In the end Rocky Bleier rushed for 3,865 yards, 1,294 yards receiving on 136 catches and scored 25 times. 22. Read on to find out why. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. Parker ran for 1,200 yards or better in three straight seasons and led the Steelers to two Super Bowl wins. James Conner was thrust into the spotlight in 2018 when halfback LeVeon Bell held out for the entire season. 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. The last two seasons, with now-departed James Conner the No. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. MORE: 2023 Dynasty Rookie Rankings. From 1974 to 1979, Harris topped the 1,000-yard milestone every season and carried the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories. 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. 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. Players active with the Pittsburgh . Ibrahim, who . All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. He was also an excellent receiver, both out of the backfield and split out as a wide receiver. It was thought by the Steelers coaching staff and fans alike that Pittsburgh had found their new star running back. 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. It's an inspiring story, but if Bleier wasn't one of the best running backs in Steelers' history, he wouldn't have made this list. Dudley could do it all on the field as he was just not a back but a defensive back, punter, and place kicker. Wanting the jersey number 26 which he wore at Notre Dame, Preston Pearson held those digits so Rocky settled for No. First running back gets drafted in the seventh round. In his first three seasons, Ingram ran for more than 600 yards in a season just once. In three of his four NFL seasons, Gurley has rushed for more than 1,100 yards and at least 10 touchdowns. But it was his story of injury during the war that gave him notoriety at the start of his career. 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. Once the Steelers free up a considerable amount of cap space, are eight free agents who could reinvigorate the roster in the 2023 season. Other teams (like the Steelers) have one but rarely use him. He has held the all-time rushing yards record since 2002 and is . 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 . 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. 4. 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. That couldn't have been further from the truth. By 1974, Bleier was weighing in at 212 pounds and he made the team to stay. The last Steelers running back taken in the first round before Najee Harris, Mendenhall won a Super Bowl as a rookie despite spending most of the season on injured reserve. name the pittsburgh steelers running back to the last 10 years. Before Franco Harris, there was John Frenchy Fuqua. These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. 6:02; See All. Hoak's record as the team's running backs coach was 149-90-1, making him the third-most successful running backs coach in Pittsburgh Steelers history. Advertisement In some form or fashion, the Steelers will need to add quality depth to . 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. Gurley has rushed for 4,547 rushing yards and recorded 6,430 yards from scrimmage with 56 touchdowns. But since then he has a pair of 1,000-yard rushing years and 4,545 yards on the ground in five years. 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. He came to the Steelers after three seasons with the Rams which had earned him a reputation as a problem player. In many ways, this style of offense is the polar opposite of the methods the Steelers used to win six Super Bowls. He also had three catches in that loss for 18 yards. As it is, he has 5,336 rushing yards and nearly 8,000 yards from scrimmage since coming into the league in 2013. In nine seasons all as a Steeler, Pollard scored 20 touchdowns. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2016, the last of which with the Titans. Near the end of an uneventful rookie season, he was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. 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. Peterson then signed with the . He was intensive care for 48 hours and this forced his retirement. Quite a contrast to kick off this list. 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. More like he will get exposed yet again as being the most overrated running back in the league . Bam Morris: Morris story is a sad, tragic, and unfulfilled one. 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. Bell will pay the price this season with a three-game suspension to start the 2015 season. 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. Nick Chubb finished first the AFC North in 2021 with 1,259 rushing yards, despite finishing third with 228 carries. Playing players out of position in mut will make there overall go down now. Overall, Foster registered 6,270 rushing yards and 8,523 yards from scrimmage playing for the Texans and Dolphins from 2010-16. Still, I think he is deserving of the number 16 spot on this list of all-time great Steelers backs. 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. Jerome Bettis was a 250-pound battering ram with incredible quickness for a man his size. But Harris and the Steelers' rushing attack were just getting started. Pittsburgh Steelers Stats: The official source for Pittsburgh Steelers game statistics . Bettis was team-first through some questionable demotions and worse decisions as to the direction of the offense, and he welcomed Duce Staley and mentored Willie Parker along the way to a Super Bowl championship to complete a quest his teammates had dedicated to him. In the previous nine years, however, the Steelers had a top-15 player seven times. His rookie contract was voided after his fourth season, after just one in Pittsburgh, and there were opportunities to leave. 1, Pittsburgh didn't have a top-25 running back. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Of course, we all know why. Join our linker program. Is the fullback truly gone, banished into the deep recesses of pro football history? He signed as an undrafted free agent who had run a 4.23-second 40 at the Scouting Combine the previous spring. His teammate Terry Hanratty, the QB at Notre Dame during that tenure became a Steeler as well. Mendenhall provided the following reason for retiring so young: Football was pretty cool, but I dont want to play anymore. Pittsburgh Steelers Draft History. 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. Emailed daily. All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points In 2012 he was just a mere few yards away from the single-season rushing record with 2,097 yards. '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. 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. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. 1 1. PITTSBURGH (AP) Mike Tomlin wasn't ready to go there, with all due respect. 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. 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. 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 rushed for only 885 yards, but that came in 12 games. (Fullback Roosevelt Nix spent most of 2019 injured and did not appear to have a viable replacement.) 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 . During that year, Peterson won league MVP the last running back to do so. Los Angeles' running backs are in a bit of a limbo right . Willie Parker: Fast Willie Parker actually lands in third place all-time among Pittsburgh rushers. 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. