For the third year in a row, former Steelers RB Jerome Bettis will be anxiously awaiting the decision of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee on Super Bowl weekend.  It is the third time “The Bus” has been eligible, and also the third year in a row that Bettis has made the final cut to the round of 15.  He is joined in that final round by former Steelers OLB Kevin Greene, T Larry Allen, WR Tim Brown, WR Cris Carter, DE/LB Charles Haley, Art Modell, T Jonathan Ogden, Bill Parcells, WR Andre Reed, DT Warren Sapp, G Will Shields, DE Michael Strahan, DB Aeneas Williams, and Eddie DeBartolo Jr.  For the first time, Bettis does not have to battle it out with another Hall of Fame-worthy running back from his era.  In 2011, it was Marshall Faulk who stole the show, and in 2012 it was Pittsburgh native Curtis Martin who got in.  This year, it looks like smooth-sailing for “The Bus”, the last of his great generation of running backs to be inducted, despite being one of the most prolific players in NFL history.

If ever there was a year that Steeler Nation needed to be reminded of the glory of days not so far past, it is now.  Coming off an 8-8 season and with most of the veteran team that helped secure Super Bowl wins in both Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII either gone or on the verge of being gone, Steelers fans need a reminder of why we are so blessed to be fans of this great organization.  Jerome Bettis is a shining example of everything that is right in football, and he deserves to be in Canton among the immortals.  I believe this will be the year that “The Bus” makes that trip.

Jerome Bettis now sits sixth all-time in terms of rushing yards (13,662), having been passed by LaDainian Tomlinson in 2011.  With Tomlinson now retired as well, the next closest active player is the Rams Steven Jackson, who has 10,135 yards rushing but is already well into the final phase of his career.  “The Bus” is safe at the sixth spot, at least for the foreseeable future.  All five of the players ahead of him – Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Curtis Martin – minus Tomlinson, who will be in once he is eligible, are now enshrined.  The four below Bettis – Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, Tony Dorsett, and Jim Brown – are all in the Hall, as are Franco Harris, Marcus Allen and Thurman Thomas.  In terms of rushing touchdowns, Bettis sits at #10, tied with Franco Harris at 91 rushing scores.  He is ahead of Martin, Dorsett,  and Dickerson in that category – as well as Hall of Famers Earl Campbell and Leroy Kelly.  With numbers that exceed or at least his peers, Bettis is well deserving of being in the Hall of Fame.

Bettis accomplished all of that while playing at over 255 pounds his entire career.  Backs of that size do not usually have lengthy careers, let alone lengthy hall of fame-worthy careers.  Bettis produced eight 1,000 yard rushing campaigns, and would have easily had nine had not been injuries that derailed his 2004 season.  Toss in the fact that “The Bus” played his entire career while battling his asthma condition that on occasion forced him to breathe through an inhaler on the sideline.

The current crop of players who have a chance to be enshrined include three Wide Receivers who are still waiting for their ticket to be punched.  Tim Brown, Cris Carter, and Andre Reed are all Hall-worthy players who should get in soon.  Offensive linemen usually do well on the ballot, so Ogden and Shields are a possibility, with Ogden being considered a shoe in by many so-called experts.  The other players nominated are on the fence, many will get in at some point and some will never get in.  Bettis is the last truly “great” player of his generation that has not yet been elected.  The Hall of Fame loves when a Steelers player is enshrined, as it brings thousands of fans to Canton and with it, tons of money being pumped into the local economy.  This is the year for “The Bus”, and we will find out Super Bowl weekend whether or not to start making plans to head to Canton.

Follow Jeff Snedden on Twitter @jeffsnedden or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JeffreySneddenSportsWriter. 

“I don’t know if it’s a new era, but there are a lot of guys out here I have no idea who they are.” via The Sports Xchange on CBSSports.com

Granted, I am sure most of this quote was made in jest because the Steelers experienced so much roster turnover this offseason, but “The Beard” really made a good point.  There are numerous new faces on this football team, that is a straight up fact.  The old faces of the early decade we grew to know and adore have either left, or are now on the verge of packing it in over the next couple of seasons.  But you know what?  It is not necessarily a bad thing at all for this team.

