In Franchise History, Who Are The Most Underrated Steelers?

[polamalubeast]

We posed a question similar to this a year ago. But that was just regarding the current roster. I want to take it one step further. Who are the most underrated in Pittsburgh Steelers’ history?

I decided to write about this after reading Mike Tanier’s list of the 25 most underrated players of all-time. It’s a good read so check it out (after you answer the title’s question).

You can take this two ways. The most underrated by the franchise’s own fan base or by the national media rating a Steeler. Let me throw a couple options of each but definitely let me know your input below. Lots of names we could consider.


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http://www.steelersdepot.com/2017/05/franchise-history-underrated-steelers/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[Six Rings]

Under rated?

Aaron Smith
Donnie Shell
Darren Perry ( Not a great player but a very productive one )
Markus Gilbert
Keith Willis
Deshea Townsend

[43Hitman]

Chidi Iwuoma - ST DEMON in the Cowher Era.

[steelreserve]

obligatory JOHN KUHN!!!!!

[86WARD]

Aaron Smith is top of that list.

Kimo, Greg Warren, Jon Whitman, Mark Bruener? I have to think a little more...

[Craic]

By the national media?

That's easy. Heath Miller.

By the fanbase? That's quite a bit harder. Part of me wants to say James Farrior, but he got props quite often from the fanbase—at least from the two or three Steelers boards I've been on. Maybe Doug Legursky? He got railed on because he couldn't play Guard. But he was a pretty good center. Started the SB in 2010 and played very well. He lacked the ability to get to the second level, but value wise, he was great to have.

[BurghBoy412]

How could he include Marvel Smith in that list? One of the worst Steelers of all time IMO. Put him right up there with Dwayne Washington.

[st33lersguy]

Aaron Smith. He did his job to perfection but because it wasn't a glamorous job and didn't light up the stat sheet, he gets overlooked

[fansince'76]

obligatory JOHN KUHN!!!!!

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb136/garyb12001/Kuhn/johnkuhnhof_zps9a6a6b49.jpg (http://s211.photobucket.com/user/garyb12001/media/Kuhn/johnkuhnhof_zps9a6a6b49.jpg.html)

:chuckle:

[Mojouw]

Not sure Aaron Smith belongs on this list. A lot of football folks argue he should be in Canton.

Olsavsky? Never got a ton of credit but always managed to answer the bell.

Brendan Stai? Carlton Haselrig?


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[tube517]

Chris Hoke

Bryan Hinkle

Jon Kolb

Earnest Jackson

Louis Lipps

Randy "the Rabbi" Grossman

John Banaszak

[Steeldude]

Merril Hoge
Frank Pollard
Jerry Olsavsky
Deshea Townsend

[steelreserve]

Aaron Smith was pretty well recognized as one of the best in the game, both by the fans and by any commentator who knew what he was talking about. I believe he made a couple of Pro Bowls as well, so he was not overlooked.

Along with Townsend, I'd argue Larry Foote belongs on that list. He wasn't a star, but pretty solid for a guy who was basically rounding out the defense as an afterthought. If the guy in his position sucks, the whole defense starts to come unraveled, and he did his job admirably. But for some reason, people hated him.

Chad Kreider? I can't believe that guy still has a working neck after all the thousands of times I watched him crashing into people blocking for the Bus.

[tube517]

Aaron Smith was pretty well recognized as one of the best in the game, both by the fans and by any commentator who knew what he was talking about. I believe he made a couple of Pro Bowls as well, so he was not overlooked.

Along with Townsend, I'd argue Larry Foote belongs on that list. He wasn't a star, but pretty solid for a guy who was basically rounding out the defense as an afterthought. If the guy in his position sucks, the whole defense starts to come unraveled, and he did his job admirably. But for some reason, people hated him.

Chad Kreider? I can't believe that guy still has a working neck after all the thousands of times I watched him crashing into people blocking for the Bus.

Foote getting injured in 2013 was one of the reasons of that disastrous 0-4 start along w/Pouncey going down in the same game.

[ALLD]

L.C. Greenwood. Mean Joe got credit for many of his tackles that's why he went to gold shoes.

[Edman]

Max Starks.

Max was always a solid tackle, but never got any credit from Steeler fans because of the "Grease fire O-Line" years. The O-Line was bad most of the time and Starks was guilty by association, even though he was actually good.

Won two rings and played a big role in both of them.

[Drazo85]

Brett Keisel!

[RunNGun]

Ike Taylor. There are some people who knew his true worth, but just as many, if not more, who thought he was trash. He locked down many #1 WRs on a consistent basis. Just had hands of stone.

