Steelers 2020 Training Camp Preview: Running Backs - Pro Football Network Which of these tight ends has left a lasting legacy in the city of Pittsburgh? The running back ran for 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns on 307 carries, and caught 74 passes for 467 yards and three touchdowns. 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. Barkley was a huge reason why the Giants returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. 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. Clemson running backs coach CJ Spiller got his man. The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2020 running back room has the assortments of all the skillsets you could find around the NFL. It has been said that Rooney responded with the declaration that he would never again attempt to call a play for his team. 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. His best season came in 2015, which was the year after Williams departed, when he rushed for 989 yards and six touchdowns for the 15-1 Panthers. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Standing 5-foot-11 and 195-pounds, Spears passes the . Matte took over for another fantastic white running back, former Heisman Trophy winner and 1958 NFL Championship Game hero Alan Ameche. It's Le'Veon Bell because there is thought given to picking players who could function as a unit if the position require that. But he still turned in two more 1,000-yard seasons and recorded at least 800 yards from scrimmage in four seasons this decade. John Fuqua ( 1970-76) Before Franco Harris, there was John "Frenchy" Fuqua. Reports this off-season show he weighed in at 244 pounds from 232 last 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. Read on to find out why. Of course we are talking about the Immaculate Reception. Regular season. 5. Greatest Power Backs in NFL History | Stadium Talk Hunt only played eight games with the Browns last season after serving an eight-game suspension. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. After a slow start (for a seventh overall draft pick from . 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 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. Parker ran for 1,200 yards or better in three straight seasons and led the Steelers to two Super Bowl wins. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some great tight ends throughout the franchise's history. 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 controversy surrounds what is called by many as the Greatest play in NFL history. Who Is The Best Wide Receiver In The NFL Right Now? Franco Harris is not only the best Steelers running back in franchise history, but one of the greatest Steelers of all time. Pittsburgh Steelers - Pro-Football-Reference.com Steelers Great Franco Harris, In One Of His Last Interviews, Recalled Top-15 NFL Seasons by Running Backs in the 2010s Including last season when Bell sat out because of a contract dispute, the two-time All-Pro has missed 34 games in his six-year career. 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. 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. Steelers GM confirms extension negotiations with key defender have started Doctors had told him following the enemy attack that his football days were over. He's been named All-Pro and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns during each of the last two years too. Pittsburgh Steelers: 15 best running backs in franchise history No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. In 2011 and 2013, he made All-Pro, and in 2013 he posted 2,146 yards from scrimmage. List of National Football League career rushing yards leaders Player ratings with position rankings. During the 2021 offseason, Pittsburgh declined to re-sign Conner, making him a free agent and creating an opportunity for the Arizona Cardinals to scoop him up. By Ross Kelly and Tony Adame, updated on October 18, 2022. A bruising Hall of Famer running back, Franco Harris was the perfect embodiment of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense during their championship runs in the 1970s. Franco Harris was the man during The Renaissance, and Jerome Bettis was the man in The Modern Era. Both backs had to run well with the ball and have the skills to block for the other. Still, Johnson's All-Pro 2016 season was enough to land him on the list. Franco Harris is the Pittsburgh Steelers career leader in rushing yards with 11,950. 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. One of the best free agent signings of the Mike Tomlin era, DeAngelo Williams was never thought to be more than a top backup running back. Still, I think he is deserving of the number 16 spot on this list of all-time great Steelers backs. NICK CHUBB, CLEVELAND BROWNS. At the time of the second injury, he was no longer with the Steelers but playing for the Chicago Bears and sued that teams doctor resulting in a $1.55 million judgment in favor of Hoge. He stepped in for a banged-up Willie Parker in 2009 and ran for 1,108 yards and seven touchdowns. During that year, Peterson won league MVP the last running back to do so. The stud running back finished with 3,943 yards which lands him seventh on Pittsburghs all-time list. Despite the occurrences of injury, Hoge ran for 3,115 yards as a Steeler and rushed for 21 touchdowns. The Steelers had a reputation of big bruising backs but Parker spelled that philosophy with speed and elusiveness. 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. Steelers Record By Season Over Last 10 Years | StatMuse They will be joined by this year's selection, making six for the 2022 season. TODAY: Running backs 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. 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. 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. In his rookie season, Morris rushed for 836 yards and a 4.2 yards-per-carry average. 