With 25 seasons in the books this century, and with no football activity for another month, now seems like a good time to put together our Steelers Quarter-Century Team.
This is a list Dejan Kovacevic and I began putting together on the road trip to Baltimore for the infamous 299 game. Having had this in my notes for about six months, it's now time to unveil what we came up with.
The way this is put together is a starting 11 on each side of the ball. And, there is a first team and second team for both sides of the ball. The offense is 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end), so there are three receivers on each team with no fullbacks. That keeps in spirit with the direction of the NFL for the better part of this time period, especially over the past decade. The defense is also the typical 3-4 defense we've seen over the past 25 seasons.
Remember, this is judged based off only the past 25 seasons. This does not take into account any performance from prior to the year 2000 since there are players on this list who played before the turn of the century. I also ran this by a few players from this era and got their thoughts, as well. They're the ones who played with a lot of these guys, so I value their opinions.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
• Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger
There are going to be some obvious no-brainers. This one tops them all. Drafted to be a franchise quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger helped deliver two Super Bowls. Going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Enough said.
• Running Back: Le'Veon Bell
While Jerome Bettis' career is certainly better, Le'Veon Bell had a longer reign of dominance since 2000. Bettis was on the back half of his career by 2000, with his best days behind him. Bell rushed for at least 1,250 yards three times and racked up at least 1,884 yards from scrimmage three times, despite sustaining a major knee injury in 2015. He was a two-time first-team All-Pro and twice finished in the top six for Offensive Player of the Year. For a good four-year stretch, Bell was was one of best running backs in the NFL.
• Wide Receivers: Antonio Brown, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes
Two no-brainers here. Despite a slew of off-the-field issues, both during his Steelers career and well after, Antonio Brown is the best receiver in franchise history. He led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards on two different occasions. From 2011-18, no receiver in football was more productive than Brown, ranking first in receptions (821), yards (11,040) and touchdowns (74). Hines Ward is another no-brainer, as he's the franchise leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He was second-team All-Pro three straight seasons in 2002-04, and he was named MVP of Super Bowl XL.
As for a third here, Santonio Holmes makes the most sense. While his all-time numbers with the franchise are below some others, Holmes forever has his mark in Steelers history by making the game-winning catch in Super Bowl XLIII, one of the greatest plays in NFL history. He was also named MVP of that game, so this decision was pretty easy.
• Tight End: Heath Miller
Heath Miller isn't just the best Steelers tight end of this century, but in the franchise's history. No Steelers tight end has more catches, receiving yards or receiving touchdowns than Miller. He also played at a high level for his entire 11-year career from 2005-2015.
• Left Tackle: Marvel Smith
The Steelers don't have a ton of great left tackles in their history, but Marvel Smith was most consistent for the longest period of time. He played nine seasons from 2000-08, and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2004. Injuries cut his career short, but he was very reliable for a long time. The closest thing the Steelers have had this century to a franchise left tackle.
• Left Guard: Alan Faneca
No brainer. Alan Faneca is not only the greatest guard in Steelers history, but one of the greatest guards to ever play the game. He earned his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And, no Steelers fan should forget the block he threw to help spring Willie Parker for his 75-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XL.
• Center: Maurkice Pouncey
The Steelers have had some great centers, and Maurkice Pouncey is right up there for consideration with Mike Webster and Dermontti Dawson. He twice earned first-team All-Pro honors, and thrice earned second-team All-Pro honors over a 10-year career. There are few players that Mike Tomlin holds in higher regard than Pouncey, and hearing him lament a couple years ago over Pouncey not winning a Super Bowl should tell you everything you need to know.
• Right Guard: David DeCastro
David DeCastro lived up to the hype of being a first-round pick, which is especially impressive since he was a guard. DeCastro was a two-time first-team All-Pro and was also second-team All-Pro one other time. He only played nine seasons, but you can't another right guard more capable than DeCastro during this time.
