TE Heath Miller has been the Steelers starter at the position since being drafted 30th overall in 2005.

“Big Money” is his nickname, seemingly since the day he stepped onto the Heinz Field grass.  He was considered the best Tight End in the Nation in 2005, when the Pittsburgh Steelers used their 30th overall pick to snag the University of Virginia Cavalier to fill a void left by the free agent departure of long-time starter Mark Bruener.  Bruener was a very popular Steeler, using his gritty playing style to wow the fans of Steeler Nation during his nine-year career in the black and gold.  After an injury-riddled 2003 season, Bruener signed with the Houston Texans, leaving journeyman Jeremy Tuman as the starter for the 2004 season.  Tuman made some big plays for the Steelers during the 2003-2004 run, but ultimately it was deemed that the Steelers needed a long-term solution at the position.  Enter Miller, the 2004 John Mackey Award winner as the best collegiate tight end in the country.

Heath Miller has been the starting tight end for the Steelers during their last three Super Bowl appearances, including wins in Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII.  His 5 receptions for 57 yards were key to the Steelers win over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, and he was rewarded with a new six-year extension in July 2009, which keeps him in Pittsburgh through at least the 2014 season.  Miller is making $35.3 million during this contract, and slowly working his way up the all-time charts in every offensive category at his position.  He is a very popular player, with his jersey dotting the stands at Heinz Field as often as the ones of Ben Roethlisberger or Hines Ward.  As the Steelers begin to turn over their veteran roster that has brought such a high level of success to the franchise, Miller remains one of the veteran leaders and dependable players on the team.

So where does “Big Money” fit in on the list of top All-time Steelers tight ends?  Let’s take a look at the best five players the Steelers have had at that position and determine his place in the annuals of the Pittsburgh Steelers illustrious history.

TE Mark Bruener was the Steelers Tight End from 1995-2003. He ended his Steelers career with 1197 receiving yards and 16 TDs.

5.  Mark Bruener, 1995-2003

Mark Bruener was a very popular player in Pittsburgh, with the chants of “BRUUUUU” echoing throughout Three Rivers Stadium and Heinz Field whenever he made a big play.  His toughness was never questioned, and he provided very solid blocking and receiving for the Steelers during his nine- year run.  Bruener was on his way to being an all-time great for the team when injuries began to sap his ability in 2003.  He finished his career with the Houston Texans, playing very well for some bad teams in the early years of that franchise.  Overall, Bruener played in 125 games for the Steelers, starting 108.  He caught 137 passes for 1,197 yards and 16 touchdowns, and played on two Steelers playoff teams.  He was also the starting tight end as a rookie on the 1995 Super Bowl XXX team that lost to Dallas.  Bruener was a first-round pick out of Washington and currently works as a scout for the Steelers.

TE Randy Grossman won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970's, finishing with 119 receptions for 1,514 yards and 5 TDs.

4.  Randy Grossman, 1974-1981

Randy Grossman was a key member of the Steelers Dynasty teams of the 1970s.  Although he was rarely considered a starter, instead playing behind both TE Bennie Cunningham and TE Larry Brown, Grossman managed to make his mark with the Steelers throughout his eight years in Pittsburgh.  He started 43 games for those Steelers teams, and played in 118 games.  His best season with the team was 1978, when he started 10 games for the Super Bowl Champions and caught 37 passes for 448 yards, including one TD.  An undrafted free agent out of Temple, Grossman earned his way onto those talented Steelers teams by working hard, despite being undersized at just 6-foot 1 and 218 lbs.  He made his mark in Super Bowl X, catching a critical touchdown pass from QB Terry Bradshaw.  While his statistics do not leap out at you when looking at them, all it takes is watching some video of those Steelers teams to see what Grossman meant to the organization.  He spent his entire eight year career with the Steelers, and remains one of the most popular players from that generation to the fans who watched his play.  Grossman played in an era that saw the Steelers run the ball close to 75% of the their offensive snaps, and he was usually on the field with wide receiver such as Lynn Swann and John Stallworth.  It would be easy to overlook Grossman based on stats alone, but when you dig deeper – it is obvious why he is on this list.

TE Bennie Cunningham emerged as a star for the Steelers in the late 1970's and carried the Tight End position for the team through the mid-80's.

