The Steelers have had several players enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame after being a part of the Pittsburghs ground game for most of or all of their entire careers. name the pittsburgh steelers running back to the last 10 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). 2022 AFC North Standings. 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. In 2005, speedy Willie Parker took advantage of paths cleared by Kreider, and the Steelers won the Super Bowl. CHARLESTON, W.Va. . He was Le'Veon Bell when Bell was at Michigan State. [3], List of National Football League career rushing yards leaders, Players with at least 10,000 rushing yards, Players with at least 1,000 postseason rushing yards. But since then he has a pair of 1,000-yard rushing years and 4,545 yards on the ground in five years. By the time the fourth quarter rolls around, it is easy to see why opposing defenses would wish they were somewhere else. Franco Harris was the man during The Renaissance, and Jerome Bettis was the man in The Modern Era. March 1, 2023 2:19 pm PT. 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. In Pittsburgh, he was everything but. Trump can be sued by cops United States 11:10 am - 10,090 views; Train crash toll now 57 Greece 9:38 am - 3,746 views; Snow, rain end drought California 9:32 am - 1,290 views; More World News The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some great tight ends throughout the franchises history. Mendenhall provided the following reason for retiring so young: Football was pretty cool, but I dont want to play anymore. Amos Zereoue: Another fan favorite was West Virginia University product, Famous Amos Zereoue. 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. As the tight end position increasingly becomes more of a focal point in offensive schemes , one. Standing 5-foot-11 and 195-pounds, Spears passes the . Took pay cuts, and continued to stay. . No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. 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. He posted 1,000-yard rushing seasons in each of the first three years of the decade. 9-Rocky Bleier. Twenty-three slots went by before the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Najee Harris in 2021. All Rights Reserved. What those teams dont have is a legacy of bullying and dominating opponents, and that is what brought the Steelers six Super Bowl championships. 9, we . While one is considered a fullback and the other a halfback, they share more commonalities than differences in their duties. He holds the team record for most rushing yards in a career (11,950) as well as most rushing touchdowns (91) and total touchdowns (100). Joey Porter. 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. The Steelers ran out the pro set for most of the 1970s and 1980s under head coach Chuck Noll. He's been named All-Pro and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns during each of the last two years too. I enjoy the passing game, and I love that Ben Roethlisberger has matured into an elite quarterback, but it is hard for me to imagine there is a better way to play football than Steelers Football. James Conner finished his career in Pittsburgh as the #17 ranked rusher in Steelers history. 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. He was an example of how great players can not only break the rules and succeed, but sometimes even make up their own rules. | 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. The 30-year-old has failed to rush for 500 yards in four of his seven seasons in the NFL. Los Angeles' running backs are in a bit of a limbo right . As a Steeler, Bettis crashed his way for 10,571 rushing yards and 78 rushing touchdowns, both second-best in team history. He scored seven touchdowns and caught the ball 22 times for an additional 204 yards and a 9.3 yards-per-reception mark. Bam Morris: Morris story is a sad, tragic, and unfulfilled one. In '94, he ran for 851 yards despite missing five games. Keep in mind that accomplishments made only during this decade were considered for these rankings. Here's the final tally of Steelers Now's consensus preseason 2022 power rankings of AFC North running backs. 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. 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. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Pittsburgh Steelers Career Rushing Leaders. Thornton was also a member of the Super Bowl winning teams for Pittsburgh in 1979 and 1980. If he had played in those games, Bell is easily in the top five on this list and maybe close to the top. 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. (Note: The Steelers signed Derek Watt during the 2020 offseason and released Nix, who signed with Indianapolis. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 . Many argued that when Gore suffered a season-ending injury at the beginning of December in 2010, his best days were behind him. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . Others were blocking fullbacks who spent their careers opening holes for star backs. The 32-year-old has been a bit of a journeyman, playing for five different teams this decade. He only spent six seasons with the Steelers, but it was enough to rack up 4,381 rushing yards and land him at number five for all-time leading rushers in Pittsburgh history. Those three men will be bypassed for this article despite Johnson ranking third in the all-time rushing yardage for the Black and Gold. 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. [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 . Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Ingram's best season came in 2017 when he posted 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. Overall, he ran for 4,731 yards and 28 touchdowns playing for the Rams, Falcons and Patriots from 2010-15. With the Bears and Jets, Forte posted 7,629 rushing yards and 11,353 yards from scrimmage from 2010-17. Murray made the All-Pro team and Pro Bowl that year. But it was his story of injury during the war that gave him notoriety at the start of his career. Rashard Mendenhall only played five seasons with the Steelers but rushed for a respectable 3,549 yards in 57 games. In 2015 he finished second in the league in rushing and earned a spot on the All-Pro Team. The running back fell just short of 1,000 yards from scrimmage last season after finishing with 1,414 yards in his rookie campaign. The Pittsburgh Steelers Hall-of-Fame running back Franco Harris died Wednesday, just before the 50-year anniversary of his "Immaculate Reception" play. The intent is to lean the offensive game plan toward the passing game and open up the defense with complex formations and plays. A dominant defense and an unstoppable running gamethats Steelers Football. 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. LeVeon Bell: Finally we have our current star in the making. PITTSBURGH (AP) Mike Tomlin wasn't ready to go there, with all due respect. Injuries hurt Foster later in his career, but he did record 1,246 rushing yards in 2014. All rights reserved. Fuqua led the . He is currently a free agent and the third oldest running back in the NFL, as well as the second oldest active running back. Looking at an NFL game today, something seems to be missing. 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? Jerome "The Bus" Bettis tops our list as the Steelers best running back of all time. The Steelers had a reputation of big bruising backs but Parker spelled that philosophy with speed and elusiveness. There have been some running backs in Steelers history who had one or two good seasons in Pittsburgh, then went on their way. His career ended on a sad note in Minnesota, but Peterson regained his form with another 1,000-yard season with Washington in 2018. 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. 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. 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. Another big bruising back that also has surprising quickness, Bell at 244 pounds is turning into a super star in the NFL. Murray is another back who put together three strong seasons during his career and led the league in rushing once. The fullback might get the ball once or twice a game in short-yardage situations, but for the most part, he was turned into a blocking specialist. He posted more than 1,900 yards from scrimmage twice, in 2010 and 2013. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Watt is a fullback who saw a lot of snaps during his time with the Chargers.). He has held the all-time rushing yards record since 2002 and is . 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. 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. In 27 games Hunt has 2,151 rushing yards, 2,984 yards from scrimmage and 25 touchdowns. Four of those were LeVeon Bell, but three were different players who stepped up in those seasons: Mendenhall (Pittsburgh's last first-round running back), Williams, Conner. Pittsburgh Steelers Draft History. Gordon averaged a career-best 5.1 yards per carry in 2018. Pittsburgh has fielded plenty of those defensive units over the years, and there are more than a few Steelers defenders in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 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 . Lucrative opportunities to leave. Still, Johnson's All-Pro 2016 season was enough to land him on the list. Before Franco Harris, there was John Frenchy Fuqua. The Tigers picked up their sixth commitment for the 2024 recruiting cycle - and their first running back - Wednesday with the public . Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Other teams (like the Steelers) have one but rarely use him. 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 . He was also an excellent receiver, both out of the backfield and split out as a wide receiver. In three of his four NFL seasons, Gurley has rushed for more than 1,100 yards and at least 10 touchdowns. 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. Hunt offers some stability in the pass-game as he had 44 . 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. 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. Jerome Bettis was a 250-pound battering ram with incredible quickness for a man his size. Emmitt Smith leads with 18,365 yards and is also the postseason leader with 1,586. 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. NICK CHUBB, CLEVELAND BROWNS. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Playing players out of position in mut will make there overall go down now. Only other is safeties at sub lb and doesn't change their ratings just where they are on the field. . He's posted 2,987 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns over the last three years. 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. 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. Najee Harris warming to Steelers' running back-by-committee approach. He lasted just five seasons but they were filled with success. Reports this off-season show he weighed in at 244 pounds from 232 last season. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. Quite a contrast to kick off this list. As it is, he has 5,336 rushing yards and nearly 8,000 yards from scrimmage since coming into the league in 2013. 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. Overall, Charles recorded 8,110 yards from scrimmage during the decade with the Chiefs, Broncos and Jaguars from 2010-18. 