• Right Tackle: Marcus Gilbert
Marcus Gilbert doesn't have the resume of the other four linemen, but he was consistent on the right side of a stout offensive line. Max Starks might have deserved some consideration here, but he played more snaps at left tackle, so you'll have to wait for the second-team offense to see if he makes it there.
Cam Heyward is one of the greatest Steelers of all time. And there's just something special about great defensive linemen with this franchise. Aaron Smith was underrated league-wide throughout his entire career, making just one Pro Bowl in 2004. But Smith racked up 44 sacks over his career, was a model of consistency on defenses that helped win two Super Bowls in the 2000s and rightfully earned his place in the team's Hall of Honor. Casey Hampton is in the Hall of Honor, too, as he anchored the defensive line for 12 years and earned five trips to the Pro Bowl.
• Edge Rushers: T.J. Watt, James Harrison
Talk about a spoil of riches. The Steelers seem to always have amazing outside linebackers, but nobody matches T.J. Watt. He's only 30 years old, and he's already the franchise's sack leader (108). James Harrison is third on that list with 80.5 sacks in black and gold. While he continues to fight for consideration for the Hall of Fame, it's easy to put the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year next to Watt.
• Inside Linebackers: James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons
James Farrior was the quarterback of the greatest defenses in this century, and is one of the best free-agent signings in franchise history. Not only was he a tackling machine, but he could get after the quarterback (30 sacks) and picked off eight passes in his 10 seasons in Pittsburgh. His 2004 season stood out above the rest, earning first-team All-Pro honors and finished runner up for Defensive Player of the Year.
Lawrence Timmons was Tomlin's first draft pick, coming into a situation in which he was the No. 3 behind Farrior and Larry Foote. He wound up playing 10 seasons with the Steelers, racking up at least 100 tackles six times and was named second-team All-Pro in 2014.
• Cornerbacks: Ike Taylor, Deshea Townsend
There aren't many great cornerbacks to choose from in this century, but Ike Taylor stands above the rest. He was the team's shutdown cornerback when the defense was consistently among the league's best. He was seldom a threat to intercept the ball (just 14 interceptions in 12 seasons), but there was a stretch of time in which he followed the opposition's No. 1 receiver and shut them down the majority of the time. He was also a great tackler for a cornerback, racking up at least 60 tackles in six straight seasons (2005-2010).
People will look over Deshea Townsend far too often. While he was often the third cornerback, especially on the better defenses in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Townsend racked up 21 interceptions in 12 seasons with the Steelers. That's 14th all time in franchise history. No cornerback that played for the Steelers over the past 25 seasons intercepted the ball more than Townsend. Only one defensive back had more ...
• Safeties: Troy Polamalu, Minkah Fitzpatrick
... That's Troy Polamalu, the greatest safety in Steelers history and one of the greatest safeties to ever play the game. His career accolades (four-time first-team All-Pro, 2010 Defensive Player of the Year) don't do Polamalu justice. You just had to watch him play.
It's hard to find another safety that's been great more often than Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fans might only be thinking about two disappointing seasons in 2023-24, but he's been named first-team All-Pro three times, recorded 18 interceptions as a safety and he even tied for the league lead with six interceptions in 2022. He's still one of the best safeties this franchise has had.
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
• Quarterback: Kordell Stewart
Since Roethlisberger was the guy for 18 seasons, there aren't many other options at quarterback. Kordell Stewart only started for two seasons this century, but he's the only other quarterback to start in an AFC Championship Game over the past 25 seasons. That was in 2001, a season in which Stewart went to the Pro Bowl, finished runner up for Comeback Player of the Year and finished fourth in the AP MVP voting -- all after being benched in favor of Kent Graham to start the 2000 season. It's too bad Stewart played at the time he did. I truly wonder how he could have performed in today's NFL. His game was made for it.
• Running Back: Jerome Bettis
While Bettis' best days are in the 1990s, he still had some productive seasons in the 2000s. He had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2000-01 and rushed for 50 touchdowns from 2000-05, including 13 in 2004, his last Pro Bowl appearance. He cemented his legacy by winning Super Bowl XL in his hometown of Detroit, giving the Steelers a storybook ending to their fifth Super Bowl title.