3.  Bennie Cunningham 1976-1985

The Steelers of the 1970′s had three prominent Tight Ends, two of which are on this list.  The early starter at the position was Larry Brown, who was eventually moved to a position on the defensive line.  He was replaced by Randy Grossman, who then gave way to rookie Bennie Cunningham.  Cunningham was the Steelers 1st round pick (28th overall) in 1976 out of Clemson University.  He became a life-time Steeler, sending all 10 of his NFL seasons with the team.  Once again, he was a player overshadowed by so many other future Hall of Fame players on the offensive juggernaut of the 1970′s Steelers.  Cunningham would start 80 games for the Steelers, including 14 games during the Super Bowl years of 1978 and 1979.  Ultimately, he played in 118 games for the Steelers and caught 202 passes for 2,879 yards and 20 touchdowns, now third on the all-time Steelers list for tight ends behind Eric Green (36 TDs) and Heath Miller (31 TDs).  Cunningham was a very athletic and intimidating player at 6-foot 5 and 254 lbs, and went on to catch two passes for 21 yards in Super Bow XIV.  Hewas one of the players who bridged the gap between those 1970′s Dynasty teams and the reality of the early to mid 1980′s.

TE Eric Green only played five seasons in Pittsburgh, but his impact on the game was huge. His Steelers career numbers of 198 catches for 2,681 yards are both second all time.

2.  Eric Green  1990-1994

Eric Green was almost beyond human.  His athletic ability and size made him the Steelers most feared weapon for a five year span between 1990-1994.  While his ego would end up getting the best of him, and lead him out of town, Green had a major impact on Pittsburgh in his short Steelers career.  He started 53 games, catching 198 passes for 2,681 yards and an astonishing 24 touchdowns in just five seasons.  Had Green stayed in Pittsburgh instead of moving onto Miami in 995, he could have been one of the great Steelers of all time.  Instead, he falls short of the top spot to our chief subject…..

TE Heath Miller continues to be a solid veteran leader for the Steelers in 2012.

1.  Heath Miller 2005-Current

“Big Money” has earned his nickname as he has broken every record held by a Steelers Tight End.  He has started 108 games, never playing in less than 14 games in any of his seven seasons.  His dependability has been exceptional, and once again – despite being in an offense that has rarely utilized the Tight End as a primary weapon – he has capitalized on his opportunities to the tune of 337 receptions (1st All Time), 3,864 receiving yards (1st All Time), and 31 Touchdowns (1st All Time).  He has a lifetime yards-per-catch of 11.5, and has a chance to enter the All Time ranks of NFL tight ends before he ends his career.  Heath Miller has been everything the Steelers expected and more since being drafted 30th overall in 2005.  Miller has been a massive red zone target for QB Ben Roethlisberger throughout his career, and will continue to be one as he reaches his 30′s.  He is a veteran leader on this team and a player that is looked up to by the younger guys, a trait that has not eluded head coach Mike Tomlin, who often calls Miller the best tight end in football.

So there you have it Steeler Nation, when you sit down to watch your Steelers this season, pay close attention to #83.  There is a good chance that you are watching the best tight end to ever suit up in the black and gold.

———————————————————————-

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

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin

The Sporting News is once again beginning their yearly power lists of all things NFL, and on Thursday they released their NFL Head Coach Rankings.  Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was ranked #4 on this years list, behind Tom Coughlin of the NY Giants, Bill Belichick of the Patriots, and Mike McCarthy of the Packers.  Tomlin was ranked just ahead of both Harbaugh brothers, with John at #5 and Jim at #6 (after ONE season as a head coach).  Obviously, any ranking system put out by a national sports media company is going to have tons of bias, and this list is no different.

A quick review of Mike Tomlin’s tenure as head coach of the most prolific franchise in the National Football League:

- Hired in 2007 by the Steelers to take over a team that was one season removed from their fifth Super Bowl victory.  Immediately took the Steelers back to the AFC Playoffs by winning the AFC North, despite a season where he lost many key players to injuries and the team hobbled into the postseason.  The Steelers lost to Jacksonville 31-29 in a disappointing first-round playoff game at Heinz Field.

-  In 2008, Tomlin guided the Steelers to their sixth Lombardi Trophy by once again winning the AFC North and defeating the Baltimore Ravens for the third time that season in the AFC Championship Game, then defeating the very game Arizona Cardinals in possibly the best Super Bowl ever played, Super Bowl XLIII.

