All-Time Favorite Steelers

We issued the ultimate Black 'N' Gold inquiry and Steeler Nation responded mightily. Steelers fans from across the globe proudly declared their Favorite Steelers of All-Time.

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 MEAN JOE: You are the Babe Ruth of the Steelers, the one whose legacy will last forever, and you are the one who created the following and excitement among the fans which continues. Because of you, The Steel Curtain will live forever.

TERRY: Recall how you went back and forth from 1st to 3rd string and came off the mat, and became the the greatest Post Season QB in NFL History. You dwarfed the likes of Roger Staubach, Fran Tarkenton, Kenny Stabler, Bert Jones among others, when it mattered most. 

JOHN STALLWORTH: You were the greatest receiver in Steeler History. An All Star as a possession receiver then an All Star as the Playmaking receiver. Still have not forgiven the Steelers allowing Randel El to wear your uniform number while you were Inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. You are the most underated Steeler of them all. 

LC; You are long overdue in getting inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. Thanx for the 4 Super Bowls. You were as big a part of the Steeler dynasty as anybody. Your time will come shortly

JAMES FARRIOR: Rememeber how you and Curtis Martin were responsible for the revival of the New York Jets and the moment you became a Steeler, did the same in Pittsburgh. You are the leader of the team. Thanx, keep up the oustanding play and leadership. Canton awaits you. 

Stan Lubowicki

Brooklyn, NY

 Without "Mean Joe" thee is no "Steeler Nation!" Just by force of his personality and determination, his unwillingness to accept mediocrity, and the way he led by example he has to be not just my all-time Steeler favorite, but the greatest and most important Steeler of ALL-TIME!!!

FRANCO HARRIS.  Must be Franco who?  Lost a ton of respect for Knoll for that remark.  Franco was a tough and gentle guy that made Bradshaw look better than he was, even though he was darn good.  FRANCO HARRIS, in capital letters as anything else would not do this Steeler giant justice.

Growing up in Dallas I fell in love with the Steelers. I remember all the greats of that era and since. Terry Bradshaw throwing to Lynn Swann, Bennie Cunningham, and John Stallworth will always be remembered as much as seeing Mean Joe Greene and the Steel Curtain punishing the opposing offenses. Now living in New England I enjoy watching all of todays greats do all the same things. The names change, but greatness will always be personified and remembered by the Pittsburgh Steelers football. Go Steelers. I am always waving my Terrible Towel.

If I can pick only one, it has to be Mean Joe. Pretty good for a nobody from a little Texas school. I still remember the "Joe Who" headlines on draft day. He was the keystone of a great defense that carried the best team in football until those Hall of Fame guys on offense caught up.

Think of him and the Steelers every time I drive by the "Home of the Mean Green" sign in front of the Univ. of North Texas stadium.

Best commercial too. No way the one Troy's going to do will be better.

 Well as much as I like to watch old tape on the greatest dynasty in Football, I was born in 1980, so my memories and present players that I have grown up watching should be acknowledged. Merril Hoge- was and still does bleed black and gold. Ill never forget Yancy Thigpen -after a playoff touchdown catch, pulling a terrible towel out of his handwarmer around his waist and waving it round and around. Jerome Bettis- dont really have to talk about all the great things he has done for the city of pittsburgh. We didnt even think about throwing the ball on 3AND1 or 3and3. JUST GIVE IT TO THE BUS!!! Joey Porter was always fun to watch cause most of the time when he talked he backed it up with play. Hines Ward is the best all around WR in the NFL. I wouldnt trade him for a moss,t.o,ocho sucko, or just about anyone. The off  field charity work that he does is unbelievable. He truely is one of the nicest guys I have ever met. Big Ben to me is one of the best QBS in the League(when healthy). And Finally Troy Palamalu- is one of the most exciting defensive players I have ever watched, when he flies over that offensive line and hits the running back, no one does that!!!. I would have loved to have been around for that 70's dynasty, but I am definetly greatful for these as well as so many other steelers players who bring hard work,unity, and great team chemistry to the steel city.