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. That meant Bell joined Marshall Faulk as the only players in NFL history with 1,350-plus yards rushing and 850-plus yards receiving in the same season. Bell rushed for 1,361 yards in 2014, but what turned that into first-team All-Pro recognition were his 83 catches for 854 yards. As a Steeler, Bettis crashed his way for 10,571 rushing yards and 78 rushing touchdowns, both second-best in team history. Barkley reminded the NFL world this past season that he's one of the best running backs in the league by rushing for a career-high 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns. ALL-MODERN ERA: Running backs - Pittsburgh Steelers The 2016 All-Pro had his own issue staying on the field because of a suspension in 2017, but despite that Elliott has 4,048 rushing yards and led the league in rushing twice in three years. WILLIE PARKER had difference-making speed at the NFL level, but because he wasn't built physically to withstand the 913 carries he got from 2005-07, he got worn down and then his speed wasn't as difference-making at the NFL level. The 33rd Team. He would retire with 3,965 yards on the ground, second best in history for the Steelers at that time. 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. When it comes to this room, the Steelers are indeed looking for them to step up. 10 potential bargains NFL teams should target in free agency He came to the Steelers after three seasons with the Rams which had earned him a reputation as a problem player. In 2012, the Steelers found themselves with JONATHAN DWYER as their leading rusher, which is what led to the spending of a second-round pick in the following draft on Le'Veon Bell. He was cut twice but kept up his persistence. Do you have a blog? And that's with missing the 2016 season because of retirement. His entire career was with the Steelers and he would finish those six seasons with 1,512 yards and 18 touchdowns. 2. but every NFL team has talented players. 11 because of four straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin the decade. LeVeon Bell: Finally we have our current star in the making. NFL combine: How elite draft prospect Bijan Robinson represents league 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. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Despite suffering continuing pain and losing weight down to 180 pounds, Rocky spent the next two years putting on weight and fighting for a roster spot. The following is the Pittsburgh Steelers all-time roster, browsable by last name or position. Beast Mode's freakish combination of power and finesse was unlike any running back that came before him. James Conner is at the forefront . He also posted many of his best seasons in the previous decade, which robbed him of a chance at the top 10 on this list. Dudley owns 44 touchdowns to his credit. Advertisement In some form or fashion, the Steelers will need to add quality depth to . The trend in the modern NFL is to run the ball out of single-back sets, often from a shotgun or pistol formation. He started alongside Franco Harris in four Super Bowl victories and both backs ran for over 1,000 yards in 1976. 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. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Last year's offensive rookie of the year award winner, Barkley was close to perfect for fantasy owners. 2022 AFC North Standings. Parker had a shot to lead the NFL in rushing in 2007, but he broke his leg in the regular season's penultimate game and finished with 1,316 yards. But there were bright spots, and Walter Abercrombie was one of them. Let us know your thoughts down in the comments!For Business Inquiries: insid. 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. As a punter, he kicked the ball 18 times during his career and averaged 32 yards per punt. Steelers Stats | Pittsburgh Steelers - Steelers.com At 244 pounds, Morris was a load running behind the offensive line and his numbers backed up his train rushing efforts. Former Steelers running back Willie Parker (39) acknowledges the crowd during a 2018 against the Chargers at Heinz Field. In '94, he ran for 851 yards despite missing five games. First running back gets drafted in the seventh round. 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. Williams led the NFL in touchdowns last season with 17. Players active with the Pittsburgh . Pittsburgh Steelers Draft History. In the end Rocky Bleier rushed for 3,865 yards, 1,294 yards receiving on 136 catches and scored 25 times. They got a lot of carries in an era when both the fullback and halfback needed to contribute to the running game. From '61 to '64, he was part of a powerful rushing attack along with Hall of Famer John Henry Johnson. The move closes the latest chapter of Wentz's career after just one season in Washington. Daily Fantasy Football Week 16: Predicting DraftKings Top Performers 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. A dominant defense and an unstoppable running gamethats Steelers Football. All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points He scored seven touchdowns and caught the ball 22 times for an additional 204 yards and a 9.3 yards-per-reception mark. Looking at an NFL game today, something seems to be missing. James Conner finished his career in Pittsburgh as the #17 ranked rusher in Steelers history. That's the equivalent of more than two seasons. 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. Pittsburgh has fielded plenty of those defensive units over the years, and there are more than a few Steelers defenders in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 9-Rocky Bleier. The days of Jim Brown or John Riggins getting 40 carries a game are gone. The 32-year-old has been a bit of a journeyman, playing for five different teams this decade. As a rookie, on a terrible offense, he finished as a top 24 running back in 93% of his games last year. He also was a punt returner, bringing back 20 punts with a 14.0 average per return. 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. Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 16: Latest Fantasy Lock and Flop Predictions 2023 NFL draft: 4 running backs for Chargers to watch at Combine A good scoring drive based on running plays eats up the clock and keeps the ball out of the hands of the other team's offense. 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 . We present them here for purely educational purposes. He tailed off to 928 the following season and then suffered injuries in 2012 playing in just six games before the Steelers cut him loose where he signed with the Arizona Cardinals lasting just one season after 687 yards on the ground. Gordon averaged a career-best 5.1 yards per carry in 2018. In 1944 he led Army to an undefeated record with 12 victories and was named the teams Most Valuable Player. Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Roster | The Football Database . Los Angeles' running backs are in a bit of a limbo right . Only stats for Regular Season Games have been included. He has held the all-time rushing yards record since 2002 and is . He spent much of 2019 injured, and team injuries across the board made it difficult to judge his performance fairly. Allain died on February 21, 2023, following a . 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. Even putting a left end at right end can cause a drop. The power running back is a dying breed in football. Year Top Defense. The speedy running backs, the classic old power running back, and the mixed, well-rounded, good running back. 1. Other teams (like the Steelers) have one but rarely use him. In later years Bleier helped pen a book about himself and a movie was made about his story titled Fighting Back.. r/steelers on Reddit: Najee Harris will have a 100yd game against the 8. 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. John Fuqua: How could any Steelers fan in the Nation of Black and Gold not smile when speaking of John Frenchy Fuqua. Bleier believed the doctors were wrong and reported to Steelers training camp a year after he left the war. He ranks fourth all-time in franchise history for rushing yards and eighth all-time in receptions. His professional career started in 2007 when he decided to skip the last year of college and enter the NFL Draft. All Rights Reserved. Fran Rogel was also a local product having grown up in North Braddock, Pennsylvania. As a Steelers, he was occasionally brilliant but more often disappointing. Foster timed his career perfectly for this list, breaking out with 1,616 yards, leading the league in rushing, in 2010. But during the Super Bowl seasons of 1978 and 1979, Sidney Thornton played a significant role in the Steelers' rushing attack. Find out more. This was the age of the feature back, when one superstar halfback got most of the carries. With the Redskins, Cowboys and 49ers, Morris has 5,931 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in the 2010s. Since missing the last five games of 2010, Gore has sat out just two games over the last eight years. Rashard Mendenhall: Like Barry Foster before him, Rashard Mendenhall was done with professional football by the age of 26. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. Jamaal Williams Dynasty Profile: Fantasy Outlook, Value, Projections But Stewart posted 5,366 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns in the decade. MORE: 2023 Dynasty Rookie Rankings. Both men had the unfortunate circumstance of being behind other great players on the roster, Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw. The running back fell just short of 1,000 yards from scrimmage last season after finishing with 1,414 yards in his rookie campaign. Those three men will be bypassed for this article despite Johnson ranking third in the all-time rushing yardage for the Black and Gold. Sadly, the days of Steelers Football seem to have gone the way of the dropkick. Barry Foster: Unfortunately for Barry Foster, his career was short in the Burgh. He's rushed for only 2,599 yards this decade, but everyone knows he's far more than just a running back. Could Steelers solve their LB problem with Trenton Simpson or Drew 3 in NFL history. He finished his career in Pittsburgh with 3,115 rushing yards, 241 receptions, and 34 total touchdowns. Maybe I am just nostalgic for the days when Steelers backs carried the ball 30 times and took total control over a game by the fourth quarter. 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. 6:02; See All. 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. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Who the heck is this guy, we all wondered aloud, but in much more colorful language. Who Is The Best Running Back In The NFL Right Now? Mapping out the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft: There have been some running backs in Steelers history who had one or two good seasons in Pittsburgh, then went on their way. Drafted by the Steelers in 1942 and in his rookie season led the NFL in rushing with 696 yards. Last season he rushed for only 885 yards, but that came in 12 games. Bettis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Najee Harris warming to Steelers' running back-by-committee approach. Today, Johnson is one of the former Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Pittsburgh Steelers Career Rushing Leaders. Watt is a fullback who saw a lot of snaps during his time with the Chargers.). The last two seasons, with now-departed James Conner the No. The Tigers picked up their sixth commitment for the 2024 recruiting cycle - and their first running back - Wednesday with the public . No matter what happens with the evolution of this position, these Pittsburgh tight ends have left a legacy for this that cant be taken away. In 2015 Williams rejuvenated his career with the Steelers, filling in for the suspended and injured Le'Veon Bell for 10 games. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Murray rushed for 7,174 yards and 49 touchdowns with the Cowboys, Eagles and Titans in the 2010s. Steelers honor Franco Harris by rallying past Raiders 13-10
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