-  In 2009, the Steelers hit a stumbling block and fell to 9-7.  The team missed the playoffs for the first time in the Tomlin Era and was essentially declared dead by the national media.  Despite a five-game losing streak late in the season, the team found itself in the playoff hunt all the way to Week 17 before being eliminated.  The Steelers rallied from that five-game streak to win their final three games against the Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens, and finally at Miami in Week 17.  If anything, the 2009 season proved that a Tomlin-led team could spur adversity and that Coach Tomlin was respected by his veteran roster.

-  The 2010 season saw the Steelers back in the AFC Championship Game, beating the New York Jets at Heinz Field to advance to Super Bowl XLV.  The team won their third AFC North title under Mike Tomlin.  This was Tomlin’s second AFC Championship and his second time coaching in the Super Bowl at age 38.  The Steelers lost the game to Green Bay, 31-25.

-  Once again the Steelers were a force in the AFC North, finishing 12-4 but losing out in the AFC North to Baltimore by virtue of head to head record.  The Steelers had to go on the road to play in the Wild Card round of the AFC Playoffs, and ended up being upset by the Denver Broncos.

In five seasons as head coach in Pittsburgh, Tomlin has amassed three AFC North titles, two AFC Championships, one Super Bowl Championship, four playoff appearances, and a 55-25 record.

He has been partly responsible for the drafting of key players LB LaMarr Woodley, LB Lawrence Timmons, RB Rashard Mendenhall, DE Ziggy Hood, WR Mike Wallace, WR Antonio Brown, WR Emmanuel Sanders, C Maurkice Pouncey, and masterminded another top-ranked draft this past April.

My Analysis

First off, there is no way Tomlin should be ranked underneath Mike McCarthy.  While McCarthy has been a great coach for the Packers, he has lost two NFC Championship Games in his six-year tenure.  He has missed the playoffs twice.  He presided over perhaps the greatest failure in Green Bay football history when his 2011 Packers (15-1 regular season) lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs to the New York Giants at Lambeau Field.  McCarthy should be fourth on this list, behind Mike Tomlin.

I can’t disagree with the #1 or #2 choices, as both Coughlin and Belichick have multiple Super Bowl rings and over 100+ wins as an NFL Head Coach.  Granted, both have coached much longer than Tomlin, so things could even out in the coming years.  For now, these two are the cream of the crop, without question.

Having Jim Harbaugh listed at #6 is a slap in the face to many of the coaches below him on this list.  For example:  John Fox, Andy Reid, Jeff Fisher, and even Mike Shanahan (two Super Bowl titles that seem like they happened 100 years ago).  All of those coaches have a long-term success rate in the NFL, and all should be ranked higher than a coach who had ONE good year in the league.  If San Fransisco continues their rebirth under Harbaugh and wins consistently for a few years, we can talk about elevating him, but for now he should be no higher than #12 or even lower.

Marvin Lewis of the Bengals is ranked #11 despite zero playoff wins.  Cleveland Browns head coach Pat Shurmur is ranked #26, basically last if you don’t count new hire coaches, intern coaches, or Leslie Frazier.

Former Steelers Offensive Guru Ken Whisenhunt is ranked #14, pretty high for a guy who has not been able to win since his Hall of Fame QB retired.

————————————————————–

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

ILB Larry Foote begins his season as the Steelers "Man in the Middle"

While fans will have very limited access to the happenings this week on the South Side, the Steelers first Organized Team Activities (OTAs) of the 2012 season should bring out the newshounds in the traditional media who have been stumbling through hockey and baseball highlights for the past four months while reporting every miniscule Steelers tidbit as if the season were starting tomorrow.

