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. [2] He led the NFL with 576 yards in 1932 and held on to the record throughout his career. 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. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long history of smash-mouth football dating back to before they ever won their first Super Bowl. Who the heck is this guy, we all wondered aloud, but in much more colorful language. He has held the all-time rushing yards record since 2002 and is the only player with over 17,000 regular season rushing yards. Read on to find out why. 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. 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 . Running backs are not the commodities they once were. 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. And that's with missing the 2016 season because of retirement. Mendenhall provided the following reason for retiring so young: Football was pretty cool, but I dont want to play anymore. The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. Merril Hoge was a versatile fullback who could carry the ball, catch passes, and block. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Chances are it is an announcer who remembers some of the great backs in Steelers history and how they dominated the game. List of Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterbacks, "1933 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1934 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1935 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1936 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1937 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1938 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1939 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1940 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1941 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1942 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1943 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1944 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1945 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1946 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1947 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1948 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1949 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1950 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1951 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1952 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1953 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1954 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1955 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1956 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1957 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1958 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1959 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1960 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1961 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1962 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1963 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1964 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1965 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1966 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1967 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1968 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1969 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1970 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1971 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1972 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1973 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1974 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1975 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1976 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1977 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1978 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1979 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1980 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1981 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1982 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1983 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1984 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1985 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1986 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1987 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1988 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1989 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1990 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1991 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1992 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1993 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1994 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1995 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1996 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1997 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1998 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "1999 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2000 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2001 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2002 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2003 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2004 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2005 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2006 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2007 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2008 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2009 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2010 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2011 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2012 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2013 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2014 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2015 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2016 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2017 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2018 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2019 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2020 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2021 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", "2022 Pittsburgh Steelers Statistics & Players", Pittsburgh Steelers Franchise Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Pittsburgh_Steelers_starting_quarterbacks&oldid=1132399114, This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 18:18. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, injured during his tour of duty and told he would never play football again. 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. 5. 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. He returned to put . 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. Before Franco Harris, there was John Frenchy Fuqua. Jerome Bettis is the latest Steelers running back to become a member in Canton, Ohio. Do you have a sports website? Everything in the NFL goes in cycles. Near the end of an uneventful rookie season, he was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. By 1974, Bleier was weighing in at 212 pounds and he made the team to stay. Hunt only played eight games with the Browns last season after serving an eight-game suspension. Perhaps one of the most popular and beloved Steelers players of all-time, Bleier became famous before he ever established himself as Franco Harriss partner in crime based on his experiences in the Vietnam War. The stud running back finished with 3,943 yards which lands him seventh on Pittsburghs all-time list. As the tight end position increasingly becomes more of a focal point in offensive schemes , one can only imagine what this list will look like in years down the road. The controversy arose when the ball deflected off of Tatum or Frenchy. Hopefully the Christmas edition of DraftKings top performers and busts finds you warm among family and friends as we unwrap the matchups in daily fantasy football for Week 16.The difficulty and uneasiness of lineup construction is increasing as more and more players we havent heard of become viable DFS starters in 2015s closing act.Use the list below to fill your roster with glad tidings while . 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. As a Steeler running back, Hoak would spend his entire career with Pittsburgh that began in 1961 as a seventh round draft pick after running for the Penn State Nittany Lions. 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. Touchdowns. He also had three catches in that loss for 18 yards. 11 because of four straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin the decade. Included are players that played for the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) from 1945-2022, the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) from 1940-1942 and the Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) from 1933-1939. 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. (Fullback Roosevelt Nix spent most of 2019 injured and did not appear to have a viable replacement.) Yes, that was his average. Franco Harris is the Pittsburgh Steelers career leader in rushing yards with 11,950. 