Ten greatest Steelers 1-10

[zulater]

1. Joe Greene. There's a reason his was essentially the first ever Steeler jersey to be retired. ( Stautner's number being retired while deserving was done for attendance purposes as well)

2. Jack Ham. Simply the greatest and most complete linebacker in Steeler history.

3. Franco Harris. The least appreciated great player in league (let alone Steeler) history. It all turned around when Franco came on board. When teams were playing the Steelers in the 70's the first player they conspired to stop was Franco.

4. Jack Lambert. The emotional pulse if the Super Steeler 70's teams. Could do it all. Sideline to sideline, drop back into coverage. Intimidate the hell out of you. Very hard to separate him from Ham. You can go either way and I wont say you're wrong.

5. Ben Roethlisberger. It's not yet a given that Big Ben is a first ballot HOF'er. Bradshaw, Blount, Webster all were, and were strongly considered for this spot. But I'm sorry.When you get right down to it Ben is great. In my opinion he's one of the top 10 qb's in league history. I can't necessarily support this with stats. But Ben isn't about stats. He's just great in his own unique way.

6-10 later

[Born2Steel]

10 Greatest? No way I could do a top 10 and stop at just 1 list. Too many to narrow it down. But, here goes....

1. Joe Greene - His alma mater, The Mean Green.

2. Troy Polamalu - Always a factor.

3. Nope can't even complete a top 3. Impossible!

[zulater]

6. Mel Blount. When they change the games rules because of you and the new rule is popularly referenced by your name you're pretty effing awesome. His size to speed to strength ratio was off the charts and would hold up in any era. He was the top athlete on the 70's team. His teammates were starstruck by his off the charts talent.

7. Mike Webster. Much of Terry Bradshaw's ability to read defenses was actually Mike Webster. His teammates marveled at his ability to check into the right play at the line. Factor in as well that he was an all time great competitor and technician and you have arguably the greatest center in NFL history.

8. Antonio Brown. Too soon? Perhaps? But this guy isn't only going to rewrite the Steelers record books he's also going to challenge all time league records. What he's done the last 3 seasons is simply unprecedented.

9. Rod Woodson. Great all time corner. Tackled like a linebacker, and until his knee injury covered among the top ever at his position. Wkith the added caveat of being a great return man!

10 tie. Troy Polalamalu. To control the game from the safety position like he did is beyond belief. But he did for a decade.

10. tie Terry Bradshaw. I could have gone higher. I could have left him off the list. But in the end this is where he belongs. Ability wise he was as talented as anyone who ever played the position of qb. But it took him quite a while to figure things out. He went from bad, 69-71, to adequate 72-74 to very good 75-77, to great 78-82. The Chief's all time favorite player and my father's too. ( may they both rest in peace)

Apology's to (in no particular order) John Stallworth, Lynn Swann, Ernie Stautner, Donnie Shell, Dirt Dawson, James Harrison, Hines Ward, L.C. Greenword, Andy Russell and Gregg Lloyd.

[vasteeler]

You really cant argue with that list. For me though Troy P. needs to be a lot higher. With all the great players the Steelers have had a top ten list is nearly impossible.

[Psycho Ward 86]

1) Joe Greene
2) Mike Webster
3) Jack Ham
4) Troy Polamalu
5) Jack Lambert
6) Mel Blount
7) Rod Woodson
8) Franco Harris
9) Ben Roethlisberger
10) Hines Ward
Ben will move up this list by the time he retires. Antonio Brown will move onto this list before he even retires.

[teegre]

I'm going to take a slightly different angle. If I were building a team, and I got to add 10 players from Steelers history...

1. QB: Roethlisberger

2. LT: Ilken
3: LG: Faneca
4: OC: Webster
5: RG: Dawson
6: RT: Smith

7: DE: Greene
8: NT: Hampton
9: DE: Greenwood

10: SS: Polamalu

A QB is paramount, and then, it all starts & ends along the LOS. Add in the most dynamic defensive player I've ever seen. Voila!... championship!!!

[st33lersguy]

1. Joe Greene: The Steelers turnaround from a consistent loser to a consistent winner started with Greene
2. Jack Lambert: An intimidating present who helped set an intimidating tone for the championship winning defenses
3. Terry Bradshaw: He may not have the stats (in an era when it was more difficult to play pass offense than it is today), but he came up big in 4 Super Bowls, with 2 Super Bowl MVPs and engineering 6 TD drives in the 4th quarter and throwing critical 4th quarter TDs in each game
4. Ben Roethlisberger: Wipe him off of Steelers history and the Steelers are still searching for one for the thumb. Holds all the significant team passing records and is the driving force behind the greatest offenses in team history
5. Mel Blount: He was so good, the league passed rules to try and stop him in 1978. He made 3 pro bowls after the rule changes.
6. Troy Polamalu: One of the most dynamic defenders to ever step on the football field and the most important defender on the Super Bowl winning defenses of the 2000s
7. Rod Woodson: A dynamic playmaker on defense and special teams. Only player to tear his ACL and play in the same season afterwards in 1995. Named to the 75th anniversary all-time team after only 7 seasons
8. Franco Harris: The Steelers were a run-based offense in the 70s and the driving force in the run game was Franco. Rookie year helped propel Steelers to first division title ever and followed it up with Immaculate reception. Retired only behind Jim Brown and Walter Payton on the NFL's all-time rushing list
9. Jack Ham: Dynamic complete all-around linebacker
10. Mike Webster: Dominant offensive lineman and the anchor of O-lines that helped open up running lanes for Franco and Rocky and protected Bradshaw

