steelers running backs last 10 years

Gordon averaged a career-best 5.1 yards per carry in 2018. Johnson was a bruising fullback who spent time in San Francisco and Detroit before coming to Pittsburgh in 1960. Sep 20, 1992; San Diego, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Barry Foster (29) in action against San Diego Chargers defenders Junior Seau (55) and George Thornton (93) at Jack . The last Steelers running back taken in the first round before Najee Harris, Mendenhall won a Super Bowl as a rookie despite spending most of the season on injured reserve. The former Heisman Trophy winner is another example of a highly regarded college back getting off to a slow start in the NFL. 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 . He ran for 5,378 yards while playing at Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some great tight ends throughout the franchise's history. They got a lot of carries in an era when both the fullback and halfback needed to contribute to the running game. 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. It is unfortunate, and I would guess I am not alone in wishing the Steelers would return to their roots and play power football again. The stud running back finished with 3,943 yards which lands him seventh on Pittsburghs all-time list. LeVeon Bell: Finally we have our current star in the making. Players were considered based on having careers with the Steelers from 1992 until the present. Harris played 980 offensive snaps during the regular season . 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. Jerome Bettis was a 250-pound battering ram with incredible quickness for a man his size. 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. He was intensive care for 48 hours and this forced his retirement. Los Angeles' running backs are in a bit of a limbo right . Always free! The role of the fullback changed dramatically when the I-formation came into vogue in the 1980s. 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. Of course we are talking about the Immaculate Reception. It's Le'Veon Bell because there is thought given to picking players who could function as a unit if the position require that. Dave Holcomb began working as a sports writer in 2013 after graduating from Syracuse University. 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. 6:02; See All. He ended his career with only 1,512 rushing yards, but with two Super Bowl rings. With the Redskins, Cowboys and 49ers, Morris has 5,931 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in the 2010s. As it is, he has 5,336 rushing yards and nearly 8,000 yards from scrimmage since coming into the league in 2013. He finished with 585 yards and scored six touchdowns including a 75-yard run. 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. Near the end of an uneventful rookie season, he was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. All Rights Reserved. Postseason. While Gore has never led the league in rushing or made All-Pro, his consistency lands him at No. Follow Holcomb on Twitter at @dmholcomb. Harris disputed that and said he was 240 pounds as a rookie. In 2012, he made the All-Pro team with 1,590 rushing yards and 1,786 yards from scrimmage. Player Team Age Total Value Avg./Year Total Guaranteed Fully Guaranteed Free Agency; Christian McCaffrey: 49ers: 27: $64,063,412: $16,015,853: $36,346,412: $30,062,500 Gurley led the NFL in yards from scrimmage and won the Offensive Player of the Year award. 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. 'Top 10, he would not get laughs' Thirty-five picks elapsed before a team drafted a running back last year. Included are players that played for the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) from 1945-2022, the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) from 1940-1942 and the Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) from 1933-1939. Franco Harris arrives during the 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. 1 1. The running back ran for 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns on 307 carries, and caught 74 passes for 467 yards and three touchdowns. Find out more. In the following AFC title game against Miami, Pollard was held to just 48 yards rushing. Myles Jack 61 Minkah Fitzpatrick . After a slow start (for a seventh overall draft pick from . Fran Rogel: For Steelers fans who watched the team in the 1950s they would be familiar with a famous nursery rhyme with a Pittsburgh Steelers twist. 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. The 34-year-old made All-Pro twice, in 2008 and 2009, but he added two more All-Pro nominations during 2012 and 2015. Who Is The Best Running Back In The NFL Right Now? If Lions general manager Brad Holmes follows that plan exactly, Minnesota Golden Gophers' Mohamed Ibrahim would be a great late-round running back prospect for Detroit to target. 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 . Visit ESPN to view the Pittsburgh Steelers team depth chart for the current season 9-Rocky Bleier. Still, "CJ2K" comes in at No. Steelers running back James Conner (30) runs for a short gain past Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton (26) during the first half at Nissan Stadium. He spent much of 2019 injured, and team injuries across the board made it difficult to judge his performance fairly. All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD . He also was a punt returner, bringing back 20 punts with a 14.0 average per return. With teams shifting more to the passing game, these old-school running backs are becoming obsolete. 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. Bill Dudley also played with the Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins after leaving the Steelers, and finished his career with 3,057 yards rushing, 1,383 yards receiving, punted the ball for a total of 7,304 yards, and on defense intercepted 23 passes. But since then injuries have slowed him, and he's averaging 3.6 yards per attempt. 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. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. To prepare, we at Chargers Wire are previewing players from every position. February 27, 2023 3 min Watch. It was a hard task to actually rank all of the great running backs . Murray is another back who put together three strong seasons during his career and led the league in rushing once. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Bam Morris: Morris story is a sad, tragic, and unfulfilled one. There have been some running backs in Steelers history who had one or two good seasons in Pittsburgh, then went on their way. I predict that sometime in the next decade, an offensive coordinator will go back to power football and line up with a tight end, a fullback, and a tailback in an I-formation for most of the game. James Conner was thrust into the spotlight in 2018 when halfback LeVeon Bell held out for the entire season. He's posted 2,987 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns over the last three years. Conner responded with a Pro Bowl performance and gave Steeler Nation hope that hed become the next great Pittsburgh running back. Four of those were LeVeon Bell, but three were different players who stepped up in those seasons: Mendenhall (Pittsburgh's last first-round running back), Williams, Conner. For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers were considered a team that dominated with the run. Rocky Bleier came to the Steelers in 1968. Current team members are listed in bold. He would retire with 3,965 yards on the ground, second best in history for the Steelers at that time. He was an example of how great players can not only break the rules and succeed, but sometimes even make up their own rules. Even putting a left end at right end can cause a drop. If it was Fuqua who the ball last touched, it would not be a legal catch by Harris according to the rules in 1972. Fullback Franco Harris came to the Steelers in the 1972 draft and made an immediate impact. While that trio may be the best-best-of-the best to run behind Pittsburghs all-time offensive lines, there have been more than a handful of outstanding running backs for Pittsburgh since they began play in 1933. 2022 AFC North Standings. 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. Offseason Strategy: Already having their starting running back for the immediate future, the offseason as it concerns the running back position will be dedicated solely toward seeking out quality . (Note: The Steelers signed Derek Watt during the 2020 offseason and released Nix, who signed with Indianapolis. Franco Harris was a fullback, as was Merril Hoge and John Henry Johnson. As the tight end position increasingly becomes more of a focal point in offensive schemes , one can only imagine what this list will look like in years down the road. 20 and retired with that number despite the departure of Pearson to Dallas. Wanting the jersey number 26 which he wore at Notre Dame, Preston Pearson held those digits so Rocky settled for No. I want to travel the world and write. If that wasnt strange enough, Mendenhall got himself into hot water in 2011 as a Steeler when he tweeted a controversial reaction to the United States elimination of Osama bin Laden. (Fullback Roosevelt Nix spent most of 2019 injured and did not appear to have a viable replacement.) Murray made the All-Pro team and Pro Bowl that year. The 32-year-old has been a bit of a journeyman, playing for five different teams this decade. 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. Fuqua was not an original Steelers having been drafted by the New York Giants and then traded to Pittsburgh. All-time Rushing Leader: Franco Harris 2,881 att, 11,950 yds, 91 TD . He was also an excellent receiver, both out of the backfield and split out as a wide receiver. Dudley also scored on a lateraled pass and has kicked point-after-touchdowns as well as making successful field goals. 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 Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's a smaller sample size, but Elliott has also posted 131.2 yards from scrimmage per game in his three seasons. Fuqua will be forever remembered by Steelers fans as the intended receiver of Terry Bradshaws Immaculate Reception pass, which ricocheted into the arms of Franco Harris. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. He was cut twice but kept up his persistence. 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. 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 ranks 23rd all-time among Pittsburgh rushers having gained 1,504 yards as a Steeler. In the end Rocky Bleier rushed for 3,865 yards, 1,294 yards receiving on 136 catches and scored 25 times. Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. In three of his four NFL seasons, Gurley has rushed for more than 1,100 yards and at least 10 touchdowns. Players active with the Pittsburgh . [3], List of National Football League career rushing yards leaders, Players with at least 10,000 rushing yards, Players with at least 1,000 postseason rushing yards. 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. 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. This led to fans chanting Hey Diddle Diddle, Rogel Up the Middle. There was just one occasion that the Steelers failed to use Rogel on the games first play. That couldn't have been further from the truth. The Steelers have always had great defensive playersand that hasn't changedbut the Steelers of today have fallen into the trendy traps of modern offenses with little use for a fullback. Barry Foster first came to the attention of Steeler Nation in 1990 when he treated a kickoff as a punt, stood aside, and watched the ball bounce along the ground until the opposing team recovered it. 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. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. Looking at an NFL game today, something seems to be missing. Lynch was an underrated pass-catcher in his prime too. but every NFL team has talented players. 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. But twice he rushed for more than 1,400 yards, and as a rookie in 2012 Martin posted 1,926 yards from scrimmage. Anderson was traded mid-season in 1986; he played four games for the Cardinals and eight for the Giants. 