Kevin Colbert, Art Rooney II, and Dan Rooney have done a terrific job over their careers. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

All things considered though, the Steelers franchise has replaced talent and transitioned from consistent roster turnover better than almost any team during the Free Agency/Salary Cap era.  So last night, I thought about some of the talent which Pittsburgh has developed and helped to become terrific players over the last 20 years, and then ultimately had to replace for whatever reasons.  This list is just a short sample I came up with:

Offense

Running Backs: Barry Foster, Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker

Tight End/Wide Receivers: Eric Green, Yancey Thigpen, Plaxico Burress, Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward

Centers/Guards: Dermontti Dawson, Carlton Haselrig, Duval Love, Jeff Hartings, Alan Faneca

Tackles: John Jackson, Marvel Smith

Defense

Defensive Linemen: Ray Seals, Joel Steed, Kimo von Oelhoffen, Aaron Smith

Linebackers: Hardy Nickerson, David Little, Kevin Greene, Chad Brown, Greg Lloyd, Levon Kirkland, Earl Holmes, Kendrell Bell, Jason Gildon, Joey Porter, James Farrior

Defensive Backs: Rod Woodson, Thomas Everett, Carnell Lake, Darren Perry, Deshea Townsend

Kicker: Gary Anderson

Some of these guys were above-average contributors and played to a very high level during their tenures with the club like Randle El, Jackson, Seals, von Oelhoffen, Nickerson, Holmes, Everett, Perry, and Townsend.  Santonio had one of the greatest individual Postseasons ever and was named Super Bowl MVP for his efforts.  The rest of these players made the Pro Bowl at least once during there time in Pittsburgh, and a good number of these guys made multiple Pro Bowls like Lake, Lloyd, Greene, Farrior, Foster, Anderson, Green, Parker, Porter Hartings etc..  Yet the awesome thing about this list is that it includes two Hall of Famers already inducted in the forms of Woodson and Dawson, and Ward, Bettis, and Faneca all likely will have their tickets punched to Canton in the near future as well.  And this is a list of guys that are gone now.  Who knows how awesome this list will be in another decade when a few names like Casey Hampton, Maurkice Pouncey, Heath Miller, James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, and Troy Polamalu are added to it.

With all the change, it honestly goes to show the solid work of people like Dick Haley, Tom Donahoe, Kevin Colbert and the rest of their fellow employees during their regime’s when they were Front Office heads.  The talent may come and go, but the key has been to make it a never-ending process, and it is what the Steelers have done a masterful job of over the last couple decades.  And yes, Pittsburgh is again in the midst of yet another rebuilding/reloading process as we speak.

Yet as Coach Mike Tomlin has stated over and over again: “The Standard is The Standard.”  And that singular phrase itself embodies almost the “The Steeler Way” of doing things, and how they have kept building winning teams over the years.  Players, and talented players at that, may leave for whatever reasons.  But the Steelers and their Front Office have always been on the lookout to add new and talented players to the roster on a consistent basis.  We might not know very many of these new names and faces right now in June of 2012, yet over the next few years I am sure they will all be familiar to us and we will be cheering hard for them.

For all your Steelers news and discussions follow us on Twitter @nicepickcowherC, follow me on Twitter @DominicDiTolla, and like us on Facebook.

10. 1982 Steelers

(6-3) Strike-Shortened Season

Lost in Conference Playoff 1st Round to San Diego

The 1982 strike-shortened season was sort of “The Last Hurrah” for many of the ’70′s Steelers.  1982 was also special because it marked the franchise’s 50th Anniversary, the first season the Steelers’ Defense employed a 3-4 Front, and it marked the final “full” season of Terry Bradshaw’s great career.

Speaking of Bradshaw, when he was “on” that season, there was little teams could do to stop him as he tied for the League lead with 17 TD passes during the 9 game season.  In addition, Bradshaw also led the League as 7.1% of his completions went for Passing TD’s that season as the Steelers enjoyed a solid season on the Offensive side of the ball.

