The most dynamic, special Steeler you have even seen play

[TeeTee]

This is not to say "The greatest Steeler ever" as that may not be the same thing. We know that Mean Joe or Bradshaw hold that place, but I don't think either was the very most dynamic or talented Steeler (although they were damn talented). Among the top I would choose, come from this list. (Coincidentally, most of my players did not even play for any of the great Steelers' teams, oddly enough.) I am going by one the most physical talent combined with passion and heart.

Rod Woodson - He was a world class sprinter - that is speed. And I have seen him flat out take a much bigger player with a tackle when they needed it most (tackle of Lorenzo White in OT 1989 play off in Houston.) He was the most complete CB of his era. He was a superior athlete but WITH toughness (sorry Deion, you weren't tough). And on top of all that he was smart and a natural leader. Donahoe definitely f'd up handling Rod's contract before he left. He insulted him to get his price down and Rod walked and won a ring with the Ravens. Rod was very, very special.

Mel Blount - One of the only players from that era on this list. I was alive when he played but not old enough to realize how good he was back in the day. His physical skills were unheard of: 6-4 big guy who was agile enough to play CB. They had to change rules because he was so physical he could just throw WRs to the ground, with ease. Other guys get mentioned from that D more often, but no one deserves more credit than Blount for his domination.

Antonio Brown - I feel he is the most dynamic player at his position in the history of the team. He isn't very big, but man he can fly and make plays and has tons of heart and work ethic. If he isn't the best WR ever for Pgh, what other WR ever led the league in catches, yards and TDs?

Big Ben - No he doesn't have Steve Young rushing skills, but he has the most important skills: accuracy, instincts and ability to win. If you watch old tapes of Bradshaw, he was no where near the QB Ben is. It's not even close. Terry lacked touch, was often inaccurate and made more bone head plays then Ben ever did. Ben is the best player, in the history of the team, as his position. Terry came up big in the biggest games, but even if he was in his prime today, he would never put up the production that Ben can. It's not even close.

James Harrison - He won't ever achieve the homage paid to the 70's guys, but in his prime, he was better than any LB in the history of the team. He was more physical and powerful than any Pgh LB ever. He could get to the QB as well as any. He terrorised opponents more than any single player in Steeler history. He is the perfect mix of physicality and mean attitude. Only Lloyd comes close.

[hawaiiansteeler]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cywPSH0pF2M

[polamalubeast]

I watch the NFL since 2001 and Ben,Harrison, Polamalu and Antonio Brown are the most special players I've seen him play with the steelers.

Bell will be on this list if he continues

[TeeTee]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cywPSH0pF2M

I meant to include Troy on this list. He belongs. I'd also consider Bus, as he really was a special big back. Like more special than any big back in NFL history. Franco was good, but not as special as Bussy. And I agree if Bell can stay healthy he could make this list some day.

[Mojouw]

Polamalu wins this contest going away. We will never see another player do what he did on a football field. Either in a Steelers uniform or any other for that matter.

But there are some other athletic marvels as well. Just off the top of my head (from guys I got to see play):

Levon Kirkland - what that guy did at his size was remarkable. A big man shouldn't be able to move like that!

Rod Woodson - just ridiculous athletically gifted. I disagree that Donahue et al bungled the Woodson leaving situation. They offered to move him to safety and pay him fairly well to do that (Remember, safety was an undervalued position at the time and the real money was at CB). Woodson balked and went to San Francisco and stunk as a CB for a year. It was only then that he took the hint and signed with the Ravens to play safety and had a good second act to his career there and in Oakland. Long story short, Donahue and the Steelers were right, Woodson was done as a CB but had a chance to excel as a safety.

Greg Lloyd - Harrison, Porter, and Gildon, may all actually be better pass rushers, but Lloyd was the nastiest.

Kendrell Bell - that rookie year was amazing. Would have been interesting to see if he never gets hurt what may have happened. Crazy athlete.

