Tweet
If you look at modern-era Steeler football, we never have more than two non-winning seasons in a row. We break out by the 3rd season every time. Last time we had two non-winning seasons was '98 and '99. By 2,000 we were winning again. (We had one other losing season in 2003, but then Ben showed up.)
All indicators point to us having a winning season in 2014. However, let's take a peak at the drafts leading up to winning seasons, after 1999. Here were the drafts that built the contender following that span.
1 29 Jamain Stephens OT 01/09/1974 North Carolina A&T
3 72 Steve Conley LB 01/18/1972 Arkansas
3 92 Jon Witman RB 06/01/1972 Penn State
4 126 Earl Holmes LB 04/28/1973 Florida A&M
4 132 Jahine Arnold WR 06/19/1973 Fresno State
5 163 Israel Raybon DE 02/05/1973 North Alabama
6 200 Orpheus Roye DT 01/21/1973 Florida State
6 203 Spence Fischer QB 11/30/1972 Duke
7 242 Carlos Emmons LB 09/03/1973 Arkansas State
Looking at that draft, I can see how we fell into the abyss a few years later. First round pick was awful. Conley was a clown. Witman and Holmes decent. Not a good draft.
Round Overall Player Position Birthdate College
1 24 Chad Scott DB 09/06/1974 Maryland
2 53 Will Blackwell WR 07/09/1975 San Diego State
3 82 Paul Wiggins OT 07/17/1973 Oregon
3 91 Mike Vrabel LB 08/14/1975 Ohio State
5 154 George Jones RB 12/31/1973 San Diego State
6 186 Daryl Porter DB 01/16/1974 Boston College
6 199 Rod Manuel DE 10/08/1974 Oklahoma
7 223 Michael Adams WR 03/25/1974 Texas
Terrible again. I can see why they had 2 losing seasons after this stinker.
1 26 Alan Faneca OG 12/07/1976 Louisiana State
2 41 Jeremy Staat DE 10/10/1976 Arizona State
3 66 Chris Conrad OT 05/27/1975 Fresno State
3 92 Hines Ward WR 03/08/1976 Georgia
4 117 Deshea Townsend DB 09/08/1975 Alabama
4 123 Carlos King RB 11/25/1973 North Carolina State
5 137 Jason Simmons DB 03/30/1976 Arizona State
6 178 Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala RB 03/04/1977 Utah
6 186 Ryan Olson DT 06/27/1975 Colorado
7 221 Angel Rubio DT 04/12/1975 Southeast Missouri State
Ah, some life. 4 good players from that one. 2 possible Hall of Famers.
1 13 Troy Edwards WR 04/07/1977 Louisiana Tech
2 59 Scott Shields DB 03/29/1976 Weber State
3 73 Joey Porter LB 03/22/1977 Colorado State
3 74 Kris Farris OT 03/26/1977 UCLA
3 95 Amos Zereoue RB 10/08/1976 West Virginia
4 109 Aaron Smith DE 04/09/1976 Northern Colorado
5 136 Jerame Tuman TE 03/24/1976 Michigan
5 166 Malcolm Johnson WR 08/27/1977 Notre Dame
7 214 Antonio Dingle DT 10/07/1976 Virginia
7 219 Chad Kelsay LB 04/09/1977 Nebraska
7 228 Kris Brown K 12/23/1976 Nebraska
4 good players again. And the following year, the Steelers have life again.
1 8 Plaxico Burress WR 08/12/1977 Michigan State
2 38 Marvel Smith OT 08/06/1978 Arizona State
3 72 Kendrick Clancy DT 09/17/1978 Mississippi
3 77 Hank Poteat DB 08/30/1977 Pittsburgh
4 103 Danny Farmer WR 05/21/1977 UCLA
5 137 Clark Haggans LB 01/10/1977 Colorado State
5 163 Tee Martin QB 07/25/1978 Tennessee
6 173 Chris Combs DE 12/15/1976 Duke
6 204 Jason Gavadza TE 01/31/1976 Kent State
2 pro bowl level players and another starter. I see.