Running Back Franco Harris also had himself a decent season as his career with the Black & Gold was winding down, placed 9th in the League in Rushing Yards (604) and Yards Per Carry (4.3), and even led the team in receptions with 31.  Overall, the Steelers ranked 8th in the League in Rushing Yards and averaged 131.9 Yards Per Game as Harris and Frank Pollard led the way behind the blocking of Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer Mike Webster and member of the franchise’s 75th Anniversary squad, Tackle Larry Brown.  As for the passing game, future Hall of Famer John Stallworth earned himself a Pro Bowl berth as he hauled in 27 Passes for 441 Yards and 7 TD’s, and proved to be Pittsburgh’s most potent threat at the Wide Receiver position.

Jack Lambert notched another Pro Bowl berth to his belt in 1982.. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-US PRESSWIRE

While the once dominant “Steel Curtain” Defense was collectively continued to age, the top veterans still performed at a high level in 1982.  Donnie Shell and Jack Lambert were named 1st Team All-Pros and Defensive Back Dwayne Woodruff tied with Shell for the team lead with 5 INT’s.  Holdovers from the 1970′s, Defensive Linemen Gary Dunn and Tom Beasley also had fine years getting to the Quarterback (6.0 Sacks apiece), as the Steelers employed a 3-4 Defensive scheme for the first time in their team history.  For the year,  Pittsburgh finished 4th in Total Points Allowed, 1st in Rushing Yards Allowed, and only allowed one 100 Yard rusher the entire 9-game season (Joe Cribbs, Buffalo).

The Steelers started off 1982 hot as they beat Dallas (36-28) and then defending A.F.C. Champion Cincinnati (26-20) in successive Weeks.  Bradshaw threw for 6 Touchdowns combined in both games including the game-winner in Overtime to defeat the Bengals at Three Rivers Stadium.  In spite of Pittsburgh’s hot start, there was no football to be played until late November, and the Steelers looked a tad inconsistent over the final two months.

During the final 7 contests the Steelers looked good (Large Margin Wins over Houston, New England, Cleveland, and Kansas City) and also not so good (Shutout Losses to Buffalo and Seattle).  Nevertheless, the Steelers finished with a 6-3 record, and in the ’82 8-team per Conference Playoff format were given the #4 seed and scheduled to play San Diego at Three Rivers Stadium in the first Round of the postseason.

Sadly for the Steelers, they gave up a 28-17 lead in the 4th Quarter, and Pittsburgh was sent home for the rest of the winter.  After the 1982 season ended, the Steelers saw Lynn Swann and Jack Ham retire, and would eventually see players like Bradshaw (who only played in 1 game in 1983), Harris, Lambert, and Mel Blount leave in the near future.  Even though Pittsburgh made the Playoffs in 1983 and 1984, 1982 and it’s Playoff format would have given this team a much better shot at winning, and the Steelers as a team stacked up against the rest of their postseason foes much better in 1982 than they did in 1983 and 1984.  Alternate history and scenarios aside, the Chargers ended Pittsburgh’s season in 1982, and Pittsburgh would not play another postseason game at home for another decade.

9. 1992 Steelers

(11-5)

Lost in Divisional Playoff Game against Buffalo (24-3)

I remember the 1992 Steelers not having many high expectations.  They had a new Coach for the first time since the late ’60′s (Bill Cowher), A.F.C. Central rival Houston was a heavy favorite to go to/win the Super Bowl, and the Steelers had a Quarterback controversy brewed between Bubby Brister and Neil O’Donnell.  However, there were a few things which many did not account for in 1992.

First, there was the fact that there was quite a bit of young talent on the roster left over from the Noll years, the Offensive Line was a solid bunch, the Defense under Dom Capers was primed to explode, and Running Back Barry Foster would have a season for the ages that many outside of Pittsburgh do not usually remember.

In 1992, the Steelers’ Offense ran on the strength of Barry Foster.  That season, Foster led the AFC in Rushing Yards with 1,690 and scored 11 TD’s on the ground.  Foster was even a potent pass-catching threat, and finished second on the team in Receptions with 36.  Foster, who was named 1st Team All-Pro that year, set the then-team record for Yards from Scrimmage in a season with 2,034, made the Pro Bowl, and tied an N.F.L. record for the most 100 Yard Rushing Games in a season with 12.

