Top Ten Steelers

On NFL Network right now.

 

I honestly believe that Mark Madden rooted against the Steelers his entire life. He's right about one thing though, that top ten list was an entire joke. I would like to see a top 50 list though.

 

What's his deal? Is he just trying to say stupid stuff to get attention? I didn't watch it this time, but I remember from when I first saw it that he said Bettis "stole" his ring and was nothing more than a passenger on that Super Bowl season. I'm not a die hard Bettis guy like a lot of you, but even if you ignore all the "Let's win it for Jerome" emotional aspect of it and just look at the football facts, it's just ignorant to say he wasn't a factor in us getting there and winning. He wasn't the starter, but he was a role player. Kind of a big one, too. What, that doesn't count as being important to Mark Madden? He stole it? Shut the...

He also said Troy Polamalu is the biggest hitter in Steelers history. Troy is at the top of a lot of lists in Steeler and NFL history if you ask me, but biggest hitter isn't one of them. Yes he can deliver a big hit and I'd call him a hard hitting safety, but he's not even the biggest hitter out of the current safeties on the roster. He's probably the 3rd or 4th biggest hitter on the current defense. Uh, anyone wanna go back in time a decade, or two, or three, or four?

I think they could make a top 50 list, and the guy at #50 could be in the top 10 for plenty of other teams. They really should have done 20.

 

There are far to many for a top ten. Maybe a top 20.

 

I like pairing Swann and Stallworth. Even though Stallworth played much longer than Swann, for me, you have to see them as a tandem act.

I would probably put Franco higher (maybe an instictive reaaction from my childhool memories of the "Superstars of the Superbowls" NFL film that declared, quite confidently, that "the greatest Steeler of all time wore number 32").

 

Much as I love Troy, I would replace Polomalu with LC Greenwood on that top 10 list. And yes, 10 is just not a long enough list; there were so many great Steelers.

 

I was born in '82 so it wasn't until the Cowher Era that I was old enough to really follow the Steelers. I watched them and cheered for them while I was younger but it was about when I hit 10 years old that I became emotionally invested. That being said, my top ten list does not include any players from the 70s. Here is mine:

1. Hines - the guy is as much of a Steeler as I have ever seen. whole career here, always a pro, always willing to do anything necessary to win for the franchise, city and fans that he loved
2. Bus - guy was an absolute beast for us for a decade and was very durable despite his physical style of plan. played with a passion that will be hard to surpass
3. Ben - what a difference a franchise QB makes. after all of the chokes in the 90s and early 2000s I had pessimisticly convinced myself i missed the glory days and would never see a title. Ben is the main reason I've seen 2 IMO
4. Troy - a gamechanger that is so fun to watch and does things that no other player can. other teams having to account for where he is makes our D better even when he's not putting up stats
5. Faneca - anchored the line for 10 years and helped our running game dominate for so many years. a model for consistency on the OL
6. Woodson - maybe he should be higher up on this list, but I was still a little younger when he was in his prime. another guy that was a gamechanger on D
7. (tie) Lloyd/Harrison - these guys are feared, dominating pass rushers who also can stay back in coverage and do what the defense needs them to do. Had trouble deciphering between the two so had to have the tie
9. Smith - so underrated, he made our 3-4 click for so many years and will be missed
10. Dawson - another who should maybe be higher, but I didn't appreciate OLinemen as much when he was in his prime. great to see him in the HOF this year

Let me know what you guys think of this list and how you would rank the Top 10 players while not including any 70s players

 

any and all of the above is more like it.

 

How in the world did they ever list Jack Lambert at 5 and not even include Mike Webster?

My list
1. Joe Greene - Nothing else has to even be said.
2. Jack Lambert - Ask any QB in that era and they will openly admit the fear.
3) Donnie Shell - Just watching the highlights they showed you could tell how much the game has evolved into a much softer sport now.
4) Terry Bradshaw - 4 Suberbowls, 2 MVP's and one heck of a gutsy player. Some of his passes were the sweetest deep throws I've ever seen.
5) Franco Harris - Had he played in the 1976 playoff game along with the other injured Rocky Blier there is hardly any arguement that we'd be talking about another SB in the trophy case and hands down the best team ever over the 85 Bears.
6) Hines Ward - Gave it all every day in practice and in the games. It truely showed out there at gametime. I will forever have that CLEAN HIT on Kieth Rivers etched in my mind.
7) Lynn Swann - Grace under pressure. Simply the smartest WR that the Steelers ever had. Coould find the soft spots in any defense and exploit them time and again. His catches weren't too shabby either.
8) Mike Webster - Probably the greatest center I've ever seen in my life and maybe ever will. His pass protection was incredible. Consistently blocked two players at a time.
9) John Stallworth - I'll bet coaches had nightmare leading up to steelers games about how to cover him when you also had to cover Swanny. That catch in the SB against the Rams with the over the shoulder grab at that height of the biggest game was something else.
10) Jerome Bettis - What a great player and even better person this guy was for the Franchise. I am so so soooooo glad that Ben made "the tackle" and his career did not end that way. The worst thing is I live only 5 hrs from Detroit and couldn't find the cash to take the wife and I to his final celebration. I will forever kick myself with that dumb decision.

I can't believe all the players I had to leave off the list.

Good Lord, Is it football season YET?

 

i think the list is great.. but i think you are a young guy... 30s .. maybe 40 that didnt see a lot fo the guys from the 70s ? am i right? your list is more current players.. grest list .. just more recent players

 

I wouldn't dare make a restrictive list as I feel it would disrespect so many deserving players. I mean who do you add, who do you leave out, where do you rank them...beyond hard. Having said that, I'm not sure you could start the list without making Lambert your number 1. If you look at talent, teamwork, contribution and what embodies a "Steeler", well, Lambert is it. The guy bled Steelers colors. He chewed up opposing offences and spit them out. He brought his lunch pal and came to work. Finally, if you messed with a Steeler and Jack saw it, well, you all know how that would go. It is great to see so many name mentioned throughout this post, goes to show how many greats there are and have been. Not too many other franchises that claim the same!

 

I agree, Jim. Whenever I start to make a list like this, I usualyl end up with a 70's, 80's, 90's and 2000's list (though, unsurprisingly, not a 60's one...).

Not sure about Lambert being number one, but he certainly embodies Steeler football to me.

 

You make a good point that furthers any futile attempt I could ever have at making a list. My making Lambert number 1 leaves out some other deserving number 1's. I couldn't even necessarily argue with the person that had Hines as their number 1. Just too damn tough! Man I love the Steelers!!!

 

The problem with making this type of list is that you will forget someone or leave someone off that list that probably could be on that. I was reading through the posts and I was pretty much in agreement and then saw Woodson's name come up. Or Dermotti Dawson or Lloyd and that list can go on forever. That is one of the great things about being a Steeler fan, we have a top 100 list that most teams couldn't fill to their top 40.

I could watch Greg Lloyd highlights 24/7. That guy was a one man wrecking ball!

And I love the story about Elway in his rookie year being sacked and heckled by Lambert.

 

This is a good list. If we're limited to 10, I wouldn't change a thing.

 

Actually this is pretty close to what i'd list. Too much of a Lambert fan to not have him at #1 or #2. I was shocked at where the actual list had him. I would also have zero problem with listing a tie or two as well. How can you not have a guy like Stallworth on the list? With to many GREATS to list I think a couple ties are called for.

 

Yes, I wasn't around in the 70s (born in 82) so my list is from the Cowher Era on and that's why it doesn't include any guys from the 70s. A separate topic I guess, but that's my list!