[86WARD]

Aaron Smith was pretty well recognized as one of the best in the game, both by the fans and by any commentator who knew what he was talking about. I believe he made a couple of Pro Bowls as well, so he was not overlooked.

Along with Townsend, I'd argue Larry Foote belongs on that list. He wasn't a star, but pretty solid for a guy who was basically rounding out the defense as an afterthought. If the guy in his position sucks, the whole defense starts to come unraveled, and he did his job admirably. But for some reason, people hated him.

Chad Kreider? I can't believe that guy still has a working neck after all the thousands of times I watched him crashing into people blocking for the Bus.

Smith made ONE Pro-Bowl. He definitely is at the top of the list for this topic. He got the credit from some, but most overlooked him.

You mean FB, Dan Kreider. He was another good one that was overlooked. A lot of people don't remember (or know) he was the Steelers Rookie of the Year...

[FrancoLambert]

Jon Kolb
Donnie Shell
Robin Cole
Bryan Hinkle
Louis Lipps
Marcus Gilbert

[Born2Steel]

Under-rated? John L for starters. For a SB MVP and great all around teammate, Ward never got the national accolades he deserved, IMO. BB is still considered a step below P. Manning, Brady, and Brees. I see him as good as those guys.

[teegre]

Deshea Townsend

Yep.
That was my first thought.

For whatever reason, people hated Townsend. HATED him. They said things like: "If he weren't Hines Ward's best friend and next door neighbor, he'd have been cut two seasons ago." Townsend was never great, but he was pretty darn good (and definitely much better than how many fans labeled him).

[Devilsdancefloor]

mike wagner
louis lipps
but i am gonna have to think about it those are the 2 i can think of right now

[86WARD]

I don't think Lipps was under rated at all. Not even close. He was in the Pro Bowl multiple times, an All Pro multipolar times, Steelers MVP from what I remember.

[tube517]

I don't think Lipps was under rated at all. Not even close. He was in the Pro Bowl multiple times, an All Pro multipolar times, Steelers MVP from what I remember.

I've been thinking about Lipps. You are correct and I agree.

But, I think he gets lost in conversations about Steelers WR's because Stallworth was still playing and the shitty QBs they had in the 80s.

[teegre]

I've got one:

Ryan Clark

He had to cover the part of the field that Troy vacated (when Troy improvised). Really. Think about that. Clark had to read the offense while simultaneously reading what Troy was doing. Yet, when he was young/healthy, our defense always had the fewest "big plays" against it.

[RunNGun]

I've got one:

Ryan Clark

He had to cover the part of the field that Troy vacated (when Troy improvised). Really. Think about that. Clark had to read the offense while simultaneously reading what Troy was doing. Yet, when he was young/healthy, our defense always had the fewest "big plays" against it.

I like this. He definitely didn't get the recognition he deserved. Could absolutely destroy people.

[Dwinsgames]

I am gonna go ahead and say Jason Gildon .

for whatever reason he was never embraced by the fanbase , was thought of as soft or whatever because he was not the prototypical steelers linebacker

yet in 9 years here he put up 77 sacks and was the franchise leader until over taken by Harrison but is a guy that is almost never mentioned in a good light ..

[teegre]

I am gonna go ahead and say Jason Gildon .

for whatever reason he was never embraced by the fanbase , was thought of as soft or whatever because he was not the prototypical steelers linebacker

yet in 9 years here he put up 77 sacks and was the franchise leader until over taken by Harrison but is a guy that is almost never mentioned in a good light ..

I'm willing to bet that a good portion of those who are derisive towards Gildon are mindlessly quoting (Dong sacks!!!) a certain website... from which I was banned on Feb. 1, 2009 (for celebrating Pittsburgh's victory in XLIII).

[polamalubeast]

I am gonna go ahead and say Jason Gildon .

for whatever reason he was never embraced by the fanbase , was thought of as soft or whatever because he was not the prototypical steelers linebacker

yet in 9 years here he put up 77 sacks and was the franchise leader until over taken by Harrison but is a guy that is almost never mentioned in a good light ..

dong sacks :lol:

[DesertSteel]

Mike Wagner

[Dwinsgames]

8.5 sacks a year average for Jason Gildon think about that .... Jarvis Jones , Chris Carter , Bruce Davis combined career totals do not equate to 8.5 sacks in a career to date

[86WARD]

I've been thinking about Lipps. You are correct and I agree.

But, I think he gets lost in conversations about Steelers WR's because Stallworth was still playing and the shitty QBs they had in the 80s.

