In 1979, he started 10 games in place of Bleier and ran for 585 yards and six touchdowns. Sproles has nearly as many receptions (460) as carries (516) since 2010, and he has 3,936 receiving yards. Rashard Mendenhall: Like Barry Foster before him, Rashard Mendenhall was done with professional football by the age of 26. His best season was in 1985 when he rushed for 991 yards. He posted more than 1,900 yards from scrimmage twice, in 2010 and 2013. Gurley has rushed for 4,547 rushing yards and recorded 6,430 yards from scrimmage with 56 touchdowns. Even putting a left end at right end can cause a drop. 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. 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. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Jackson never led the league in rushing and never made the All-Pro team. Meanwhile, at No. They got a lot of carries in an era when both the fullback and halfback needed to contribute to the running game. 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. Last season he rushed for only 885 yards, but that came in 12 games. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some great tight ends throughout the franchises history. Emmitt Smith leads with 18,365 yards and is also the postseason leader with 1,586. That lands him in the top five during the decade. In a move many in the NFL community felt was inevitable, the Washington Commanders released quarterback Carson Wentz on Monday in a move that will save the team $26.12 million against their 2023 salary cap. Barry Foster: Unfortunately for Barry Foster, his career was short in the Burgh. The Steelers had jumped offsides on the play and it was called back. If he had played in those games, Bell is easily in the top five on this list and maybe close to the top. 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. 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 signed as an undrafted free agent who had run a 4.23-second 40 at the Scouting Combine the previous spring. He joins Franco Harris and John Henry Johnson. Le'veon Bell also earned a reputation as one of the most patient RBs in the NFL. In 1980, Thornton would average five yards-per-carry while carrying the rock 78 times. 5. 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'll get the chance to continue his career with the Browns, but he'll miss the first eight games of 2019 because of a suspension. Players were considered based on having careers with the Steelers from 1992 until the present. 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 earned the Super Bowl MVP award after running for 158 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings in Super Bowl IX. Feeling he had to listen to his boss, Kiesling had quarterback Jack Scarbath toss the ball which resulted in a touchdown to Goose McClairen. Before Franco Harris, there was John Frenchy Fuqua. 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 . Williams recorded at least 730 rushing yards in a season four times during the 2010s, and he ended the decade with 4,246 rushing yards. Gordon averaged a career-best 5.1 yards per carry in 2018. Regular season. In the last 10 years, 10 different backs have led the league in PPR scoring. 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. The 30-year-old has failed to rush for 500 yards in four of his seven seasons in the NFL. Beast Mode's freakish combination of power and finesse was unlike any running back that came before him. LeVeon Bell: Finally we have our current star in the making. The power running back is a dying breed in football. He made nine straight Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team and finished his career as the leading rusher in team history and No. NFL Top 10 Best Running Backs of the 2010s - #8 Arian Foster. Bill Dudley also played with the Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins after leaving the Steelers, and finished his career with 3,057 yards rushing, 1,383 yards receiving, punted the ball for a total of 7,304 yards, and on defense intercepted 23 passes. 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. 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 browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Fuqua to this day refuses to give his take on what actually took place. From 2010-13, Johnson rushed for 4,731 yards and 27 touchdowns. Sowhos the greatest tight end in Pittsburgh Steelers history? He stepped in for a banged-up Willie Parker in 2009 and ran for 1,108 yards and seven touchdowns. Harris was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. 8. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. All Rights Reserved. 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. Injuries hurt Foster later in his career, but he did record 1,246 rushing yards in 2014. Pollard played most of his career at a time when the Steelers struggled. 6:02; See All. Here's the final tally of Steelers Now's consensus preseason 2022 power rankings of AFC North running backs. For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers were considered a team that dominated with the run. Vote below for who you think is the best Pittsburgh Steelers tight end of all time, then head over and check out the top Pittsburgh Steelers players ever. The days of Jim Brown or John Riggins getting 40 carries a game are gone. In his rookie season, Morris rushed for 836 yards and a 4.2 yards-per-carry average. 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. In later years Bleier helped pen a book about himself and a movie was made about his story titled Fighting Back.. He was Le'Veon Bell when Bell was at Michigan State. 2013 Steelers 2014 Steelers 2015 Steelers 2016 Steelers 2017 Steelers 2018 Steelers 2019 Steelers 2020 Steelers 2021 Steelers 2022 Steelers 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 8-8 11-5 10-6 11-5 13-3 9-6-1 8-8 12-4 9-7-1 9-8. Not entirely. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. During the decade, he has posted 9,187 yards five 1,000-yard seasons and 56 touchdowns. Who Is The Best Running Back In The NFL Right Now? Only other is safeties at sub lb and doesn't change their ratings just where they are on the field. By the time the fourth quarter rolls around, it is easy to see why opposing defenses would wish they were somewhere else. In 1999 the Chiefs cut him and his life spiraled out of control with drug problems and jail time. 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. 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. 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 . In two seasons, he is already 18th among all Steelers backs in rushing. Both backs had to run well with the ball and have the skills to block for the other. 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. 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. The 33rd Team. He finished with 585 yards and scored six touchdowns including a 75-yard run. Former season 27 " Dancing With the Stars " competitor John Schneider has returned to social media following the death of his wife, Alicia Allain. Willie Parker: Fast Willie Parker actually lands in third place all-time among Pittsburgh rushers. As a Steelers, he was occasionally brilliant but more often disappointing. Myles Jack 61 Minkah Fitzpatrick . All-time Passing Leader: Ben Roethlisberger 5,440/8,443, 64,088 yds, 418 TD, All-time Rushing Leader: Franco Harris 2,881 att, 11,950 yds, 91 TD, All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD, All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points, All-time AV Leader: Ben Roethlisberger 208 AV, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Friday, March 3, 2:32PM. But he still turned in two more 1,000-yard seasons and recorded at least 800 yards from scrimmage in four seasons this decade. 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. [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. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long history of smash-mouth football dating back to before they ever won their first Super Bowl. Ingram's best season came in 2017 when he posted 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. Rashard Mendenhall only played five seasons with the Steelers but rushed for a respectable 3,549 yards in 57 games. Standing 5-foot-11 and 195-pounds, Spears passes the . Do you have a blog? He ranks 23rd all-time among Pittsburgh rushers having gained 1,504 yards as a Steeler. 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. The 23-year-old was on his way to two straight special years to begin his NFL career before the Chiefs cut him following his involvement with a woman in a domestic dispute. 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 . 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. Watt is a fullback who saw a lot of snaps during his time with the Chargers.). The Steelers had a reputation of big bruising backs but Parker spelled that philosophy with speed and elusiveness. He led the Steelers in rushing in 1965, 1968, and 1969. The phrase is often proclaimed by an announcer after a Steelers running back plows over a few unlucky defenders. Who the heck is this guy, we all wondered aloud, but in much more colorful language. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some great tight ends throughout the franchise's 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. Greatest Power Backs in NFL History. In 2011 and 2013, he made All-Pro, and in 2013 he posted 2,146 yards from scrimmage. Overall, Foster registered 6,270 rushing yards and 8,523 yards from scrimmage playing for the Texans and Dolphins from 2010-16. But it was his story of injury during the war that gave him notoriety at the start of his career. Chubb is not the most dangerous or highly . Advertisement In some form or fashion, the Steelers will need to add quality depth to . Playing players out of position in mut will make there overall go down now. Jerome Bettis is the latest Steelers running back to become a member in Canton, Ohio. If it was Fuqua who the ball last touched, it would not be a legal catch by Harris according to the rules in 1972. But there were bright spots, and Walter Abercrombie was one of them. Najee Harris warming to Steelers' running back-by-committee approach. His 6-foot-2, 230 pound frame made it virtually impossible for one defender to take him down. 11 because of four straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin the decade. In his first three seasons, Ingram ran for more than 600 yards in a season just once. 9-Rocky Bleier. Overall, Charles recorded 8,110 yards from scrimmage during the decade with the Chiefs, Broncos and Jaguars from 2010-18. 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 stud running back finished with 3,943 yards which lands him seventh on Pittsburghs all-time list. Morris peaked as a rookie, rushing for 1,613 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2012. 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. '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. 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. He made another Pro Bowl in 1993 but only rushed for half as many yards due to injuries. Near the end of an uneventful rookie season, he was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. Still, Johnson's All-Pro 2016 season was enough to land him on the list. Doctors had told him following the enemy attack that his football days were over. But Harris and the Steelers' rushing attack were just getting started. This was the age of the feature back, when one superstar halfback got most of the carries. 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. . Rocky Bleier came to the Steelers in 1968. Harris played 980 offensive snaps during the regular season . Matte took over for another fantastic white running back, former Heisman Trophy winner and 1958 NFL Championship Game hero Alan Ameche. 