Franco Harris was a fullback, as was Merril Hoge and John Henry Johnson. Jerome Bettis was a 250-pound battering ram with incredible quickness for a man his size. He has six 1,000-yard seasons and six Pro Bowl nominations with the Eagles and Bills during the 2010s. It has been said that Rooney responded with the declaration that he would never again attempt to call a play for his team. Top 10 All Time Steelers Running Backs - Pittsburgh Sporting News In the I-formation, the fullback lines up behind the quarterback, and the halfback (tailback) lines up behind the fullback. 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. In an era that de-emphasizes the workhorse back, McCoy has nearly amassed 10,000 rushing yards and more than 13,000 yards from scrimmage this decade. NFL combine: How elite draft prospect Bijan Robinson represents league 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. Ibrahim, who . Tracy ran for 2,717 yards and 15 touchdowns in his time with Pittsburgh and caught 96 passes for 1,322 yards and 14 touchdowns. OTHERS TO CONSIDER Starting this list chronologically is as good a way as any. After five seasons of never finishing higher than RB34, Williams had a career year in 2022, finishing as the overall RB18. Only stats for Regular Season Games have been included. Hunt offers some stability in the pass-game as he had 44 . Ranking the AFC North running backs. One return went to the house. In one of his final interviews before his . The following is another in a series that picks a Steelers All-Modern Era Team. 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. . He came to the Steelers after three seasons with the Rams which had earned him a reputation as a problem player. While Gore has never led the league in rushing or made All-Pro, his consistency lands him at No. Last season he rushed for only 885 yards, but that came in 12 games. Joey Porter. Steelers honor Franco Harris by rallying past Raiders 13-10 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. Until recently, the fullback was an important player in the Steelers' offense. He ranks fourth all-time in franchise history for rushing yards and eighth all-time in receptions. (Note: The Steelers signed Derek Watt during the 2020 offseason and released Nix, who signed with Indianapolis. The All-Modern Era team is made up of 26 players 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and four specialists. name the pittsburgh steelers running back to the last 10 years. Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 Player Roster | NFL.com BAM MORRIS followed Foster, but after a couple of promising seasons, he was released after pleading guilty to felony possession of marijuana in June 1996. Sadly, the days of Steelers Football seem to have gone the way of the dropkick. The intent is to lean the offensive game plan toward the passing game and open up the defense with complex formations and plays. In 2015 he finished second in the league in rushing and earned a spot on the All-Pro Team. By, Tom Rothenberg/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. By Ross Kelly and Tony Adame, updated on October 18, 2022. 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. Doctors had told him following the enemy attack that his football days were over. Franco Harris was the man during The Renaissance, and Jerome Bettis was the man in The Modern Era. In 1984 while beating the Denver Broncos in the playoffs, Pollard ran for 99 yards and two scores, a game won by Pittsburgh 24-17. Barry Foster: Unfortunately for Barry Foster, his career was short in the Burgh. But Harris and the Steelers' rushing attack were just getting started. The days of Jim Brown or John Riggins getting 40 carries a game are gone. Sidney Thornton: Another stout running back for Pittsburgh was the bullish Thornton who weighed in at 230 pounds during his play days in Pittsburgh from 1977 to 1982. 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 25 best running backs of the 2010s | Yardbarker Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Draft History - Pro-Football-Reference.com 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? But it was his story of injury during the war that gave him notoriety at the start of his career. Who Is The Best Wide Receiver In The NFL Right Now? Bell made three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams as a Steeler. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Najee Harris warming to Steelers' running back-by-committee approach. The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . LeVeon Bell got off to a late start in his rookie season due to injuries but then proved he was worthy of his second round draft selection. He joins Franco Harris and John Henry Johnson. The move closes the latest chapter of Wentz's career after just one season in Washington. Bleier believed the doctors were wrong and reported to Steelers training camp a year after he left the war. He scored seven touchdowns and caught the ball 22 times for an additional 204 yards and a 9.3 yards-per-reception mark. 7. Emailed daily. Dudley also served his country during World War II as a member of the Army and played for that team while away from the NFL. 