steelers running backs last 10 years10 marca 2023
steelers running backs last 10 years

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. Bleier was injured during his tour of duty and told he would never play football again, but he returned to the Steelers and fought his way back into football shape, eventually playing 10 more seasons in the NFL. 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. He was cut twice but kept up his persistence. 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. Touchdowns. 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 . DeAngelo Williams Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images. His career ended on a sad note in Minnesota, but Peterson regained his form with another 1,000-yard season with Washington in 2018. 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. Dave Holcomb began working as a sports writer in 2013 after graduating from Syracuse University. Harris is one of the main reasons the Steelers won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. Today, Johnson is one of the former Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. [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 . Many teams even rotate three or more backs throughout the game, with all getting an equal number of carries. Morris peaked as a rookie, rushing for 1,613 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2012. 4M; . 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. If it was Fuqua who the ball last touched, it would not be a legal catch by Harris according to the rules in 1972. In both seasons, he made All-Pro. NICK CHUBB, CLEVELAND BROWNS. 1. Clemson running backs coach CJ Spiller got his man. The controversy arose when the ball deflected off of Tatum or Frenchy. Some teams also used them as receivers, and fullbacks like Larry Centers made a living catching passes out of the backfield. Emmitt Smith leads with 18,365 yards and is also the postseason leader with 1,586. There have been some running backs in Steelers history who had one or two good seasons in Pittsburgh, then went on their way. All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points 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. It is tough to guess what the future holds for Connor in the NFL. But Harris and the Steelers' rushing attack were just getting started. Chubb is not the most dangerous or highly . Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports. Still, Johnson's All-Pro 2016 season was enough to land him on the list. He ended his career with only 1,512 rushing yards, but with two Super Bowl rings. Lists that rank the greatest players and coaches in the history of the NFL franchise. He finished his career in Pittsburgh with 3,115 rushing yards, 241 receptions, and 34 total touchdowns. 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. (Fullback Roosevelt Nix spent most of 2019 injured and did not appear to have a viable replacement.) He came to the Steelers after three seasons with the Rams which had earned him a reputation as a problem player. Parker was perhaps the fastest running back ever to play for the Steelers. By 1974, Bleier was weighing in at 212 pounds and he made the team to stay. Conner responded with a Pro Bowl performance and gave Steeler Nation hope that hed become the next great Pittsburgh running back. In 2005, speedy Willie Parker took advantage of paths cleared by Kreider, and the Steelers won the Super Bowl. But from 2010-17, Forte averaged 1,419 yards from scrimmage per season. Drafted by the Steelers in the first round with the 23rd pick in 2008, Mendenhall replaced Willie Parker and had successive years of 1,000 or more yards rushing in 2009 and 2010 with a high of 1,273 in 10. Perhaps one of the most popular and beloved Steelers players of all-time, Bleier became famous before he ever established himself as Franco Harriss partner in crime based on his experiences in the Vietnam War. He was also an excellent receiver, both out of the backfield and split out as a wide receiver. The trend in the modern NFL is to run the ball out of single-back sets, often from a shotgun or pistol formation. 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. Twenty-three slots went by before the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Najee Harris in 2021. The All-Modern Era team is made up of 26 players 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and four specialists. In 1979, he started 10 games in place of Bleier and ran for 585 yards and six touchdowns. 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. 12. 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. In 2015 Williams rejuvenated his career with the Steelers, filling in for the suspended and injured Le'Veon Bell for 10 games. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2016, the last of which with the Titans. 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. Overall, Charles recorded 8,110 yards from scrimmage during the decade with the Chiefs, Broncos and Jaguars from 2010-18. The top photos of RB Le'Veon Bell throughout 2014 season. All Rights Reserved. When it comes to this room, the Steelers are indeed looking for them to step up. 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. In the I-formation, the fullback lines up behind the quarterback, and the halfback (tailback) lines up behind the fullback. West Virginia's Senate passed a bill Monday that would give $25,000 in tax credits to former residents who move back to the state to work. His teammate Terry Hanratty, the QB at Notre Dame during that tenure became a Steeler as well. All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points See the full player roster for the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Frank Pollard: In the mid-1980s, a stout Frank Pollard became the Steelers primary running back. 