Top 10 Pittsburgh Steelers Players of All Time
Eric Dockett
Updated:
Aug 10, 2023
Original:
Oct 26, 2020
Fox NFL Sunday analyst and former Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw throws a football to cadets at the United States Military Academy in 2019.
Fox NFL Sunday analyst and former Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw throws a football to cadets at the United States Military Academy in 2019.
© Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports
The Steelers are one the most legendary teams in the NFL, with a legacy that dates back to 1933. The team struggled for the better part of four decades until the arrival of head coach Chuck Noll in 1969 ushered in the championship dynasty of the ’70s.
The Steelers have been a perennial playoff contender ever since and have racked up eight Super Bowl appearances and six Lombardi Trophies over the years. Today there are 24 Steelers enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and a few more waiting in the wings.
In this article, you’ll read about the 10 greatest Steelers ever to wear the black and gold. These are the athletes who made the franchise what it is today. But how do we choose the 10 all-time best from an organization with such a long list of great players?
Selection Criteria:
For the purposes of this top 10 list, I considered the universal achievements common to all players and weighted them based on significance. I limited my contenders to Steelers who are already in the Hall of Fame. That means some of the greats from the latest Super Bowls are not yet eligible for my list, but more on them later.
To rank the 10 best Steelers, I considered:
Number of years as a Steeler
Contributions to a Steelers Super Bowl championship
Super Bowl MVP awards
Pro Bowls
First-team NFL Associated Press (AP) All-Pro Team selections
Offensive or Defensive AP Player of the Year awards
NFL Most Valuable Player awards
Bert Bell Awards (NFL Player of the Year)
Of course it should go without saying that I only considered player accomplishments while part of the Steelers organization.
Who Are the Best Steelers Players in History?
These criteria should give us a list of the best Steelers based on their achievements during their playing career, their dominance compared to their contemporaries, their contributions to the team, and their impact on the league.
I was surprised at the results, and equally surprised by who did not make the list.
10. Mel Blount
As most football fans know, defensive backs in the NFL are not allowed to intentionally contact receivers more than five yards beyond the line of scrimmage. We can thank former Steelers cornerback Mel Blount for that rule.
Accolades
5x Pro Bowl
2x All-Pro
4x Super Bowl Champion
1x Defensive Player of the Year
Hall of Fame Class of 1989
From 1970 to ’83, Blount harassed, abused and intimidated opposing receivers into submission, making him a perfect fit for the hyper-aggressive Steelers defense of the ’70s. In ’78, the NFL disallowed contact with receivers downfield, at least in part due to Blount’s rough playing style.
During his 200 games as a Steeler, he tallied 57 interceptions and returned two for touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl five times, All-Pro twice, and was named AP Defensive Player of the Year in 1975. And, of course, Blount was a key ingredient in the Steelers’ four Super Bowl wins of the ‘70s.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
Number of Seasons With the Steelers
14
Standout Stats
200 Games as a Steeler
57 Interceptions for 736 yards and 2 TDs
13 Fumble Recoveries, 2 TDs
Where Is He Now?
After football, Blount served as Director of Player Relations for the NFL from 1983 to ’90, and went on to found youth homes for victims of child abuse.
9. Terry Bradshaw
Quarterback Terry Bradshaw helmed the Steelers from 1970 to ’83. He was tough as nails, unafraid of contact and a true field general. He was the perfect quarterback for a team built on Steel City attitude.
Accolades
3x Pro Bowl
1x All-Pro
1x NFL MVP
1x Bert Bell Award (NFL Player of the Year)
4x Super Bowl Champion
2x Super Bowl MVP
Hall of Fame Class of 1989
Perhaps more than any other quarterback in NFL history, Bradshaw requires us to ask ourselves what truly constitutes greatness at the position. Some may feel he deserves to be higher on this list, while others might think the ninth spot is generous.
In his favor, he brought four Super Bowl championships to Pittsburgh, and won MVP in two of them. He was elected to three Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team. He was awarded the NFL MVP Award for his performance during the 1978 season, as well as the Bert Bell Award for NFL Player of the Year.
However, at least during the first half of his career, the Steelers offense was largely predicated on a dominant running game to go with their Steel Curtain Defense. Bradshaw’s performances usually weren’t spectacular, and compared to other quarterbacks of his day, his numbers were not impressive. He even lost his starting job to Joe Gilliam going into the 1974 season.