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 spent his first year in the NFL with the Giants before coming to the Steelers in 1970. 16 Best Pittsburgh Steelers Running Backs of All Time It's Le'Veon Bell because there is thought given to picking players who could function as a unit if the position require that. Parker was perhaps the fastest running back ever to play for the Steelers. Once the Steelers free up a considerable amount of cap space, are eight free agents who could reinvigorate the roster in the 2023 season. During his career, he's averaged 128.9 yards from scrimmage per game. Today we ranked the Pittsburgh Steeler Running Backs throughout their franchise! Follow Holcomb on Twitter at @dmholcomb. On a better team, Jones-Drew may have been able to flourish for longer than three seasons, but from 2009-11, he was one of the best backs in the league. Really, he will just be doing what teams like the Steelers did for decades. But he stayed. Gurley led the NFL in yards from scrimmage and won the Offensive Player of the Year award. After a slow start (for a seventh overall draft pick from . NICK CHUBB, CLEVELAND BROWNS. In '94, he ran for 851 yards despite missing five games. James Conner finished his career in Pittsburgh as the #17 ranked rusher in Steelers history. Steelers GM confirms extension negotiations with key defender have started It's a smaller sample size, but Elliott has also posted 131.2 yards from scrimmage per game in his three seasons. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Another big bruising back that also has surprising quickness, Bell at 244 pounds is turning into a super star in the NFL. James Conner was thrust into the spotlight in 2018 when halfback LeVeon Bell held out for the entire season. Dudley owns 44 touchdowns to his credit. Teams run RPOs, or run-pass option plays, where the quarterback decides after the snap whether he will hand the ball off or throw a pass. Maybe I am just nostalgic for the days when Steelers backs carried the ball 30 times and took total control over a game by the fourth quarter. Former Steelers running back Willie Parker (39) acknowledges the crowd during a 2018 against the Chargers at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Roster | The Football Database Some teams also used them as receivers, and fullbacks like Larry Centers made a living catching passes out of the backfield. 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. If he had played in those games, Bell is easily in the top five on this list and maybe close to the top. 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. He signed as an undrafted free agent who had run a 4.23-second 40 at the Scouting Combine the previous spring. Today, with the explosion of the passing game, a star running back is a helpful asset but no longer a requirement. The Steelers will win 5 games this year, Canada will be fired, and Tomlin will "resign." . Adrian Peterson is a running back with over thirteen years in the NFL. He has held the all-time rushing yards record since 2002 and is . March 1, 2023 2:19 pm PT. Buffalo 2007-10; Seattle 2010-15, '19; Oakland 2017-18. He was cut twice but kept up his persistence. Player ratings with position rankings. Harris was a part of four championship team and would be named to the Pro Bowl nine times. Still, Johnson's All-Pro 2016 season was enough to land him on the list. As a rookie, on a terrible offense, he finished as a top 24 running back in 93% of his games last year. Greatest Power Backs in NFL History. Player Team Age Total Value Avg./Year Total Guaranteed Fully Guaranteed Free Agency; Christian McCaffrey: 49ers: 27: $64,063,412: $16,015,853: $36,346,412: $30,062,500 All Rights Reserved. The speedy running backs, the classic old power running back, and the mixed, well-rounded, good running back. 10 Best Linebackers in Steelers History (+Honorable Mentions) . The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Jerome Bettis (1996-2005). Pittsburgh Steelers running backs coach history 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. Unfortunately for Johnson, his 2,000-yard season came in 2009, so it just missed the cut for counting on this list. Or write about sports? The next season, he racked up 1,273 yards and 13 touchdowns on the way to an AFC Championship win. Emmitt Smith has held the record since surpassing Walter Payton's long-standing total in 2002. That lands him in the top five during the decade. With the Redskins, Cowboys and 49ers, Morris has 5,931 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in the 2010s. CHARLESTON, W.Va. . When it comes to this room, the Steelers are indeed looking for them to step up. The team made it to the playoffs ten times ( 1992-1997 , 2001-2002 , 2004-2005 ) and had a 12-9 record under Coach Hoak in playoff games. 