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The PG just selected the Steelers Quarter Century team. CBS Sports and other sites have also posted a version over the past year. Who all do you have? I agree with a lot of their choices. Here's mine:
Offense - 26
QB - Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers, Kordell Stewart
-Roethlisberger is the clear starter. Aaron Rodgers, sadly, has been the team's 2nd best QB in the last 25 years. Stewart is third string because while he had a 13-3 season, his stats were not great and he eventually lost his starting job.
RB - Le'Veon Bell, Willie Parker, Jerome Bettis
-Stacked group here. The heart says Bettis, but Bell was just so good when he was at the top of his game as a runner and receiver. Bettis was also on the downside of his career at this point, which is why I also have the younger Parker ahead of him. That Super Bowl TD run was an all-timer.
FB - Dan Kreider
-Monster blocker at the fullback position.
WR - Hines Ward, Antonio Brown, Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress, Mike Wallace, Antwaan Randle El
-Ward is on the Mt. Rushmore of the 2000s Steelers and is up there as a modern face of the franchise along with Ben, Bettis, and Troy, IMO. Brown is a top 5 WR of all-time and Holmes playoff run solidified him in the top-3. Burress is the tall receiver we need for Ben and Wallace is the burner. Randle El is a glue player who was a good returner and the ultimate gadget player, edging out JuJu.
TE - Heath Miller, Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington
-Miller is the greatest TE in franchise history. Freiermuth is a clear TE2 over the past 25 years and while there may be others to consider at No. 3, give me the best blocker of the bunch.
C - Maurkice Pouncey, Jeff Hartings
-Slam dunk for these two.
G - Alan Faneca, David DeCastro, Ramon Foster, Isaac Seumalo
-Faneca and DeCastro are the clear starters. Foster was as solid as it gets and while I gave Kendall Simmons consideration, Seumalo is very good when healthy and helped be a veteran presence on a young OL.
T - Marvel Smith, Marcus Gilbert, Alejandro Villanueva, Wayne Gandy
-Marvel Smith is better than people remember him. Gilbert was our best RT and Villanueva was a good player as well, but behind Smith. Gandy was a solid signing for the Steelers and was better than my next choice, which was probably Max Starks. Honestly, if Fautanu played last year, he probably would've made the team.
Defense - 24
NT - Casey Hampton, Javon Hargrave
-A prototypical NT who helped the Steelers dominate the early 2000s along with a fiesty pass rusher. Perfect combo.
DE - Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel, Cam Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Kimo von Oelhoffen
-Give me the Steelers dominant DL Super Bowl winners starting with Smith and Keisel. Heyward and Tuitt were the next generation without the hardware. Heyward is a borderline Hall of Famer, but I'm leaning on championship football. Tuitt, at his best, is the most dominant player on the list. Kimo, while not flashy, was as steady as it gets.
ILB - James Farrior, Ryan Shazier, Lawrence Timmons, Larry Foote
-Farrior is one of my favorite players and should be remembered as one of the top players on this defense as well as arguably the Steelers best UFA ever. Shazier would've given the Steelers a dominant duo on the inside. Timmons was very good for a long time and I'm taking Larry Foote because he is another glue player. Not a star and even limited, but a winner.
OLB - TJ Watt, James Harrison, Joey Porter, LaMarr Woodley
-Watt and Harrison are just at a different level, just dominating for years. Joey Porter on the bench is a credit to how good the first two are, but Porter was an all-around defender who could rush the passer, drop into coverage, and hold up against the run. Woodley at his peak was very good and he stepped it up in the playoffs.
CB - Ike Taylor, Joe Haden, Deshea Townsend, Bryant McFadden, Joey Porter Jr.
-Ike couldn't catch the ball but he could cut the field in half. Who knew a former Brown could fit right in with the defense and play at an incredibly high level. Townsend would be perfect in the nickel role and can step in as a starter, plus he made one of my favorite regular season plays with the pick-6 off Romo. McFadden was key in the Super Bowl run and JPJ is quickly developing into a very good CB.
S - Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Chris Hope
-Troy is an all-time great who played the position unlike anyone else. Memorable plays throughout his career, you never knew what to expect. While Minkah is a better player, Clark's steady presence gets the starting role. Hope was a player you hated to see leave in free agency.
ST - 3
LS - Greg Warren
-Long-time snapper and you never heard his name.
K - Chris Boswell
-The obvious choice who should have at least one team MVP award.
P - Jordan Berry
-Eh, the only position I had no idea. He was here for awhile.
Coaching Staff
HC - Bill Cowher - Cowher doesn't have the longevity, but he's the HC when I finally got to see the Steelers win a Super Bowl.
OC - Ken Whisenhunt - The Super Bowl run was magical and he was a huge part of it.
DC - Dick LeBeau - Hall of Famer and maybe one of the most respected coaches in league history.
QB - Mark Whipple - He helped usher Ben Roetlhisberger into the NFL.
RB - Dick Hoak - Steelers legend was with the team for decades.
WR - Bruce Arians - He may not be the best pure WR coach, but I'm taking his offensive mind over the other options.
TE - James Daniel - He was with the team for over a decade and I couldn't double down with Whisenhunt.
OL - Mike Munchak - He elevated the offensive line.
DL - John Mitchell - Another legendary positional coach.
LB - Keith Butler - Obvious choice for his time, plus a legit future DC.