Aaron Smith - what he accomplished as a 3-4 end is simply bonkers. Should go to the HOF, but will never get in due to focus on stats.

Dermonti Dawson - few have played the position better and no one will play it the same ever again. Seeing him leading around the end was a sight to behold.

Alan Faneca - simply put the best guard of his era not named Steve Hutchinson. Made emergency shifts to LT look easy.

Carnell Lake - ridiculous athlete. Was basically a swiss army knife for the secondary.

[ALLD]

Lynn Swann has the best highlights.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwt9Es4oidg

[86WARD]

I'd actually go with two modern day players in Polamalu and Roethlisberger.

[Edman]

The MOST dynamic?

By far in this modern age of Steelers football, it's Antonio Brown. He's this Era's Troy if you ask me.

If Le'Veon Bell keeps up his production, he'll be joining him.

[stillers4me]

Troy. There will never be another player quite like Troy in any uniform.

[Steeldude]

I guess it's all subjective.

I will stick with be classics and say Jack Lambert. There are too many to choose from.

[86WARD]

The MOST dynamic?

By far in this modern age of Steelers football, it's Antonio Brown. He's this Era's Troy if you ask me.

If Le'Veon Bell keeps up his production, he'll be joining him.

I'd like to see more of a portfolio from AB and Bell.

[stillers4me]

I think the key word here is "special". The Steelers have been blessed with many dynamic players. Few fall into the category of "special". Joe Greene was special. Troy was special.

[86WARD]

That's the same word I pulled from this as well. For me AB is dynamic...however, I'd like to see him put together a few more seasons and be "special." The things Ben has done as a QB have been very special at times. Polamalu...I don't think there is any explanation needed...the guy was all special.

[teegre]

Troy

If you never saw him live... you truly don't know how special he was. Pre-snap, he moved around like someone had given a kid with ADD, a bunch of Pixie Sticks. Opposing QBs would look at him, and instantly get confused. In other words, the havoc Troy caused wasn't just limited to during actual plays.

Dan Patrick once said that if they had a "Polamalu Cam" that he'd watch it (three hours of Troy moving around, running around, doing Troy stuff).

[LLT]

The greatest Steeler ever would be Jack Lambert...in my humble opinion. He not only personified what we remember as "hard nosed" football....but he, more than any other player (arguably other than Mean Joe), actually defined an era of intimidation. Players FEARED that defense and feared Lambert.

The most special Steeler ever would be Troy Polamalu. With freakish athleticism, elite understanding of the game, and the "drive" that separates the good from the great....Troy, with an off field persona that was the polar opposite of his on field beast mentality, created a mystique that made him a favorite of fans from virtually every team.

[Mojouw]

I think that Troy's hall of fame case should simply be that first half against Tennessee in the 2009 opener. Might simply be the greatest 2 quarters of football by a defensive player I've ever seen.

I think that too much time got spent on Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu debates in the media. Now that they are both retired and everyone step backs I think folks will realize that we will never see anything like either player ever again.

For some of the folks in this thread, I imagine you have never seen anything like Lambert again? I figure we can all watch another 30 years of football and never see anything like what Polamalu did.

[steelreserve]

Polamalu and it's not even close. He did things that were downright impossible. I have never seen another player on either side of the ball who could so completely change the nature of the entire game like he did.

The only other player I've seen who possessed anything near that level of almost magical skill was Barry Sanders. Polamalu was the defensive version of him. We've had our share of players who were remarkably good, but no one was the kind of once-in-a-generation talent that he was.

[steelerdude15]

Troy would get my vote. His athleticism and highlight plays are stuff of legend.

[Iron Steeler]

Yaaa Troy definitely .i think he's part Jedi

[Count Steeler]

Tried to find someone else through my years of watching the Steelers. However, Troy takes the cake. There are 2 other dynamic players that have been special that I have seen. Neither 1 a Steeler and both in the CFL. Gizmo Williams and Mike "Pinball" Clemons.