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. In the last 10 years, 10 different backs have led the league in PPR scoring. The mid-'80s were a tough time for Steeler Nation. Winning three Super Bowls helps earn you a spot on this list too. That meant Bell joined Marshall Faulk as the only players in NFL history with 1,350-plus yards rushing and 850-plus yards receiving in the same season. Dudley also found himself on kickoff returns where he fielded 11 of those for 298 yards (27.0 average). In addition, he got 52 receiving yards, with an average of 10.4. In Pittsburgh, he was everything but. The phrase is often proclaimed by an announcer after a Steelers running back plows over a few unlucky defenders. 'Top 10, he would not get laughs' Thirty-five picks elapsed before a team drafted a running back last year. But Jackson was still one of the best runners of the 2010s. Join our linker program. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Lynch was an underrated pass-catcher in his prime too. In 1966 when the Fighting Irish won the national title, Rocky was a member of that team. Draft Henry with absolute confidence this season if you have a top-five pick. Current team members are listed in bold. 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. In his rookie season, Morris rushed for 836 yards and a 4.2 yards-per-carry average. 25 Greatest Running Backs in NFL History - AthlonSports.com But following the Super Bowl Morris was arrested for trafficking marijuana and the Steelers wanted nothing to do with his off-the-field problems and released him. 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. Murray made the All-Pro team and Pro Bowl that year. LeVeon Bell: Finally we have our current star in the making. Fuqua was not an original Steelers having been drafted by the New York Giants and then traded to Pittsburgh. Hoak retired from pro football in 1970 but stuck around to coach Steelers running backs from 1972 to 2007. Bam Morris: Morris story is a sad, tragic, and unfulfilled one. Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 16: Latest Fantasy Lock and Flop Predictions 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. Pittsburgh Steelers Stats: The official source for Pittsburgh Steelers game statistics . DeAngelo Williams Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images. The controversy surrounds what is called by many as the Greatest play in NFL history. steelers running backs last 10 years - shantisrl.com He would play six seasons in Three Rivers Stadium when the Steelers were home and finish with 3,343 yards rushing. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Every Tight End In Pittsburgh Steelers History, Ranked By Fans 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. Both backs had to run well with the ball and have the skills to block for the other. 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. but every NFL team has talented players. 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. Mapping out the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft: LeVeon Bell made his mark with the Steelers running in this kind of offense. In 27 games Hunt has 2,151 rushing yards, 2,984 yards from scrimmage and 25 touchdowns. 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. He had the highest usage rate among running backs at 35.8% and was third in red-zone touches with 61. 8. Twenty-three slots went by before the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Najee Harris in 2021. Fuqua led the . A dominant defense and an unstoppable running gamethats Steelers Football. With teams shifting more to the passing game, these old-school running backs are becoming obsolete. Drafted in the third round by the Steelers, Zereoue would play from 1999 to 2003 in Black and Gold before finishing his career in Oakland for one season and another in New England. Could Steelers solve their LB problem with Trenton Simpson or Drew But since then injuries have slowed him, and he's averaging 3.6 yards per attempt. | Bettis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. He is currently the third leading rusher in Steelers history. As a punter, he kicked the ball 18 times during his career and averaged 32 yards per punt. Time to profile some of the outstanding and popular running backs to suit up for the Steelers. 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. We present them here for purely educational purposes. But Foster ended up as a one-hit wonder because when he was at peak ability he really didn't love the game, and then it became too late. Overall, Charles recorded 8,110 yards from scrimmage during the decade with the Chiefs, Broncos and Jaguars from 2010-18. Everything in the NFL goes in cycles. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . In the second concussion he encountered, it resulted in Hoge having to be resuscitated when he stopped breathing. Top 12 Fantasy Running Backs: Hall of Fame Week Edition His best season came in 2015, which was the year after Williams departed, when he rushed for 989 yards and six touchdowns for the 15-1 Panthers. Drafted by the Steelers in 1942 and in his rookie season led the NFL in rushing with 696 yards. Last edited on 19 February 2023, at 18:43, Boston Braves / Boston Redskins / Washington Redskins, List of National Football League records (individual), List of National Football League rushing champions, List of National Football League career rushing touchdowns leaders, List of National Football League annual rushing touchdowns leaders, "NFL Rushing Yards Career Playoffs Leaders", "History of the Career Rushing Yards Record", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_National_Football_League_career_rushing_yards_leaders&oldid=1140354500, This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 18:43. ALL-MODERN ERA: Running backs - Pittsburgh Steelers The 2016 All-Pro had his own issue staying on the field because of a suspension in 2017, but despite that Elliott has 4,048 rushing yards and led the league in rushing twice in three years. It was thought by the Steelers coaching staff and fans alike that Pittsburgh had found their new star running back. The stud running back finished with 3,943 yards which lands him seventh on Pittsburghs all-time list. I could be wrong. NAME GP RUSH YDS ATT YPC RUSH YDS/G RUSH TD REC YDS REC TRG AVG REC YDS/G REC TD; Felix Jones: 16: 184: 48: 3.8: 11.5: 0: 63: 9: 13: 7.0: 3.9: 0: Isaac Redman: 3: 12: 10: 1.2 . 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. Power Ranking AFC North Running Backs | Steelers Now Of course, we all know why. But Hoak is probably best remembered for his ever-so-long tenure as the Running Backs coach with Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher. Franco Harris arrives during the 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. When running the ball, they often do so out of one-back sets and shotgun and pistol formations. Other teams (like the Steelers) have one but rarely use him. 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 . 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. Dudley could do it all on the field as he was just not a back but a defensive back, punter, and place kicker. Still, Bleier became a starter in the backfield with Harris and shined. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2016, the last of which with the Titans. 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. Jamaal Williams Dynasty Profile: Fantasy Outlook, Value, Projections Damien Harris (New England Patriots) The 2021 season will only be Damien Harris' second full season with the Patriots as a running back, but he's shown his level of skill. The Tigers picked up their sixth commitment for the 2024 recruiting cycle - and their first running back - Wednesday with the public . Franco Harris gets most of the credit for that infamous incident, but Terry Bradshaws passing attempt on that play was originally intended for Fuqua who was decleated by Jack Tatum. Parker had a shot to lead the NFL in rushing in 2007, but he broke his leg in the regular season's penultimate game and finished with 1,316 yards. 2023 NFL draft: 4 running backs for Chargers to watch at Combine If I were to ask you to name the sixth-leading rusher in Steelers history, I bet youd say a lot of names before you got to Frank Pollard. Ranking every player on the Steelers free agency board While the team continued to utilize the same rushing attack that had earned them four Lombardi Trophies in the '70s, the cast of characters and the results were not the same. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. 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. Williams had his first 1,000-yard season and averaged 13.3 ppg. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 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. 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. For his service in the war, Bleier received the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. Running Back Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap Merril Hoge: Lasting until the 10th round in the 1987 NFL draft, Merril Hoge was a tough as nails runner for the Steelers who suffered a rash of concussion injuries that would cost him his career. 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. Franco Harris is not only the best Steelers running back in franchise history, but one of the greatest Steelers of all time. Over the past six years, he has covered the NFL, NHL, MLB, fantasy sports, college football and basketball, and New Jersey high school sports for numerous print and online publications. 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. Late-Round Running Back Lions Should Target in 2023 NFL Draft Included are player stats for the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) from 1945-2022, the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) from 1940-1942 and the Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) from 1933-1939. He was also an excellent receiver, both out of the backfield and split out as a wide receiver. The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Let us know your thoughts down in the comments!For Business Inquiries: insid. Today, Johnson is one of the former Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 1 1. Playing players out of position in mut will make there overall go down now. Just look back to last year when he was able to make cuts and find holes. Bleier was an outstanding lead blocker as well as being able to run the ball well and also had solid hands as a receiver.
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