• Wide Receivers: Mike Wallace, Plaxico Burress, JuJu Smith-Schuster
Mike Wallace played only four seasons in Pittsburgh, but he was wildly productive during that time. After being drafted in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft, the speedy wideout led the NFL with 19.4 yards per catch as a rookie and had two 1,000-yard seasons in 2010-11. He ranks 11th all time in Steelers history with 4,042 receiving yards and 10th with 32 receiving touchdowns.
Plaxico Burress will be most known for catching the game-winning touchdown for the Giants in Super Bowl XLII, taking down the undefeated Patriots. Prior to that, he had five productive years with the Steelers. After being selected eighth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft, Burress had two 1,000-yard seasons and became a big-play threat for a rookie Roethlisberger in 2004. He came back and finished his career with the Steelers in 2012, but those first five seasons is what fans think of with Burress wearing No. 80 in black and gold.
Another receiver who didn't have a long tenure in Pittsburgh, but JuJu Smith-Schuster was another very productive receiver while with the Steelers. His 2018 season was spectacular, catching 111 passes for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns. He ranks 13th all time in franchise history in receiving yards (3,855) and 12th in receiving touchdowns (20).
Other considerations were Martavis Bryant and Diontae Johnson. Bryant was spectacularly talented, but the production didn't match. His 1,917 yards rank 37th in franchise history. Johnson was productive. Not only is he one of four receivers in franchise history to log a 100-catch, 1,000-yard season (Ward, Brown, Smith-Schuster), but his 4,313 receiving yards ranks ninth in franchise history and, more importantly, is more than any other Steelers receiver over the past 25 seasons not named Hines Ward or Antonio Brown.
• Tight End: Pat Freiermuth
Pat Freiermuth is already making his way up the tight end ranks in franchise history. His 2,190 receiving yards already rank fourth in franchise history for tight ends behind Miller, Bennie Cunningham and Eric Green. That's also nearly twice as many as either Jesse James or Vance McDonald, two other considerations here.
• Left Tackle: Max Starks
There's going to be an outcry for Alejandro Villanueva. However, Villanueva was a good tackle on a great offensive line while Starks became the left tackle on a unit that was ranked near the bottom of the league. That perception changes things quite a bit for fans, especially since Villanueva earned two trips to the Pro Bowl in 2017-18. However, the majority of the former players I spoke with about this position sided with Starks over Villanueva. So, I'm ceding my opinion to those who played with those guys.
• Left Guard: Ramon Foster
One of the best success stories of the past 25 seasons, Ramon Foster went from going undrafted to playing 11 NFL seasons, nine of which as the starting left guard from 2011-19. And, come on, I'd be getting a text from Ramon if I didn't put him here.
• Center: Jeff Hartings
The offensive line in the early and mid-2000s was great for the Steelers, and Jeff Hartings did a great job filling in some gigantic shoes after Dawson retired following the 2000 season. He went to two Pro Bowls with the Steelers, and was named first-team All-Pro in 2004. It's difficult to match the greatness of Webster, Dawson and Pouncey, but Hartings deserves his place in Steelers history, too.
• Right Guard: Kendall Simmons
Kendall Simmons was another solid part of those early-2000s offensive lines. While he didn't quite live up to the billing of being a first-round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, he still played well enough during his six seasons in Pittsburgh to earn a spot here.
• Right Tackle: Willie Colon
Players I've spoken with rave about Willie Colon's play while he was their right tackle from 2006-2011. Again, those late-2000s offensive lines get a lot of heat, but the strength of those units were at tackle with Starks on the left and Colon on the right.
Stephon Tuitt will forever go down as one of the greatest what-ifs in Steelers history. When it came time to pay either Tuitt or Javon Hargrave, the Steelers chose Tuitt. Him and Heyward were complete monsters up front, and Tuitt was coming into his own, recording 11 sacks in his final season in 2020. His brother's death changed everything, as Tuitt opted to retire at the age of 27.
