Best Steeler LBs

Some of this ranking has more to do with mere stats, etc.; some has to factor in intimidation, aggression, etc. It's one thing to make a tackle, it's another to do so with bad intentions. Some players just do their job and make the tackle, others try to inflict as hard of hits as possible, and like it.

1.) Jack Lambert. His ferocity is not overrated. He made John Elway consider becoming an accountant. The only player as impactful to creating the 70's D was Joe Green. #58 was as real as it gets.

2.) Greg Lloyd. What a wrecking machine. He seemed to be in every tackle. He was nearly on an LT level of play in his impact. Too bad he wasn't on a team that won a ring. He sure deserved it.

3.) James Harrison. Career was shortened due to being a late bloomer, but the man was a beast, especially before the new rules. He could knock suckers out on command. He was a wrecking ball.

4.) Jack Ham. A perfect technician. Good at everything, always took the right angles to the ball.

5.) Kevin Greene. Didn't play his entire career in Pgh, but his best years were here. Amazing Partner with Lloyd. Man, what I'd give to have a pair of OLBs like that right now. We'd be talking rings.

6.) James Farrior. Led the team in tackles almost every season he was here. And was clearly the team leader on D.

7.) Joey Porter.

8.) Mike Merriweather.

9.) Levon Kirkland.

10.) Jason Gildon.

 

Andy Russell was probably the smartest. He didn’t have the athletic ability of many others, but he always seemed to be in the right place.

 

I agree about Russell. Timmons should be there somewhere too.he had a lot of good years for us. Hinkle was pretty good too but overlooked with all the other greats we had. Loren toews was a pretty good one too.

 

Dennis "DIRT" Winston if only for having the best nickname.

So many great ones in Steeler's history, Lambert is the standard to which all others are compared.

Glad you included Farrior he was so steady, so consistent, maybe one of the best free agent pickups the Steelers ever made.

 

I always thought Chad Brown was a very good and underrated player

 

If you are just listing the ten best, you forgot Russell as it has been mentioned. If this is your order, then you probably do not know truly who Jack Ham was. Ham is #2 at worst and possibly 1A with Lambert. Lambert was more outspoken, but if there was a Chuck Noll-type on the field, it was Ham. Ham is considered one of best technicians at linebacker all time.

 

Jack Ham. Jack Lambert, Andy Russell, Greg Lloyd, James Harrison,
Ryan Shazier, Kevin Greene, James Farrior, Timmons.

 

Lambert by far was no. 1 on the list. I seen him make 9 to 10 tackles in a row, and for his size very few were for positive yards, hardly never got drove back. He just had great football awareness against the run and pass.

2. Jack Ham

3. Greg Lloyd

4. James Harrison

5. Andy Russell

Top 5, the rest are toss ups.

 

lambert ham and Russell are and always will be the standard. Kirkland is 4th. I always thought robin cole was good. just on some bad teams. 5 thru 10 you can argue all day. the top 3 are simple

 

I agree with your list for the most part... but I'd switch Farrior and Greene. Farrior at #5 and Greene at #6. Farrior is the most underrated Linebacker in Steelers history, IMO.

 

Poor Jason Gildon. He was good OLB and got a lot of flak from a certain Steelers fan website that I won't mention. Gil (dong-sack) was a good OLB... not great. He would have started for any other team in his era, if he didn't play for the Steelers.

 

1.) Jack Lambert. His ferocity is not overrated. He made John Elway consider becoming an accountant. The only player as impactful to creating the 70's D was Joe Green. #58 was as real as it gets.

2.) Greg Lloyd. What a wrecking machine. He seemed to be in every tackle. He was nearly on an LT level of play in his impact. Too bad he wasn't on a team that won a ring. He sure deserved it.

3.) Jack Ham. A perfect technician. Good at everything, always took the right angles to the ball.

4.) Kevin Greene. Didn't play his entire career in Pgh, but his best years were here. Amazing Partner with Lloyd. Man, what I'd give to have a pair of OLBs like that right now. We'd be talking rings.

5.) James Farrior. Led the team in tackles almost every season he was here. And was clearly the team leader on D.

6.) Joey Porter.

7.) Mike Merriweather.

8.) Levon Kirkland.

9.) Jason Gildon.

Fixed

 

Could you imagine Lloyd or having to drop into coverage like they're asking Watt to do?

I know he did it on the outside some.

I know Kirkland would do it, even as big as he was they had him covering WR's downfield and he somehow did it!

I''d like to see him or Lloyd jam Gronk at the line. See how that would work out!

 

Lawrence Timmons was good, and if you don't think he was you missed the run defense last year.

 

Busman thinks my Chad Brown mention is hilarious..3x pro bowler and 2x All pro...79 career sacks

Kirkland...Who's been mentioned a lot..2x pro bowler and 2x All pro...19 career sacks

Brown was good...Damn good

 

Hardy Nickerson was pretty damn good...Spent the prime of his career in Tampa with Dungy tho..

 

Like Pounce said he erased his own legacy. That's on him. Just like how I do cheating Tom Brady when talking about Top 5 QBs. Don't even acknowledge they exist.

 

Don't forget y'll. We didn't have room for Mike Vreble. Think he would have been on the list