Jerome Bettis was a 250-pound battering ram with incredible quickness for a man his size. Only stats for Regular Season Games have been included. James Conner is at the forefront . Bleier believed the doctors were wrong and reported to Steelers training camp a year after he left the war. Some readers are probably going to argue this is too high for Forte. 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. 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. 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. For his service in the war, Bleier received the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. As it is, he has 5,336 rushing yards and nearly 8,000 yards from scrimmage since coming into the league in 2013. After five seasons of never finishing higher than RB34, Williams had a career year in 2022, finishing as the overall RB18. The intent is to lean the offensive game plan toward the passing game and open up the defense with complex formations and plays. 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. But during the Super Bowl seasons of 1978 and 1979, Sidney Thornton played a significant role in the Steelers' rushing attack. Unfortunately for Johnson, his 2,000-yard season came in 2009, so it just missed the cut for counting on this list. Fuqua led the . However, from 2010-14 he was the best all-purpose back in the league. 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. 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. In 2005, speedy Willie Parker took advantage of paths cleared by Kreider, and the Steelers won the Super Bowl. In the second concussion he encountered, it resulted in Hoge having to be resuscitated when he stopped breathing. It's a smaller sample size, but Elliott has also posted 131.2 yards from scrimmage per game in his three seasons. The power running back is a dying breed in football. Photos from the career of former Steelers running back and Hall of Fame finalist Jerome Bettis. 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. Williams had his first 1,000-yard season and averaged 13.3 ppg. but every NFL team has talented players. As a Steeler, Bettis crashed his way for 10,571 rushing yards and 78 rushing touchdowns, both second-best in team history. Time to profile some of the outstanding and popular running backs to suit up for the Steelers. Dave Holcomb began working as a sports writer in 2013 after graduating from Syracuse University. Others were blocking fullbacks who spent their careers opening holes for star backs. Lynch was an underrated pass-catcher in his prime too. Barry Foster: Unfortunately for Barry Foster, his career was short in the Burgh. [2] He led the NFL with 576 yards in 1932 and held on to the record throughout his career. 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. . Mendenhall is currently No. 20 and retired with that number despite the departure of Pearson to Dallas. In his first three seasons, Ingram ran for more than 600 yards in a season just once. 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 Pittsburgh Steelers player information and depth chart order. 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. 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. CHARLESTON, W.Va. . 2023 NFL free agent running backs: Ranking top 10 seeking new deals The phrase is often proclaimed by an announcer after a Steelers running back plows over a few unlucky defenders. Keep in mind that accomplishments made only during this decade were considered for these rankings. He ranks fourth all-time in franchise history for rushing yards and eighth all-time in receptions. 10 potential bargains NFL teams should target in free agency In three of his four NFL seasons, Gurley has rushed for more than 1,100 yards and at least 10 touchdowns. He has held the all-time rushing yards record since 2002 and is the only player with over 17,000 regular season rushing yards. NFL Top 10 Best Running Backs of the 2010s - #8 Arian Foster. Emmitt Smith has held the record since surpassing Walter Payton's long-standing total in 2002. All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points It wasn't too long ago that Freeman was regarded as a top-five back in the league. Most Steelers fans think of Rocky Bleier as Franco Harris running mate throughout the 70s, and rightly so. Harris was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. . steelers running backs last 10 years The 8 Best And 7 Worst Running Backs In Pittsburgh Steelers History He spent his first year in the NFL with the Giants before coming to the Steelers in 1970. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. 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. 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. All rights reserved. In 1979, he started 10 games in place of Bleier and ran for 585 yards and six touchdowns. 8. In 2011 and 2013, he made All-Pro, and in 2013 he posted 2,146 yards from scrimmage. He started alongside Franco Harris in four Super Bowl victories and both backs ran for over 1,000 yards in 1976. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. He made the Pro Bowl three times, from 2014-16. A dominant defense and an unstoppable running gamethats Steelers Football. Peterson then signed with the . Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Morris signed with Baltimore Ravens where he lasted just two seasons before the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs took a chance on him in 1998. He made another Pro Bowl in 1993 but only rushed for half as many yards due to injuries. When it comes to this room, the Steelers are indeed looking for them to step up. 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. OTHERS TO CONSIDER Starting this list chronologically is as good a way as any. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some great tight ends throughout the franchise's history. Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 16: Latest Fantasy Lock and Flop Predictions It is tough to guess what the future holds for Connor in the NFL. That's the equivalent of more than two seasons. Barry Foster first came to the attention of Steeler Nation in 1990 when he treated a kickoff as a punt, stood aside, and watched the ball bounce along the ground until the opposing team recovered it. Foster's 1,690 yards set a team record that season and earned him Pro Bowl and All-Pro nominations. Beast Mode's freakish combination of power and finesse was unlike any running back that came before him. That lands him in the top five during the decade. Walter Abercrombie: To this day, Abercrombie is Baylor Universitys all-time leading rusher with 3,674 yards while scoring 22 touchdowns. Harris is my fourth-ranked running back for the 2022 season. Jerome Bettis (1996-2005). I predict that sometime in the next decade, an offensive coordinator will go back to power football and line up with a tight end, a fullback, and a tailback in an I-formation for most of the game. In 79 games with the Steelers, he carried the ball for 3,343 yards and 22 touchdowns. 