The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Hoak retired from pro football in 1970 but stuck around to coach Steelers running backs from 1972 to 2007. In 2011 and 2013, he made All-Pro, and in 2013 he posted 2,146 yards from scrimmage. 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. Ingram's best season came in 2017 when he posted 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. 8. 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. In the previous nine years, however, the Steelers had a top-15 player seven times. Read on to find out why. 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. But it was his story of injury during the war that gave him notoriety at the start of his career. His teammate Terry Hanratty, the QB at Notre Dame during that tenure became a Steeler as well. From 2010-13, Johnson rushed for 4,731 yards and 27 touchdowns. The Steelers will win 5 games this year, Canada will be fired, and Tomlin will "resign." . Both men had the unfortunate circumstance of being behind other great players on the roster, Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw. 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. OTHERS TO CONSIDER Starting this list chronologically is as good a way as any. . In Pittsburgh, he was everything but. Many teams even rotate three or more backs throughout the game, with all getting an equal number of carries. As it is, he has 5,336 rushing yards and nearly 8,000 yards from scrimmage since coming into the league in 2013. Rob Burns / AP Photo. By Ross Kelly and Tony Adame, updated on October 18, 2022. PITTSBURGH (AP) Mike Tomlin wasn't ready to go there, with all due respect. Harris was a part of four championship team and would be named to the Pro Bowl nine times. The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . The All-Modern Era team is made up of 26 players - 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and four specialists. 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 . . And that's with missing the 2016 season because of retirement. He led the Steelers in rushing in 1965, 1968, and 1969. Fuqua would have to be the most colorful player in Steelers history as well as the most controversial. Born in the Ivory Coast, Zereoue played his high school football in Long Island, New York and then went on to be a star running back for the Mountaineers. He joins Franco Harris and John Henry Johnson. That couldn't have been further from the truth. 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. But twice he rushed for more than 1,400 yards, and as a rookie in 2012 Martin posted 1,926 yards from scrimmage. 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. Touchdowns. Walter Abercrombie: To this day, Abercrombie is Baylor Universitys all-time leading rusher with 3,674 yards while scoring 22 touchdowns. In Dick Hoak's 10 years as a Steeler, he only saw two winning seasons. But during the Super Bowl seasons of 1978 and 1979, Sidney Thornton played a significant role in the Steelers' rushing attack. Meanwhile, at No. Dave Holcomb began working as a sports writer in 2013 after graduating from Syracuse University. Despite the occurrences of injury, Hoge ran for 3,115 yards as a Steeler and rushed for 21 touchdowns. The Senate passed the bill . 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. During the decade, he has posted 9,187 yards five 1,000-yard seasons and 56 touchdowns. Before Franco Harris, there was John Frenchy Fuqua. But Harris and the Steelers' rushing attack were just getting started. Foster's 1,690 yards set a team record that season and earned him Pro Bowl and All-Pro nominations. 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. Barry Foster: Unfortunately for Barry Foster, his career was short in the Burgh. 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. Visit ESPN to view the Pittsburgh Steelers team depth chart for the current season He was intensive care for 48 hours and this forced his retirement. In 1999 the Chiefs cut him and his life spiraled out of control with drug problems and jail time. Of course, we all know why. 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. But he stayed. He is currently the third leading rusher in Steelers history. The Steelers have had some incredibly talented players over the years . 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. However, it's not too early to break down the best from the 2010s either. They got a lot of carries in an era when both the fullback and halfback needed to contribute to the running game. Prior to being drafted by the Army for service, Bleier was a University of Notre Dame product graduating in 1968 earning a degree in Business Management. 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. It's hard to believe, but the second decade of the 21st century is nearly complete. Bleier was an outstanding lead blocker as well as being able to run the ball well and also had solid hands as a receiver. For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers were considered a team that dominated with the run. 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. In 1966 when the Fighting Irish won the national title, Rocky was a member of that team. 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. Bleier starred in Super Bowl XIII with a touchdown reception and a recovered onside kick to seal Pittsburghs third NFL title. Last season he was in the top five among running backs in several categories. 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. By 1995, Foster was out of Pittsburgh and out of the NFL, thus ending his short, dramatic, and bizarre pro football career. WILLIE PARKER had difference-making speed at the NFL level, but because he wasn't built physically to withstand the 913 carries he got from 2005-07, he got worn down and then his speed wasn't as difference-making at the NFL level. As the tight end position increasingly becomes more of a focal point in offensive schemes , one. Not entirely. That lands him in the top five during the decade. (Fullback Roosevelt Nix spent most of 2019 injured and did not appear to have a viable replacement.) 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. 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. A fullback is not required in this type of offensive game plan. He's another back who never led the league in rushing and never made All-Pro. Myles Jack 61 Minkah Fitzpatrick . 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 . Dickerson was traded mid-season in 1987; he played three games for the Rams and nine for the Colts. Unfortunately for Johnson, his 2,000-yard season came in 2009, so it just missed the cut for counting on this list. In Super Bowl XXX when the Steelers lost to the Dallas Cowboys that many thought that Pittsburgh could have won if not for Neil ODonnells errant interceptions, Morris rushed for 73 yards on 19 carries and scored a touchdown. He spent his first year in the NFL with the Giants before coming to the Steelers in 1970. 