Born in the Ivory Coast, Zereoue played his high school football in Long Island, New York and then went on to be a star running back for the Mountaineers. When it comes to this room, the Steelers are indeed looking for them to step up. The running back ran for 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns on 307 carries, and caught 74 passes for 467 yards and three touchdowns. Fran Rogel was also a local product having grown up in North Braddock, Pennsylvania. The controversy surrounds what is called by many as the Greatest play in NFL history. 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 . CHARLESTON, W.Va. . 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. Took pay cuts, and continued to stay. Dudley also found himself on kickoff returns where he fielded 11 of those for 298 yards (27.0 average). After five seasons of never finishing higher than RB34, Williams had a career year in 2022, finishing as the overall RB18. He also posted at least 1,500 yards from scrimmage during 2013 and 2014 when the Seahawks went to two Super Bowls. The mid-'80s were a tough time for Steeler Nation. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . 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. By the time the fourth quarter rolls around, it is easy to see why opposing defenses would wish they were somewhere else. Harris was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. But you cant throw just any ball carrier out there and hope to have success; it takes a certain kind of player to fit into a power running offensive scheme. 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. 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. Amos Zereoue: Another fan favorite was West Virginia University product, Famous Amos Zereoue. It worked perfectly with the maulers he had in front of him in Pittsburgh as he has some Xbox like highlight reels to show for it. 9, we . They will be joined by this year's selection, making six for the 2022 season. He stepped in for a banged-up Willie Parker in 2009 and ran for 1,108 yards and seven touchdowns. Greatest Power Backs in NFL History. He's been named All-Pro and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns during each of the last two years too. 1, Pittsburgh didn't have a top-25 running back. Of course, we all know why. The power running back is a dying breed in football. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports. First running back gets drafted in the seventh round. 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. The Steelers have had several players enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame after being a part of the Pittsburghs ground game for most of or all of their entire careers. Bettis was team-first through some questionable demotions and worse decisions as to the direction of the offense, and he welcomed Duce Staley and mentored Willie Parker along the way to a Super Bowl championship to complete a quest his teammates had dedicated to him. Foster timed his career perfectly for this list, breaking out with 1,616 yards, leading the league in rushing, in 2010. [5] Through 2021, eight Steeler first-round picks have gone on to have playing careers deemed worthy of enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Bill Dudley, Len Dawson, Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Rod Woodson, Troy Polamalu, and Alan . 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. 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. But it was his story of injury during the war that gave him notoriety at the start of his career. To prepare, we at Chargers Wire are previewing players from every position. 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 would play six seasons in Three Rivers Stadium when the Steelers were home and finish with 3,343 yards rushing. LeVeon Bell: Finally we have our current star in the making. The 30-year-old has failed to rush for 500 yards in four of his seven seasons in the NFL. Many NFL teams used a pro-style offense during the same period, and this was an age when the fullback was a vital ball carrier. Jerome Bettis (1996-2005). Williams recorded at least 730 rushing yards in a season four times . The Steelers ran out the pro set for most of the 1970s and 1980s under head coach Chuck Noll. In 2015 he finished second in the league in rushing and earned a spot on the All-Pro Team. 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. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. The Pittsburgh Steelers are loaded with high-end fantasy talent, and Mike Tomlin's team has been producing every week.The Steelers have scored 30 or more points in six straight games, and they are in a position to earn a spot in the AFC playoffs if they can win their final two games of the season.It's all lining up to be a happy holiday season in Pittsburgh because they close the year with . 1 1. 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. Today's NFL teams do not use fullbacks as often as they once did, instead favoring spread offenses and dynamic passing attacks featuring three or more wide receivers and multiple tight ends. Steeler running backs Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker, Sidney Thornton and Rashard Mendenhall all helped bring Lombardi Trophies to Pittsburgh. Parker never regained his starting job and was released only to make on attempt at staying in the NFL with the Washington Redskins in 2010 where he spent his time on the practice squad before retiring. Wanting the jersey number 26 which he wore at Notre Dame, Preston Pearson held those digits so Rocky settled for No. 9-Rocky Bleier. 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 . '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. He finished his career in Pittsburgh with 3,115 rushing yards, 241 receptions, and 34 total touchdowns. Born Byron Morris, drafted in the third round of the 1994 draft, Morris immediately made an impact with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming to them from Texas Tech University. Matte took over for another fantastic white running back, former Heisman Trophy winner and 1958 NFL Championship Game hero Alan Ameche. For the Steelers he would rush for 2,243 yards five seasons. 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. He scored seven touchdowns and caught the ball 22 times for an additional 204 yards and a 9.3 yards-per-reception mark. 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. The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2020 running back room has the assortments of all the skillsets you could find around the NFL. Teams like the 49ers, Packers, and Chargers still have plenty of use for thembut many organizations dont carry a fullback on their roster at all. All-time Rushing Leader: Franco Harris 2,881 att, 11,950 yds, 91 TD . The Steelers won a lot of games in the late-90s to mid-2000s by lining up 250-pound running back Jerome Bettis behind 250-pound fullback Dan Kreider and bulldozing any defense that came before them. In 1979, he started 10 games in place of Bleier and ran for 585 yards and six touchdowns. Hoak retired from pro football in 1970 but stuck around to coach Steelers running backs from 1972 to 2007. In nine seasons all as a Steeler, Pollard scored 20 touchdowns. Even putting a left end at right end can cause a drop. Peterson missed all but one game in 2014 because of a child abuse case, but he returned to lead the NFL in rushing during 2015. Bleier believed the doctors were wrong and reported to Steelers training camp a year after he left the war. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Franco Harris was a fullback, as was Merril Hoge and John Henry Johnson. LISTEN: Hounds, world soccer, PGA with Mike Grau, Steelers: Need for QB of the Future is More Apparent than Ever, Steelers: Defense Needs to Take Advantage of Inconsistent Bills Passing Attack, Steelers: Devlin Hodges Has Chance to Make Lasting Impression in Week 14, Steelers: James Washingtons Emergence Could Make Offense Dangerous. 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. Conner responded with a Pro Bowl performance and gave Steeler Nation hope that hed become the next great Pittsburgh running back. Dudley also scored on a lateraled pass and has kicked point-after-touchdowns as well as making successful field goals. Bleier was an outstanding lead blocker as well as being able to run the ball well and also had solid hands as a receiver. In 27 games Hunt has 2,151 rushing yards, 2,984 yards from scrimmage and 25 touchdowns. Player ratings with position rankings. In 1984 while beating the Denver Broncos in the playoffs, Pollard ran for 99 yards and two scores, a game won by Pittsburgh 24-17. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Dick Hoak: The running backs coach for the Steelers for an incredible 35 years, Hoak was also an excellent player at the position he would spend so many years coaching up. 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. For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers were considered a team that dominated with the run. 1. Murray is another back who put together three strong seasons during his career and led the league in rushing once. He was cut twice but kept up his persistence. In 2015 Williams rejuvenated his career with the Steelers, filling in for the suspended and injured Le'Veon Bell for 10 games. Some readers are probably going to argue this is too high for Forte. 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. In many ways, this style of offense is the polar opposite of the methods the Steelers used to win six Super Bowls. Overall, Foster registered 6,270 rushing yards and 8,523 yards from scrimmage playing for the Texans and Dolphins from 2010-16. MORE: 2023 Dynasty Rookie Rankings. Do you have a sports website? Emmitt Smith has held the record since surpassing Walter Payton's long-standing total in 2002. Last edited on 19 February 2023, at 18:43, Boston Braves / Boston Redskins / Washington Redskins, List of National Football League records (individual), List of National Football League rushing champions, List of National Football League career rushing touchdowns leaders, List of National Football League annual rushing touchdowns leaders, "NFL Rushing Yards Career Playoffs Leaders", "History of the Career Rushing Yards Record", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_National_Football_League_career_rushing_yards_leaders&oldid=1140354500, This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 18:43. In 2005, speedy Willie Parker took advantage of paths cleared by Kreider, and the Steelers won the Super Bowl. 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. 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 While those numbers may not seem impressive by todays standards, they were good enough to earn Tracy Pro Bowl appearances with the Steelers in 1958 and 1960. There was a time when almost every NFL offense was predicated on a feature back that got most of the carries and earned a big paycheck. In 79 games with the Steelers, he carried the ball for 3,343 yards and 22 touchdowns. 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. Frank Pollard: In the mid-1980s, a stout Frank Pollard became the Steelers primary running back. It was a hard task to actually rank all of the great running backs . The following is another in a series that picks a Steelers All-Modern Era Team. He made another Pro Bowl in 1993 but only rushed for half as many yards due to injuries. Former Tulane Green Wave running back Tyjae Spears made a big splash at the Senior Bowl, but that was hardly the first time he put on a show. Always free! The Pittsburgh Steelers Hall-of-Fame running back Franco Harris died Wednesday, just before the 50-year anniversary of his "Immaculate Reception" play. Do you have a blog? 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. With the 2019 season, there is still time to influence who lands where among a list of the best running backs of the decade. Insider insists Tom Brady could sign with 49ers in 2023, The 'Most recent first-round NFL quarterbacks' quiz, Seven Cubs pitchers combine for spring no-hitter vs. Padres, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones comments on Tony Pollard rumor, Ben Simmons suffers back injury while rehabilitating, Insider: It's Packers, Jets 'or bust' for Aaron Rodgers, QB Anthony Richardson doesn't understand his 'project' label, Vikings HC reveals 'crazy' thoughts about star WR, XFL player released for giving another team plays from own playbook. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. In Dick Hoak's 10 years as a Steeler, he only saw two winning seasons. His career ended on a sad note in Minnesota, but Peterson regained his form with another 1,000-yard season with Washington in 2018. He made nine straight Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team and finished his career as the leading rusher in team history and No. 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. His rookie contract was voided after his fourth season, after just one in Pittsburgh, and there were opportunities to leave. The role of the fullback changed dramatically when the I-formation came into vogue in the 1980s. He spent his first year in the NFL with the Giants before coming to the Steelers in 1970. 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 . Running backs are not the commodities they once were. But Hoak is probably best remembered for his ever-so-long tenure as the Running Backs coach with Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher. Yes, that was his average. The phrase is often proclaimed by an announcer after a Steelers running back plows over a few unlucky defenders. James Conner is at the forefront . 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. In 1966 when the Fighting Irish won the national title, Rocky was a member of that team. Tackles. The former Titan had only 28 catches for 294 yards last year . His best season was in 1985 when he rushed for 991 yards. Rashard Mendenhall only played five seasons with the Steelers but rushed for a respectable 3,549 yards in 57 games.