 Joe Greene if i have to pick just 1.

also: Rod Woodson, Dermonti Dawson, Mike Webster, Greg Loyd, Ham, Lambert, Blount, Greenwood, Shell, Harris, Polamalu, Ward, Ben, Bus, Carnell Lake, .....

 Just kinda take it as granted that the Steel Curtain team was fantastic across the board, though Stallworth, Lambert, Mel Blount, Donnie Shell, and Mike Webster stand out as my personal favorites. Looking at the more recent guys.... Hines Ward, The Bus, Dirt Dawson, Carnell Lake, Levon Kirkland... these are the kinds of guys I think of most fondly when I think of the post-70s Black and Gold. Also have a little soft spot for David Little, who was a solid performer on the teams of the lean 80s. 

 After a great deal of thought, I was able to get the list down to four.  I don't think I can trim it any further.  In no particular order:

Jack Lambert:  There's some wonderful NFL Films footage of Andy Russell talking about why Lambert was great.  Not because he was rough and tough, but because he NEVER made a mistake, and because he could do things other linebackers just couldn't, and the team was able to take advantage of that.  When you add in the rough and tough, you get the perfect linebacker.  Traditionally my favorite since I was a kid.

Lynn Swann:  Swann was just such a *treat* to watch.  He made so many big plays, and so many *spectacular* plays.  There's just never been anything like Bradshaw-to-Swann.

The Bus:  I've always been one who thinks running backs are vastly overrated.  Mainly it's the offensive line that determines the running game; if the line is opening holes, then any compentent back can run through them, and if the line *isn't* opening holes, even a hall-of-famer can't do anything about it (remember Dickerson when he left the Rams for the woeful Colts?)  Bettis is one of the few running backs who really impressed me.  They'd had a fine running game before Bettis arrived, but when he showed up, you could just *see* the difference.  He'd routinely get two or three more yards then the previous guys used to get on any given play.  You could see him moving the pile, doing more on his own, above and beyond what the line was giving him.  I became an instant fan.  Add to that that he was a great guy, a team player, mentored the younger players, you've gotta love him!

Hines Ward:  I just love Ward.  If you put a gun to my head and told me I absolutely MUST pick just one guy, it might be Ward.  I love him because he's the Anti-T.O.  The Anti-Moss.  In this era of me-first prima-donna spoiled receivers, giving the position itself a bad name, Ward is everything you could ask for in a receiver.  Team guy, great attitude, excels not just at catching but at *blocking* (the ultimate measure of a team player), can do it all, smiles all the time... and when you add the rough and tough, geez, he's really the Jack Lambert of the offense.  Totally epitomizes Steelers' football.

 It is so ironic that I found this. Last week in the local pub I asked the same question to a group of my friends. I my self find Mr. Ward as my favorite steeler of all time. Mainly for the person he is and the style of football he displayes on the field. There is so many great steelers to choose from but you can't pick them all.

 Well put, you ought to be a reporter for the post.

 the 5 best Steelers of all time IMO:

1. Joe Greene

2.  Jack Lambert

3.  Franco Harris

4.  Terry Bradshaw

5. Swann/Stallworth...take one or the other

I wouldn't put anybody current or within the last 20 years in this list because those 4 are all HOF-ers and won 4 BOWLS...nobody else can say that as great as they may be....and again....Hines Ward maybe a great guy, but he IS FAR FROM A TOP RECEIVER...

Danstep: You are beginning to amaze me. I cannot argue with you on any point here, including the one about Ward(sorry).

Donnie Shell was my guy-he tried to knock people out; he scared many. But many of the Steelers gave me so much joy it affected me to this day.

When I die: if I don't have my Greg Lloyd jersey on, and my black and gold rubber wrist band and Lance Armstrong wrist band isn't on my right wrist....it just aint me.

If I miss a Steeler game, I'll get sick.

I just love the Steelers.

 Art Rooney