- The Steelers are 6-1 all-time in Super Bowl appearances.
- Ben Roethlisberger has more than double the passing yards of Terry Bradshaw.
- Joe Greene won four Super Bowls and two Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Before the stunning dynastic run that the New England Patriots went on in the 2000s, the Pittsburgh Steelers were consistently atop the football odds throughout the 1970s. Only the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and New York Giants have won more games as a franchise.
Winning six Super Bowls, including four in the 1970s and two more in the 2000s, it’s safe to say that, especially during the 1970s, if online sports betting were around, the platforms would be overrun by fans wagering on the Steelers and their iconic Steel Curtain defence.
Looking again through an NFL betting lens, the Steelers have appeared in seven Super Bowls and were favoured in all but one Super Bowl XXX against the Dallas Cowboys. In all of their Super Bowl wins, they were the favoured team. Against the Cowboys, they were 13.5-point underdogs and lost 27-17.
I have to say, in creating “best of all time” lists, none was more difficult than this one. This franchise is littered with Hall of Fame players.
Below, I have my top 11 players in Steelers history, and to be frank, any one of these players has a strong case for being the best player in franchise history.
| Rank | Player | Position | Steelers Years |
| 1 | Ben Roethlisberger | QB | 2004-2021 |
| 2 | Joe Greene | DT | 1969-1981 |
| 3 | Mike Webster | C | 1974-1988 |
| 4 | Jack Ham | LB | 1971-1982 |
| 5 | Terry Bradshaw | QB | 1970-1983 |
| 6 | Troy Polamalu | S | 2003-2014 |
| 7 | Jack Lambert | LB | 1974-1984 |
| 8 | Franco Harris | RB | 1972-1983 |
| 9 | Hines Ward | WR | 1998-2011 |
| 10 | Mel Blount | CB | 1970-1983 |
| 11 | Rod Woodson | DB | 1998-2011 |
1. Ben Roethlisberger
This choice could certainly ruffle some longtime Steelers fans’ feathers, but to me, Roethlisberger is the greatest player in Steelers history.
Drafted No. 11 overall in the 2004 NFL Draft, Roethlisberger, as a rookie, took the Steelers to the playoffs before losing to the New England Patriots.
However, he’d get his revenge just one year later, winning Super Bowl XL. Roethlisberger had a less-than-stellar game, completing just nine passes for 123 yards and two interceptions, but in the three postseason games before the Super Bowl, he had seven touchdown passes and just one interception.
He’d then win Super Bowl XLIII, completing 21 of 30 passes for 256 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
He was 13-10 all-time in the postseason, 2-1 in Super Bowls, and went 166-82-1 during the postseason.
Roethlisberger was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, went to six Pro Bowls, led the league in passing twice, and holds NFL records for most games with 500+ passing yards (four), completions in a game (47), wins in a season by a rookie quarterback (13), and games with a perfect passer rating (four).
As for Steelers history, his passing numbers are unlikely to ever be touched. He completed 5,4440 passes on 8,443 attempts for 64,088 yards and 418 touchdowns. These are all franchise records. He also ran 515 times for 1,373 yards and 20 touchdowns. His 20 touchdowns are the 18th-most in Steelers history.
2. Joe Greene
Known mostly by his moniker “Mean Joe Greene,” Greene played for the Steelers from 1969 to 1981 and was a staple of the Steel Curtain defence. In 181 games, he recorded 77.5 sacks, which are fifth- most in Steelers history. Before the mid-to-late 2010s, only L.C. Greenwood had more sacks than Greene, with 78.0.
Greene won Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, and XIV with the Steelers during the 1970s.
He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1972 and 1974 and the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1969.
He was five-time first-team All-Pro, three-time second-team All-Pro, went to 10 Pro Bowls, and is a member of the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade Team, 75th Anniversary Team, and 100th Anniversary Team.
The Steelers retired his No. 75, and he’s enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
3. Mike Webster
Webster is someone I’d consider to be the best center of all time. He played with the Steelers from 1974 to 1988 before playing the final two years of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs.
With the Steelers, he won Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, and XIV, was six-time first-team All-Pro, two-time second-team All-Pro, a nine-time Pro Bowler, and was voted to the NFL’s 1970s and 1980s All-Decade Team and the 75th and 100th Anniversary squads. He also played 150 consecutive games before he dislocated his elbow, which caused him to miss just four games.