I'll agree with that he gets lost in the discussions but I think he's got some stiff competition. If I were ranking them as players based on what we've seen and what would translate to today's game, I'd put them in this order:

AB, Stallworth, Ward, Swann, Lipps, Holmes, Burress, Thigpen. I could flip flop Lipps and Swann but I think Swann was better and Stallworth could totally play in today's game and dominate.

I think Yancey was a very under the radar guy for the Steelers. I also think Randle El got less credit than he deserved. He was a damned good punt returner and not horrible as a WR.

[tube517]

I'll agree with that he gets lost in the discussions but I think he's got some stiff competition. If I were ranking them as players based on what we've seen and what would translate to today's game, I'd put them in this order:

AB, Stallworth, Ward, Swann, Lipps, Holmes, Burress, Thigpen. I could flip flop Lipps and Swann but I think Swann was better and Stallworth could totally play in today's game and dominate.

I think Yancey was a very under the radar guy for the Steelers. I also think Randle El got less credit than he deserved. He was a damned good punt returner and not horrible as a WR.

Yeah, ARE in the slot w/Burress and Ward is what I'm hoping for Juju and even Eli. Get those 1st downs and sneak in some YAC. Plus he was the greatest emergency QB of all time.

Thigpen would have dominated in 96 had he stayed healthy and I was sad when he left in 1998

[GBMelBlount]

Tunch Ilkin

[GBMelBlount]

I will also mention Mel Blount, in that he was arguably better than most rate him.

Bleachers has him as the 3rd best Steelers player ever as of 2010.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/498070-top-50-greatest-pittsburgh-steelers-of-all-time

[43Hitman]

Tunch Ilkin Good one.

[zulater]

A lot of good ones already taken. Hoge, Tunch, and Kolb were a few I thought of right away. Kolb particularly. Never made a Pro Bowl despite a career of shutting down the game's best DE's. You watch some of those old games and there were times Bradshaw could have read a novel while waiting for someone to get open.

I don't think anyone's mentioned Sam Davis yet either. Offensive captain of those SB teams. Small but gritty. Rarely got beat. Robin Cole did a helluva job replacing Ham when he went down in 79. Obviously he wasn't Ham ( who was?) but he was a damn good player in his own right.

One last one that many will disagree belongs in this category. Franco Harris. In his time he wasn't underrated. But in historical context he's been sold short, not only when the discussion is all time great backs, but also when we talk all time greatest Steelers. The truth is from 72-77 when teams game planned to stop the Steelers offense it wasn't Terry, Swann, or Stallworth that was giving them night sweats. It was Franco. The game plan to stop the Steelers was always based on stopping Franco.

In an NFL context when he retired he was the league's all time second leading rusher. And of course he was the leader in post season rushing yards and held every SB rushing record. Obviously being on a great team helped him accumulate these stats, but let's not forget the Steelers never won a damn thing or even made the playoffs until Franco lit up the scene as a rookie in 72.Anyway anytime you see a list of the league's best all time backs you never see any mention of Franco. And that's just wrong.

[Steelerette]

Merril Hoge
Buddy Dial
Larry Foote
Dwayne Woodruff

[86WARD]

If you want to talk historical context then Terry Bradshaw is number one on that list. He constantly gets pushed down the ladder of greatness because he played on a "Hall of Fame" team...

[Dwinsgames]

If you want to talk historical context then Terry Bradshaw is number one on that list. He constantly gets pushed down the ladder of greatness because he played on a "Hall of Fame" team...

and without him just how many of the others never get to put on that Golden Jacket ?

Swann , Stallworth for sure maybe Harris too and that is being short sighted about it ...

if we want to be really clear it could be most of them because lets face it no great QB not any SBs and not a ton of wins so even the guys on Def take a hit on likelihood of making it to Canton ...

[polamalubeast]

In 1974, the steelers won the super bowl, although Bradshaw was not very good for most of the year but he was excellent in the other 3 years that the steelers won the super bowl.

You can win one super bowl without a good QB and a great defense like the 2000 ravens or the 2015 broncos, but you can't win mutiples super bowl without a great QB.

[tube517]

Bradshaw in the Super Bowl threw a TD pass to either win the game or seal it every game.

He was a big game QB. I know we all get tired of his act on TV, but he rose to the occasion as a player

By 1978-79, his performances had to bail out the defense. In XIII, the defense played prevent to hold onto Bradshaw's lead. In XIV, Ferragamo and Wendell Tyler (2 unknowns at the time) were having their way and Franco could not gain yardage on the Rams stingy defense. Noll told Bradshaw he had to pass to win with no Lynn Swann in the 4th. Talk about clutch.