steelers running backs last 10 years

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. Some teams also used them as receivers, and fullbacks like Larry Centers made a living catching passes out of the backfield. His entire career was with the Steelers and he would finish those six seasons with 1,512 yards and 18 touchdowns. Sproles has nearly as many receptions (460) as carries (516) since 2010, and he has 3,936 receiving yards. As a Steelers, he was occasionally brilliant but more often disappointing. Visit ESPN to view the Pittsburgh Steelers team depth chart for the current 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. He spent his first year in the NFL with the Giants before coming to the Steelers in 1970. Steelers running back James Conner (30) runs for a short gain past Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton (26) during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Dudley also served his country during World War II as a member of the Army and played for that team while away from the NFL. Since the merger in 1970, the Pittsburgh Steelers have rushed for more yards than any other team in the National Football League, and this commitment got two of their running backs elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 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. TODAY: Running backs. But Harris and the Steelers' rushing attack were just getting started. This list of past Steelers tight ends features former greats, current impact players, and even future stars. Bill Dudley: Bullet Bill was his nickname and a great running back he was. 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 . Posted August 12, 2019 In '94, he ran for 851 yards despite missing five games. Looking at an NFL game today, something seems to be missing. Eight players have been recognized as having held the career rushing yards record in the NFL. Overall, Charles recorded 8,110 yards from scrimmage during the decade with the Chiefs, Broncos and Jaguars from 2010-18. When it comes to this room, the Steelers are indeed looking for them to step up. but every NFL team has talented players. 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. 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. The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . 9-Rocky Bleier. 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. [2] He led the NFL with 576 yards in 1932 and held on to the record throughout his career. Tackles. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Which of these tight ends has left a lasting legacy in the city of Pittsburgh? Playing players out of position in mut will make there overall go down now. Still, I think he is deserving of the number 16 spot on this list of all-time great Steelers backs. Both backs had to run well with the ball and have the skills to block for the other. Well, he's worth a lot more now. Quite a contrast to kick off this list. Regular season. In 2011 and 2013, he made All-Pro, and in 2013 he posted 2,146 yards from scrimmage. Emailed daily. The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2020 running back room has the assortments of all the skillsets you could find around the NFL. Photos from the career of former Steelers running back and Hall of Fame finalist Jerome Bettis. 5. Today, Johnson is one of the former Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Last season he was in the top five among running backs in several categories. Despite the occurrences of injury, Hoge ran for 3,115 yards as a Steeler and rushed for 21 touchdowns. The 34-year-old made All-Pro twice, in 2008 and 2009, but he added two more All-Pro nominations during 2012 and 2015. The former Titan had only 28 catches for 294 yards last year . But since then he has a pair of 1,000-yard rushing years and 4,545 yards on the ground in five years. 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. The role of the fullback changed dramatically when the I-formation came into vogue in the 1980s. Those three men will be bypassed for this article despite Johnson ranking third in the all-time rushing yardage for the Black and Gold. It's hard to believe, but the second decade of the 21st century is nearly complete. Bettis came to the team at a time of free agency where the franchise didn't have the financial wherewithal that since has been created by Heinz Field, and yet he stayed. He holds the team record for most rushing yards in a career (11,950) as well as most rushing touchdowns (91) and total touchdowns (100). He's posted 2,987 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns over the last three years. 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. 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. The following is another in a series that picks a Steelers All-Modern Era Team. Harris disputed that and said he was 240 pounds as a rookie. Bell made three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams as a Steeler. Teams run RPOs, or run-pass option plays, where the quarterback decides after the snap whether he will hand the ball off or throw a pass. He spent his first year in the NFL with the Giants before coming to the Steelers in 1970. 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. This means two backs in the backfield, usually lined up side by side. Conner responded with a Pro Bowl performance and gave Steeler Nation hope that hed become the next great Pittsburgh running back. Clemson running backs coach CJ Spiller got his man. He'll likely end up with a good chunk of dough in free agency, but it's hard to believe . Advertisement In some form or fashion, the Steelers will need to add quality depth to . The controversy surrounds what is called by many as the Greatest play in NFL history. Harris was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. He made another Pro Bowl in 1993 but only rushed for half as many yards due to injuries. 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. Pittsburgh has fielded plenty of those defensive units over the years, and there are more than a few Steelers defenders in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Fuqua to this day refuses to give his take on what actually took place. 