DB - Ray Horton - He was DB coach during the dominant defensive run in the late 2000s.
Offense - 26
QB - Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers, Kordell Stewart
-Roethlisberger is the clear starter. Aaron Rodgers, sadly, has been the team's 2nd best QB in the last 25 years. Stewart is third string because while he had a 13-3 season, his stats were not great and he eventually lost his starting job.
RB - Le'Veon Bell, Willie Parker, Jerome Bettis
-Stacked group here. The heart says Bettis, but Bell was just so good when he was at the top of his game as a runner and receiver. Bettis was also on the downside of his career at this point, which is why I also have the younger Parker ahead of him. That Super Bowl TD run was an all-timer.
FB - Dan Kreider
-Monster blocker at the fullback position.
WR - Hines Ward, Antonio Brown, Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress, Mike Wallace, Antwaan Randle El
-Ward is on the Mt. Rushmore of the 2000s Steelers and is up there as a modern face of the franchise along with Ben, Bettis, and Troy, IMO. Brown is a top 5 WR of all-time and Holmes playoff run solidified him in the top-3. Burress is the tall receiver we need for Ben and Wallace is the burner. Randle El is a glue player who was a good returner and the ultimate gadget player, edging out JuJu.
TE - Heath Miller, Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington
-Miller is the greatest TE in franchise history. Freiermuth is a clear TE2 over the past 25 years and while there may be others to consider at No. 3, give me the best blocker of the bunch.
C - Maurkice Pouncey, Jeff Hartings
-Slam dunk for these two.
G - Alan Faneca, David DeCastro, Ramon Foster, Isaac Seumalo
-Faneca and DeCastro are the clear starters. Foster was as solid as it gets and while I gave Kendall Simmons consideration, Seumalo is very good when healthy and helped be a veteran presence on a young OL.
T - Marvel Smith, Marcus Gilbert, Alejandro Villanueva, Wayne Gandy
-Marvel Smith is better than people remember him. Gilbert was our best RT and Villanueva was a good player as well, but behind Smith. Gandy was a solid signing for the Steelers and was better than my next choice, which was probably Max Starks. Honestly, if Fautanu played last year, he probably would've made the team.
Defense - 24
NT - Casey Hampton, Javon Hargrave
-A prototypical NT who helped the Steelers dominate the early 2000s along with a fiesty pass rusher. Perfect combo.
DE - Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel, Cam Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Kimo von Oelhoffen
-Give me the Steelers dominant DL Super Bowl winners starting with Smith and Keisel. Heyward and Tuitt were the next generation without the hardware. Heyward is a borderline Hall of Famer, but I'm leaning on championship football. Tuitt, at his best, is the most dominant player on the list. Kimo, while not flashy, was as steady as it gets.
ILB - James Farrior, Ryan Shazier, Lawrence Timmons, Larry Foote
-Farrior is one of my favorite players and should be remembered as one of the top players on this defense as well as arguably the Steelers best UFA ever. Shazier would've given the Steelers a dominant duo on the inside. Timmons was very good for a long time and I'm taking Larry Foote because he is another glue player. Not a star and even limited, but a winner.
OLB - TJ Watt, James Harrison, Joey Porter, LaMarr Woodley
-Watt and Harrison are just at a different level, just dominating for years. Joey Porter on the bench is a credit to how good the first two are, but Porter was an all-around defender who could rush the passer, drop into coverage, and hold up against the run. Woodley at his peak was very good and he stepped it up in the playoffs.
CB - Ike Taylor, Joe Haden, Deshea Townsend, Bryant McFadden, Joey Porter Jr.
-Ike couldn't catch the ball but he could cut the field in half. Who knew a former Brown could fit right in with the defense and play at an incredibly high level. Townsend would be perfect in the nickel role and can step in as a starter, plus he made one of my favorite regular season plays with the pick-6 off Romo. McFadden was key in the Super Bowl run and JPJ is quickly developing into a very good CB.
S - Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Chris Hope
-Troy is an all-time great who played the position unlike anyone else. Memorable plays throughout his career, you never knew what to expect. While Minkah is a better player, Clark's steady presence gets the starting role. Hope was a player you hated to see leave in free agency.
ST - 3
LS - Greg Warren
-Long-time snapper and you never heard his name.
K - Chris Boswell
-The obvious choice who should have at least one team MVP award.
P - Jordan Berry
-Eh, the only position I had no idea. He was here for awhile.
Coaching Staff
HC - Bill Cowher - Cowher doesn't have the longevity, but he's the HC when I finally got to see the Steelers win a Super Bowl.
OC - Ken Whisenhunt - The Super Bowl run was magical and he was a huge part of it.
DC - Dick LeBeau - Hall of Famer and maybe one of the most respected coaches in league history.
QB - Mark Whipple - He helped usher Ben Roetlhisberger into the NFL.
RB - Dick Hoak - Steelers legend was with the team for decades.
WR - Bruce Arians - He may not be the best pure WR coach, but I'm taking his offensive mind over the other options.
TE - James Daniel - He was with the team for over a decade and I couldn't double down with Whisenhunt.
OL - Mike Munchak - He elevated the offensive line.
DL - John Mitchell - Another legendary positional coach.
LB - Keith Butler - Obvious choice for his time, plus a legit future DC.
DB - Ray Horton - He was DB coach during the dominant defensive run in the late 2000s.
