Dickerson was traded mid-season in 1987; he played three games for the Rams and nine for the Colts. The next season, he racked up 1,273 yards and 13 touchdowns on the way to an AFC Championship win. The former Heisman Trophy winner is another example of a highly regarded college back getting off to a slow start in the NFL. Rashard Mendenhall only played five seasons with the Steelers but rushed for a respectable 3,549 yards in 57 games. Jerome Bettis (1996-2005). 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. The Tigers picked up their sixth commitment for the 2024 recruiting cycle - and their first running back - Wednesday with the public . He's posted 2,987 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns over the last three years. Since reliable yardage statistics were not recorded prior to 1932, the first NFL player recognized as the career leader in rushing yards was Cliff Battles, who played from 1932 to 1937 for the Boston Braves / Boston Redskins / Washington Redskins. Injuries hurt Foster later in his career, but he did record 1,246 rushing yards in 2014. Franco Harris is the Pittsburgh Steelers career leader in rushing yards with 11,950. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 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. Charles also ran for 1,509 yards in 2012 and 1,033 yards in 2014. The following is the Pittsburgh Steelers all-time roster, browsable by last name or position. Without further ado, here are the best 25 NFL running backs of this decade: It will be surprising to some that Johnson isn't a little higher on this list. He led the Steelers in rushing from 1961 to 1964 and made three straight Pro Bowls from 1962 to '64. 1. 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. He posted more than 1,900 yards from scrimmage twice, in 2010 and 2013. 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. Dudley also scored on a lateraled pass and has kicked point-after-touchdowns as well as making successful field goals. And that's with missing the 2016 season because of retirement. Williams had his first 1,000-yard season and averaged 13.3 ppg. Watt is a fullback who saw a lot of snaps during his time with the Chargers.). He spent his first year in the NFL with the Giants before coming to the Steelers in 1970. All rights reserved. During the decade, he has posted 9,187 yards five 1,000-yard seasons and 56 touchdowns. TODAY: Running backs. 7. He already has as many touchdowns rushing as Bam Morris Unfortunately, before the season began last year, Bell was arrested with LeGarrette Blount for a DWI and possession of marijuana. 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. Conner responded with a Pro Bowl performance and gave Steeler Nation hope that hed become the next great Pittsburgh running back. 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. His rookie contract was voided after his fourth season, after just one in Pittsburgh, and there were opportunities to leave. Myles Jack 61 Minkah Fitzpatrick . . . His entire career was with the Steelers and he would finish those six seasons with 1,512 yards and 18 touchdowns. 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. They got a lot of carries in an era when both the fullback and halfback needed to contribute to the running game. Pittsburgh Steelers Career Rushing Leaders. Frank Pollard: In the mid-1980s, a stout Frank Pollard became the Steelers primary running back. Drafted by the Steelers in 1942 and in his rookie season led the NFL in rushing with 696 yards. Bam Morris: Morris story is a sad, tragic, and unfulfilled one. 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. 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 . The first requirement is an intimidating defense that dominates opponents and makes it tough for them to put points on the board. Starters per season [ edit] These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers . Hoak's record as the team's running backs coach was 149-90-1, making him the third-most successful running backs coach in Pittsburgh Steelers history. Time to profile some of the outstanding and popular running backs to suit up for the Steelers. A fullback is not required in this type of offensive game plan. Harris played 980 offensive snaps during the regular season . Of course we are talking about the Immaculate Reception. Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. Preston Pearson: Pearson wore Rocky Bleiers college number of 26 and was a solid football player who was a member of the Steelers first Super Bowl winning team in 1975 when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings 16-6 in Super Bowl IX. Vote below for who you think is the best Pittsburgh Steelers tight end of all time, then head over and check out the top Pittsburgh Steelers players ever. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some great tight ends throughout the franchise's history. Williams recorded at least 730 rushing yards in a season four times . He made four Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team as a Steeler and inspired a Pittsburgh Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XLone of the greatest wins in Steelers history. Only stats for Regular Season Games have been included. Who should be on top of the Steelers NFL Free Agency board? 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. When running the ball, they often do so out of one-back sets and shotgun and pistol formations. LeVeon Bell made his mark with the Steelers running in this kind of offense. With the 2019 season, there is still time to influence who lands where among a list of the best running backs of the decade. 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 With the Bears and Jets, Forte posted 7,629 rushing yards and 11,353 yards from scrimmage from 2010-17. But from 2010-17, Forte averaged 1,419 yards from scrimmage per season. Regular season. Rashard Mendenhall: Like Barry Foster before him, Rashard Mendenhall was done with professional football by the age of 26. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Many teams even rotate three or more backs throughout the game, with all getting an equal number of carries. By 1974, Bleier was weighing in at 212 pounds and he made the team to stay. Gordon averaged a career-best 5.1 yards per carry in 2018. Having gone through a tough contract negotiation in 1995, the Steelers instead of trying to settle traded Foster over to the Carolina Panthers who then cut the running back in training camp due to a failed physical. Harris was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. 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. Steelers running back James Conner (30) runs for a short gain past Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton (26) during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Twenty-three slots went by before the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Najee Harris in 2021. 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. 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. All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD . CHARLESTON, W.Va. . As the tight end position increasingly becomes more of a focal point in offensive schemes , one. 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. 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 . James Conner was thrust into the spotlight in 2018 when halfback LeVeon Bell held out for the entire season. 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. Emmitt Smith leads with 18,365 yards and is also the postseason leader with 1,586. 9, we . 1 1. MORE: 2023 Dynasty Rookie Rankings. Today, Johnson is one of the former Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The mid-'80s were a tough time for Steeler Nation. At 244 pounds, Morris was a load running behind the offensive line and his numbers backed up his train rushing efforts. As a Steeler, Bettis crashed his way for 10,571 rushing yards and 78 rushing touchdowns, both second-best in team history. There have been some running backs in Steelers history who had one or two good seasons in Pittsburgh, then went on their way. The quick-footed big guy ran over, through and around defenders for nine years with the Steelers. 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. He had the highest usage rate among running backs at 35.8% and was third in red-zone touches with 61. However, it's not too early to break down the best from the 2010s either. 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. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Players active with the Pittsburgh . But Jackson was still one of the best runners of the 2010s. In later years Bleier helped pen a book about himself and a movie was made about his story titled Fighting Back.. The real results of who touched it first is still undetermined to this day. 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. Playing players out of position in mut will make there overall go down now.

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