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. For the Steelers he would rush for 2,243 yards five seasons. 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. The former Titan had only 28 catches for 294 yards last year . The last two seasons, with now-departed James Conner the No. Walter Abercrombie: To this day, Abercrombie is Baylor Universitys all-time leading rusher with 3,674 yards while scoring 22 touchdowns. Williams had his first 1,000-yard season and averaged 13.3 ppg. The Tigers picked up their sixth commitment for the 2024 recruiting cycle - and their first running back - Wednesday with the public . 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. The only exception in madden 22 was a glitched out ray Lewis that was 97 at mlb but 99 at r/lolb. 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. Sadly, the days of Steelers Football seem to have gone the way of the dropkick. Today, Abercrombie spends his days atsthe Executive Director for his alma mater leading the Baylor B Association which is an organization of previous letter winners for the university. 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 . They will be joined by this year's selection, making six for the 2022 season. Merril Hoge: Lasting until the 10th round in the 1987 NFL draft, Merril Hoge was a tough as nails runner for the Steelers who suffered a rash of concussion injuries that would cost him his career. Instagram Twitter Facebook Snapchat Shop Icon Profile Overlay Avatar Add Airplay Arrow Left Arrow Right Arrow Up Arrow Down Audio Back 5s Back 10s Back 30s Calendar Chart Check Down Left . Despite the occurrences of injury, Hoge ran for 3,115 yards as a Steeler and rushed for 21 touchdowns. Clemson running backs coach CJ Spiller got his man. [2] He led the NFL with 576 yards in 1932 and held on to the record throughout his career. Sproles has nearly as many receptions (460) as carries (516) since 2010, and he has 3,936 receiving yards. When a running back like Jerome Bettis, Franco Harris, or John Henry Johnson tramples linebackers and safeties all game, it grinds opponents down and destroys their will to compete. He is currently a free agent and the third oldest running back in the NFL, as well as the second oldest active running back. The days of Jim Brown or John Riggins getting 40 carries a game are gone. Doctors had told him following the enemy attack that his football days were over. The Pittsburgh Steelers Hall-of-Fame running back Franco Harris died Wednesday, just before the 50-year anniversary of his "Immaculate Reception" play. Feeling he had to listen to his boss, Kiesling had quarterback Jack Scarbath toss the ball which resulted in a touchdown to Goose McClairen. | In one of his final interviews before his . Keep in mind that accomplishments made only during this decade were considered for these rankings. The power running back is a dying breed in football. The 23-year-old was on his way to two straight special years to begin his NFL career before the Chiefs cut him following his involvement with a woman in a domestic dispute. Christian McCaffrey (2019) This past season, McCaffrey became the third running back in NFL history to generate over 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in a single season. Reportedly, a local sportswriter told Rooney that Kiesling purposely made his lineman jump offsides so they could run their bread-and-butter Rogel running play first. Amos Zereoue: Another fan favorite was West Virginia University product, Famous Amos Zereoue. Regular season. 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. One return went to the house. Winning three Super Bowls helps earn you a spot on this list too. Fuqua led the . DeAngelo Williams Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images. 10 on the Steelers' all-time rushing list with 3,549 yards. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Unfortunately, injuries have slowed him over the last couple of years and prevented him from running for more than 865 yards in a season. Mendenhall spent five seasons in Pittsburgh and was a member of two Super Bowl teams. His teammate Terry Hanratty, the QB at Notre Dame during that tenure became a Steeler as well. Still young at 38 years of age, Zereoue stays in shape these days by playing soccer for a New York amateur club called the Central Park Rangers FC. Which of these tight ends has left a lasting legacy in the city of Pittsburgh? Some readers are probably going to argue this is too high for Forte. While one is considered a fullback and the other a halfback, they share more commonalities than differences in their duties. Sidney Thornton: Another stout running back for Pittsburgh was the bullish Thornton who weighed in at 230 pounds during his play days in Pittsburgh from 1977 to 1982. Other teams (like the Steelers) have one but rarely use him. 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. Greatest Power Backs in NFL History. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. As a Steelers, he was occasionally brilliant but more often disappointing. Still, Bleier became a starter in the backfield with Harris and shined. But during the Super Bowl seasons of 1978 and 1979, Sidney Thornton played a significant role in the Steelers' rushing attack. 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. By his second season as a Steeler, he had become the heir apparent to Jerome Bettis. Cameron Heyward (2011), T.J. Watt (2017), Terrell Edmunds (2018), Devin Bush Jr. (2019), and Najee Harris (2022) are the five remaining first-rounders still on the Steelers roster. Franco Harris gets most of the credit for that infamous incident, but Terry Bradshaws passing attempt on that play was originally intended for Fuqua who was decleated by Jack Tatum. Bell will pay the price this season with a three-game suspension to start the 2015 season. Najee Harris warming to Steelers' running back-by-committee approach. But from 2010-17, Forte averaged 1,419 yards from scrimmage per season. Bettis will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2015 in August, and the accomplishments to be praised that day are only part of why he was the man during his 10 seasons with the Steelers.