NFL franchise all-time power rankings: Which organization comes out on top?

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been relevant for its entire existence. We don’t talk about the importance of relevance. Since taking Terry Bradshaw with the first overall pick in 1970, they’ve been a team to beat across the league. Bradshaw helped lead the Steelers, along with that fantastic Steel Curtain defense, to four Super Bowls in six years. No other team has come close to that dominance. Not the New England Patriots. Not even the 49ers of the 80s. There was always time in between championship runs. Not for the Steelers. 

From 1979, the date of their fourth Super Bowl win, to 2004, when they drafted Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers were still relevant in the playoff discussion. Neil O'Donnell had some success, and Kordell Stewart did as well (although he seemed like he was playing in the wrong era). Stewart actually led the Steelers to the AFC Championship and almost beat the Patriots in 2002 until the ghost of Drew Bledsoe came in and won the game. 

With Roethlisberger under center, the Steelers started another era of not only relevance but supremacy. The Steelers would win the Super Bowl in 2006 and 2009, beating the Seahawks and Cardinals. 

This team might not have won a Super Bowl in a few years, but the Steelers haven’t had a losing season since drafting Roethlisberger. Think about how insane that is. Mike Tomlin has this team on the right side of the 17-game record every single season going back 20 years. That means something when we talk about legacy. This is not a franchise that will bottom out and it will keep them relevant until Super Bowl number seven.