[Steelman]

There are so many legitimately great Steelers, but "Dynamic" and "Special" can only belong to Troy Polamalu. Stat junkies will always compare his stats to Ed Reed's (arguably one of the best) but in my opinion there's nobody else that teams did more game-planning against than Troy. He changed games by simply just being on the roster. I think you saw that last year when Troy was obviously struggling to keep up but he still commanded a lot of respect.

His one-handed interception against San Diego will forever be seared into my brain. One of the most incredible plays I've ever witnessed.

And that's the difference between Troy and Ed Reed or anyone else of his generation: Troy's game was truly magical (great choice of word, Steelreserve!) and will never be equaled.

[steelreserve]

And that's the difference between Troy and Ed Reed or anyone else of his generation: Troy's game was truly magical (great choice of word, Steelreserve!) and will never be equaled.


Ed Reed comes up a lot in these greatest-safety-of-our-generation discussions, and I've got to say I don't even think that comparison is accurate in the terms we're talking here. Reed was one of the best players ever in a conventional sense. Amazing all-around skills and a knack for showing up exactly in the right place at the right time - but I still didn't see him (or anyone) making the kinds of almost superhuman plays that Troy did.

They were both great, but in completely different ways. That extra level of transcendence, where he was a wild card on every play and you could swear he had the ability to slow down time, was reserved for Troy alone. Whether that actually translated into more production than Reed is open for debate, but it sure as hell was the most exciting thing I've ever seen out of a defensive back. They'll both rightly be remembered together as the greatest of their time, but if we're talking dynamic and special, I don't think there's much comparison.

[teegre]

Ed Reed vs. Troy Polamalu

First, I love Ed Reed. One of my all-time favorites. That said, it's not close.

A Ravens fan and I discussed this topic, and here's as simple as it gets: Troy "could" have done everything that Ed Reed did (if they had played Troy in a "centerfielder" role)... but, Ed Reed could not have done what Troy did.

[TeeTee]

Ed Reed vs. Troy Polamalu

First, I love Ed Reed. One of my all-time favorites. That said, it's not close.

A Ravens fan and I discussed this topic, and here's as simple as it gets: Troy "could" have done everything that Ed Reed did (if they had played Troy in a "centerfielder" role)... but, Ed Reed could not have done what Troy did.

Don't forget Brian Dawkins; he was pretty damn good too.

[Mojouw]

Polamalu trumps both Reed and Dawkins because aside from his individual play-making abilities, he allowed for his team to do things schematically that no other safety could make possible.

Want to show a 2 deep safety look, but really have Polamalu fill in against the run since you plan on blitzing a bunch of linebackers? Sure, he can cover 20+ yards in a few seconds pre-snap.

Want to do the exact opposite of that? Sure Troy can be standing between the NT and the DE but can still pick the TE up down the seam.

Want to have exactly no one assigned to worry about the RB in the flat? Why not! Polamalu can get there before the RB sets his feet to turn and run. Did I mention that would be from the other hash mark? And about a dozen yards downfield?

I realize I am exaggerating (not as much as one might initially think), but I think you all can see my point. It got real easy to generate pressure with the LBs because Troy made up for so many of the "gaps" that blitzing both Harrison and Woodley and Farrior would reveal.

[86WARD]

You're not really exaggerating that much at all...

[st33lersguy]

Troy, dude was a special player. And his instincts oh my god! Dudes an absolute freak that gave people headaches. Another thing us Steelers fans have to be lucky for is the fact that our team never had to gameplan against this guy

[teegre]

Polamalu trumps both Reed and Dawkins because aside from his individual play-making abilities, he allowed for his team to do things schematically that no other safety could make possible.

Want to show a 2 deep safety look, but really have Polamalu fill in against the run since you plan on blitzing a bunch of linebackers? Sure, he can cover 20+ yards in a few seconds pre-snap.

Want to do the exact opposite of that? Sure Troy can be standing between the NT and the DE but can still pick the TE up down the seam.