Now let's see what drafting has done recently to make us winners again this time around.
All indicators point to us having a winning season in 2014. However, let's take a peak at the drafts leading up to winning seasons, after 1999. Here were the drafts that built the contender following that span.
1 29 Jamain Stephens OT 01/09/1974 North Carolina A&T
3 72 Steve Conley LB 01/18/1972 Arkansas
3 92 Jon Witman RB 06/01/1972 Penn State
4 126 Earl Holmes LB 04/28/1973 Florida A&M
4 132 Jahine Arnold WR 06/19/1973 Fresno State
5 163 Israel Raybon DE 02/05/1973 North Alabama
6 200 Orpheus Roye DT 01/21/1973 Florida State
6 203 Spence Fischer QB 11/30/1972 Duke
7 242 Carlos Emmons LB 09/03/1973 Arkansas State
Looking at that draft, I can see how we fell into the abyss a few years later. First round pick was awful. Conley was a clown. Witman and Holmes decent. Not a good draft.
Round Overall Player Position Birthdate College
1 24 Chad Scott DB 09/06/1974 Maryland
2 53 Will Blackwell WR 07/09/1975 San Diego State
3 82 Paul Wiggins OT 07/17/1973 Oregon
3 91 Mike Vrabel LB 08/14/1975 Ohio State
5 154 George Jones RB 12/31/1973 San Diego State
6 186 Daryl Porter DB 01/16/1974 Boston College
6 199 Rod Manuel DE 10/08/1974 Oklahoma
7 223 Michael Adams WR 03/25/1974 Texas
Terrible again. I can see why they had 2 losing seasons after this stinker.
1 26 Alan Faneca OG 12/07/1976 Louisiana State
2 41 Jeremy Staat DE 10/10/1976 Arizona State
3 66 Chris Conrad OT 05/27/1975 Fresno State
3 92 Hines Ward WR 03/08/1976 Georgia
4 117 Deshea Townsend DB 09/08/1975 Alabama
4 123 Carlos King RB 11/25/1973 North Carolina State
5 137 Jason Simmons DB 03/30/1976 Arizona State
6 178 Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala RB 03/04/1977 Utah
6 186 Ryan Olson DT 06/27/1975 Colorado
7 221 Angel Rubio DT 04/12/1975 Southeast Missouri State
Ah, some life. 4 good players from that one. 2 possible Hall of Famers.
1 13 Troy Edwards WR 04/07/1977 Louisiana Tech
2 59 Scott Shields DB 03/29/1976 Weber State
3 73 Joey Porter LB 03/22/1977 Colorado State
3 74 Kris Farris OT 03/26/1977 UCLA
3 95 Amos Zereoue RB 10/08/1976 West Virginia
4 109 Aaron Smith DE 04/09/1976 Northern Colorado
5 136 Jerame Tuman TE 03/24/1976 Michigan
5 166 Malcolm Johnson WR 08/27/1977 Notre Dame
7 214 Antonio Dingle DT 10/07/1976 Virginia
7 219 Chad Kelsay LB 04/09/1977 Nebraska
7 228 Kris Brown K 12/23/1976 Nebraska
4 good players again. And the following year, the Steelers have life again.
1 8 Plaxico Burress WR 08/12/1977 Michigan State
2 38 Marvel Smith OT 08/06/1978 Arizona State
3 72 Kendrick Clancy DT 09/17/1978 Mississippi
3 77 Hank Poteat DB 08/30/1977 Pittsburgh
4 103 Danny Farmer WR 05/21/1977 UCLA
5 137 Clark Haggans LB 01/10/1977 Colorado State
5 163 Tee Martin QB 07/25/1978 Tennessee
6 173 Chris Combs DE 12/15/1976 Duke
6 204 Jason Gavadza TE 01/31/1976 Kent State
2 pro bowl level players and another starter. I see.
Now let's see what drafting has done recently to make us winners again this time around.