He ranks 23rd all-time among Pittsburgh rushers having gained 1,504 yards as a Steeler. Anderson was traded mid-season in 1986; he played four games for the Cardinals and eight for the Giants. He led the Steelers in rushing from 1961 to 1964 and made three straight Pro Bowls from 1962 to '64. Bell made three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams as a Steeler. All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD . Gurley has rushed for 4,547 rushing yards and recorded 6,430 yards from scrimmage with 56 touchdowns. 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. Jamaal Williams Dynasty Profile: Fantasy Outlook, Value, Projections Yes, that was his average. Do you have a sports website? Nick Chubb finished first the AFC North in 2021 with 1,259 rushing yards, despite finishing third with 228 carries. Merril Hoge was a versatile fullback who could carry the ball, catch passes, and block. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some great tight ends throughout the franchises history. In 2012, the Steelers found themselves with JONATHAN DWYER as their leading rusher, which is what led to the spending of a second-round pick in the following draft on Le'Veon Bell. If Lions general manager Brad Holmes follows that plan exactly, Minnesota Golden Gophers' Mohamed Ibrahim would be a great late-round running back prospect for Detroit to target. Steelers Great Franco Harris, In One Of His Last Interviews, Recalled Advertisement In some form or fashion, the Steelers will need to add quality depth to . To prepare, we at Chargers Wire are previewing players from every position. As an undrafted rookie in 2004, Bill Cowher took a chance on the 5-foot-10, 209-pound first-year player and Parker impressed sharing time with The Bus, Jerome Bettis. It's an inspiring story, but if Bleier wasn't one of the best running backs in Steelers' history, he wouldn't have made this list. 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. Mendenhall spent five seasons in Pittsburgh and was a member of two Super Bowl teams. In both seasons, he made All-Pro. The speedy running backs, the classic old power running back, and the mixed, well-rounded, good running back. In 1944 he led Army to an undefeated record with 12 victories and was named the teams Most Valuable Player. Williams had his first 1,000-yard season and averaged 13.3 ppg. In just a three-year period, from 2010-12, he posted 5,702 yards from scrimmage and 47 touchdowns. He led the Steelers in rushing in 1965, 1968, and 1969. NFL combine: CB prospect hoping for on-field family reunion The running back said that he was only trying to stimulate conversation about the topic but because of it he lost an endorsement deal with Champion Sports. It's a smaller sample size, but Elliott has also posted 131.2 yards from scrimmage per game in his three seasons. CHARLESTON, W.Va. . Ranking every NFL running back drafted in Round 1 since 2000: LaDainian Visit ESPN to view the Pittsburgh Steelers team depth chart for the current season 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. During that year, Peterson won league MVP the last running back to do so. 2023 NFL free agent running backs: Ranking top 10 seeking new deals 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. The 34-year-old made All-Pro twice, in 2008 and 2009, but he added two more All-Pro nominations during 2012 and 2015. 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. 2. He made nine straight Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team and finished his career as the leading rusher in team history and No. NFL Top 10 Best Running Backs of the 2010s - #8 Arian Foster. He posted more than 1,900 yards from scrimmage twice, in 2010 and 2013. He ran for 5,378 yards while playing at Heinz Field. Those three men will be bypassed for this article despite Johnson ranking third in the all-time rushing yardage for the Black and Gold. Frank Pollard: In the mid-1980s, a stout Frank Pollard became the Steelers primary running back. The All-Modern Era team is made up of 26 players 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and four specialists. 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. John Fuqua ( 1970-76) Before Franco Harris, there was John "Frenchy" Fuqua. Last year's offensive rookie of the year award winner, Barkley was close to perfect for fantasy owners. Pittsburgh Steelers History: Top 10 Running Backs Of All-Time The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. While Gore has never led the league in rushing or made All-Pro, his consistency lands him at No. From 2010-13, Johnson rushed for 4,731 yards and 27 touchdowns. But Harris and the Steelers' rushing attack were just getting started. Harris is one of the main reasons the Steelers won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. He earned the Super Bowl MVP award after running for 158 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings in Super Bowl IX. He also had three catches in that loss for 18 yards. And that's with missing the 2016 season because of retirement. Fullback Franco Harris came to the Steelers in the 1972 draft and made an immediate impact. He is more famously known for his post-retirement with ESPN as an analyst which he has excelled at and has become one of that networks finest announcers. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have had three coaches, and each has used a different style of offense. But since then he has a pair of 1,000-yard rushing years and 4,545 yards on the ground in five years. 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. James Conner finished his career in Pittsburgh as the #17 ranked rusher in Steelers history. After a slow start (for a seventh overall draft pick from . 