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? To prepare, we at Chargers Wire are previewing players from every position. Player ratings with position rankings. LeVeon Bell: Finally we have our current star in the making. 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Before Franco Harris, there was John Frenchy Fuqua. 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. He joins Franco Harris and John Henry Johnson. During his career, he's averaged 128.9 yards from scrimmage per game. In 2011 and 2013, he made All-Pro, and in 2013 he posted 2,146 yards from scrimmage. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long history of smash-mouth football dating back to before they ever won their first Super Bowl. By, Tom Rothenberg/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. But from 2015-16, he posted more than 1,000 rushing yards, 1,500 yards from scrimmage and at least 13 touchdowns each season. He sill holds the single season record for rushing for Pittsburgh with 1,690 yards gained in 1992. In 1982, he was Pittsburghs first overall pick in the draft coming in at number 12. Los Angeles' running backs are in a bit of a limbo right . It has been said that Rooney responded with the declaration that he would never again attempt to call a play for his team. Dick Hoak: The running backs coach for the Steelers for an incredible 35 years, Hoak was also an excellent player at the position he would spend so many years coaching up. Foster timed his career perfectly for this list, breaking out with 1,616 yards, leading the league in rushing, in 2010. He's another back who never led the league in rushing and never made All-Pro. 22. Current team members are listed in bold. It's a smaller sample size, but Elliott has also posted 131.2 yards from scrimmage per game in his three seasons. Matte took over for another fantastic white running back, former Heisman Trophy winner and 1958 NFL Championship Game hero Alan Ameche. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Drafted by the Steelers in 1942 and in his rookie season led the NFL in rushing with 696 yards. Unfortunately for Johnson, his 2,000-yard season came in 2009, so it just missed the cut for counting on this list. Since there are only 11 players on offense, the running backs have to be able to function as a unit, and Le'Veon Bell could play halfback to Bettis' fullback. He peculiarly retired after that one campaign with the Cardinals. Harris disputed that and said he was 240 pounds as a rookie. He returned to put . Williams had his first 1,000-yard season and averaged 13.3 ppg. Fullback Franco Harris came to the Steelers in the 1972 draft and made an immediate impact. [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. Bill Dudley: Bullet Bill was his nickname and a great running back he was. He lasted just five seasons but they were filled with success. steelers running backs last 10 years 1. TEAM SEASON GP REC W% W L T TD PTS PPG OPP PTS OPP PPG 1DWN 3DWN% 4DWN% Pittsburgh Steelers: 2013: 16: 8-8.500: 8: 8: 0: 41: 379 . He started alongside Franco Harris in four Super Bowl victories and both backs ran for over 1,000 yards in 1976. He was intensive care for 48 hours and this forced his retirement. He posted more than 1,900 yards from scrimmage twice, in 2010 and 2013. Offseason Strategy: Already having their starting running back for the immediate future, the offseason as it concerns the running back position will be dedicated solely toward seeking out quality . He's been named All-Pro and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns during each of the last two years too. 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. All Rights Reserved. name the pittsburgh steelers running back to the last 10 years. Pittsburgh Steelers Draft History. Harris was a part of four championship team and would be named to the Pro Bowl nine times. He was Le'Veon Bell when Bell was at Michigan State. He made nine straight Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team and finished his career as the leading rusher in team history and No. Barry Foster: Unfortunately for Barry Foster, his career was short in the Burgh. Fuqua was not an original Steelers having been drafted by the New York Giants and then traded to Pittsburgh. 'We'll probably move a little slower than most of our peers, but we don't worry about the Jonses', 28-14 victory caps 7-2 finish, but season ends because Miami's win claims final playoff spot, 'He drinks the Kool-Aid that is Pittsburgh, Pa., he's a Steeler, he teaches it to the young guys', His 111 yards rushing, 10-yard catch for a TD, and physical presence throughout keyed 16-13 win, 'His versatility, his experience allows us to move him and Minkah to diversify our attack', 'The most challenging component of the weather, man, are the poor fans sitting in the stands', Dan Rooney: 'One of the finest, most thoughtful human beings I have ever known', 'I wanted to see Mitch's ability to bounce back from the last game relative to taking care of the ball', Three interceptions, blocked FG prove to be insurmountable mistakes in 16-14 defeat, 'You can take the energy out of an arena on the road when you do some of the things he does', The 19-16 victory represents first winning streak of season and is the third in last four games, The defense made some plays, such as Heyward's sack, but also allowed two 90-yard TD drives, 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers. Harris played 980 offensive snaps during the regular season . The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. In 1992, we found out who the heck that guy was: the man who would run for more yards in one season than any Steelers running back in team history. A dominant defense and an unstoppable running gamethats Steelers Football. The following is another in a series that picks a Steelers All-Modern Era Team. 