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Saturday, May 14, 2011
Yesterday I started a series "The History of the Franchise" and picked out the best coach, player, biggest draft gem, biggest draft bust, and the defining moment of the Green Bay Packers. I am going from best team to worst, so here we go with another historic franchise. The Super Bowl XLV runner ups, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Coach Bill Cowher has the looks and the guts to be the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach. The burning rage and passion he coaches with is what the Steelers franchise is built around. From their dynasty in the 1970's, Pittsburgh was always preached to hit hard and don't take anything, which is exactly what Cowher did as coach. In his 15 years as Steeler head coach, Pittsburgh won eight division titles, earned ten postseason berths, played in 21 playoff games, and advanced to six AFC Championship Game. Most importantly, Cowher led the Steelers to a victory in Super Bowl XL with a second year QB. Cowher stepped down as head coach in 2007 and gave the job over to Mike Tomlin who eventually won Super Bowl XLIII. After he retired, Cowher's record as head coach was 161-99-1 (including playoff games). You can make a case for Chuck Noll, but Cowher just looks like the coach of the Steelers.
The Steelers have had so many great players over the years that it is hard to choose which one is the best, but the one who portrays the Steelers the best is Joe Greene. Nicknamed "Mean" Joe is just reason enough. He is one of the most hard hitting defensive tackles of all time and no doubt the best from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Greene was drafted in 1969 and many asked who is Joe Greene? That question was quickly answered because teams started double teaming, even tripple teaming the defensive tackle through much of his career. Greene got his nickname in college and his "mean" attitude showed on the field. Including one instance where he spit in the face of Dick Butckus and challenged him to a fight. If you are man enough to challenge Dick Butckus in a fight, you deserve to be the #1 Steeler. In the 1970's Greene was the leader of the Steelers "Steel Curtain" and helped lead the team to four Super Bowl victories, which was a record until 1994 when the 49ers won their fifth. The Steelers will never be able to find another DT like "Mean" Joe Greene and that is why he is the greatest Pittsburgh Steeler of all time. His stats included 181 games played, 78.5 sacks, and 16 fumble recoveries.
The one thing I will remember about Hines Ward is the smile he gives ever time he gets cracked by a defensive player. His toughness also proves why he is a Pittsburgh Steeler. Most WR don't like blocking, but Ward takes a liking to it. The best thing about it, Ward was taken in the 3rd round of the 1998 draft so the Steelers didn't really have to give anything for such a great player and he did come out as a QB. In 2007, Ward became the all time Steeler reception leader. A few weeks later, Ward became the all time receving yard leader for the Steelers. He has been to four pro bowls, won a MVP in Super Bowl XL, and has two Super Bowl rings. All that really doesn't matter. It is Ward's toughness that makes him one of the greatest Steelers of all time and their greatest draft gem. Click here to look at Ward's stats.
Biggest Draft Bust: Troy Edwards
A year after drafting their biggest draft gem, the Steelers drafted Troy Edwards in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft. Edwards had an average rookie year catching five touchdown passes and had 1,200 receiving yards. The bad thing is, Edwards didn't catch any the following two years and was traded to the St. Louis Rams. After his stint with the Steelers, Edwards jumbed from three different teams. He most recently played for the Arena Football team the Grand Rapids Ramage before completely retiring from football in 2007. The Steelers draft Edwards due to his great college career at Louisiana Tech. In 1998, Edwards caught 21 passes for 405 yards, which was a record at the time. Every team has their good times and their bad time, drafting Troy Edwards was part of the Steelers bad times.
One of the greatest and most controversial plays in NFL history made the cut as the Steelers defining moment. The 1974 NFL Draft wasn't bad for the Steelers, but this started a dynasty in the Steel City. After the Raiders QB Ken Stabler scored on a 30 yard touchdown run with 1:17 left to go, head coach Chuck Noll called a pass play, 66 Circle Option. Under extreme pressure, QB Terry Bradshaw threw the ball to the Raiders 35 yard line. What followed was unbelivable. Raiders safety Jack Tatum collided with halfback John Fuqua and sent the ball sailing backwards several yards. Fullback Franco Harris ran downfield in case Bradshaw needed another elligble WR and was able to catch the ball before it hit the ground. Harris then used a stiff arm to hold off Jimmy Warren and ran in for the touchdown to give the Steelers the win. Even though Pittsburgh lost to the "perfect" Dolphins a week later, this was a sign of things to come. What would follow would be six Super Bowl championships, four of them would come in the 1970's.
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