2022 Fantasy Football - Top 10 RBs - Faceoff Sports Network 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 8 Best And 7 Worst Running Backs In Pittsburgh Steelers History Parker never regained his starting job and was released only to make on attempt at staying in the NFL with the Washington Redskins in 2010 where he spent his time on the practice squad before retiring. That's Steelers football. Watt is a fullback who saw a lot of snaps during his time with the Chargers.). Is the fullback truly gone, banished into the deep recesses of pro football history? He's rushed for only 2,599 yards this decade, but everyone knows he's far more than just a running back. Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 16: Latest Fantasy Lock and Flop Predictions 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. | Ibrahim, who . 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 . Former Tulane Green Wave running back Tyjae Spears made a big splash at the Senior Bowl, but that was hardly the first time he put on a show. Overall contributions to the Steelers franchise. Pittsburgh Steelers: 15 best running backs in franchise history He'll get the chance to continue his career with the Browns, but he'll miss the first eight games of 2019 because of a suspension. Barkley was a huge reason why the Giants returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. While those numbers may not seem impressive by todays standards, they were good enough to earn Tracy Pro Bowl appearances with the Steelers in 1958 and 1960. Pittsburgh Steelers Career Rushing Leaders. Sowhos the greatest tight end in Pittsburgh Steelers history? He spent much of 2019 injured, and team injuries across the board made it difficult to judge his performance fairly. Some teams also used them as receivers, and fullbacks like Larry Centers made a living catching passes out of the backfield. It was thought by the Steelers coaching staff and fans alike that Pittsburgh had found their new star running back. Still, Johnson's All-Pro 2016 season was enough to land him on the list. Rocky Bleier came to the Steelers in 1968. Conner responded with a Pro Bowl performance and gave Steeler Nation hope that hed become the next great Pittsburgh running back. Mendenhall is currently No. 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. Thornton was also a member of the Super Bowl winning teams for Pittsburgh in 1979 and 1980. 1 1. Many argued that when Gore suffered a season-ending injury at the beginning of December in 2010, his best days were behind him. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points But Jackson was still one of the best runners of the 2010s. Jerome Bettis is the latest Steelers running back to become a member in Canton, Ohio. He stepped in for a banged-up Willie Parker in 2009 and ran for 1,108 yards and seven touchdowns. Starters per season [ edit] These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers . Bettis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. This is a list of National Football League running backs by total career rushing yards, and includes the 31 running backs who have rushed for at least 10,000 yards, for which sixteen of them have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.. Emmitt Smith leads with 18,365 yards and is also the postseason leader with 1,586. It is tough to guess what the future holds for Connor in the NFL. Adrian Peterson is a running back with over thirteen years in the NFL. He was cut twice but kept up his persistence. James Conner was thrust into the spotlight in 2018 when halfback LeVeon Bell held out for the entire season. The Steelers had a reputation of big bruising backs but Parker spelled that philosophy with speed and elusiveness. During recent years, he's become somewhat forgotten in Buffalo, but McCoy has both All-Pro seasons and multiple 1,000-yard campaigns to his credit this decade. name the pittsburgh steelers running back to the last 10 years. The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2020 running back room has the assortments of all the skillsets you could find around the NFL. . Clemson running backs coach CJ Spiller got his man. For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers were considered a team that dominated with the run. Gurley led the NFL in yards from scrimmage and won the Offensive Player of the Year award. He ended his career with only 1,512 rushing yards, but with two Super Bowl rings. Overall, Charles recorded 8,110 yards from scrimmage during the decade with the Chiefs, Broncos and Jaguars from 2010-18. This list of past Steelers tight ends features former greats, current impact players, and even future stars. Pittsburgh Steelers - Pro-Football-Reference.com Before Franco Harris, there was John Frenchy Fuqua. 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. Jackson never led the league in rushing and never made the All-Pro team. He returned to put . He caught 57 passes for 338 yards as well. 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. It's hard to rank Sproles. Let us know your thoughts down in the comments!For Business Inquiries: insid. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports. His 6-foot-2, 230 pound frame made it virtually impossible for one defender to take him down. Najee Harris warming to Steelers' running back-by-committee approach. Touchdowns. Hoak's record as the team's running backs coach was 149-90-1, making him the third-most successful running backs coach in Pittsburgh Steelers history. This led to fans chanting Hey Diddle Diddle, Rogel Up the Middle. There was just one occasion that the Steelers failed to use Rogel on the games first play. The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . The Greatest Running Backs In The NFL Right Now (2021) But during the Super Bowl seasons of 1978 and 1979, Sidney Thornton played a significant role in the Steelers' rushing attack. Barry Foster: Unfortunately for Barry Foster, his career was short in the Burgh. Preston Pearson: Pearson wore Rocky Bleiers college number of 26 and was a solid football player who was a member of the Steelers first Super Bowl winning team in 1975 when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings 16-6 in Super Bowl IX. Which of these tight ends has left a lasting legacy in the city of Pittsburgh? 