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have had three coaches, and each has used a different style of offense. 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. From 2010-13, Johnson rushed for 4,731 yards and 27 touchdowns. but every NFL team has talented players. In 2006 he tried to make a comeback in the Arena Football League and the National Indoor Football League but that last just part of one season. Last year's offensive rookie of the year award winner, Barkley was close to perfect for fantasy owners. However, it's not too early to break down the best from the 2010s either. 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. In Dick Hoak's 10 years as a Steeler, he only saw two winning seasons. In 2011 and 2013, he made All-Pro, and in 2013 he posted 2,146 yards from scrimmage. Draft Henry with absolute confidence this season if you have a top-five pick. Dickerson was traded mid-season in 1987; he played three games for the Rams and nine for the Colts. 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 . (Note: The Steelers signed Derek Watt during the 2020 offseason and released Nix, who signed with Indianapolis. 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. Just look back to last year when he was able to make cuts and find holes. 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. Harris disputed that and said he was 240 pounds as a rookie. The Steelers have had some incredibly talented players over the years . Franco Harris is not only the best Steelers running back in franchise history, but one of the greatest Steelers of all time. Fuqua led the . 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. . In 2015 Williams rejuvenated his career with the Steelers, filling in for the suspended and injured Le'Veon Bell for 10 games. A dominant defense and an unstoppable running gamethats Steelers Football. The stud running back finished with 3,943 yards which lands him seventh on Pittsburghs all-time list. Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. 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. 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. That's Steelers football. Bleier only ranks ninth in all-time rushing yards for the franchise, and he never made the Pro Bowl, but there is no denying the impact this gutsy running back had in winning four Steelers' Super Bowl championships. See the full player roster for the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers. 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. 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. Frank Pollard: In the mid-1980s, a stout Frank Pollard became the Steelers primary running back. Find out more. Picking Le'Veon Bell here might be one of those choices that spurs debate among fans, but it comes down to the belief he's going to become the Steelers' version of Marshall Faulk. Across the decade, Martin has posted 5,356 rushing yards and 32 total touchdowns. In 1979, he started 10 games in place of Bleier and ran for 585 yards and six touchdowns. The 33rd Team. Joey Porter. Visit ESPN to view the Pittsburgh Steelers team depth chart for the current season 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. In two seasons, he is already 18th among all Steelers backs in rushing. But since then injuries have slowed him, and he's averaging 3.6 yards per attempt. 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. March 1, 2023 2:19 pm PT. Drafted by the Steelers in 1942 and in his rookie season led the NFL in rushing with 696 yards. All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD . 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 He spent his first year in the NFL with the Giants before coming to the Steelers in 1970. Hunt offers some stability in the pass-game as he had 44 . Overall, he ran for 4,731 yards and 28 touchdowns playing for the Rams, Falcons and Patriots from 2010-15. 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. He posted more than 1,900 yards from scrimmage twice, in 2010 and 2013. 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. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports. Bill Dudley: Bullet Bill was his nickname and a great running back he was. Fuqua to this day refuses to give his take on what actually took place. All Rights Reserved. Williams led the NFL in touchdowns last season with 17. 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. 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. In addition, he got 52 receiving yards, with an average of 10.4. 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 . In fact, no back has even finished top-two in consecutive years, and only Adrian Peterson (second in 2009 and 2015; first in 2012) and Le'Veon Bell (first in 2014; second in 2017) have even had more than one top-two year in a decade. 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 . He sill holds the single season record for rushing for Pittsburgh with 1,690 yards gained in 1992. Murray rushed for 7,174 yards and 49 touchdowns with the Cowboys, Eagles and Titans in the 2010s. 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. Hoak retired from pro football in 1970 but stuck around to coach Steelers running backs from 1972 to 2007. Rocky Bleier: For some Steelers fans it might be hard to believe that Robert Patrick Bleier, known best in Steelers Nation as Rocky turned 69 years of age this year. He had the highest usage rate among running backs at 35.8% and was third in red-zone touches with 61. He amassed an incredible 449 touches in 2014 on his way to 1,845 rushing yards and 2,261 yards from scrimmage. 3 in NFL history. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The Steelers ran out the pro set for most of the 1970s and 1980s under head coach Chuck Noll. 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. The Steelers had jumped offsides on the play and it was called back. He was cut twice but kept up his persistence. He earned the Super Bowl MVP award after running for 158 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings in Super Bowl IX. 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 controversy surrounds what is called by many as the Greatest play in NFL history. Only stats for Regular Season Games have been included. 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. Pittsburgh Steelers Career Rushing Leaders. 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). He finished with 585 yards and scored six touchdowns including a 75-yard run. Not entirely. Buffalo 2007-10; Seattle 2010-15, '19; Oakland 2017-18. Here's the final tally of Steelers Now's consensus preseason 2022 power rankings of AFC North running backs. 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. Gordon averaged a career-best 5.1 yards per carry in 2018. He returned to put . 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. Harris was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. He ranks 23rd all-time among Pittsburgh rushers having gained 1,504 yards as a Steeler. Bell was a unique back in Steelers history due to both the wide-open offense he played in and his careful, patient running style. What those teams dont have is a legacy of bullying and dominating opponents, and that is what brought the Steelers six Super Bowl championships. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. In the following AFC title game against Miami, Pollard was held to just 48 yards rushing. Last season he was in the top five among running backs in several categories. Still young at 38 years of age, Zereoue stays in shape these days by playing soccer for a New York amateur club called the Central Park Rangers FC.