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. February 27, 2023 3 min Watch. They will be joined by this year's selection, making six for the 2022 season. 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. Across the decade, Martin has posted 5,356 rushing yards and 32 total touchdowns. He lasted just five seasons but they were filled with success. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. 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 . Bell rushed for 1,361 yards in 2014, but what turned that into first-team All-Pro recognition were his 83 catches for 854 yards. Year Top Defense. Outside linebacker Joey Porter came to Pittsburgh in 1999. However, from 2010-14 he was the best all-purpose back in the league. DeAngelo Williams Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images. Harris was a part of four championship team and would be named to the Pro Bowl nine times. But during the Super Bowl seasons of 1978 and 1979, Sidney Thornton played a significant role in the Steelers' rushing attack. Bleier was an outstanding lead blocker as well as being able to run the ball well and also had solid hands as a receiver. He would retire with 3,965 yards on the ground, second best in history for the Steelers at that time. Myles Jack 61 Minkah Fitzpatrick . He amassed an incredible 449 touches in 2014 on his way to 1,845 rushing yards and 2,261 yards from scrimmage. By 1974, Bleier was weighing in at 212 pounds and he made the team to stay. name the pittsburgh steelers running back to the last 10 years. This decade, Sproles has also led the league in punt return yardage twice. Today we ranked the Pittsburgh Steeler Running Backs throughout their franchise! OTHERS TO CONSIDER Starting this list chronologically is as good a way as any. James Conner finished his career in Pittsburgh as the #17 ranked rusher in Steelers history. But since then injuries have slowed him, and he's averaging 3.6 yards per attempt. Thornton was also a member of the Super Bowl winning teams for Pittsburgh in 1979 and 1980. He would end up moving to the Dallas Cowboys where he would get a chance to face off against his former team in two more Super Bowls (X and XIII). RASHARD MENDENHALL came to the Steelers as a first-round pick in 2008, and after spending the bulk of his rookie season on the injured reserve list, he rushed for 3,309 yards on 812 carries (4.1 average) and 29 touchdowns from 2009-11. He never made a Pro Bowl and never had a 1,000-yard season, but he appeared in 111 games over nine seasons and managed to rack up 3,989 career rushing yards. Follow Holcomb on Twitter at @dmholcomb. That's the equivalent of more than two seasons. As a Steeler, Bettis crashed his way for 10,571 rushing yards and 78 rushing touchdowns, both second-best in team history. He's another back who never led the league in rushing and never made All-Pro. 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. James Conner was thrust into the spotlight in 2018 when halfback LeVeon Bell held out for the entire season. That's Steelers football. 1. Touchdowns. In one of his final interviews before his . He would eventually become the feature back, but in 2009 he suffered Jack Lamberts injury, turf toe and was replaced by Rashard Mendenhall in the process. The 33rd Team. All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points Nick Chubb finished first the AFC North in 2021 with 1,259 rushing yards, despite finishing third with 228 carries. In Super Bowl XXX when the Steelers lost to the Dallas Cowboys that many thought that Pittsburgh could have won if not for Neil ODonnells errant interceptions, Morris rushed for 73 yards on 19 carries and scored a touchdown. All Rights Reserved. Merril Hoge was a versatile fullback who could carry the ball, catch passes, and block. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. LeVeon Bell: Finally we have our current star in the making. He finished his career in Pittsburgh with 3,115 rushing yards, 241 receptions, and 34 total touchdowns. From 2010-13, Johnson rushed for 4,731 yards and 27 touchdowns. 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. At the time of the second injury, he was no longer with the Steelers but playing for the Chicago Bears and sued that teams doctor resulting in a $1.55 million judgment in favor of Hoge. First running back gets drafted in the seventh round. Lists that rank the greatest players and coaches in the history of the NFL franchise. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. He was intensive care for 48 hours and this forced his retirement. Pittsburgh Steelers Stats: The official source for Pittsburgh Steelers game statistics . The Senate passed the bill . 9, we . And that's with missing the 2016 season because of retirement. He caught 57 passes for 338 yards as well. It is tough to guess what the future holds for Connor in the NFL. The first requirement is an intimidating defense that dominates opponents and makes it tough for them to put points on the board. In the last 10 years, 10 different backs have led the league in PPR scoring. In 2015 he finished second in the league in rushing and earned a spot on the All-Pro Team. The next season, he racked up 1,273 yards and 13 touchdowns on the way to an AFC Championship win. In 1999 the Chiefs cut him and his life spiraled out of control with drug problems and jail time. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2016, the last of which with the Titans. He posted 1,000-yard rushing seasons in each of the first three years of the decade. 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. Los Angeles' running backs are in a bit of a limbo right . Allain died on February 21, 2023, following a . 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. Still, "CJ2K" comes in at No. The only exception in madden 22 was a glitched out ray Lewis that was 97 at mlb but 99 at r/lolb. He also posted many of his best seasons in the previous decade, which robbed him of a chance at the top 10 on this list. 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. 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.