steelers running backs last 10 years

Time to profile some of the outstanding and popular running backs to suit up for the Steelers. 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. Charles also ran for 1,509 yards in 2012 and 1,033 yards in 2014. 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. Former Steelers running back Willie Parker (39) acknowledges the crowd during a 2018 against the Chargers at Heinz Field. Keep in mind that accomplishments made only during this decade were considered for these rankings. In nine seasons all as a Steeler, Pollard scored 20 touchdowns. Hunt offers some stability in the pass-game as he had 44 . That changed over the last decade or so, due to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's emergence as an elite . In 2016 he had one of the best seasons for a running back in recent memory, accumulating a league-high 2,118 yards from scrimmage, including at least 100 yards in the first 15 games of the year. Which of these tight ends has left a lasting legacy in the city of Pittsburgh? These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Who Is The Best Wide Receiver In The NFL Right Now? Do you have a sports website? It was thought by the Steelers coaching staff and fans alike that Pittsburgh had found their new star running back. Bell was a unique back in Steelers history due to both the wide-open offense he played in and his careful, patient running style. 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. He also was a punt returner, bringing back 20 punts with a 14.0 average per return. Playing players out of position in mut will make there overall go down now. 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. He's been named All-Pro and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns during each of the last two years too. Reports this off-season show he weighed in at 244 pounds from 232 last season. Matte took over for another fantastic white running back, former Heisman Trophy winner and 1958 NFL Championship Game hero Alan Ameche. 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. Starters per season [ edit] These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers . Morris peaked as a rookie, rushing for 1,613 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2012. Looking at an NFL game today, something seems to be missing. Fuqua led the . 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. LeVeon Bell made his mark with the Steelers running in this kind of offense. Prior to being drafted by the Army for service, Bleier was a University of Notre Dame product graduating in 1968 earning a degree in Business Management. He's posted 2,987 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns over the last three years. Williams led the NFL in touchdowns last season with 17. Conner responded with a Pro Bowl performance and gave Steeler Nation hope that hed become the next great Pittsburgh running back. 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. His career ended on a sad note in Minnesota, but Peterson regained his form with another 1,000-yard season with Washington in 2018. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some great tight ends throughout the franchise's history. Today we ranked the Pittsburgh Steeler Running Backs throughout their franchise! Pittsburgh Steelers Stats: The official source for Pittsburgh Steelers game statistics . Outside linebacker Joey Porter came to Pittsburgh in 1999. 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. NICK CHUBB, CLEVELAND BROWNS. He peculiarly retired after that one campaign with the Cardinals. Injuries hurt Foster later in his career, but he did record 1,246 rushing yards in 2014. 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. In his first three seasons, Ingram ran for more than 600 yards in a season just once. The former Heisman Trophy winner is another example of a highly regarded college back getting off to a slow start in the NFL. He posted 1,000-yard rushing seasons in each of the first three years of the decade. But twice he rushed for more than 1,400 yards, and as a rookie in 2012 Martin posted 1,926 yards from scrimmage. Murray made the All-Pro team and Pro Bowl that year. 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. The only exception in madden 22 was a glitched out ray Lewis that was 97 at mlb but 99 at r/lolb. But he's rushed for more than 1,000 yards in a season twice, and he led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns in 2016. The former Titan had only 28 catches for 294 yards last year . Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Near the end of an uneventful rookie season, he was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. 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. Still, Johnson's All-Pro 2016 season was enough to land him on the list. With the Bears and Jets, Forte posted 7,629 rushing yards and 11,353 yards from scrimmage from 2010-17. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Unfortunately for Johnson, his 2,000-yard season came in 2009, so it just missed the cut for counting on this list. 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He spent much of 2019 injured, and team injuries across the board made it difficult to judge his performance fairly. Do you have a blog? He sill holds the single season record for rushing for Pittsburgh with 1,690 yards gained in 1992. Tracy ran for 2,717 yards and 15 touchdowns in his time with Pittsburgh and caught 96 passes for 1,322 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2016, the last of which with the Titans. He's another back who never led the league in rushing and never made All-Pro. 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. Harris was a part of four championship team and would be named to the Pro Bowl nine times. It's Le'Veon Bell because there is thought given to picking players who could function as a unit if the position require that. Lynch was an underrated pass-catcher in his prime too. (Fullback Roosevelt Nix spent most of 2019 injured and did not appear to have a viable replacement.) In both seasons, he made All-Pro. Today he is 68 and still colorful. 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. All-time Rushing Leader: Franco Harris 2,881 att, 11,950 yds, 91 TD . Still, "CJ2K" comes in at No. He's rushed for only 2,599 yards this decade, but everyone knows he's far more than just a running back. But Stewart posted 5,366 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns in the decade. During that year, Peterson won league MVP the last running back to do so. Always free! It's an inspiring story, but if Bleier wasn't one of the best running backs in Steelers' history, he wouldn't have made this list. Jerome Bettis is the latest Steelers running back to become a member in Canton, Ohio. In the following AFC title game against Miami, Pollard was held to just 48 yards rushing. This decade, Sproles has also led the league in punt return yardage twice. Chances are it is an announcer who remembers some of the great backs in Steelers history and how they dominated the game. He was an example of how great players can not only break the rules and succeed, but sometimes even make up their own rules. Barkley was a huge reason why the Giants returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. He joins Franco Harris and John Henry Johnson. How an 8-year-old inspired Najee Harris' 5-TD performance vs. Ole Miss. This was the age of the feature back, when one superstar halfback got most of the carries. 