1. Bettis came to the team at a time of free agency where the franchise didn't have the financial wherewithal that since has been created by Heinz Field, and yet he stayed. 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. Mendenhall spent five seasons in Pittsburgh and was a member of two Super Bowl teams. Ranking the AFC North running backs. That's the equivalent of more than two seasons. Always free! All-time Rushing Leader: Franco Harris 2,881 att, 11,950 yds, 91 TD . The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. He ran for over 1,000 yards in his first season and scored 10 rushing touchdowns on his way to winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Clemson running backs coach CJ Spiller got his man. Today he is 68 and still colorful. Former season 27 " Dancing With the Stars " competitor John Schneider has returned to social media following the death of his wife, Alicia Allain. Regular season. Greatest Power Backs in NFL History. Steelers running back James Conner (30) runs for a short gain past Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton (26) during the first half at Nissan Stadium. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Harris is one of the main reasons the Steelers won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. During the decade, he has posted 9,187 yards five 1,000-yard seasons and 56 touchdowns. Really, he will just be doing what teams like the Steelers did for decades. 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 2012, he made the All-Pro team with 1,590 rushing yards and 1,786 yards from scrimmage. Conner responded with a Pro Bowl performance and gave Steeler Nation hope that hed become the next great Pittsburgh running back. Some teams also used them as receivers, and fullbacks like Larry Centers made a living catching passes out of the backfield. It's Le'Veon Bell because there is thought given to picking players who could function as a unit if the position require that. It's hard to rank Sproles. Meanwhile, Myles Jack's cap hit grows significantly from $4.75 million last year to $11.25 million in 2023. 12. Today we ranked the Pittsburgh Steeler Running Backs throughout their franchise! This means two backs in the backfield, usually lined up side by side. Still, "CJ2K" comes in at No. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The 33rd Team. Doctors had told him following the enemy attack that his football days were over. Best: Franco Harris. For his service in the war, Bleier received the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. Murray is another back who put together three strong seasons during his career and led the league in rushing once. 1 1. Emailed daily. But from 2010-17, Forte averaged 1,419 yards from scrimmage per season. James Conner is at the forefront . 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. Teams like the 49ers, Packers, and Chargers still have plenty of use for thembut many organizations dont carry a fullback on their roster at all. With the Redskins, Cowboys and 49ers, Morris has 5,931 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in the 2010s. From '61 to '64, he was part of a powerful rushing attack along with Hall of Famer John Henry Johnson. He had the highest usage rate among running backs at 35.8% and was third in red-zone touches with 61. He has six 1,000-yard seasons and six Pro Bowl nominations with the Eagles and Bills during the 2010s. Find out more. Fuqua led the Steelers in rushing in 1970 and 1971 and totaled 2,942 yards on the ground during his time in Pittsburgh. Without further ado, here are the best 25 NFL running backs of this decade: It will be surprising to some that Johnson isn't a little higher on this list. Watt is a fullback who saw a lot of snaps during his time with the Chargers.). He started alongside Franco Harris in four Super Bowl victories and both backs ran for over 1,000 yards in 1976. 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 He was cut twice but kept up his persistence. Unfortunately for Johnson, his 2,000-yard season came in 2009, so it just missed the cut for counting on this list. When it comes to this room, the Steelers are indeed looking for them to step up. 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. Not entirely. The Steelers haven't shied away from targeting lesser-valued positions by the modern standard early in recent drafts, such as running back, linebacker and maybe to a lesser degree, safety. I enjoy the passing game, and I love that Ben Roethlisberger has matured into an elite quarterback, but it is hard for me to imagine there is a better way to play football than Steelers Football. He came to the Steelers after three seasons with the Rams which had earned him a reputation as a problem player. In 2016 he had one of the best seasons for a running back in recent memory, accumulating a league-high 2,118 yards from scrimmage, including at least 100 yards in the first 15 games of the year. Gordon averaged a career-best 5.1 yards per carry in 2018. Visit ESPN to view the Pittsburgh Steelers team depth chart for the current season 6:02; See All. Franco Harris arrives during the 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. That one instance came in 1956 when Art Rooney Sr. uncharacteristically was frustrated with a head coach and instructed the then Head Coach Walt Kiesling to negate the opening Rogel rush and throw the ball instead. He finished with 585 yards and scored six touchdowns including a 75-yard run. Well, he's worth a lot more now. Peterson missed all but one game in 2014 because of a child abuse case, but he returned to lead the NFL in rushing during 2015. The speedy running backs, the classic old power running back, and the mixed, well-rounded, good running back. At the time of the second injury, he was no longer with the Steelers but playing for the Chicago Bears and sued that teams doctor resulting in a $1.55 million judgment in favor of Hoge. In 2005, speedy Willie Parker took advantage of paths cleared by Kreider, and the Steelers won the Super Bowl. Drafted by the Steelers in the first round with the 23rd pick in 2008, Mendenhall replaced Willie Parker and had successive years of 1,000 or more yards rushing in 2009 and 2010 with a high of 1,273 in 10. Steeler running backs Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker, Sidney Thornton and Rashard Mendenhall all helped bring Lombardi Trophies to Pittsburgh. Bullet Bill Dudley is also in the record books for the National Football League as the only man to run for a touchdown, catch a touchdown pass, return a punt for a score, run to the end zone on a kickoff return, intercept a pass for a pick-six, pick up a fumble and reach pay dirt, and throw a touchdown pass. Playing players out of position in mut will make there overall go down now. Starters per season [ edit] These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers . 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 . All Rights Reserved. The 32-year-old has been a bit of a journeyman, playing for five different teams this decade. Both backs had to run well with the ball and have the skills to block for the other. Still, I think he is deserving of the number 16 spot on this list of all-time great Steelers backs. But during the Super Bowl seasons of 1978 and 1979, Sidney Thornton played a significant role in the Steelers' rushing attack. 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. In Dick Hoak's 10 years as a Steeler, he only saw two winning seasons. PITTSBURGH (AP) Mike Tomlin wasn't ready to go there, with all due respect. Today, Johnson is one of the former Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But he still turned in two more 1,000-yard seasons and recorded at least 800 yards from scrimmage in four seasons this decade. Outside linebacker Joey Porter came to Pittsburgh in 1999. 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. I want to travel the world and write. If that wasnt strange enough, Mendenhall got himself into hot water in 2011 as a Steeler when he tweeted a controversial reaction to the United States elimination of Osama bin Laden. The Steelers had a reputation of big bruising backs but Parker spelled that philosophy with speed and elusiveness. He has held the all-time rushing yards record since 2002 and is . The controversy surrounds what is called by many as the Greatest play in NFL history. 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. 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. In 2012 he was just a mere few yards away from the single-season rushing record with 2,097 yards. 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. The fullback might get the ball once or twice a game in short-yardage situations, but for the most part, he was turned into a blocking specialist. He lasted just five seasons but they were filled with success. Murray rushed for 7,174 yards and 49 touchdowns with the Cowboys, Eagles and Titans in the 2010s. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. Pittsburgh Steelers player information and depth chart order. 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? 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. Do you have a blog? OTHERS TO CONSIDER Starting this list chronologically is as good a way as any.
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