
2000-2008
Marvel Smith was brought in during the 2000 NFL Draft and became a constant at the end of the offensive line, helping the Steelers win two Super Bowls. He brought that different level of persona that the Steelers were missing in the 1990s. They lost a little of that aura from the 1970s Steel Curtain days, but Smith knew he had to bring toughness to be dominant in this city.
His offensive lines made it a tough game for the defense. They would beat the other team up, and they grew a reputation for that. Smith was the embodiment of that toughness.
Unfortunately, that toughness comes with a cost. Injuries, especially to his back, limited him late in his career. He still got up for the biggest games and has two Super Bowl rings to lean on after his retirement, but it is sad he wasn’t able to put forth a full career. He was dominant when out there, which is what helped the Steelers get those fifth and sixth championships.