Quarterback Neil O’Donnell made his first and only Pro Bowl in his second season as a starter and threw for 2,283 Yards and 13 TD’s in 12 games as a starter.  The Wide Receiver trio of Jeff Graham (49 Catches for 711 Yards and 1 TD), Ernie Mills (30 Catches for 383 Yards and 3 TD’s), and Dwight Stone (34 Catches for 501 Yards and 3 TD’s) were O’Donnell’s (and Brister’s) top receiving threats in 1992.  Tight Ends Adrian Cooper and Eric Green (who was suspended during that season for violating the League’s drug policy) chipped in with 5 total receiving Touchdowns as well, and Fullbacks Merril Hoge and Leroy Thompson contributed a total of 50 Catches for 509 Yards and 1 Touchdown through the air to help O’Donnell and Brister when they subbed for Foster in 1992.

Foster had over 300 yards on the ground during Pittsburgh's 3-0 start, Image Courtesy of life.com

The Defense under new Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers flourished as “Blitzburgh” was beginning to form.  Linebackers Hardy Nickerson, Pro Bowler Greg Lloyd, Jerrol Williams, and David Little all wreaked havoc in Capers’ Linebacker-friendly scheme and terrorized Quarterbacks and Offenses as a whole.  The Defensive Line led by Donald Evans and Gerald Williams stuffed the run and even chipped in some Sacks (3.0 apiece).  And the Secondary, led by 1st Team All-Pro Cornerback Rod Woodson had yet another awesome year, as Carnell Lake, D.J. Johnson, Larry Griffen Rookie Safety Darren Perry all helped out a club which had a +11 Turnover margin on the season.

The Steelers shocked quite a few people when they went 3-0 out of the gate, including an impressive win over Houston in the Astrodome on Opening Weekend.  Despite dropping their next two games, the Steelers quickly rebounded and won their next three to sit at 6-2 at the midway point in the season.  The highlight of their second 3-game win streak was a 21-20 victory over the Oilers at Three Rivers in the teams’ second meeting.  The win gave the Steelers control of the A.F.C. Central and a full head of steam as they geared up for the second half of the season.  Pittsburgh finished the rest of the season 5-3 despite losing O’Donnell for four weeks down the stretch to an injury.  Former starter Bubby Brister filled in adequately and went 2-2 during O’Donnell’s absence as Pittsburgh secured the #1 seed in the A.F.C., but O’Donnell was given the green light to start the Steelers’ first Home Postseason game since 1982 against Buffalo.

Despite losing at home in the Divisional Round 24-3, and being bested by the veteran Bills who would go on to appear in their 3rd straight Super Bowl, 1992 was an extremely important year for the franchise.  The two biggest reasons were A) The gap from Noll to the future looked to have been adequately bridged, and B) The franchise finally appeared to be headed in the right direction after the hum-drum decade of the 1980′s.  While they may not have won, this season set the wheels in motion for another five straight postseason appearances by the franchise.

8. 1997 Steelers

(11-5)

Lost in Conference Championship Game against Denver (24-21)

If I had to pick a “favorite” Steelers team from my child-hood it would be the 1997 group.  Were they overly dominant on either side of the football?  No.  Did they make numerous mistakes?  Absolutely.  Were they pretty to watch at times?  Nope.  But you know what?  They were one very important thing: Exciting.  And the 1997 Steelers came within a few mistakes from defying the odds and winning a title that season.

1997 marked the Kordell Stewart’s first season as a full-time starting Quarterback, and he was a human highlight film so many times that year (like accounting for all 5 Touchdowns in the Week 15 win against Denver).  Statistically, Stewart was incredible in 1997 as Kordell went 236 for 440, passed for 3,020 Yards, 21 Touchdowns, and added 476 Yards Rushing with 11 Touchdowns to boot.  Stewart had some solid pass-catchers at his disposal though, as Yancey Thigpen was the go-to-guy in 1997.  In Thigpen’s Pro Bowl contact year he made 79 Catches for 1,398 Yards an 7 TD’s.  While Charles Johnson (46 Catches, 568 Yards, and 2 TD’s), Courtney Hawkins (45 Catches, 555 Yards, 3 TD’s), and Tight End Mark Bruener (6 Touchdown Catches) all had solid seasons for Pittsburgh, the Steelers were still a running team, and Jerome Bettis had the season of his career in 1997.