Today, Terry Bradshaw is among the most beloved of former Steelers. All told, he completed 2,025 of 3,901 passes (51.9%) for 27,989 yards, 212 touchdowns, and 210 interceptions. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
Number of Seasons With the Steelers
14
Standout Stats
168 Games as a Steeler
27,989 Passing Yards
212 Passing TDs
2,257 Rushing Yards
32 Rushing TDs
Where Is He Now?
After football, Bradshaw went on to a career in broadcasting, and today he is a pro-football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday.
8. Franco Harris
When people talk about “Steelers football,” they mean intimidating defense and the ability to control the ball with the running game. It’s a tough, hard-nosed style of play that grinds opponents down and makes them wish they were someplace else by the time the fourth quarter comes around. This has been part of Steelers lore since the ‘50s, but with running back Franco Harris and the powerful Steelers offensive line of the ‘70s, it finally led to championships.
Accolades
9x Pro Bowl
1x All-Pro
4x Super Bowl Champion
1x Super Bowl MVP
1972 Offensive Rookie of the Year
Hall of Fame Class of 1990
Harris was a big back at 6’2 and 230 pounds. He possessed the power to bowl over defenders, but also a smooth, gliding gait and surprising speed. From 1972 to ’83, he was the foundation of a Steelers rushing attack that routinely ranked among the best in the NFL.
Harris typically ran out of a pro set, meaning two split backs in the backfield. He shared the spotlight with running mates such as John “Frenchy” Fuqua, Rocky Bleier and Sidney Thornton throughout his career, and opposing defenses always had another back to worry about. In fact, Bleier and Harris each ran for over 1,000 yards during the 1976 season.
Harris amassed a total of 12,120 rushing yards and 91 touchdowns on 2,949 carries during his 173-game NFL career, most of it with the Steelers. At the time he retired, he ranked third all-time among NFL rushers. He earned four Super Bowl rings along with one Super Bowl MVP, made All-Pro once, and was voted to nine straight Pro Bowls.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.
Number of Seasons With the Steelers
12
Standout Stats
165 Games as a Steeler
11,950 Rushing Yards*
4.1 YPC*
91 Rushing TDs*
* Stats with Steelers. Harris finished his career with Seattle in 1984.
Where Is He Now?
Harris went on to become a successful businessman and product spokesman when his playing days were done. He passed away on December 20, 2022, just days before a the ceremony where his No. 32 jersey would become only the third ever retired by the Steelers.
7. Dermontti Dawson
While the casual football fan may not know the name Dermontti Dawson, devoted Steelers fans certainly do. He was a member of the team from 1988 to 2000, and from ’92 to ’98, he was widely considered the best center in the NFL.
Accolades
7x Pro Bowl
6x All-Pro
Hall of Fame Class of 2012
Dawson was elected to the Pro Bowl seven times, and made first-team All-Pro an amazing six seasons straight. Offensive linemen don’t often get the credit they deserve, but Dawson has well earned the sixth spot on the list of greatest Steelers of all time.
He was the leader of a Steelers offensive line that allowed running back Barry Foster to rush for 1,690 yards in 1992, a team record that still stands today. In 1997, another of Dawson’s All-Pro seasons, Steelers back Jerome Bettis ran for 1,665 yards.
More importantly, he was part of the Bill Cowher–era rebirth of the franchise. Dawson and the Steelers made it to the team’s fifth Super Bowl following the 1995 season, only to lose to the Cowboys.
Dawson was voted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Number of Seasons With the Steelers
13
Standout Stats
184 Games as a Steeler
Where Is He Now?
After football, Dawson went on to a career in business.
6. Rod Woodson
Cornerback Rod Woodson arrived in 1987, in the midst of a four-year playoff drought. He was a track star who possessed incredible speed and had clocked a 4.33-second 40-yard-dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine the previous spring. He quickly established himself not only as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, but also one of the best return men.
Accolades*
7x Pro Bowl
5x All-Pro
1x Defensive Player of the Year
Hall of Fame Class of 2009
During his 10-year career in Pittsburgh, Woodson made seven Pro Bowls, and was voted first-team All-Pro five times. He intercepted 38 passes, five of which he returned for touchdowns. In 1993 he was named AP Defensive Player of the Year.
As a kick returner, Woodson was a game changer, running back two kicks and two punts for scores during his time with the Steelers.
Woodson was a superstar at a time when the Steelers desperately needed one. The heroes of the Super Bowl years of the ‘70s had all but vanished by time he arrived, and the Steelers were struggling. He played a key part in the resurgence of the team in the early ‘90s, and, while he was injured during the run-
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