Part of my entertainment on Easter Sunday was watching a Steelers Marathon on the NFL Network. One portion of which was a program on the top ten Steelers of all time. The problem, of course, is that there have been so many great Steelers players that folks like Jack Ham, Mike Webster and Dermontti Dawson didn’t make the list. That got me to thinking (sometimes a dangerous thing) about what might be a fun exercise for us at BTSC.
Imagine you are tasked with winning one football game and you get to select a roster of Steelers players to accomplish that task. Below you get to select from a list of groups of players who represent all of or a portion of a decade. Now, to get into the proper spirit of things please take the following into consideration:
– Most position categories are included except for the offensive line and punters.
– You can only select one group of players per category. Where designated you may add a player from the same era. You may also write in a group as well, but when you do so they must be from the same era. So no matching Buddy Dial with Louis Lipps or Roy Jefferson with Yancey Thigpen.
– The players you select should be imagined as playing against opponents of their own era, so no worries concerning size, strength or speed differentials between say, 60s eras players and 21st century players.
– Remember this is for one game only. So what’s important within that very narrow context; Bobby Layne’s leadership or Big Ben’s talent, Mike Wallace’s general big play ability or Lynn Swann’s big game playmaking?
Offense
Quarterback
1. Terry Bradshaw*
2. Bobby Layne
4. Write in
Tight End
1. Bennie Cunningham
2. Eric Greene*
3. Heath Miller
4. Write in
Running Back
2. Franco Harris*
3. John Henry Johnson
4. Write in
Receivers
1. Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace
2. Plaxico Burress and Hines Ward
3. Ernie Mills and Yancey Thigpen
4. John Stallworth and Lynn Swann*
5. Write in
Punt/Kickoff returner
1. Antonio Brown
3. Lynn Swann
4. Rod Woodson*
5. Write in
Defense
Defensive Line
1. John Baker, Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb, Ben McGee, Ernie Stautner (I recognize that this group didn’t play together, but pretend)
2. Joe Greene, LC Greenwood, Ernie Holmes, Dwight White*
3. Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Aaron Smith
4. Write in
Linebackers
1. Kendrell Bell, James Farrior, Clark Haggans, Joey Porter
2. Chad Brown, Kevin Greene, Levon Kirkland, Greg Lloyd
3. James Farrior, James Harrison, Lawrence Timmons, Lamarr Woodley
4. Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, Andy Russell*
5. Write in
Defensive Backs
1. Mel Blount, Donnie Shell, JT Thomas, Mike Wagner
2. Ryan Clark, Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor, (your choice)
3. Brady Keys, Paul Martha, Marv Woodson, (your choice)
4. Carnell Lake, Willie Williams, Rod Woodson, (your choice)*
5. Write in
Kickers
1. Gary Anderson*
2. Roy Gerela
3. Lou Michaels
4. Jeff Reed
5. Write in
Head Coach
1. Bill Cowher
2. Chuck Noll*
3. Buddy Parker
4. Mike Tomlin
5. Write In
Team Executive
1. Art Rooney Sr.
2. Art Rooney II
3. Dan Rooney*
4. Write In
The asterisks are my personal choices, though I don’t really think there are any wrong answers here. This is for thought and discussion. One player usually made the difference when I was choosing groups; for example Joe Greene and Jack Ham. But I think the fun and the challenge is to consider the range of options, even from the down days of the 60s where a number of quality players wore the black and gold. What group would you field for one game?
Source: Behind the Steel Curtain