9, we . His teammate Terry Hanratty, the QB at Notre Dame during that tenure became a Steeler as well. This list of past Steelers tight ends features former greats, current impact players, and even future stars. All-time Rushing Leader: Franco Harris 2,881 att, 11,950 yds, 91 TD . 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? The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. He finished his career in Pittsburgh with 3,115 rushing yards, 241 receptions, and 34 total touchdowns. 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. 22. The role of the fullback changed dramatically when the I-formation came into vogue in the 1980s. Clemson gets its running back: 'Something very special at Clemson Joey Porter. LeVeon Bell made his mark with the Steelers running in this kind of offense. He made nine straight Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team and finished his career as the leading rusher in team history and No. Reports this off-season show he weighed in at 244 pounds from 232 last season. Steelers Record By Season Over Last 10 Years | StatMuse Franco Harris was a fullback, as was Merril Hoge and John Henry Johnson. Year Top Defense. How an 8-year-old inspired Najee Harris' 5-TD performance vs. Ole Miss. 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. 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. Pittsburgh Steelers: 15 best running backs in franchise history In later years Bleier helped pen a book about himself and a movie was made about his story titled Fighting Back.. By the time the fourth quarter rolls around, it is easy to see why opposing defenses would wish they were somewhere else. In addition, he got 52 receiving yards, with an average of 10.4. But Stewart posted 5,366 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns in the decade. Hoak retired from pro football in 1970 but stuck around to coach Steelers running backs from 1972 to 2007. He had the highest usage rate among running backs at 35.8% and was third in red-zone touches with 61. Always free! After a slow start (for a seventh overall draft pick from . His entire career was with the Steelers and he would finish those six seasons with 1,512 yards and 18 touchdowns. Still, Johnson's All-Pro 2016 season was enough to land him on the list. In 1982, he was Pittsburghs first overall pick in the draft coming in at number 12. 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. But Harris and the Steelers' rushing attack were just getting started. I could be wrong. In 2015 Williams rejuvenated his career with the Steelers, filling in for the suspended and injured Le'Veon Bell for 10 games. 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. 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. In 1966 when the Fighting Irish won the national title, Rocky was a member of that team. Jamaal Williams Dynasty Profile: Fantasy Outlook, Value, Projections There have been some running backs in Steelers history who had one or two good seasons in Pittsburgh, then went on their way. Abercrombie played one more season in 1988 with the cross state Philadelphia Eagles before retiring. Johnson was a bruising fullback who spent time in San Francisco and Detroit before coming to Pittsburgh in 1960. Of course, we all know why. 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. 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). He also posted at least 1,500 yards from scrimmage during 2013 and 2014 when the Seahawks went to two Super Bowls. He ended his career with only 1,512 rushing yards, but with two Super Bowl rings. 2022 Fantasy Football - Top 10 RBs - Faceoff Sports Network 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. Running Back Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap Pittsburgh Steelers Career Rushing Leaders | The Football Database Including last season when Bell sat out because of a contract dispute, the two-time All-Pro has missed 34 games in his six-year career. He peculiarly retired after that one campaign with the Cardinals. He made four Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team as a Steeler and inspired a Pittsburgh Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XLone of the greatest wins in Steelers history. The following is the Pittsburgh Steelers all-time roster, browsable by last name or position. (Note: The Steelers signed Derek Watt during the 2020 offseason and released Nix, who signed with Indianapolis. He's another back who never led the league in rushing and never made All-Pro. 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. 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. Pittsburgh Steelers Draft History. Former Steelers running back Willie Parker (39) acknowledges the crowd during a 2018 against the Chargers at Heinz Field. List of National Football League career rushing yards leaders In two seasons, he is already 18th among all Steelers backs in rushing. 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. Born Byron Morris, drafted in the third round of the 1994 draft, Morris immediately made an impact with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming to them from Texas Tech University. Follow Holcomb on Twitter at @dmholcomb. Seasons: 90 (1933 to 2022) Record (W-L-T): 666-585-23 Playoff Record: 36-27 Super Bowls Won: 6 (8 Appearances) Championships Won *: 6 . Or write about sports? 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Franco Harris was the man during The Renaissance, and Jerome Bettis was the man in The Modern Era. If youve followed the Steelers, you've probably heard the term "Steelers Football." But Jackson was still one of the best runners of the 2010s. But twice he rushed for more than 1,400 yards, and as a rookie in 2012 Martin posted 1,926 yards from scrimmage. Last season he was in the top five among running backs in several categories. Winning three Super Bowls helps earn you a spot on this list too. Great Pittsburgh Steelers players such as Heath Miller, Bennie Cunningham, and Eric Green, who could count among the best NFL players ever, have gone down as some of the best tight ends in Steelers franchise history. Murray rushed for 7,174 yards and 49 touchdowns with the Cowboys, Eagles and Titans in the 2010s. The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . 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. Harris was a part of four championship team and would be named to the Pro Bowl nine times. Draft criticism still fuels Steelers' Najee Harris - New York Post Le'Veon Bell was one of the best Steelers running backs of all time. Top 12 Fantasy Running Backs: Hall of Fame Week Edition Najee Harris Stats, News, Bio | ESPN Foster timed his career perfectly for this list, breaking out with 1,616 yards, leading the league in rushing, in 2010.