He’s enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
4. Jack Ham
Drafted No. 34 overall in the 1971 NFL Draft, Ham, a linebacker, played with the Steelers through the 1982 season.
He won Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, and XIV, was six-time first-team All-Pro, two-time second-team All-Pro, went to eight Pro Bowls and was voted to the 1970s All-Decade, 75th Anniversary, and 100th Anniversary teams.
He recorded 25.5 sacks (31st), 32 interceptions (seventh), and 21 fumble recoveries (fifth).
Unfortunately, tackle data was not officially kept.
5. Terry Bradshaw
Before Roethlisberger, the Steelers had Bradshaw from 1970 through 1983. At the time of his retirement, Bradshaw possessed all of the Steelers passing records with 2,025 completions, 3,901 attempts, 27,989 passing yards, and 212 touchdown passes. He’s also the only other Steelers quarterback to win more than 100 games.
He was 14-5 in the postseason. In those games, he threw for 3,833 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Of those 14 wins, four were from Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, and XIV. He won game MVP in XIII and XIV, the NFL league MVP in 1978, and was also first-team All-Pro that season.
Additionally, he went to three Pro Bowls, led the league in passing touchdowns in 1978 and 1982, and won the Bert Bell Award in 1978.
He’s enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
6. Troy Polamalu
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a safety more aggressive than Polamalu.
He played with the Steelers from 2003 through 2014, and during that time, he played in 158 games, had 32 interceptions (tied for seventh), three pick-sixes (tied for third), 107 passes defended (third), 14 forced fumbles (tied for seventh), 583 solo tackles (seventh), 200 assists (eighth), and 56 tackles for loss (10th).
He won two Super Bowls with Big Ben (XL and XLIII), was Defensive Player of the Year in 2010, was four-time first-team All-Pro, two-time second-team All-Pro, won eight Pro Bowls, was voted to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, Steelers All-Time Team, and now, he’s enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
7. Jack Lambert
Playing in 146 games for the Steelers from 1974 to 1984, he finished his career with 28 interceptions, 17 fumble recoveries, and 23.5 sacks. While tackles were officially recorded, PSA credits Lambert with 1,479 total tackles, including 1,045 solo.
He was a key cog in the Super Bowl IX, X, XIII, and XIV runs, was NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1976, the NFL Defensive Rookie Player of the Year in 1974, was six-time first-team All-Pro, two-time second-team All-Pro, went to nine Pro Bowls, and is a member of the NFL’s 1970s, 1980s, 75th Anniversary, and 100th Anniversary Teams.
Today, he’s enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
8. Franco Harris
Harris hasn’t played since 1983 but still holds the Steelers all-time rushing yards record with 11,950 yards. He also holds Steelers records in rush attempts (2,881) and rushing touchdowns (91).
He had eight seasons with 1,000 or more rushing yards and five with double-digit touchdowns.
With the Steelers, Harris won Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, and XIV and was named MVP of Super Bowl IX.
He was the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1972, the NFL Man of the Year in 1976, and a first-team All-Pro in 1977.
He was also a two-time second-team All-Pro, went to nine Pro Bowls, and led the NFL in rushing in 1976.
The Steelers retired his No. 32, and he’s enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
9. Hines Ward
A two-time Super Bowl-winning wide receiver (XL and XLIII), Ward was named Super Bowl XL MVP, was a three-time second-team All-Pro, went to four Pro Bowls and is a member of the Steelers All-Time Team.
He finished his career with 1,000 receptions on 1,558 targets for 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns.
Those are all Steelers records.
10. Mel Blount
Playing exactly 200 games for the Steelers, Blount racked up 57 interceptions (first), for 736 yards, and two pick-sixes. He also had 13 fumble recoveries, with two returned for a touchdown.
He won Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, and XIV, was NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1975, was two-time first-team All-Pro, four-time second-team All-Pro, went to five Pro Bowls, and led the league in interceptions in 1975 with 11.
Blount is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
11. Rod Woodson
The NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993, Woodson played for the Steelers from 1987 through 1996 before playing with the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, and the then-Oakland Raiders to finish his career.
During his Steeler days, he was a five-time first-team All-Pro and a two-time second-team All-Pro.
With the Steelers, he recorded 38 interceptions (fourth), five pick-sixes (tied for first), 16 forced fumbles, 21 fumbles recoveries, returned one for a touchdown, and 644 solo tackles.
He holds NFL records for most pick-sixes (12) and most defensive touchdowns (13).
He’s enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.