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. 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. The Best Pittsburgh Steelers Tight Ends Of All Time, Vote up the players who had the most success playing tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The All-Modern Era team is made up of 26 players - 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and four specialists. The former Heisman Trophy winner is another example of a highly regarded college back getting off to a slow start in the NFL. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. But there were bright spots, and Walter Abercrombie was one of them. Bell was a unique back in Steelers history due to both the wide-open offense he played in and his careful, patient running style. One return went to the house. For the purposes of this article, I will be considering the following: Its tricky to piece it all together, but I think these are the best Steelers running backs of all time. As a punter, he kicked the ball 18 times during his career and averaged 32 yards per punt. Just look back to last year when he was able to make cuts and find holes. In 79 games with the Steelers, he carried the ball for 3,343 yards and 22 touchdowns. He would end up moving to the Dallas Cowboys where he would get a chance to face off against his former team in two more Super Bowls (X and XIII). A good scoring drive based on running plays eats up the clock and keeps the ball out of the hands of the other team's offense. As a rookie, on a terrible offense, he finished as a top 24 running back in 93% of his games last year. 11 because of four straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin the decade. He amassed an incredible 449 touches in 2014 on his way to 1,845 rushing yards and 2,261 yards from scrimmage. The move closes the latest chapter of Wentz's career after just one season in Washington. Najee Harris Stats, News, Bio | ESPN Franco Harris arrives during the 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. He finished with 585 yards and scored six touchdowns including a 75-yard run. He'll continue to split time with Nick Chubb in the backfield, but the Browns are a run-first team that will use the talents of both. He has six 1,000-yard seasons and six Pro Bowl nominations with the Eagles and Bills during the 2010s. In Dick Hoak's 10 years as a Steeler, he only saw two winning seasons. Rob Burns / AP Photo. They got a lot of carries in an era when both the fullback and halfback needed to contribute to the running game. The real results of who touched it first is still undetermined to this day. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers. 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. Unfortunately for Johnson, his 2,000-yard season came in 2009, so it just missed the cut for counting on this list. 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 . Parker ran for 1,200 yards or better in three straight seasons and led the Steelers to two Super Bowl wins. Wanting the jersey number 26 which he wore at Notre Dame, Preston Pearson held those digits so Rocky settled for No. Time to profile some of the outstanding and popular running backs to suit up for the Steelers. In nine seasons all as a Steeler, Pollard scored 20 touchdowns. LeVeon Bell made his mark with the Steelers running in this kind of offense. Ranking the 6 best running backs in Steelers history Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Draft History - Pro-Football-Reference.com 5. Follow Holcomb on Twitter at @dmholcomb. The running back fell just short of 1,000 yards from scrimmage last season after finishing with 1,414 yards in his rookie campaign. As a Steeler, Bettis crashed his way for 10,571 rushing yards and 78 rushing touchdowns, both second-best in team history. But Stewart posted 5,366 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns in the decade. They will be joined by this year's selection, making six for the 2022 season. Clemson gets its running back: 'Something very special at Clemson Join our linker program. The Steelers have had some incredibly talented players over the years . Today he is 68 and still colorful. In a move many in the NFL community felt was inevitable, the Washington Commanders released quarterback Carson Wentz on Monday in a move that will save the team $26.12 million against their 2023 salary cap. W. Va. bill would give tax credits to ex-residents to move back Fuqua led the . RASHARD MENDENHALL came to the Steelers as a first-round pick in 2008, and after spending the bulk of his rookie season on the injured reserve list, he rushed for 3,309 yards on 812 carries (4.1 average) and 29 touchdowns from 2009-11. All-time Rushing Leader: Franco Harris 2,881 att, 11,950 yds, 91 TD . These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2015 he finished second in the league in rushing and earned a spot on the All-Pro Team. Los Angeles' running backs are in a bit of a limbo right . Steeler running backs Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker, Sidney Thornton and Rashard Mendenhall all helped bring Lombardi Trophies to Pittsburgh. [2] He led the NFL with 576 yards in 1932 and held on to the record throughout his career. Williams recorded at least 730 rushing yards in a season four times during the 2010s, and he ended the decade with 4,246 rushing yards. NFL combine: How elite draft prospect Bijan Robinson represents league The Tigers picked up their sixth commitment for the 2024 recruiting cycle - and their first running back - Wednesday with the public . He tailed off to 928 the following season and then suffered injuries in 2012 playing in just six games before the Steelers cut him loose where he signed with the Arizona Cardinals lasting just one season after 687 yards on the ground. The days of Jim Brown or John Riggins getting 40 carries a game are gone. 8. I could be wrong. Dick Hoak: The running backs coach for the Steelers for an incredible 35 years, Hoak was also an excellent player at the position he would spend so many years coaching up.