The OTA season is upon us, and that means very little to us – the “media” or to you, the fan.  Other than giving the football-starved folks of western Pennsylvania some Steelers gossip to chew on between gulps of depressing Pirates game nights, very little happens during the OTA’s.  In a normal year for the Steelers, the team would simply gather a third of their roster – mainly newly signed rookies and free agents – and bring them into the fold to start learning playbooks and terminology.  This is not a “normal” year for the Steelers.  New offensive coordinator Todd Haley has arrived with an entirely new offense that has turned a simple coaching change into a certified Black and Gold emergency, taking fans back in time to the year 1999, when Head Coach Bill Cowher brought offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride into Steeler Nation and helped make the final two seasons at historic Three Rivers Stadium two of the worst campaigns the team ever enjoyed at the old concrete bowl.  Change is a curse word in Steeler Country, a term rarely heard uttered around the most consistent organization in football.  For a team that has had three head coaches since 1969, fans are used to just tuning out anything that happens before the players move into their dorm rooms at St. Vincent College in late summer.  Not this year, folks.  Change is upon us – at least in theory – and both fans and players alike have hit the panic button already in late May.  Since Phase One of the OTA sessions are basically conditioning practice, the only real news we will hear will be if someone shows up grossly overweight (my money is on RB Jon Dwyer) , but it is football so we will be thrilled to hear about it.

Nobody knows who will show up for these OTA sessions, as they are not exactly mandatory for the veterans.  We know that first and second round draft picks OG David DeCastro and OT Mike Adams won’t be there, as they are still putting the finishing touches on their final year of college.  S Troy Polamalu won’t be there because he trains on his own until camp starts.  WR Mike Wallace won’t be there because he is still pouting over his failure to land a “Larry Fitzgerald-sized” contract in his restricted free agency period.  There is a chance Wallace will milk this contract business until he is mandated to be in Latrobe, and his story will be a source of endless debate all year.

So what can fans look for once the news starts pumping out of the South Side Complex this week?  Here are a few items that are worth investigating this week.

1.  Larry Foote takes over the starting “Buck” ILB slot for the departed James Farrior – The last time the Steelers entered a season without #51 calling the defensive plays was 2001.  Foote has been with the team since 2002 – minus a one-year stint with his hometown Detroit Lions – and is going to be counted on as the leader in the middle of this Steelers defense.  The team will be without Farrior, DE Aaron Smith, and DL Chris Hoke – three of the respected, grizzled veterans of the past decade – and will need Foote to divide his time between making a ton of tackles against the run and trying to help develop young ILB Stevenson Sylvester and Sean Spence (who though unsigned, will most likely be in Pittsburgh this week).  For his part, Foote has always been a steady hand as a player.  As a starter between 2005-2008, Foote was a productive linebacker who was always better than he was given credit for.  As a back-up, he has been a consummate professional, understanding his role and just happy to be the Steeler.  It will be interesting to see how he reacts to becoming a major piece of the puzzle again, and taking over the former slot of his legendary buddy, James Farrior.  His battle to become a respected leader can begin this week.

CB Keenan Lewis will be competing for a starting CB spot this summer.

2.  The Cornerback position derby begins – Let’s just call it like it is – not many people are crying their eyes to sleep at night over the though of a Steelers secondary sans William Gay.  Gay took his ball and a nice contract and headed to Pittsburgh-West, leaving the Steelers with only Ike Taylor as a CB with any kind of game experience.  Since Ike can’t “swag” alone, he will need a new “swagging” partner in the defensive secondary.  That player will come from a group that includes Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen, Curtis Brown, and newcomer Terrence Frederick.  The odds-on-favorite for the job is Keenan Lewis, who heads into his fourth season and at 6-foot tall and 208 lbs., has a natural build for the position.  Lewis will be pushed hard for the job by both Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown, second-year players that both turned heads last year.  Frederick comes in as one of the Steelers 7th rounders and has a real chance to make the roster for special teams duties.  No matter who wins the starting job, the Steelers finally seem to have some legit depth in talent at cornerback – a spot they have lacked solid backups for some time.  We should see all four players at OTAs this week, and it will be a good chance to see how their off-season conditioning either thrusts them into the limelight or turns them into the next Joe Burnett.

3.  The new Defensive Line takes shape – The first true team activities without Aaron Smith and Chris Hoke are upon us, and NT Casey Hampton is still nursing his ACL injury.  That means the Steelers will be looking at a defensive line potentially featuring DE Cameron Heyward, DE Ziggy Hood, and NT Alameda Ta’amu -not just for OTA action, but for the start of the season.  We won’t count out another stellar season coming from “The Diesel” Brett Keisel, but at 33-years old he should begin to be phased out this season.  It is a transitional period for the Steelers front three, and we should get a good look at how the young guns on the defensive line are looking this week.  While they won’t be wearing pads, just seeing the new players out there sweating and pushing around offensive linemen should be a sight that warms Steeler fans hearts.