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. Najee Harris warming to Steelers' running back-by-committee approach. 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. Bullet Bill Dudley is also in the record books for the National Football League as the only man to run for a touchdown, catch a touchdown pass, return a punt for a score, run to the end zone on a kickoff return, intercept a pass for a pick-six, pick up a fumble and reach pay dirt, and throw a touchdown pass. He posted more than 1,900 yards from scrimmage twice, in 2010 and 2013. The following is another in a series that picks a Steelers All-Modern Era Team. 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. On a better team, Jones-Drew may have been able to flourish for longer than three seasons, but from 2009-11, he was one of the best backs in the league. When it comes to this room, the Steelers are indeed looking for them to step up. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. As a Steeler, Bettis crashed his way for 10,571 rushing yards and 78 rushing touchdowns, both second-best in team history. Meanwhile, at No. Parker was perhaps the fastest running back ever to play for the Steelers. A dominant defense and an unstoppable running gamethats Steelers Football. 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. 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. 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. He ran for 5,378 yards while playing at Heinz Field. During this decade, he earned two Pro Bowl nominations and an All-Pro bid. Wanting the jersey number 26 which he wore at Notre Dame, Preston Pearson held those digits so Rocky settled for No. The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2020 running back room has the assortments of all the skillsets you could find around the NFL. 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. As a rookie, on a terrible offense, he finished as a top 24 running back in 93% of his games last year. Murray rushed for 7,174 yards and 49 touchdowns with the Cowboys, Eagles and Titans in the 2010s. 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. Who the heck is this guy, we all wondered aloud, but in much more colorful language. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 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. 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 One return went to the house. He will be called an innovator or maybe even a genius when his team wins a Super Bowl by smashing its way through flimsy NFL defenses that are designed to stop passing attacks. 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. 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. Gordon averaged a career-best 5.1 yards per carry in 2018. Each offense makes its own set of demands on running backs, and every back mentioned in this article needed a specific set of attributes to succeed. 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. He made nine straight Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team and finished his career as the leading rusher in team history and No. 10 on the Steelers' all-time rushing list with 3,549 yards. His 4.3 yards-per-carry average for his career is second only to John Henry Johnsons 4.4 and ties him with Wille Parker among Pittsburghs top ten rushers in history for yardage. After a slow start (for a seventh overall draft pick from . As a Steeler, Famous Amos ran the ball 434 times for 1,698 yards and was a powerful running back at 205 pounds on a 58 frame. 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. Joey Porter. Thornton was also a member of the Super Bowl winning teams for Pittsburgh in 1979 and 1980. Amos Zereoue: Another fan favorite was West Virginia University product, Famous Amos Zereoue. This list of past Steelers tight ends features former greats, current impact players, and even future stars. Beast Mode's freakish combination of power and finesse was unlike any running back that came before him. Everything in the NFL goes in cycles. The All-Modern Era team is made up of 26 players - 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and four specialists. West Virginia's Senate passed a bill Monday that would give $25,000 in tax credits to former residents who move back to the state to work. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. During the decade, he has 8,834 rushing yards five 1,000-yard seasons and 71 touchdowns. . Perhaps one of the most popular and beloved Steelers players of all-time, Bleier became famous before he ever established himself as Franco Harriss partner in crime based on his experiences in the Vietnam War. Gurley led the NFL in yards from scrimmage and won the Offensive Player of the Year award. By 1995, Foster was out of Pittsburgh and out of the NFL, thus ending his short, dramatic, and bizarre pro football career. 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. In 2015 Williams rejuvenated his career with the Steelers, filling in for the suspended and injured Le'Veon Bell for 10 games. The Steelers will win 5 games this year, Canada will be fired, and Tomlin will "resign." . Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. 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. In 2007, Fuqua created a candy and marketed it as The Immaculate Confection. But aside from that 1972 playoff game with the Oakland Raiders, Fuqua could be seen off the field wearing the flashiest of clothes that included shoes with see-through heals and live fish in them. 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 . Dudley could do it all on the field as he was just not a back but a defensive back, punter, and place kicker. Harris is one of the main reasons the Steelers won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. He made another Pro Bowl in 1993 but only rushed for half as many yards due to injuries. Still, I think he is deserving of the number 16 spot on this list of all-time great Steelers backs. Harris played 980 offensive snaps during the regular season . The Steelers ran out the pro set for most of the 1970s and 1980s under head coach Chuck Noll. Only stats for Regular Season Games have been included. 