Want to have exactly no one assigned to worry about the RB in the flat? Why not! Polamalu can get there before the RB sets his feet to turn and run. Did I mention that would be from the other hash mark? And about a dozen yards downfield?

I realize I am exaggerating (not as much as one might initially think), but I think you all can see my point. It got real easy to generate pressure with the LBs because Troy made up for so many of the "gaps" that blitzing both Harrison and Woodley and Farrior would reveal.

You're not really exaggerating.

Troy has literally lined up at all 10 of the 11 spots on defense. (He never lined up as the NT.)

What's more: as you said, right before the snap, no matter where he was lined up (DE) he could/would move 20 yards away to cover another spot on the defense.

[teegre]

I think that Troy's hall of fame case should simply be that first half against Tennessee in the 2009 opener. Might simply be the greatest 2 quarters of football by a defensive player I've ever seen.

My wife is a Chargers fan; thus, before me, she hadn't truly watched a Steelers game. When she watched that opening game in 2009, and was shocked... and said: "This guy is amazing!!! Does he do this all of the time?"

NOTE: Too bad Alge Crumpler had to pull a Tonya Harding on Troy's knee. One of the most chicken shit plays I've seen from a player. I hope Alge Crumpler is cursed with life-long bloody, itchy hemorrhoids.

[Mojouw]

You're not really exaggerating.

Troy has literally lined up at all 10 of the 11 spots on defense. (He never lined up as the NT.)

What's more: as you said, right before the snap, no matter where he was lined up (DE) he could/would move 20 yards away to cover another spot on the defense.

I think we could push that to all 11 if we counted him as a "NT" when he milled about the middle of the LOS in that "Ameoba" defense that they put out in the past. It is a stretch...Or was that the DE alignment you mentioned?

And yeah, Alge Crumpler sucks. Totally derailed what was going to be the greatest game a defender ever put on film. Screw that, even with not finishing the game, I challenge anyone to come up with another single game where one player did so many different things.

- - - Updated - - -


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x23xecl_bugs-bunny-baseball-bugs-1946_shortfilms

Reminds me of about 2:38 in this video -- Bugs Bunny plays all the positions.

[teegre]

I think we could push that to all 11 if we counted him as a "NT" when he milled about the middle of the LOS in that "Ameoba" defense that they put out in the past. It is a stretch...Or was that the DE alignment you mentioned?

And yeah, Alge Crumpler sucks. Totally derailed what was going to be the greatest game a defender ever put on film. Screw that, even with not finishing the game, I challenge anyone to come up with another single game where one player did so many different things.

- - - Updated - - -


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x23xecl_bugs-bunny-baseball-bugs-1946_shortfilms

Reminds me of about 2:38 in this video -- Bugs Bunny plays all the positions.

LOL (on the video)

As far as Troy playing NT, I heard Dick LeBeau talking about Troy and how literally LeBeau had lined him up at every position, in every defensive front... except for NT. Then, LeBeau jokingly said something along the lines of "Maybe I should give him one play at NT, in order to make him perfect."

Im sure that Troy has lined up for a few seconds at NT. But, at that point he had never been the actual NT at the snap of the ball. Then again, that interview was from 2012, and I'm sure that in the past two seasons LeBeau made true on his promise to make Troy "perfect."

[TeeTee]

I think the key word here is "special". The Steelers have been blessed with many dynamic players. Few fall into the category of "special". Joe Greene was special. Troy was special.

I might have to dodge rotten tomatoes here, but Kodell may make this list; not as a full time QB (where I don't think he should have ever filled that role) but as "Slash." He really was dynamic in that role. One wonders what he would have achieved if he filled the Slash role for a decade.

[slippy]

hmmmmm ... i dont really get the alge crumpler hate.

both players were going for the ball on the blocked field goal, and crumpler was pushed into troy's knee. if anything it was troy's fault for not just falling on the ball, but trying to make a spectacular play in heavy traffic.

agreed one of the best quarters of football i've seen from a player. but he did have three penalties also, two were warrented. a facemask and something else; the PI was on the O receiver, not troy.