2 young players most likely to be make list in future
Antonio Brown: Trajectory of career is heading him towards top 3 if not top 5. Dominating the league right now
Le'Veon Bell: If he can stay healthy, he can build a reputation as the most dynamic RB to ever wear a Steelers uniform

[LLT]

1. Joe Greene
2. Jack Ham
3. Jack Lambert
4. Mel Blount
5. Troy Polamalu
6. Rod Woodson
7. Terry Bradshaw
8. Ben Roethlisberger
9. Hines Ward
10. Mike Webster

[Edman]

Joe Greene is strictly #1. Everyone else is 1a or 1b.

There is no "Steelers Football" without Joe Greene. He changed the franchise around from perennial doormat to winner. A once in a lifetime player.

[tube517]

1. Charles Edward Greene
2 -5. Lambert, Ham, Blount, Woodson. In whatever order.

6. Troy
7. Ben
8. Franco
9. Webster
10. Bradshaw

11. Jon Kuhn. Motha f'ers. :chuckle:

[Psycho Ward 86]

I'm going to take a slightly different angle. If I were building a team, and I got to add 10 players from Steelers history...

1. QB: Roethlisberger

2. LT: Ilken
3: LG: Faneca
4: OC: Webster
5: RG: Dawson
6: RT: Smith

7: DE: Greene
8: NT: Hampton
9: DE: Greenwood

10: SS: Polamalu

A QB is paramount, and then, it all starts & ends along the LOS. Add in the most dynamic defensive player I've ever seen. Voila!... championship!!!

i can understand wanting to build from the trenches, but you would really want Marvel Smith if you could pick 10 steeler players to build a team around? No Franco Harris, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, Mel Blount?

[Count Steeler]

1. Joe Greene
2. Mike Webster
3. Jack
4. Ben
5. Jack
6. Mel
7. Troy
8. Franco
9. Antonio
10. Dirt

[teegre]

i can understand wanting to build from the trenches, but you would really want Marvel Smith if you could pick 10 steeler players to build a team around? No Franco Harris, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, Mel Blount?

Excellent point. My logic is sound, but alas, there simply aren't two "top-ten worthy" OTs in Pittsburgh's entire history (which is kind of sad).

Who to add??? Well, if I don't pick Jack Ham, my father might disown me. :lol: That said, I'd rather have James Harrison (were I to go LB). Some might say Woodson or Blount, but I'm a huge proponent that "pressure helps the secondary."

You really cannot go wrong with any of those.

But, in the end, I'd add AB. I've only seen one other player who is not only insanely consistent, but who also makes my jaw drop every single game (Troy).

[Steeldude]

Not in any order...

Joe Greene
Jack Lambert
Troy Polamalu
Rod Woodson
Mel Blount
Mike Webster
Lynn Swann
James Harrison
Ben Roethlisberger
Jack Ham

[Born2Steel]

We have about 50 guys that deserve to be in this top 10 list.

[Dwinsgames]

I'll go another direction .... but include 11

if the opponent cant score , they cant win ...

no particular order ...

Front 3
Aaron Smith
Mean Joe
Joel Steed

Linebackers
Jack Ham
Jack Lambert
James Harrison
Kevin Greene ( could have went Lloyd here but Greene give me the ability to move to a 4 man front in some packages)

DBs

Rod Woodson
Mel Blount
Troy Polamalu
Donnie Shell

now give me league average players on the other side of the ball and we go 16-0

[Dwinsgames]

I'll go another direction .... but include 11

if the opponent cant score , they cant win ...

no particular order ...

Front 3
Aaron Smith
Mean Joe
Joel Steed

Linebackers
Jack Ham
Jack Lambert
James Harrison
Kevin Greene ( could have went Lloyd here but Greene give me the ability to move to a 4 man front in some packages)

DBs

Rod Woodson
Mel Blount
Troy Polamalu
Donnie Shell

now give me league average players on the other side of the ball and we go 16-0

the counter argument could be here ...if you hang 40+ week in week out who's gonna beat you ?

Big Ben -Bradshaw you pick because it wont matter

O-Line
Tunch Ilken
Allen Fanaca
Mike Webster
Dirt Dawson at Guard ( he did play there 1 year )
Larry Brown

RB
Franco Harris


TE
HEEEEAAATH

WR
Swann
Stallworth
AB

[Steelerchad]

I like Hines, but can you really have him ahead of Stallworth. I think 9-15 are really tough, so let's add a few more.
1. Green
2. Lambert
3. Blount
4. Ham
5. Webster
6. Woodson
7. Harris
8. Polamalu
9. Stallworth
10. Ben
11. Bradshaw
12. Brown
13. Swann
14. Bettis
15. Dawson

[salamander]

We've been blessed with so many great players, I honestly can't list them in any particular order.