Time to profile some of the outstanding and popular running backs to suit up for the Steelers. Fullback Franco Harris came to the Steelers in the 1972 draft and made an immediate impact. But Jackson was still one of the best runners of the 2010s. Sep 20, 1992; San Diego, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Barry Foster (29) in action against San Diego Chargers defenders Junior Seau (55) and George Thornton (93) at Jack . 3 in NFL history. The following is the Pittsburgh Steelers all-time roster, browsable by last name or position. Still, Johnson's All-Pro 2016 season was enough to land him on the list. Barry Foster: Unfortunately for Barry Foster, his career was short in the Burgh. Another big bruising back that also has surprising quickness, Bell at 244 pounds is turning into a super star in the NFL. The only exception in madden 22 was a glitched out ray Lewis that was 97 at mlb but 99 at r/lolb. He is currently a free agent and the third oldest running back in the NFL, as well as the second oldest active running back. The power running back is a dying breed in football. In addition, he got 52 receiving yards, with an average of 10.4. But he stayed. During the 2021 offseason, Pittsburgh declined to re-sign Conner, making him a free agent and creating an opportunity for the Arizona Cardinals to scoop him up. The last two seasons, with now-departed James Conner the No. If he had played in those games, Bell is easily in the top five on this list and maybe close to the top. Posted August 12, 2019 Emailed daily. Always free! Bleier was an outstanding lead blocker as well as being able to run the ball well and also had solid hands as a receiver. Of course we are talking about the Immaculate Reception. 2. Watt is a fullback who saw a lot of snaps during his time with the Chargers.). He was Le'Veon Bell when Bell was at Michigan State. Charles also ran for 1,509 yards in 2012 and 1,033 yards in 2014. The speedy running backs, the classic old power running back, and the mixed, well-rounded, good running back. Clemson running backs coach CJ Spiller got his man. His entire career was with the Steelers and he would finish those six seasons with 1,512 yards and 18 touchdowns. Christian McCaffrey (2019) This past season, McCaffrey became the third running back in NFL history to generate over 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in a single season. This means two backs in the backfield, usually lined up side by side. He scored seven touchdowns and caught the ball 22 times for an additional 204 yards and a 9.3 yards-per-reception mark. DeAngelo Williams Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images. It worked perfectly with the maulers he had in front of him in Pittsburgh as he has some Xbox like highlight reels to show for it. Pollard played most of his career at a time when the Steelers struggled. Lists that rank the greatest players and coaches in the history of the NFL franchise. Those three men will be bypassed for this article despite Johnson ranking third in the all-time rushing yardage for the Black and Gold. 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. 12. 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. He ranks fourth all-time in franchise history for rushing yards and eighth all-time in receptions. Conner responded with a Pro Bowl performance and gave Steeler Nation hope that hed become the next great Pittsburgh running back. As a Steeler, Bettis crashed his way for 10,571 rushing yards and 78 rushing touchdowns, both second-best in team history. Emmitt Smith has held the record since surpassing Walter Payton's long-standing total in 2002. Do you have a sports website? Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have had three coaches, and each has used a different style of offense. During his career, he's averaged 128.9 yards from scrimmage per game. Foster timed his career perfectly for this list, breaking out with 1,616 yards, leading the league in rushing, in 2010. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. In 2006 he tried to make a comeback in the Arena Football League and the National Indoor Football League but that last just part of one season. He was an example of how great players can not only break the rules and succeed, but sometimes even make up their own rules. Who Is The Best Running Back In The NFL Right Now? 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. 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. 4M; . steelers running backs last 10 years The former Heisman Trophy winner is another example of a highly regarded college back getting off to a slow start in the NFL. In 2007, Fuqua created a candy and marketed it as The Immaculate Confection. But aside from that 1972 playoff game with the Oakland Raiders, Fuqua could be seen off the field wearing the flashiest of clothes that included shoes with see-through heals and live fish in them. He made another Pro Bowl in 1993 but only rushed for half as many yards due to injuries. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. Do you have a blog? The Steelers will win 5 games this year, Canada will be fired, and Tomlin will "resign." . Since reliable yardage statistics were not recorded prior to 1932, the first NFL player recognized as the career leader in rushing yards was Cliff Battles, who played from 1932 to 1937 for the Boston Braves / Boston Redskins / Washington Redskins. All rights reserved. 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. Overall contributions to the Steelers franchise. He spent his first year in the NFL with the Giants before coming to the Steelers in 1970. Player ratings with position rankings. Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Fuqua will be forever remembered by Steelers fans as the intended receiver of Terry Bradshaws Immaculate Reception pass, which ricocheted into the arms of Franco Harris. While that trio may be the best-best-of-the best to run behind Pittsburghs all-time offensive lines, there have been more than a handful of outstanding running backs for Pittsburgh since they began play in 1933. That lands him in the top five during the decade. Merril Hoge was a versatile fullback who could carry the ball, catch passes, and block. 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. Fuqua led the . Jerome Bettis (1996-2005). He never made a Pro Bowl and never had a 1,000-yard season, but he appeared in 111 games over nine seasons and managed to rack up 3,989 career rushing yards. Foster made one attempt to come out of retirement with the Cincinnati Bengals that same year but after just a few days with the club he decided on retirement at the tender age of 26. 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. 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Williams had his first 1,000-yard season and averaged 13.3 ppg. Injuries hurt Foster later in his career, but he did record 1,246 rushing yards in 2014. [2] He led the NFL with 576 yards in 1932 and held on to the record throughout his career. 