While Kordell may still be a polarizing figure in the Steel City, nobody can deny his wonderful 1997 season, Image Courtesy of sportsgridnet.com

In a season which the Steelers led the N.F.L. in Rushing Attempts and Yards, Bettis set career highs with 1,665 Yards and 375 Carries behind a stout Offensive Line which was anchored by Future Hall of Fame Center Dermontti Dawson.  During the regular season, “The Bus” scored 9 Touchdowns total (7 Rush, 2 Receiving), and ran for 111.0 Yards Per Game over his 15 regular season contests.  Whether it was his rumble on a shovel pass for a Touchdown in Overtime against Jacksonville for the Division lead in Week 8, or when he scored the game winner of his 3 Touchdowns in 142 Yards Rushing performance against the Cardinals in Arizona for another Overtime win, Bettis was clutch for his team when he was needed most.

While they were a bit more porous in 1997 (finished 11th in Total Points), the Steelers Defense still proved to be quite tough tin 1997, and Carnell Lake proved to be the super-star. Lake had a season for the ages as he played both his Strong Safety spot and filled in at Cornerback.  In ’97, Lake led the team in Sacks (6.0), notched 60 Tackles, had 2 Forced Fumbles, Returned a Fumble for a Score in a thrilling Week 4 victory over Indianapolis, and Picked Off 3 Passes to earn 1st Team All-Pro honors.  The rest of the Defense had a nice season as well as the front three of Pro Bowler Joel Steed, Kevin Henry, and Nolan Harrison started a combined 48 games, and 1st Team All-Pro Linebacker Levon Kirkland (126 Tackles) and Earl Holmes (96 Tackles) were tackling machines on the inside for Pittsburgh as the Steelers led the League in Fewest Rushing Yards and Touchdowns allowed.

Despite starting 1-2 (and Bill Cowher almost tackling Jaguar player Chris Hudson on Monday Night Football), the Steelers came back and won 10 of their next 12 games, and won many in thrilling fashion.  Whether it was coming back from 21 down in Baltimore in Week 6, 10 down the following week against the Colts, the aforementioned Over Time wins against the Jaguars and Cardinals, 14 down at home against Denver, or winning in Over Time against New England to sew up the #2 seed in the A.F.C., this Steelers team refused to quit and finished the year with an 11-5 record.

After they won a sloppy yet heartstopping game 7-6 over New England in the Divisional Round, the Steelers squared off against Denver for the right to go to the Super Bowl.  Unfortunately, Pittsburgh faltered in the final two minutes of the 1st Half and could not overcome turnovers and John Elway as they lost the game 24-21.  Of all the Steelers’ Playoff losses which I remember, the one to Denver at Three Rivers one hurts the most and will hurt the most until my dying day.  For a full explanation click on these links here and here.  The 1997 team was one of just raw excitement because you could never count the team out of any game.  So many late-game comebacks, and Kordell Stewart was the toast of the N.F.L. that entire year.  As sad as the ending was, I will always remember how fun this team was to watch, and how talented they were.

(more…)

While free agency is utilized as a means to build rosters by most of the other 31 teams in the NFL, rarely do the teams that lean on it as a crutch succeed.  Fans only have to think back to the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles to be reminded of how quickly a free agent-based team can falter.  In a sport where team chemistry is essential, the mixing of various high-profile free agents can be disastrous.  Personalities and egos get in the way of the ultimate goal of winning football games, and usually the end result is not pretty.  Regardless of past precedent, free agency is a part of football and every off season we see big names changing teams.  This year, the Steelers have used free agency to bring in TE Leonard Pope and re-sign backup QB Byron Leftwich and WR Jerricho Cotchery.  All three moves are sound transactions that help lay the foundation for the depth that a championship team needs.  Leftwich has proven that – when healthy – he is a fine backup to Ben Roethlisberger.  Cotchery played well in 13 games for the team in 2011 and will now take a larger role in the offense with Hines Ward gone.  Leonard Pope is being brought in as a backup TE, after working with new offensive coordinator Todd Haley in both Arizona and Kansas City.