Brett Keisel is another great success story of this century, going from being a seventh-round pick to earning a spot in the Pro Bowl in 2010. He racked up 30 sacks over 13 seasons, despite being a full-time starter just eight of those seasons.
If the Steelers could have used hindsight to choose between Tuitt and Hargrave, it would have been a no-brainer. Hargrave was great in his four seasons with the Steelers, recording 14.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. He went on to be even better in Philadelphia and San Francisco, but he was a dangerous player before he left Pittsburgh.
• Edge Rushers: Joey Porter, Jason Gildon
More spoil of riches. Joey Porter and Jason Gildon are both rightfully in the Steelers; Hall of Honor. Porter's a no-brainer, so no need to explain him. Gildon did play more in the 1990s, but his best three seasons were 2000-02. In 2001, he also was named first-team All-Pro. Any other considerations, such as LaMarr Woodley, Bud Dupree or Alex Highsmith, can't claim that honor. So, Gildon gets the nod.
• Inside Linebackers: Ryan Shazier, Larry Foote
No player is a bigger what-if than Ryan Shazier. He was ahead of his time, and was becoming one of the game's premier inside linebackers. He was voted to the Pro Bowl in each of his final two seasons, and I maintain that Shazier's devastating injury is the only thing that kept the 2017 Steelers from going to the Super Bowl. He was a genuine Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Only our imaginations can now dream up what would have been had Shazier never sustained that horrific injury in Cincinnati.
I can't find anything bad to say about Foote. He played for the Steelers for 11 years and became a very reliable player after being drafted in the fourth round in 2002. 636 tackles, 21 sacks and three interceptions, along with being part of two Super Bowl teams, is more than enough for consideration here.
• Cornerbacks: Joe Haden, William Gay
Joe Haden's best days are with the Browns, but he came to Pittsburgh and immediately filled a need and made the defense better. Even at age 30, he recorded five interceptions and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl. After some early struggles, William Gay wound up with 13 interceptions in 10 seasons with the Steelers. He earned the nickname "Big Play Willie Gay," tying Rod Woodson for the most pick-sixes in franchise history (5).
• Safeties: Ryan Clark, Chris Hope
Ryan Clark was Robin to Polamalu's Batman, but he was exactly what the Steelers needed at the time. He was a safety that would patrol the middle of the field, allowing Polamalu the freedom to do what made him special, and then punish any receiver, tight end or running back that dared to enter his territory. He also recorded 12 interceptions in eight seasons with the Steelers, and was a tackling machine, racking up 573 tackles over his final six seasons in Pittsburgh.
Chris Hope is a distant fourth, as he was only a starting safety for the Steelers for two seasons (2004-05). Him being on a Super Bowl team helps a lot, along with racking up 187 tackles in those two seasons. Also, the rest of the options aren't great. Terrell Edmunds is more of a first-round bust than anything else. Mike Mitchell was too hot and cold. If he plays long enough, maybe DeShon Elliott can make the half-century list in 2050.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Kicker: Chris Boswell
Chris Boswell is already on his way to being the greatest kicker in franchise history. In fact, he's only 217 points shy of passing Gary Anderson's franchise record for scoring. Plus, Boswell is the most accurate kicker in Steelers history, making 88% of his kicks.
• Punter: Daniel Sepulveda
Daniel Sepulveda didn't have a long career, but he boomed the ball well. Truth be told, there just haven't been any consistently good punters since Josh Miller, whose best days as the Steelers' punter were in the 1990s. So, this isn't an easy choice at all.
• Long snapper: Greg Warren
Greg Warren was the long snapper for the Steelers for 11 years, winning two Super Bowls. Christian Kuntz could probably make second-team long snapper if I did one, but longevity goes to Warren, despite the injuries that cut his career short.
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THE ASYLUM
Chris Halicke
10:52 pm - 06.22.2025South SideOur Quarter-Century Team!