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 Pittsburgh Steelers Hall-of-Fame running back Franco Harris died Wednesday, just before the 50-year anniversary of his "Immaculate Reception" play. That changed over the last decade or so, due to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's emergence as an elite . But from 2010-17, Forte averaged 1,419 yards from scrimmage per season. He would eventually become the feature back, but in 2009 he suffered Jack Lamberts injury, turf toe and was replaced by Rashard Mendenhall in the process. Le'veon Bell also earned a reputation as one of the most patient RBs in the NFL. Before Franco Harris, there was John Frenchy Fuqua. Reports this off-season show he weighed in at 244 pounds from 232 last season. Matte took over for another fantastic white running back, former Heisman Trophy winner and 1958 NFL Championship Game hero Alan Ameche. TODAY: Running backs. The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He already has as many touchdowns rushing as Bam Morris Unfortunately, before the season began last year, Bell was arrested with LeGarrette Blount for a DWI and possession of marijuana. He came to the Steelers after three seasons with the Rams which had earned him a reputation as a problem player. [5] Through 2021, eight Steeler first-round picks have gone on to have playing careers deemed worthy of enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Bill Dudley, Len Dawson, Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Rod Woodson, Troy Polamalu, and Alan . Really, he will just be doing what teams like the Steelers did for decades. 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. 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. But he's rushed for more than 1,000 yards in a season twice, and he led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns in 2016. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. In 2011 Jones-Drew led the league with 1,606 rushing yards and 386 touches. Over the entire decade, he posted 6,417 rushing yards and 7,909 yards from scrimmage with the Titans, Jets and Cardinals from 2010-17. 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. One of the best free agent signings of the Mike Tomlin era, DeAngelo Williams was never thought to be more than a top backup running back. 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. But Hoak is probably best remembered for his ever-so-long tenure as the Running Backs coach with Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher. Barkley was a huge reason why the Giants returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Instagram Twitter Facebook Snapchat Shop Icon Profile Overlay Avatar Add Airplay Arrow Left Arrow Right Arrow Up Arrow Down Audio Back 5s Back 10s Back 30s Calendar Chart Check Down Left . From 1974 to 1979, Harris topped the 1,000-yard milestone every season and carried the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories. When a running back like Jerome Bettis, Franco Harris, or John Henry Johnson tramples linebackers and safeties all game, it grinds opponents down and destroys their will to compete. Touchdowns. Is the fullback truly gone, banished into the deep recesses of pro football history? Bill Dudley was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966 and 10 year prior was inducted into College Footballs Hall of Fame. He'll likely end up with a good chunk of dough in free agency, but it's hard to believe . West Virginia's Senate passed a bill Monday that would give $25,000 in tax credits to former residents who move back to the state to work. He also posted many of his best seasons in the previous decade, which robbed him of a chance at the top 10 on this list. All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD . Sutton not only enjoyed the best year of his career, but he also arguably played like a top-10 cornerback. In the I-formation, the fullback lines up behind the quarterback, and the halfback (tailback) lines up behind the fullback. The last Steelers running back taken in the first round before Najee Harris, Mendenhall won a Super Bowl as a rookie despite spending most of the season on injured reserve. For his service in the war, Bleier received the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. In two seasons, he is already 18th among all Steelers backs in rushing. By 1995, Foster was out of Pittsburgh and out of the NFL, thus ending his short, dramatic, and bizarre pro football career. The intent is to lean the offensive game plan toward the passing game and open up the defense with complex formations and plays. 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. Najee Harris warming to Steelers' running back-by-committee approach. 2013 Steelers 2014 Steelers 2015 Steelers 2016 Steelers 2017 Steelers 2018 Steelers 2019 Steelers 2020 Steelers 2021 Steelers 2022 Steelers 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 8-8 11-5 10-6 11-5 13-3 9-6-1 8-8 12-4 9-7-1 9-8. Despite suffering continuing pain and losing weight down to 180 pounds, Rocky spent the next two years putting on weight and fighting for a roster spot. His 4.3 yards-per-carry average for his career is second only to John Henry Johnsons 4.4 and ties him with Wille Parker among Pittsburghs top ten rushers in history for yardage. The All-Modern Era team is made up of 26 players 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and four specialists. However, from 2010-14 he was the best all-purpose back in the league. 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 . In his first three seasons, Ingram ran for more than 600 yards in a season just once. Williams recorded at least 730 rushing yards in a season four times . Wanting the jersey number 26 which he wore at Notre Dame, Preston Pearson held those digits so Rocky settled for No. What those teams dont have is a legacy of bullying and dominating opponents, and that is what brought the Steelers six Super Bowl championships. Fuqua was not an original Steelers having been drafted by the New York Giants and then traded to Pittsburgh. But since then injuries have slowed him, and he's averaging 3.6 yards per attempt. February 27, 2023 3 min Watch. Running backs are not the commodities they once were. Harris is my fourth-ranked running back for the 2022 season. The 32-year-old has yet to post a 1,000-yard season this decade, and judging by the fact he had only six rushing attempt last season, he's probably going to end the 2010s without one. He seemed to violate every rule young players are taught about playing running back, yet he thrived. Sadly, the days of Steelers Football seem to have gone the way of the dropkick. Harris played 980 offensive snaps during the regular season . 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. That's Steelers football. Le'Veon Bell was one of the best Steelers running backs of all time. He has held the all-time rushing yards record since 2002 and is . He earned the Super Bowl MVP award after running for 158 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings in Super Bowl IX. He's another back who never led the league in rushing and never made All-Pro. Dudley owns 44 touchdowns to his credit. For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers were considered a team that dominated with the run. The controversy arose when the ball deflected off of Tatum or Frenchy. The 33rd Team. 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. Lynch was an underrated pass-catcher in his prime too. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports. 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? '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.

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