Even though they rarely sign free agents, the Steelers have made signings that benefited the long-term performance of the team.  Vice Versa, they are not immune to the occasional “stinker” signing, a player who brings no value to the team and usually lasts a season or two before moving on to someplace else.  Tonight we will take a look at the best and the worst of Pittsburgh Steelers free agent signings.

Top Five WORST Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent Signings

RB Duce Staley was signed prior to the 2004 season

5.  WR Quincy Morgan, one-year $585,000 (2006) – Morgan was brought in to be the #3 WR in 2006 after a stint with the Cleveland Browns.  He is on this list because he simply never amounted to much in his time with the Steelers.  Signed to replace WR Cedric Wilson, who seemed to fall apart towards the end of the 2005 season, Morgan was expected to solidify the receiving corps and provide solid special teams play.  Back in 2002, Morgan had been the Browns top target, catching 56 passes for 964 yards and 7 touchdowns.  He would never regain that form, and by the time he reached Pittsburgh, he seemed lazy and disinterested.  He lasted one season and only caught 8 balls for 119 yards all season, while having fumbling problems on returns and drop problems on offense.  The Steelers simply did not resign Morgan after the season.

4.  RB Duce Staley, five-year $14 million (2004) – This rankings may rile a few feathers in Steeler Nation.  Staley was signed prior to the 2004 season after a solid run with the Philadelphia Eagles.  The Steelers envisioned Staley as a back who could spell Jerome Bettis and possibly even take over once Bettis hung up the cleats for good.  The team signed Staley to a very odd five-year contract, and got a decent 2004 season from Staley (707 yards rushing, 4 games with 100+ yards rushing).  Unfortunately, that was pretty much all they got from him.  Injuries sustained during the second half of 2004 required offseason surgery, and Duce was never really loose again in a Steelers jersey.  He came back in 2005, taking a $1 million cut in pay to remain in Pittsburgh – then only had 38 carries during the Super Bowl season.  His job was pretty much lost once RB Willie Parker established himself as the starter, and Staley was only able to play in one game in 2006 before being deactivated and released.  All told, Staley played in 16 games for the Steelers, and never came close to living up to the five-year $14 million deal he signed in 2004.

3.  QB Kent Graham, three-years $5.1 million (2000) – The Steelers had given QB Kordell Stewart a chance to be the starting QB in the late 90′s, but Stewart could never find his way.  His brutal play would cause the fans of Steeler Nation to turn on him during the 1998-1999 seasons, and in the offseason the team went out hunting for a quarterback to challenge Stewart for the starting job in 2000.  Kent Graham had been with both the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals prior to signing with the Steelers on February 28, 2000.  He was the anti-Kordell in many ways, a pocket QB with absolutely no mobility and who made even worse decisions in the heat of the moment than #10.  The Steelers plugged Graham in as their starting QB for the season opener against Baltimore.  He completed 17 of 38 pass attempts and looked horrible while doing so.  The team went 0-3 under Graham to start 2000, and eventually pulled him to reinstate Stewart under center.  Stewart rallied the team back to a winning record, only to be injured in a game against Oakland at Three Rivers Stadium.  Graham marched back out onto the field and promptly threw a horrific interception that Oakland CB Eric Allen walked into the endzone.  Stewart came back into the game and rallied the Steelers from a 17-7 deficit to win 21-10, despite working on one leg the rest of the game.  That was the last time Kent Graham wore a Steelers jersey, and the fans rejoiced.

QB Kent Graham was brought in to challenge for the starting QB job in 2000

2.  PK Todd Peterson, four-years, $3.925 million (2002) – The Steelers were looking for a veteran kicker to come in and replace departed Kris Brown, who has signed with the Houston Texans prior to the 2002 season.  Peterson was considered a solid kicker, owning a 79.8 accuracy rating – good for 13th in NFL history at the time.  He was a massive failure in Pittsburgh.  Unable to master the Heinz Field quagmire, Peterson had a horrific start with the team, hitting on only 12 of 21 FG attempts and having three kicks blocked in 10 games.  Peterson injured his ribs in a game against Tennessee on November 17, and was placed out of action.  The Steelers held an open tryout for kickers and ended up signing a little-known former North Carolina kicker named Jeff Reed.  Reed came to the team and immediately paid dividends, kicking three FGs in his first game and making 17 of 19 in the final 6 games.  Peterson had officially lost his job with the Pittsburgh Steelers.  During the offseason of 2003, the Steelers bought out Peterson’s contract and sent him packing.