With 25 seasons in the books this century, and with no football activity for another month, now seems like a good time to put together our Steelers Quarter-Century Team.
This is a list Dejan Kovacevic and I began putting together on the road trip to Baltimore for the infamous 299 game. Having had this in my notes for about six months, it's now time to unveil what we came up with.
The way this is put together is a starting 11 on each side of the ball. And, there is a first team and second team for both sides of the ball. The offense is 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end), so there are three receivers on each team with no fullbacks. That keeps in spirit with the direction of the NFL for the better part of this time period, especially over the past decade. The defense is also the typical 3-4 defense we've seen over the past 25 seasons.
Remember, this is judged based off only the past 25 seasons. This does not take into account any performance from prior to the year 2000 since there are players on this list who played before the turn of the century. I also ran this by a few players from this era and got their thoughts, as well. They're the ones who played with a lot of these guys, so I value their opinions.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
• Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger
There are going to be some obvious no-brainers. This one tops them all. Drafted to be a franchise quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger helped deliver two Super Bowls. Going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Enough said.
• Running Back: Le'Veon Bell
While Jerome Bettis' career is certainly better, Le'Veon Bell had a longer reign of dominance since 2000. Bettis was on the back half of his career by 2000, with his best days behind him. Bell rushed for at least 1,250 yards three times and racked up at least 1,884 yards from scrimmage three times, despite sustaining a major knee injury in 2015. He was a two-time first-team All-Pro and twice finished in the top six for Offensive Player of the Year. For a good four-year stretch, Bell was was one of best running backs in the NFL.
• Wide Receivers: Antonio Brown, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes
Two no-brainers here. Despite a slew of off-the-field issues, both during his Steelers career and well after, Antonio Brown is the best receiver in franchise history. He led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards on two different occasions. From 2011-18, no receiver in football was more productive than Brown, ranking first in receptions (821), yards (11,040) and touchdowns (74). Hines Ward is another no-brainer, as he's the franchise leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He was second-team All-Pro three straight seasons in 2002-04, and he was named MVP of Super Bowl XL.
As for a third here, Santonio Holmes makes the most sense. While his all-time numbers with the franchise are below some others, Holmes forever has his mark in Steelers history by making the game-winning catch in Super Bowl XLIII, one of the greatest plays in NFL history. He was also named MVP of that game, so this decision was pretty easy.
• Tight End: Heath Miller
Heath Miller isn't just the best Steelers tight end of this century, but in the franchise's history. No Steelers tight end has more catches, receiving yards or receiving touchdowns than Miller. He also played at a high level for his entire 11-year career from 2005-2015.
• Left Tackle: Marvel Smith
The Steelers don't have a ton of great left tackles in their history, but Marvel Smith was most consistent for the longest period of time. He played nine seasons from 2000-08, and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2004. Injuries cut his career short, but he was very reliable for a long time. The closest thing the Steelers have had this century to a franchise left tackle.
• Left Guard: Alan Faneca
No brainer. Alan Faneca is not only the greatest guard in Steelers history, but one of the greatest guards to ever play the game. He earned his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And, no Steelers fan should forget the block he threw to help spring Willie Parker for his 75-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XL.
• Center: Maurkice Pouncey
The Steelers have had some great centers, and Maurkice Pouncey is right up there for consideration with Mike Webster and Dermontti Dawson. He twice earned first-team All-Pro honors, and thrice earned second-team All-Pro honors over a 10-year career. There are few players that Mike Tomlin holds in higher regard than Pouncey, and hearing him lament a couple years ago over Pouncey not winning a Super Bowl should tell you everything you need to know.
• Right Guard: David DeCastro
David DeCastro lived up to the hype of being a first-round pick, which is especially impressive since he was a guard. DeCastro was a two-time first-team All-Pro and was also second-team All-Pro one other time. He only played nine seasons, but you can't another right guard more capable than DeCastro during this time.