DE Ziggy Hood will be starting for the Steelers in 2012

OK, I know…..this is just an OTA.  There won’t be much actual football taking place this week, but the excitement of seeing the Steelers doing anything is a sight for sore pigskin eyes in May.  The bitter taste of that loss in Denver is still in the mouths of most fans, and certainly the players are ready to move on from that debacle.  This is a minor step towards the new season, but hopefully it is enough to end the “sky is falling because Todd Haley threw out the Arians playbook” garbage we have been shoveled endlessly over the past month.  Let’s hope for some positivity out of the South Side this week, and start the push towards a very interesting and potentially Earth-shattering 2012 season.

——————————————————————

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

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

Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger, Ryan Clark, James Harrison, Mike Wallace at the 2011 Pro Bowl

The NFL Pro Bowl is on life support.

According to ESPN’s Chris Mortenson, Commissioner Roger Goodell is unhappy with the quality of the event and is considering putting it on ice for this season – and possibly forever.

All-Star games are an interesting problem for professional sports leagues.  Even Major League Baseball, the sport that has what is considered the best all-around product in the genre – “The Mid-Summer Classic” – has had its share of issues over the years.  The NBA treats their All-Star Game as a festival-type event, with skills competitions and celebrity games filling up a full weekend of basketball goodness.  The NHL has tinkered with several different formats, including the USA vs. The World game, and also utilizes skills competitions to enhance their show.  All three of those games are played mid-season, and supply a much needed break over the course of their long regular seasons.  The NFL runs a tight ship in regards to their schedule, and in a 17-week season it would be nearly impossible to schedule the Pro Bowl for a mid-season game.

Player commitment to the game is another issue.  The players scheduled to play in the Super Bowl will never play in an exhibition game the week before, nor should they even be asked to do so.  Players with even minor injuries bow out, making the voting process a sham.  Numerous players voted in to start sit out the game, allowing the alternates to take their place.  The game becomes nothing more than a poorly played scrimmage game, and playing it in Hawaii provides nothing but a nice vacation for players who can afford to take whatever vacation they want.  Real football fans are who gets the shaft with the Pro Bowl.  Hawaii is expensive, and a Pro Bowl trip for the average fan is out of the question.  Therefore, you have an exhibition game being played in a tropical setting 2,000 miles away from the nearest NFL city, with players who are only there because it is in their contract and they have incentives built in for their attendance.

How does the NFL save the Pro Bowl?  Here are five easy steps the league can take to preserve their All Star game, while creating an event that real football fans can attend.

1.  Play the game Two Weeks AFTER the Super Bowl – playing the Pro Bowl two weeks after the Super Bowl will give the league a chance to involve all players from all teams, making the Pro Bowl a season finale that caps off the league year.  Players already have economic reasons to play in the game, built into their contracts as incentives.  We will get into player selection shortly.

2.  Rotate the Pro Bowl through different NFL cities – Since 1979, the Pro Bowl has been played in Honolulu, with the exception of 2009 when the game was played in Miami – the host city for the Super Bowl that season.  Prior to 1979, the game was played all over – from Texas Stadium to The Kingdome to Tampa Stadium to the Superdome – even Arrowhead Stadium got a game in 1973, drawing 66,918 fans on January 20.  The NFL should look into a rotation that would be similar to the MLB All-Star Game, with cities vying for a chance to host the game.  The Pro Bowl could become a Fan fest-type weekend in that city, drawing fans from around the country and injecting solid revenue into the region that hosts it.  Hall of Fame displays, autograph signings, and fan-friendly events that would entice families to attend could be added.  The NFL could market it as a “give back” to their loyal supporters and market it as an end-of-season “thank you” to NFL Nation.

The NFL currently has ten domed stadiums available for hosting the game – Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, The Metrodome in Minneapolis, Ford Field in Detroit, Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Reliant Stadium in Houston, Georgia Dome in Atlanta, The Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, and Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.  The league also could consider hosting the game at Rogers Centre in Toronto, keeping their eye on the prize that is the Canadian fan base with potential for a franchise in Toronto within the next decade.  Other stadiums that could host the Pro Bowl based off of weather conditions are Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Candlestick Park in San Fransisco, LP Field in Nashville, EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, and Oakland Coliseum in Oakland.  All of those stadiums would provide sufficient weather conditions for an outdoor Pro Bowl in February.  If the league wanted a truly diverse game, they could even consider hosting it in cold-weather cities with traditional fan bases such as Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Lambeau Field in Green Bay, M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Lincoln Financial Field in Philly, Gillette Stadium in New England, and Soldier Field in Chicago.  Those stadiums would obviously provide cold weather for the Pro Bowl, but in a sport lauded for its roots in bad weather – why not give a cold weather Pro Bowl a shot?  The league could incorporate the host city into the uniforms for the teams, maybe adding a bit of local symbolism to the uniforms and fan gear for the event.  They could create a new logo for each game that utilizes a local monument, in the shade of what MLB does for each All Star Game.