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 . Keep in mind that accomplishments made only during this decade were considered for these rankings. He's rushed for only 2,599 yards this decade, but everyone knows he's far more than just a running back. His career ended on a sad note in Minnesota, but Peterson regained his form with another 1,000-yard season with Washington in 2018. Still, "CJ2K" comes in at No. These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. 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. Photos from the career of former Steelers running back and Hall of Fame finalist Jerome Bettis. All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD . 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. His entire career was with the Steelers and he would finish those six seasons with 1,512 yards and 18 touchdowns. He would retire with 3,965 yards on the ground, second best in history for the Steelers at that time. Barkley was a huge reason why the Giants returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. During this decade, he earned two Pro Bowl nominations and an All-Pro bid. Which of these tight ends has left a lasting legacy in the city of Pittsburgh? He ended his career with only 1,512 rushing yards, but with two Super Bowl rings. 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. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. 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 . Murray is another back who put together three strong seasons during his career and led the league in rushing once. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. Let us know your thoughts down in the comments!For Business Inquiries: insid. Pittsburgh Steelers Career Rushing Leaders. 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. 4M; . The move closes the latest chapter of Wentz's career after just one season in Washington. This list of past Steelers tight ends features former greats, current impact players, and even future stars. The role of the fullback changed dramatically when the I-formation came into vogue in the 1980s. In Dick Hoak's 10 years as a Steeler, he only saw two winning seasons. Some teams also used them as receivers, and fullbacks like Larry Centers made a living catching passes out of the backfield. 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Both men had the unfortunate circumstance of being behind other great players on the roster, Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw. 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. He is currently a free agent and the third oldest running back in the NFL, as well as the second oldest active running back. CHARLESTON, W.Va. . Bettis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. 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 Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . 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. With the 2019 season, there is still time to influence who lands where among a list of the best running backs of the decade. Since reliable yardage statistics were not recorded prior to 1932, the first NFL player recognized as the career leader in rushing yards was Cliff Battles, who played from 1932 to 1937 for the Boston Braves / Boston Redskins / Washington Redskins. He made the Pro Bowl three times, from 2014-16. By Ross Kelly and Tony Adame, updated on October 18, 2022. Pittsburgh Steelers Draft History. 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. 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. With teams shifting more to the passing game, these old-school running backs are becoming obsolete. The 34-year-old made All-Pro twice, in 2008 and 2009, but he added two more All-Pro nominations during 2012 and 2015. As it is, he has 5,336 rushing yards and nearly 8,000 yards from scrimmage since coming into the league in 2013. Meanwhile, Myles Jack's cap hit grows significantly from $4.75 million last year to $11.25 million in 2023. He's averaged 101.2 rushing yards per game during his career and led the NFL in that category each of the last three years. Overall contributions to the Steelers franchise. The Steelers ran out the pro set for most of the 1970s and 1980s under head coach Chuck Noll. He led the Steelers in rushing from 1961 to 1964 and made three straight Pro Bowls from 1962 to '64. With the Bears and Jets, Forte posted 7,629 rushing yards and 11,353 yards from scrimmage from 2010-17. The next ingredient is a tough, hard-nosed rushing attack that controls the ball and methodically plows through opposing defenses. Mendenhall spent five seasons in Pittsburgh and was a member of two Super Bowl teams. He also posted at least 1,500 yards from scrimmage during 2013 and 2014 when the Seahawks went to two Super Bowls. 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. Chances are it is an announcer who remembers some of the great backs in Steelers history and how they dominated the game. name the pittsburgh steelers running back to the last 10 years. The running back ran for 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns on 307 carries, and caught 74 passes for 467 yards and three touchdowns. Bell will pay the price this season with a three-game suspension to start the 2015 season. 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. Year Top Defense. Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. The controversy arose when the ball deflected off of Tatum or Frenchy. One return went to the house. With the Redskins, Cowboys and 49ers, Morris has 5,931 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in the 2010s. Williams had his first 1,000-yard season and averaged 13.3 ppg. 1 1. 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. It was thought by the Steelers coaching staff and fans alike that Pittsburgh had found their new star running back. 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. Emailed daily. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details.