• Right Tackle: Marcus Gilbert
Marcus Gilbert doesn't have the resume of the other four linemen, but he was consistent on the right side of a stout offensive line. Max Starks might have deserved some consideration here, but he played more snaps at left tackle, so you'll have to wait for the second-team offense to see if he makes it there.
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
• Interior Defensive Linemen: Cam Heyward, Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton
Cam Heyward is one of the greatest Steelers of all time. And there's just something special about great defensive linemen with this franchise. Aaron Smith was underrated league-wide throughout his entire career, making just one Pro Bowl in 2004. But Smith racked up 44 sacks over his career, was a model of consistency on defenses that helped win two Super Bowls in the 2000s and rightfully earned his place in the team's Hall of Honor. Casey Hampton is in the Hall of Honor, too, as he anchored the defensive line for 12 years and earned five trips to the Pro Bowl.
• Edge Rushers: T.J. Watt, James Harrison
Talk about a spoil of riches. The Steelers seem to always have amazing outside linebackers, but nobody matches T.J. Watt. He's only 30 years old, and he's already the franchise's sack leader (108). James Harrison is third on that list with 80.5 sacks in black and gold. While he continues to fight for consideration for the Hall of Fame, it's easy to put the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year next to Watt.
• Inside Linebackers: James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons
James Farrior was the quarterback of the greatest defenses in this century, and is one of the best free-agent signings in franchise history. Not only was he a tackling machine, but he could get after the quarterback (30 sacks) and picked off eight passes in his 10 seasons in Pittsburgh. His 2004 season stood out above the rest, earning first-team All-Pro honors and finished runner up for Defensive Player of the Year.
Lawrence Timmons was Tomlin's first draft pick, coming into a situation in which he was the No. 3 behind Farrior and Larry Foote. He wound up playing 10 seasons with the Steelers, racking up at least 100 tackles six times and was named second-team All-Pro in 2014.
• Cornerbacks: Ike Taylor, Deshea Townsend
There aren't many great cornerbacks to choose from in this century, but Ike Taylor stands above the rest. He was the team's shutdown cornerback when the defense was consistently among the league's best. He was seldom a threat to intercept the ball (just 14 interceptions in 12 seasons), but there was a stretch of time in which he followed the opposition's No. 1 receiver and shut them down the majority of the time. He was also a great tackler for a cornerback, racking up at least 60 tackles in six straight seasons (2005-2010).
People will look over Deshea Townsend far too often. While he was often the third cornerback, especially on the better defenses in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Townsend racked up 21 interceptions in 12 seasons with the Steelers. That's 14th all time in franchise history. No cornerback that played for the Steelers over the past 25 seasons intercepted the ball more than Townsend. Only one defensive back had more ...
• Safeties: Troy Polamalu, Minkah Fitzpatrick
... That's Troy Polamalu, the greatest safety in Steelers history and one of the greatest safeties to ever play the game. His career accolades (four-time first-team All-Pro, 2010 Defensive Player of the Year) don't do Polamalu justice. You just had to watch him play.
It's hard to find another safety that's been great more often than Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fans might only be thinking about two disappointing seasons in 2023-24, but he's been named first-team All-Pro three times, recorded 18 interceptions as a safety and he even tied for the league lead with six interceptions in 2022. He's still one of the best safeties this franchise has had.
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
• Quarterback: Kordell Stewart
Since Roethlisberger was the guy for 18 seasons, there aren't many other options at quarterback. Kordell Stewart only started for two seasons this century, but he's the only other quarterback to start in an AFC Championship Game over the past 25 seasons. That was in 2001, a season in which Stewart went to the Pro Bowl, finished runner up for Comeback Player of the Year and finished fourth in the AP MVP voting -- all after being benched in favor of Kent Graham to start the 2000 season. It's too bad Stewart played at the time he did. I truly wonder how he could have performed in today's NFL. His game was made for it.
• Running Back: Jerome Bettis
While Bettis' best days are in the 1990s, he still had some productive seasons in the 2000s. He had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2000-01 and rushed for 50 touchdowns from 2000-05, including 13 in 2004, his last Pro Bowl appearance. He cemented his legacy by winning Super Bowl XL in his hometown of Detroit, giving the Steelers a storybook ending to their fifth Super Bowl title.