Similar to the Olympics, MLB All-Star Game, and even Wrestlemania, cities would place bids on hosting the game five years out, giving each city a chance to win the bid and have time to adjust scheduling conflicts and arrange for the influx of fans to fill hotels and spend their money at local establishments.  It could be a vital event for smaller NFL cities that would “spread the wealth” around in a league that is built on the ideology to do so.  Moving the game around would create a “big game” atmosphere that the Pro Bowl is missing and allow the NFL to showcase the cities that may never be in line for a Super Bowl bid.

3.  Create an incentive for the teams to compete to win the game – MLB instituted a rule a few years back that the winner of the game would get home field advantage in the World Series for their league.  The rule has created a buzz for the game and has turned what was always a competitive exhibition game into a meaningful battle.  It has also affected the World Series, with home field advantage allowing teams to host an extra home game in the Fall Classic – a certified advantage over the competition.  Since the NFL does not use a “home field” for the Super Bowl, another incentive could be considered.  What if the winner of the Pro Bowl was given the opportunity for their league representative to choose home or away in the Super Bowl?  This is traditionally rotated, but if used as an incentive for the Pro Bowl it would basically allow the winning conference the chance to have their representative Super Bowl team declare themselves the home team in order to wear the uniform of their choosing, or declare themselves the away team and control the opening coin toss.  It is the best possible scenario to add incentive to the game, without delving into some type of preferred scheduling for the following season.  Another possibility could that each squad chooses a charity of their choice and the winner of the game is allowed to present a $1.0 million check form the AFC or NFC to their charity at games end, another gesture of gratitude and an easy way to gain instant credibility for the contest.

Incentive would be the first step to turning the game into more than a walk-through scrimmage.  If played two weeks after the Super Bowl, teams and coaching staffs would have two full weeks of game planning and perhaps be able to treat the game more like a regular season game.  This would amp up the caliber of play, and in turn create a better on-field product.

2.  End the voting and turn the Pro Bowl into a Fantasy Football Draft, televised the week prior to the Super Bowl – Each conference would employ a team of five former Pro Bowl MVP players for their conference.  Those players would go on TV and draft their teams in a televised event that would create a buzz in the ever-growing fantasy football community.  Imagine a team of AFC Captains (say, Bruce Smith, Jim Kelly, Marshall Faulk, Warren Moon, and Rich Gannon) picking their team against an NFC Team (how about Michael Irvin, Jerry Rice, Phil Simms, Joe Theismann, and Derrick Brooks) in a one-hour televised fantasy draft?  Fans would tune in in droves to see what players would be representing their teams and conference, and it would create rivalry between the conferences in a sport where the lines between the AFC and NFC have been blurred over the years.  Rivalry is good, it creates a buzz.  Players would take to social media to pull for their teammates, as would the millions of fans for each team.  The Pro Bowl would become the biggest fantasy football game of the year.

1.  Put the game on in Prime Time as the final Monday Night Football game of the season – Taking the game out of Hawaii gives the NFL the chance to take the Pro Bowl to prime time on a major network.  Advertisers would line up to be a part of the newly crafted game and overall, the Pro Bowl would become another major event on an NFL calender that has a large break in the action post-Super Bowl and pre-NFL Draft.

It is a long shot that the Pro Bowl even exists after this season, but if the league would consider some of these ideas they could have a potential major event to end their calender year.  Giving the Pro Bowl its own personality and getting away from the generic uniforms and generic play calling would make it a real NFL game.

So, fellow NPC readers….what do you think?  Can we save the Pro Bowl?

——————————————————————–

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.

Don’t forget to check out NPC all week long as we delve into the 2012 NFL Draft from the Black and Gold colored glasses all weekend long!