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. Williams recorded at least 730 rushing yards in a season four times . 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. Both backs had to run well with the ball and have the skills to block for the other. In one of his final interviews before his . Barkley was a huge reason why the Giants returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. . Charles also ran for 1,509 yards in 2012 and 1,033 yards in 2014. 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. name the pittsburgh steelers running back to the last 10 years. As a rookie, on a terrible offense, he finished as a top 24 running back in 93% of his games last year. A bullet pierced his left thigh in Vietnam and further injuries occurred when a grenade exploded near him putting shrapnel in his lower right leg. The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 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. In the following AFC title game against Miami, Pollard was held to just 48 yards rushing. John Fuqua ( 1970-76) Before Franco Harris, there was John "Frenchy" Fuqua. 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. 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. 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. The role of the fullback changed dramatically when the I-formation came into vogue in the 1980s. Greatest Power Backs in NFL History. 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. Unfortunately, his tenure with the Steelers came to a dramatic end with a contract dispute in 2018, but during his time with the team, he was one of the greatest. The following is the Pittsburgh Steelers all-time roster, browsable by last name or position. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . Gordon averaged a career-best 5.1 yards per carry in 2018. Former Steelers running back Willie Parker (39) acknowledges the crowd during a 2018 against the Chargers at Heinz Field. Rob Burns / AP Photo. 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. 10 on the Steelers' all-time rushing list with 3,549 yards. Pittsburgh Steelers Career Rushing Leaders. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Hoak retired from pro football in 1970 but stuck around to coach Steelers running backs from 1972 to 2007. In 1980, Thornton would average five yards-per-carry while carrying the rock 78 times. The power running back is a dying breed in football. He has six 1,000-yard seasons and six Pro Bowl nominations with the Eagles and Bills during the 2010s. Last year's offensive rookie of the year award winner, Barkley was close to perfect for fantasy owners. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. This decade, Sproles has also led the league in punt return yardage twice. Only other is safeties at sub lb and doesn't change their ratings just where they are on the field. 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. 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. 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. Bell made three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams as a Steeler. Hunt offers some stability in the pass-game as he had 44 . 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). Reports this off-season show he weighed in at 244 pounds from 232 last season. 8. After a slow start (for a seventh overall draft pick from . Still, I think he is deserving of the number 16 spot on this list of all-time great Steelers backs. All rights reserved. That changed over the last decade or so, due to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's emergence as an elite . With the 2019 season, there is still time to influence who lands where among a list of the best running backs of the decade. While Gore has never led the league in rushing or made All-Pro, his consistency lands him at No. 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. His professional career started in 2007 when he decided to skip the last year of college and enter the NFL Draft. However, it's not too early to break down the best from the 2010s either. Ingram's best season came in 2017 when he posted 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. And that's with missing the 2016 season because of retirement. While one is considered a fullback and the other a halfback, they share more commonalities than differences in their duties. In later years Bleier helped pen a book about himself and a movie was made about his story titled Fighting Back.. Find out more. Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. 11 because of four straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin the decade. 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. 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 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). Sutton not only enjoyed the best year of his career, but he also arguably played like a top-10 cornerback. His best season was in 1985 when he rushed for 991 yards. 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. Still, Bleier became a starter in the backfield with Harris and shined. In 1999 the Chiefs cut him and his life spiraled out of control with drug problems and jail time. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. He led the Steelers in rushing from 1961 to 1964 and made three straight Pro Bowls from 1962 to '64. Quite a contrast to kick off this list. Ibrahim, who . 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. Mendenhall provided the following reason for retiring so young: Football was pretty cool, but I dont want to play anymore. He signed as an undrafted free agent who had run a 4.23-second 40 at the Scouting Combine the previous spring. Franco Harris is not only the best Steelers running back in franchise history, but one of the greatest Steelers of all time. Harris managed to get 691 rushing yards, with an average of five yards. Everything in the NFL goes in cycles. By the time the fourth quarter rolls around, it is easy to see why opposing defenses would wish they were somewhere else. He ranks fourth all-time in franchise history for rushing yards and eighth all-time in receptions. 