C Sean Mahan was the worst free agent signing ever for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Summary

The Steelers list of bad free agent signings is not easy to compile.  The team has made many great signings, but few bad ones.  I think the five listed have viable reasons to be considered the worst signings the team has made, at least in the post 1990 era.  Morgan, Staley, Peterson, Graham, and Mahan were all busts as Steelers free agent signings, and there is no debate about that.  Now onto the good stuff.

Top Five BEST Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent Signings

FS Ryan Clark was originally signed in 2006 and hs been a key part of the defense ever since.

5.  FS Ryan Clark, four-years $7 million (2006) – The original signing of Ryan Clark was a move made out of necessity, as starting FS Chris Hope was an unrestricted free agent and signed a huge deal with the Tennessee Titans.  Clark has been undervalued in Washington and New York, despite leading the Redskins in tackles in 2004.  He played in 13 games for Washington in 2005, registering 57 tackles and 3 interceptions.  The Steelers were in the market for a safety to play along side Troy Polamalu, a player who would allow the talented Polamalu to be more of a “freelance” player – roaming the field making tackles and interceptions.  Clark became just that, a solid safety who would combine with Troy to give the Steelers the best safety tandem in football and help lead the team emotionally as they went on to win Super Bowl XLIII and another AFC Title in 2009-2010.  Clark has been a fantastic Steeler player, making his first Pro Bowl in 2011 and becoming a fan favorite with his interactions via Twitter and in the community.  He has become a leader on the defense and a true leader in the locker room.  He has been a starter since 2006, and re-upped with the Steelers in 2010 for another four-year deal.

4.  C Jeff Hartings, six-year starter, contract terms undisclosed (2001) – Jeff Hartings was a career offensive guard with the Detroit Lions when he became a free agent after the 2000 season.  The Steelers signed him to play Center in the offseason before the 2001 season and he went on to be a major piece to the dominant Steelers run of 2001-2006, including being a part of the Steelers Super Bowl XL championship run.  His play continued a tradition of Pro Bowl play at the Center position for the team, and he was a reliable, 2x Pro Bowler, and started 89 games for Pittsburgh before retiring after the 2006 season.  Besides his play on the field, Hartings was a major part of the locker room and was very active in charity events during his time in Pittsburgh.  His arrival in 2001 stabilized the offensive line situation, and his presence in 2004 allowed rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger to begin his career with a solid veteran center – something Ben has said many times was a major factor in his early success.  After Hartings retired, the team went through an era of Sean Mahan and Justin Hartwig before drafting Maurkice Pouncey, who has gone on to become another Pro Bowl center for a team that will soon have two centers in the Hall of Fame (Webster and Dawson).  Hartings was the man who allowed that tradition to continue.  An all-time great free agent signing by any team.

C Jeff Hartings was a 2x Pro Bowler for the Steelers during his 2001-2006 run with the team.

3.  DE/NT  Kimo Von Oelhoffen, four-years $11 million (2000) – When the divisional rival Bengals allowed Kimo Von Oelhoffen to walk away as a free agent after a very productive 1999 season, it was the Steelers who quickly signed the veteran defensive lineman and plugged him in as a starter – first at NT and finally at DE.  Kimo would go on to start all but one game from 2000-2005 and was a major part of the dominating defense that allowed the Steelers to win Super Bowl XL.  Unfortunately, non-Steelers fans will always remember Kimo for his accidental hit on Bengals QB Carson Palmer in the 2005 AFC Playoffs that shelved the young star QB and essentially ended the best season the Bengals had in a decade.  In Pittsburgh, we remember Von Oelhoffen as a gentle giant, a man who would always walk out of the stadium with his young daughter on his shoulders and sign autographs for every kid who wanted one.  On the field, his play was unquestioned, as was his work ethic.  Accumulating 19.5 sacks and 200+ tackles during his time in Pittsburgh, Kimo was unstoppable at times.  His mentoring of Aaron Smith, Brett Kiesel, and Chris Hoke spearheaded the next great Steelers defensive line group.  Incredibly fun to watch play, Kimo would go on to finish his NFL career with the Jets (2006) and Eagles (2007) before retiring in 2008.