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. Let's take a look back at the rest of the Steelers picks since the 2000 season. As a rookie, on a terrible offense, he finished as a top 24 running back in 93% of his games last year. Fran Rogel: For Steelers fans who watched the team in the 1950s they would be familiar with a famous nursery rhyme with a Pittsburgh Steelers twist. A bruising Hall of Famer running back, Franco Harris was the perfect embodiment of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense during their championship runs in the 1970s. 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. 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. He came to the Steelers after three seasons with the Rams which had earned him a reputation as a problem player. The stud running back finished with 3,943 yards which lands him seventh on Pittsburghs all-time list. 11 because of four straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin the decade. Everything in the NFL goes in cycles. Dickerson was traded mid-season in 1987; he played three games for the Rams and nine for the Colts. The former Titan had only 28 catches for 294 yards last year . Running backs are not the commodities they once were. Wanting the jersey number 26 which he wore at Notre Dame, Preston Pearson held those digits so Rocky settled for No. In the I-formation, the fullback lines up behind the quarterback, and the halfback (tailback) lines up behind the fullback. But he stayed. His professional career started in 2007 when he decided to skip the last year of college and enter the NFL Draft. John Fuqua ( 1970-76) Before Franco Harris, there was John "Frenchy" Fuqua. 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. 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. He was intensive care for 48 hours and this forced his retirement. 7. 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. 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's rushed for only 2,599 yards this decade, but everyone knows he's far more than just a running back. After five seasons of never finishing higher than RB34, Williams had a career year in 2022, finishing as the overall RB18. Last season he was in the top five among running backs in several categories. Williams didn't post a 1,000-yard season in this decade mostly due to the fact he shared the backfield with another player on our list. Always free! Cameron Heyward (2011), T.J. Watt (2017), Terrell Edmunds (2018), Devin Bush Jr. (2019), and Najee Harris (2022) are the five remaining first-rounders still on the Steelers roster. 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. Le'veon Bell also earned a reputation as one of the most patient RBs in the NFL. OTHERS TO CONSIDER Starting this list chronologically is as good a way as any. 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. This decade, Sproles has also led the league in punt return yardage twice. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. The controversy surrounds what is called by many as the Greatest play in NFL history. Having gone through a tough contract negotiation in 1995, the Steelers instead of trying to settle traded Foster over to the Carolina Panthers who then cut the running back in training camp due to a failed physical. Join our linker program. Who the heck is this guy, we all wondered aloud, but in much more colorful language. 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. First running back gets drafted in the seventh round. Outside linebacker Joey Porter came to Pittsburgh in 1999. Harris disputed that and said he was 240 pounds as a rookie. The Steelers had jumped offsides on the play and it was called back. but every NFL team has talented players. He ran for over 1,000 yards in his first season and scored 10 rushing touchdowns on his way to winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. That lands him in the top five during the decade. 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. When it comes to this room, the Steelers are indeed looking for them to step up. James Conner was thrust into the spotlight in 2018 when halfback LeVeon Bell held out for the entire season. Pollard played most of his career at a time when the Steelers struggled. Parker set the record for longest rushing touchdown from scrimmage in a Super Bowl (XL) with a romp of 75 yards which still stands today. By his second season as a Steeler, he had become the heir apparent to Jerome Bettis. Sutton not only enjoyed the best year of his career, but he also arguably played like a top-10 cornerback. Player ratings with position rankings. Bleier was an outstanding lead blocker as well as being able to run the ball well and also had solid hands as a receiver. He'll likely end up with a good chunk of dough in free agency, but it's hard to believe . Pittsburgh Steelers player information and depth chart order. Harris was a part of four championship team and would be named to the Pro Bowl nine times. steelers running backs last 10 years He made another Pro Bowl in 1993 but only rushed for half as many yards due to injuries. Sproles has nearly as many receptions (460) as carries (516) since 2010, and he has 3,936 receiving yards. 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. In addition, he got 52 receiving yards, with an average of 10.4. Bell was a unique back in Steelers history due to both the wide-open offense he played in and his careful, patient running style. Franco Harris is the Pittsburgh Steelers career leader in rushing yards with 11,950. Today he is 68 and still colorful. Dudley also found himself on kickoff returns where he fielded 11 of those for 298 yards (27.0 average). 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. But during the Super Bowl seasons of 1978 and 1979, Sidney Thornton played a significant role in the Steelers' rushing attack. 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. In 2011 and 2013, he made All-Pro, and in 2013 he posted 2,146 yards from scrimmage.