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. Williams recorded at least 730 rushing yards in a season four times . 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. His career ended on a sad note in Minnesota, but Peterson regained his form with another 1,000-yard season with Washington in 2018. Bill Dudley also played with the Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins after leaving the Steelers, and finished his career with 3,057 yards rushing, 1,383 yards receiving, punted the ball for a total of 7,304 yards, and on defense intercepted 23 passes. 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. Frank Pollard: In the mid-1980s, a stout Frank Pollard became the Steelers primary running back. 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. 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. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Overall, he ran for 4,731 yards and 28 touchdowns playing for the Rams, Falcons and Patriots from 2010-15. The 34-year-old made All-Pro twice, in 2008 and 2009, but he added two more All-Pro nominations during 2012 and 2015. Franco Harris was a fullback, as was Merril Hoge and John Henry Johnson. Rashard Mendenhall: Like Barry Foster before him, Rashard Mendenhall was done with professional football by the age of 26. It is tough to guess what the future holds for Connor in the NFL. 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. 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. Parker was perhaps the fastest running back ever to play for the Steelers. Others were blocking fullbacks who spent their careers opening holes for star backs. All Rights Reserved. Franco Harris arrives during the 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Fran Rogel was also a local product having grown up in North Braddock, Pennsylvania. The mid-'80s were a tough time for Steeler Nation. That's Steelers football. As a Steeler, Famous Amos ran the ball 434 times for 1,698 yards and was a powerful running back at 205 pounds on a 58 frame. He scored seven touchdowns and caught the ball 22 times for an additional 204 yards and a 9.3 yards-per-reception mark. In 1979, he started 10 games in place of Bleier and ran for 585 yards and six touchdowns. Well, he's worth a lot more now. Of course we are talking about the Immaculate Reception. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. He peculiarly retired after that one campaign with the Cardinals. If youve followed the Steelers, you've probably heard the term "Steelers Football." 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. Tackles. Dudley also found himself on kickoff returns where he fielded 11 of those for 298 yards (27.0 average). In 79 games with the Steelers, he carried the ball for 3,343 yards and 22 touchdowns. Le'Veon Bell was one of the best Steelers running backs of all time. Sutton not only enjoyed the best year of his career, but he also arguably played like a top-10 cornerback. [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 . 7. In 2005, speedy Willie Parker took advantage of paths cleared by Kreider, and the Steelers won the Super Bowl. Today he is 68 and still colorful. 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. Harris was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. Williams led the NFL in touchdowns last season with 17. Steelers running back James Conner (30) runs for a short gain past Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton (26) during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Matte took over for another fantastic white running back, former Heisman Trophy winner and 1958 NFL Championship Game hero Alan Ameche. By 1974, Bleier was weighing in at 212 pounds and he made the team to stay. The following is the Pittsburgh Steelers all-time roster, browsable by last name or position. Fuqua to this day refuses to give his take on what actually took place. Some teams also used them as receivers, and fullbacks like Larry Centers made a living catching passes out of the backfield. Many NFL teams used a pro-style offense during the same period, and this was an age when the fullback was a vital ball carrier. The team has selected second overall once, and third overall four times. His rookie contract was voided after his fourth season, after just one in Pittsburgh, and there were opportunities to leave. He lasted just five seasons but they were filled with success. 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. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. He was Le'Veon Bell when Bell was at Michigan State. Pollard played most of his career at a time when the Steelers struggled. He made the Pro Bowl three times, from 2014-16. Harris is one of the main reasons the Steelers won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. Willie Parker: Fast Willie Parker actually lands in third place all-time among Pittsburgh rushers. NFL Top 10 Best Running Backs of the 2010s - #8 Arian Foster. Franco Harris is the Pittsburgh Steelers career leader in rushing yards with 11,950. In addition, he got 52 receiving yards, with an average of 10.4. 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. Both backs had to run well with the ball and have the skills to block for the other. 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. Yes, that was his average. 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. Fuqua was not an original Steelers having been drafted by the New York Giants and then traded to Pittsburgh. 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. The former Heisman Trophy winner is another example of a highly regarded college back getting off to a slow start in the NFL. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Feeling he had to listen to his boss, Kiesling had quarterback Jack Scarbath toss the ball which resulted in a touchdown to Goose McClairen. Keep in mind that accomplishments made only during this decade were considered for these rankings. 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). Bettis will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2015 in August, and the accomplishments to be praised that day are only part of why he was the man during his 10 seasons with the Steelers. 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. Those three men will be bypassed for this article despite Johnson ranking third in the all-time rushing yardage for the Black and Gold. In his first three seasons, Ingram ran for more than 600 yards in a season just once. February 27, 2023 3 min Watch. All-time Rushing Leader: Franco Harris 2,881 att, 11,950 yds, 91 TD . Lucrative opportunities to leave. Dudley could do it all on the field as he was just not a back but a defensive back, punter, and place kicker. He's posted 2,987 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns over the last three years. 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. 