2.  OLB Kevin Greene, three-year $5.35 million (1993) – The oldest signing on this list, Kevin Greene was already an established pass rusher before coming to Pittsburgh on a three-year deal prior to the 1993 season.  He immediately became the starter opposite OLB Greg Lloyd, giving the Steelers their first “Blitzburgh” experience.  Greene would rack up 12 1/2 sacks in 2003, then really turned in on in 1994, leading the entire NFL in sacks and helping take the Steelers to their first AFC Championship Game of the William Laird Cowher era.  In 1995, he again led the team in sacks and was a force on the team that win the AFC Title at Three Rivers Stadium and went on to play in Super Bowl XXX.  Greene only lasted three seasons in Pittsburgh before moving on to Carolina in 1996, but his presence on the Steelers during the formative years if the Cowher era gave legitimacy and swagger to a team that was young and needed a leader.  He made two Pro Bowls as a Steeler and was named to the NFL All Decade Team for the 1990′s.  When he retired after the 1999 season, he had accumulated 160 sacks and is universally considered one of the greatest pass-rushing linebackers of all time.

ILB James Farrior, the greatest Steelers free-agent signing of all time

1.  ILB James Farrior, three-years $5.125 million (2002) – James Farrior was a 1st round pick by the New York Jets in the 1997 NFL Draft.  He spent 1997-2001 with Gang Green, being used sparingly and never truly finding a position to call home.  The Jets used him at OLB and ILB, but for the most part considered him a bust as a high draft pick and were more than happy to get him off their payroll after the 2001 season.  Enter the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The Steelers signed Farrior and immediately installed him as the anchor of their defense at ILB.  He paid dividends from day one, recording 82 tackles in 2002 and becoming a major force against the run.  He got even better in 2003, registering 141 tackles and 1 interception.  From there, he simply became the leader of the best defense in football and a key ingredient in three AFC Championship teams and two Super Bowl winning teams.  The unquestioned leader and captain of the Steelers vaunted defense throughout his time here, Farrior played in two Pro Bowls and was named the Steelers MVP after the 2004 season.  In 2004, the team extended his deal with a five-year $16.5 million deal, followed in 2008 by another five-year deal for an astounding $18.25 million.  After 10 seasons in the middle of the Steelers defense, Farrior was released this offseason and looks to be on his way to retirement – barring an injury that would allow the Steelers to bring him back into the fold.  Farrior has made it clear he will not play elsewhere, and if the Steelers no longer need his services, he will happily walk away from the game after a 15-year career.  Few players have ever been as universally loved and respected by Steeler Nation as #51 and his signing in 2002 will go down as one of the greatest free agent signings in the history of the National Football League.

Summary

The Steelers have utilized free agency to bring in many players over the years, and there were a few that didn’t make the list but could easily be considered solid signings by the team.  RB Mewelde Moore, OG Duval Love, DL Ray Seals, OT Wayne Gandy, PK Norm Johnson, RB Erric Pegram, CB Willie Williams, and many others have contributed to the Steelers after coming in via the free agent route.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will never be the Washington Redskins (Thank God).  Free agency is simply a way to bring in an occasional player to help the current roster.  The Steelers draft and develop players better than any team in football, and they remain loyal to their players until they feel the time is right to move forward.  The free agent signings of S Ryan Clark and ILB James Farrior were key to the mini-dynasty the Steelers put together from 2005-2010.  Kevin Greene was the player who got the mid 90′s Steelers over the hump and into their first Super Bowl since the 1970′s.  All in all, the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to do things their way – and it is hard to argue with a formula that has produced more winning seasons, more Super Bowl Championships, and more Hall of Fame players than any other in professional football.

———————————————————————–

Follow Jeff Snedden on Twitter @jeffsnedden

Follow Jeff Snedden on Facebook

Follow Nice Pick, Cowher on Twitter @nicepickcowherC

Be sure to get the best Steelers coverage year-round here at Nice Pick, Cowher