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. The 32-year-old has yet to post a 1,000-yard season this decade, and judging by the fact he had only six rushing attempt last season, he's probably going to end the 2010s without one. Parker ran for 1,200 yards or better in three straight seasons and led the Steelers to two Super Bowl wins. He was cut twice but kept up his persistence. Of course we are talking about the Immaculate Reception. 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. Jerome "The Bus" Bettis tops our list as the Steelers best running back of all time. 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. Landry Jones (2015-2017) Tommy Maddox (2002-2005) Terry Bradshaw (1970-1983) The number of games they started during the season is listed to the right of their name: Season. Took pay cuts, and continued to stay. Former season 27 " Dancing With the Stars " competitor John Schneider has returned to social media following the death of his wife, Alicia Allain. Williams recorded at least 730 rushing yards in a season four times . Eight players have been recognized as having held the career rushing yards record in the NFL. Emmitt Smith leads with 18,365 yards and is also the postseason leader with 1,586. The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 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. But he still turned in two more 1,000-yard seasons and recorded at least 800 yards from scrimmage in four seasons this decade. CHARLESTON, W.Va. . Emailed daily. 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. It's hard to believe, but the second decade of the 21st century is nearly complete. In three of his four NFL seasons, Gurley has rushed for more than 1,100 yards and at least 10 touchdowns. As the tight end position increasingly becomes more of a focal point in offensive schemes , one. The first requirement is an intimidating defense that dominates opponents and makes it tough for them to put points on the board. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . Winning three Super Bowls helps earn you a spot on this list too. Walter Abercrombie: To this day, Abercrombie is Baylor Universitys all-time leading rusher with 3,674 yards while scoring 22 touchdowns. Buffalo 2007-10; Seattle 2010-15, '19; Oakland 2017-18. 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. They will be joined by this year's selection, making six for the 2022 season. As a Steelers, he was occasionally brilliant but more often disappointing. Of course, we all know why. name the pittsburgh steelers running back to the last 10 years. It wasn't too long ago that Freeman was regarded as a top-five back in the league. Adrian Peterson is a running back with over thirteen years in the NFL. Sowhos the greatest tight end in Pittsburgh Steelers history? Last season he was in the top five among running backs in several categories. The last two seasons, with now-departed James Conner the No. For the Steelers he would rush for 2,243 yards five seasons. Willie Parker: Fast Willie Parker actually lands in third place all-time among Pittsburgh rushers. but every NFL team has talented players. Not entirely. This list of past Steelers tight ends features former greats, current impact players, and even future stars. Dudley also found himself on kickoff returns where he fielded 11 of those for 298 yards (27.0 average). 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 . The Pittsburgh Steelers Hall-of-Fame running back Franco Harris died Wednesday, just before the 50-year anniversary of his "Immaculate Reception" play. Picking Le'Veon Bell here might be one of those choices that spurs debate among fans, but it comes down to the belief he's going to become the Steelers' version of Marshall Faulk. Barry Foster: Unfortunately for Barry Foster, his career was short in the Burgh. 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'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. 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. The next ingredient is a tough, hard-nosed rushing attack that controls the ball and methodically plows through opposing defenses. Ranking the AFC North running backs. Sadly, the days of Steelers Football seem to have gone the way of the dropkick. Bleier starred in Super Bowl XIII with a touchdown reception and a recovered onside kick to seal Pittsburghs third NFL title. Los Angeles' running backs are in a bit of a limbo right . Unfortunately, his tenure with the Steelers came to a dramatic end with a contract dispute in 2018, but during his time with the team, he was one of the greatest. After five seasons of never finishing higher than RB34, Williams had a career year in 2022, finishing as the overall RB18. 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. The quick-footed big guy ran over, through and around defenders for nine years with the Steelers. During recent years, he's become somewhat forgotten in Buffalo, but McCoy has both All-Pro seasons and multiple 1,000-yard campaigns to his credit this decade. 4M; . Bleier believed the doctors were wrong and reported to Steelers training camp a year after he left the war. 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. Drafted in the third round by the Steelers, Zereoue would play from 1999 to 2003 in Black and Gold before finishing his career in Oakland for one season and another in New England. Even putting a left end at right end can cause a drop. But it was his story of injury during the war that gave him notoriety at the start of his career. There have been some running backs in Steelers history who had one or two good seasons in Pittsburgh, then went on their way. Join our linker program. 1 1. All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD . In the end Rocky Bleier rushed for 3,865 yards, 1,294 yards receiving on 136 catches and scored 25 times. A bullet pierced his left thigh in Vietnam and further injuries occurred when a grenade exploded near him putting shrapnel in his lower right leg. Franco Harris arrives during the 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. 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. He scored seven touchdowns and caught the ball 22 times for an additional 204 yards and a 9.3 yards-per-reception mark. 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. He earned the Super Bowl MVP award after running for 158 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings in Super Bowl IX. The trend in the modern NFL is to run the ball out of single-back sets, often from a shotgun or pistol formation. He stepped in for a banged-up Willie Parker in 2009 and ran for 1,108 yards and seven touchdowns. 4. He lasted just five seasons but they were filled with success. The next season, he racked up 1,273 yards and 13 touchdowns on the way to an AFC Championship win. Foster timed his career perfectly for this list, breaking out with 1,616 yards, leading the league in rushing, in 2010.

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