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. He would retire with 3,965 yards on the ground, second best in history for the Steelers at that time. Which of these tight ends has left a lasting legacy in the city of Pittsburgh? This decade, Sproles has also led the league in punt return yardage twice. The All-Modern Era team is made up of 26 players 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and four specialists. Hoak made a Pro Bowl in 1968 and is currently ranked seventh in Steelers' history for all-time rushing yards with 3,965. In the I-formation, the fullback lines up behind the quarterback, and the halfback (tailback) lines up behind the fullback. . 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. Pittsburgh Steelers player information and depth chart order. 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. 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. Near the end of an uneventful rookie season, he was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. Nick Chubb finished first the AFC North in 2021 with 1,259 rushing yards, despite finishing third with 228 carries. LeVeon Bell made his mark with the Steelers running in this kind of offense. 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. See the full player roster for the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers. 2. In just a three-year period, from 2010-12, he posted 5,702 yards from scrimmage and 47 touchdowns. At 244 pounds, Morris was a load running behind the offensive line and his numbers backed up his train rushing efforts. Regular season. Landry Jones (2015-2017) Tommy Maddox (2002-2005) Terry Bradshaw (1970-1983) The number of games they started during the season is listed to the right of their name: Season. Clemson running backs coach CJ Spiller got his man. Watt is a fullback who saw a lot of snaps during his time with the Chargers.). There have been some running backs in Steelers history who had one or two good seasons in Pittsburgh, then went on their way. 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. Today, Abercrombie spends his days atsthe Executive Director for his alma mater leading the Baylor B Association which is an organization of previous letter winners for the university. One return went to the house. The stud running back finished with 3,943 yards which lands him seventh on Pittsburghs all-time list. 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. James Conner finished his career in Pittsburgh as the #17 ranked rusher in Steelers history. He posted 1,000-yard rushing seasons in each of the first three years of the decade. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have had three coaches, and each has used a different style of offense. All rights reserved. It's a smaller sample size, but Elliott has also posted 131.2 yards from scrimmage per game in his three seasons. He also earned the first of two consecutive First-Team All-Pro selections. For his service in the war, Bleier received the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. Advertisement In some form or fashion, the Steelers will need to add quality depth to . To no ones surprise, Art Rooney Sr. mailed a post card to his running back while in recovery that said, Rock We need you. That was the kind of man The Chief was. 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. 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. 1. Mendenhall is currently No. Lists that rank the greatest players and coaches in the history of the NFL franchise. Ibrahim, who . Charles may have to wait awhile to get into the Hall of Fame because despite an 11-year career, his prime was rather short. After a slow start (for a seventh overall draft pick from . 9-Rocky Bleier. Year Top Defense. 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. From 1974 to 1979, Harris topped the 1,000-yard milestone every season and carried the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories. Adrian Peterson is a running back with over thirteen years in the NFL. 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. Harris managed to get 691 rushing yards, with an average of five yards. It's hard to rank Sproles. Former Steelers running back Willie Parker (39) acknowledges the crowd during a 2018 against the Chargers at Heinz Field. 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. James Conner is at the forefront . The controversy arose when the ball deflected off of Tatum or Frenchy. Murray made the All-Pro team and Pro Bowl that year. It wasn't too long ago that Freeman was regarded as a top-five back in the league. TODAY: Running backs 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. All rights reserved. Current team members are listed in bold. Jerome "The Bus" Bettis tops our list as the Steelers best running back of all time. steelers running backs last 10 years 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. 1, Pittsburgh didn't have a top-25 running back. He made nine straight Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team and finished his career as the leading rusher in team history and No. Let's take a look back at the rest of the Steelers picks since the 2000 season. Time to profile some of the outstanding and popular running backs to suit up for the Steelers. After five seasons of never finishing higher than RB34, Williams had a career year in 2022, finishing as the overall RB18. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . Charles also ran for 1,509 yards in 2012 and 1,033 yards in 2014. All-time Rushing Leader: Franco Harris 2,881 att, 11,950 yds, 91 TD . 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's rushed for only 2,599 yards this decade, but everyone knows he's far more than just a running back. He has six 1,000-yard seasons and six Pro Bowl nominations with the Eagles and Bills during the 2010s. 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. The Pittsburgh Steelers are loaded with high-end fantasy talent, and Mike Tomlin's team has been producing every week.The Steelers have scored 30 or more points in six straight games, and they are in a position to earn a spot in the AFC playoffs if they can win their final two games of the season.It's all lining up to be a happy holiday season in Pittsburgh because they close the year with . If he had played in those games, Bell is easily in the top five on this list and maybe close to the top. 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. In many ways, this style of offense is the polar opposite of the methods the Steelers used to win six Super Bowls. The 30-year-old has failed to rush for 500 yards in four of his seven seasons in the NFL. He ended his career with only 1,512 rushing yards, but with two Super Bowl rings. Only other is safeties at sub lb and doesn't change their ratings just where they are on the field. He ran for 5,378 yards while playing at Heinz Field. 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.