• Wide Receivers: Mike Wallace, Plaxico Burress, JuJu Smith-Schuster
Mike Wallace played only four seasons in Pittsburgh, but he was wildly productive during that time. After being drafted in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft, the speedy wideout led the NFL with 19.4 yards per catch as a rookie and had two 1,000-yard seasons in 2010-11. He ranks 11th all time in Steelers history with 4,042 receiving yards and 10th with 32 receiving touchdowns.
Plaxico Burress will be most known for catching the game-winning touchdown for the Giants in Super Bowl XLII, taking down the undefeated Patriots. Prior to that, he had five productive years with the Steelers. After being selected eighth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft, Burress had two 1,000-yard seasons and became a big-play threat for a rookie Roethlisberger in 2004. He came back and finished his career with the Steelers in 2012, but those first five seasons is what fans think of with Burress wearing No. 80 in black and gold.
Another receiver who didn't have a long tenure in Pittsburgh, but JuJu Smith-Schuster was another very productive receiver while with the Steelers. His 2018 season was spectacular, catching 111 passes for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns. He ranks 13th all time in franchise history in receiving yards (3,855) and 12th in receiving touchdowns (20).
Other considerations were Martavis Bryant and Diontae Johnson. Bryant was spectacularly talented, but the production didn't match. His 1,917 yards rank 37th in franchise history. Johnson was productive. Not only is he one of four receivers in franchise history to log a 100-catch, 1,000-yard season (Ward, Brown, Smith-Schuster), but his 4,313 receiving yards ranks ninth in franchise history and, more importantly, is more than any other Steelers receiver over the past 25 seasons not named Hines Ward or Antonio Brown.
• Tight End: Pat Freiermuth
Pat Freiermuth is already making his way up the tight end ranks in franchise history. His 2,190 receiving yards already rank fourth in franchise history for tight ends behind Miller, Bennie Cunningham and Eric Green. That's also nearly twice as many as either Jesse James or Vance McDonald, two other considerations here.
• Left Tackle: Max Starks
There's going to be an outcry for Alejandro Villanueva. However, Villanueva was a good tackle on a great offensive line while Starks became the left tackle on a unit that was ranked near the bottom of the league. That perception changes things quite a bit for fans, especially since Villanueva earned two trips to the Pro Bowl in 2017-18. However, the majority of the former players I spoke with about this position sided with Starks over Villanueva. So, I'm ceding my opinion to those who played with those guys.
• Left Guard: Ramon Foster
One of the best success stories of the past 25 seasons, Ramon Foster went from going undrafted to playing 11 NFL seasons, nine of which as the starting left guard from 2011-19. And, come on, I'd be getting a text from Ramon if I didn't put him here.
• Center: Jeff Hartings
The offensive line in the early and mid-2000s was great for the Steelers, and Jeff Hartings did a great job filling in some gigantic shoes after Dawson retired following the 2000 season. He went to two Pro Bowls with the Steelers, and was named first-team All-Pro in 2004. It's difficult to match the greatness of Webster, Dawson and Pouncey, but Hartings deserves his place in Steelers history, too.
• Right Guard: Kendall Simmons
Kendall Simmons was another solid part of those early-2000s offensive lines. While he didn't quite live up to the billing of being a first-round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, he still played well enough during his six seasons in Pittsburgh to earn a spot here.
• Right Tackle: Willie Colon
Players I've spoken with rave about Willie Colon's play while he was their right tackle from 2006-2011. Again, those late-2000s offensive lines get a lot of heat, but the strength of those units were at tackle with Starks on the left and Colon on the right.
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
• Interior Defensive Linemen: Stephon Tuitt, Brett Keisel, Javon Hargrave
Stephon Tuitt will forever go down as one of the greatest what-ifs in Steelers history. When it came time to pay either Tuitt or Javon Hargrave, the Steelers chose Tuitt. Him and Heyward were complete monsters up front, and Tuitt was coming into his own, recording 11 sacks in his final season in 2020. His brother's death changed everything, as Tuitt opted to retire at the age of 27.