[teegre]

I might have to dodge rotten tomatoes here, but Kodell may make this list; not as a full time QB (where I don't think he should have ever filled that role) but as "Slash." He really was dynamic in that role. One wonders what he would have achieved if he filled the Slash role for a decade.

Kordell in 1995 was amazing!!! Teams had to gameplan solely against him... and, they still couldn't stop him.

[86WARD]

I might have to dodge rotten tomatoes here, but Kodell may make this list; not as a full time QB (where I don't think he should have ever filled that role) but as "Slash." He really was dynamic in that role. One wonders what he would have achieved if he filled the Slash role for a decade.

Kordell was the most dynamic player of all-time when he was Slash and if he stayed Slash, he may have given Troy a run for the title...no doubt he was dynamic.

[zulater]

Skimming through this a lot of great ones have been mentioned and strongly supported, but funny how there's one former great Steeler who always seems to be overlooked, and I can never figure out why? That of course would be Franco. People forget that at the time opposing teams geared themselves to stop Franco first and foremost when defending the Steelers offense. Steelers of that era will tell you that Franco was the offensive catalyst that turned the team from loser to perennial powerhouse. He was a great back. First ballot Hall of Famer. And no one ever seems to remember him. Damn.

[Nadroj 20]

I like that type of player that literally make me laugh and shake my head after they do something amazing. In my time watching the Steelers, Troy made me do that more than anyone else. From seeing the amount of ground he could cover, to diving interceptions and returns, to timing a snap to superman dive over the line to sack the quarterback, Troy got me out of my seat more than any other Steeler I can remember.

He was truly special.

[steel striker]

I would say Troy beacuse, he did soo much at his position just ask Joe Flacco. Diving over the top of the pile while timing the snap count pretty damn amazing. AB/maybe Bell, Ben.

[TeeTee]

Skimming through this a lot of great ones have been mentioned and strongly supported, but funny how there's one former great Steeler who always seems to be overlooked, and I can never figure out why? That of course would be Franco. People forget that at the time opposing teams geared themselves to stop Franco first and foremost when defending the Steelers offense. Steelers of that era will tell you that Franco was the offensive catalyst that turned the team from loser to perennial powerhouse. He was a great back. First ballot Hall of Famer. And no one ever seems to remember him. Damn.

I remember him. But when it comes to the word "dynamic" he doesn't come to mind. He was a big back in the day. Did everything well, but not spectacular in any one way. Not like an OJ or anything like that. OJ was an insane baller. Franco was very good.

[zulater]

I remember him. But when it comes to the word "dynamic" he doesn't come to mind. He was a big back in the day. Did everything well, but not spectacular in any one way. Not like an OJ or anything like that. OJ was an insane baller. Franco was very good.

I get what you're saying. Franco wasn't a Gale Sayers- Barry Sanders like breakaway type back.But he was still great in his own way, and believe me when the Steelers were on your schedule you spent more time breaking down Franco than you did anyone else on that offense. You don't make first ballot Hall of Fame for being very good.

[zulater]

I'll give you a good dynamic Steeler. For his first couple seasons until injuries curtailed him, there was no more dynamic Steeler ever that I saw than Louis Lipps. Catching the ball, reverses, punt returns, you get this guy in space and watch out! And his qb was the pathetic Mark Malone!

[teegre]

I'll give you a good dynamic Steeler. For his first couple seasons until injuries curtailed him, there was no more dynamic Steeler ever that I saw than Louis Lipps. Catching the ball, reverses, punt returns, you get this guy in space and watch out! And his qb was the pathetic Mark Malone!

Punt returns... kick-offs... the 80s... that reminds me:

Rod Woodson

He is the only player to make the Pro Bowl at three different positions: CB, safety, and returner.