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. | 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 Pittsburgh, he was everything but. But Stewart posted 5,366 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns in the decade. Hunt only played eight games with the Browns last season after serving an eight-game suspension. Fran Rogel was also a local product having grown up in North Braddock, Pennsylvania. Others were blocking fullbacks who spent their careers opening holes for star backs. 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. The number of games they started during the season is listed to the right of their name: These quarterbacks have the most starts for the Steelers in regular season games. LeVeon Bell made his mark with the Steelers running in this kind of offense. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. The Steelers ran out the pro set for most of the 1970s and 1980s under head coach Chuck Noll. Eight players have been recognized as having held the career rushing yards record in the NFL. Dudley owns 44 touchdowns to his credit. This list of past Steelers tight ends features former greats, current impact players, and even future stars. 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. 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 . By Ross Kelly and Tony Adame, updated on October 18, 2022. Time to profile some of the outstanding and popular running backs to suit up for the Steelers. The 30-year-old has failed to rush for 500 yards in four of his seven seasons in the NFL. [2] He led the NFL with 576 yards in 1932 and held on to the record throughout his career. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Who Is The Best Wide Receiver In The NFL Right Now? 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 In 2015 he finished second in the league in rushing and earned a spot on the All-Pro Team. Former season 27 " Dancing With the Stars " competitor John Schneider has returned to social media following the death of his wife, Alicia Allain. Or write about sports? 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 made the Pro Bowl three times, from 2014-16. But since then injuries have slowed him, and he's averaging 3.6 yards per attempt. 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. Of course, we all know why. From '61 to '64, he was part of a powerful rushing attack along with Hall of Famer John Henry Johnson. Injuries hurt Foster later in his career, but he did record 1,246 rushing yards in 2014. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The concussion was so bad that Hoge had to learn to read again and suffered from memory loss as well as encountering headaches and confusion. At 244 pounds, Morris was a load running behind the offensive line and his numbers backed up his train rushing efforts. 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. BARRY FOSTER set a Steelers single-season record with 1,690 rushing yards in 1992, and he got there with a 4.3 average while scoring 11 of the offense's 28 touchdowns. From 2010-13, Johnson rushed for 4,731 yards and 27 touchdowns. but every NFL team has talented players. 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'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. Steeler running backs Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker, Sidney Thornton and Rashard Mendenhall all helped bring Lombardi Trophies to Pittsburgh. The phrase is often proclaimed by an announcer after a Steelers running back plows over a few unlucky defenders. Jerome Bettis was a 250-pound battering ram with incredible quickness for a man his size. Who the heck is this guy, we all wondered aloud, but in much more colorful language. The Senate passed the bill . But Jackson was still one of the best runners of the 2010s. Willie Parker: Fast Willie Parker actually lands in third place all-time among Pittsburgh rushers. 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. 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. In nine seasons all as a Steeler, Pollard scored 20 touchdowns. 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 . 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 . He ranks 23rd all-time among Pittsburgh rushers having gained 1,504 yards as a Steeler. Most Steelers fans think of Rocky Bleier as Franco Harris running mate throughout the 70s, and rightly so. 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. Meanwhile, at No. It was thought by the Steelers coaching staff and fans alike that Pittsburgh had found their new star running back. Other teams (like the Steelers) have one but rarely use him. 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. Mendenhall is currently No. It was a hard task to actually rank all of the great running backs . The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . Running backs are not the commodities they once were. The last two seasons, with now-departed James Conner the No. He seemed to violate every rule young players are taught about playing running back, yet he thrived. Do you have a sports website? Beast Mode's freakish combination of power and finesse was unlike any running back that came before him. Do you have a blog? Near the end of an uneventful rookie season, he was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. 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. This was the age of the feature back, when one superstar halfback got most of the carries.

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