Brett Keisel is another great success story of this century, going from being a seventh-round pick to earning a spot in the Pro Bowl in 2010. He racked up 30 sacks over 13 seasons, despite being a full-time starter just eight of those seasons.
If the Steelers could have used hindsight to choose between Tuitt and Hargrave, it would have been a no-brainer. Hargrave was great in his four seasons with the Steelers, recording 14.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. He went on to be even better in Philadelphia and San Francisco, but he was a dangerous player before he left Pittsburgh.
• Edge Rushers: Joey Porter, Jason Gildon
More spoil of riches. Joey Porter and Jason Gildon are both rightfully in the Steelers; Hall of Honor. Porter's a no-brainer, so no need to explain him. Gildon did play more in the 1990s, but his best three seasons were 2000-02. In 2001, he also was named first-team All-Pro. Any other considerations, such as LaMarr Woodley, Bud Dupree or Alex Highsmith, can't claim that honor. So, Gildon gets the nod.
• Inside Linebackers: Ryan Shazier, Larry Foote
No player is a bigger what-if than Ryan Shazier. He was ahead of his time, and was becoming one of the game's premier inside linebackers. He was voted to the Pro Bowl in each of his final two seasons, and I maintain that Shazier's devastating injury is the only thing that kept the 2017 Steelers from going to the Super Bowl. He was a genuine Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Only our imaginations can now dream up what would have been had Shazier never sustained that horrific injury in Cincinnati.
I can't find anything bad to say about Foote. He played for the Steelers for 11 years and became a very reliable player after being drafted in the fourth round in 2002. 636 tackles, 21 sacks and three interceptions, along with being part of two Super Bowl teams, is more than enough for consideration here.
• Cornerbacks: Joe Haden, William Gay
Joe Haden's best days are with the Browns, but he came to Pittsburgh and immediately filled a need and made the defense better. Even at age 30, he recorded five interceptions and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl. After some early struggles, William Gay wound up with 13 interceptions in 10 seasons with the Steelers. He earned the nickname "Big Play Willie Gay," tying Rod Woodson for the most pick-sixes in franchise history (5).
• Safeties: Ryan Clark, Chris Hope
Ryan Clark was Robin to Polamalu's Batman, but he was exactly what the Steelers needed at the time. He was a safety that would patrol the middle of the field, allowing Polamalu the freedom to do what made him special, and then punish any receiver, tight end or running back that dared to enter his territory. He also recorded 12 interceptions in eight seasons with the Steelers, and was a tackling machine, racking up 573 tackles over his final six seasons in Pittsburgh.
Chris Hope is a distant fourth, as he was only a starting safety for the Steelers for two seasons (2004-05). Him being on a Super Bowl team helps a lot, along with racking up 187 tackles in those two seasons. Also, the rest of the options aren't great. Terrell Edmunds is more of a first-round bust than anything else. Mike Mitchell was too hot and cold. If he plays long enough, maybe DeShon Elliott can make the half-century list in 2050.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Kicker: Chris Boswell
Chris Boswell is already on his way to being the greatest kicker in franchise history. In fact, he's only 217 points shy of passing Gary Anderson's franchise record for scoring. Plus, Boswell is the most accurate kicker in Steelers history, making 88% of his kicks.
• Punter: Daniel Sepulveda
Daniel Sepulveda didn't have a long career, but he boomed the ball well. Truth be told, there just haven't been any consistently good punters since Josh Miller, whose best days as the Steelers' punter were in the 1990s. So, this isn't an easy choice at all.
• Long snapper: Greg Warren
Greg Warren was the long snapper for the Steelers for 11 years, winning two Super Bowls. Christian Kuntz could probably make second-team long snapper if I did one, but longevity goes to Warren, despite the injuries that cut his career short.
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