What Other Numbers Would You Retire?

[Ron Burgundy]

So what other Steeler numbers would YOU retire besides 75? Keep in mind this is in pretty rarified air. I realize everyone has an opinion. No right or wrongs here.

12 Bradshaw
32 Harris
36 Bettis
43 Polamalu
47 Blount
52 Webster
58 Lambert
59 Ham
82 Stallworth
86 Ward
88 Swann

A little soon to say, but I might add 7.

 

[Supersteeler]

I admit it, I'm kind of annoyed they retired Mean Joe's. Not because he doesn't deserve it, because he does. But because now they are gonna have to eventually retire all the Hall of Fame jerseys. You can probably take all those off the list at this point.

 

[SteelerFan448]

None.

Joe Greene is considered the best player in the history of the franchise and deserved to have his number retired. I'd just like them to continue their tradition of not issuing numbers. I think the 70's Steelers numbers are well documented, but for the more recently retired players, I would not distribute 86, 63, 36 or 43 and 7 will join that list soon. But with the size of the rosters, at least one of those will eventually have to be used. Figure if they can use 82 and 88, they will surely issue 86 again.

 

[thesteelcity]

it's fitting for #75 and I can see taking certain numbers out of rotation like 59, 58, 32, 12 and 47, but to retire them would be overkill. It really wouldn't be special anymore. Not saying they don't deserve it, but the Steelers can honor all those players and a lot more over the coarse of time and in all kind of ways.

 

[SteelerFan448]

47

I know he was a second-round pick and all, but Scott Shields?

 

[Ron Burgundy]

it's fitting for #75 and I can see taking certain numbers out of rotation like 59, 58, 32, 12 and 47, but to retire them would be overkill. It really wouldn't be special anymore. Not saying they don't deserve it, but the Steelers can honor all those players and a lot more over the coarse of time and in all kind of ways.

True, because the Cowboys will probably have Romo on their Ring Of Honor pretty soon.

 

[SteelerinMD]

Funny you mention the Cowboys, the Ravens have such studs like Jamal Lewis????Matt Stover (only way they ever scored, deserves it), Mike McCrary ??? and Peter Boulware????, oh and the first Ernest Byner. Certainly don't argue with Ray Ray and JO or any of the Colts

 

[thesteelcity]

I know he was a second-round pick and all, but Scott Shields?

Don't be a hater. He was not used properly here. His potential was off the charts.

 

[oneforthebus]

There are 22 players with 4 rings so I think you can eliminate any current players right off the bat. Even so, hard to narrow it down to a number where it's still something really special. I think Lambert, Harris and Bradshaw along with Greene really epitomized the Steelers. Greene has remained a part of the Steelers organization for decades, so I'm sure that's a big part of this.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Greene has remained a part of the Steelers organization for decades, so I'm sure that's a big part of this.

Joe Greene is one of a handful of people who has all six SB rings because he was an employee when they won the last two.

 

[JupiterBnG]

I think Mean Joe makes sense because he is, quite plainly, a Steelers and NFL legend. The players around him on those 70s dynasty teams may have contributed to his success, and some of them may have done great things in their own right, but I think that most people, when they think about the history of the Steelers, the first thing that comes to mind is Mean Joe Greene.

I don't think it makes sense to argue based on which players had how many rings, or even which players held or still hold positional statistical records, because you can pretty much expect all records to eventually be broken, and then the new records will be broken, and so forth. So to me, unless the statistics represented a singular, landmark achievement for that era of the NFL (like Marino's passing records), which in and of themselves identify the player as an "all-time" face of the team, statistics don't have any bearing on retiring a jersey.

Meaning no disrespect to Ernie Stautner, he was out of the game well before I was born, and well before the team was anything other than a perennial bottom-dweller, so I don't have any idea what he did that was so amazing that they retired his number a year after he retired from football. Again, not meaning any disrespect, but I think the fact that the earliest Steelers history in pop culture outside of Pittsburgh tends to start with the SB teams in the 70s, and you don't often find any of the retrospective shows on NFLN or ESPN talking about Stautner. Maybe that's a shame. But it illustrates the point that, even if Stautner was the greatest player in NFL history, no one really talks about him, but you ask anyone born around 1970 to name one Pittsburgh Steeler, and probably half of them will say "Mean Joe Greene" and nobody would say "Ernie Stautner."

THAT is why retiring Greene's jersey makes sense, and why I don't think you can make the same case for the other guys that also played on those 4 SB-winning teams. For guys that are still playing today or only recently ended their careers (Polamalu, Bettis) it's ridiculous to talk about retiring their numbers right now.

 

[Steelerfan81]

I don't think they'll ever retire any of the other members of the 70's dynasty. Greene was the one who changed the attitude. He didn't accept losing. I think they'll continue to not issue the others. I don't think we will see 86, 63 and 36 anytime either.

 

[JupiterBnG]

The only other number I would consider a valid candidate for retirement any time soon would be 52. Webster was an all-time great. O-linemen just don't get the glory, though.

 

[mightyguru]

86
58
52
59
36
12 (won't happen)

 

[Drink IRON City]

Rod Woodson?

I'm thinking not any more for quite awhile. Joe deserves it more than anybody!!!!



Salute the nation

 

[GoSteelers]

43 Polamalu
47 Blount
52 Webster
58 Lambert
59 Ham
82 Stallworth
86 Ward
88 Swann

I'd start with these first! Then move on to the others!

 

[bmoritz]

Honestly, I wouldn't retire anybody else's number. I do like that Mean Joe's was retired though. He is arguably the greatest Steeler ever, and it was his selection in the draft that marked the turnaround (more than anything else) from what had been lovable losers into the greatest franchise in the NFL. Not to say the others' aren't great legends, they certainly are. There's just too many of them to decide who is more worthy than others. In my opinion, the guy in "modern times" who most represents what it means to be a Steeler is Ward, so if I had to choose one more jersey number to retire, I think I'd choose 86.

 

[deljzc]

None.

Leave it alone.

Green is an exception because of his career as a coach/scout (much of which was with the Steelers). He's kind of a "lifer" in the organization. No one else from that 1970's dynasty really is like that.

 

[TDX27]

Can't retire all of them. One that I would retire is 58. Lambert was and is the standard at LB for the Steelers. He was the source of the mean and nasty attitude that made the Steel Curtain the best ever. Ham may have been the best all around LB ever but I would still retire Lambert before anyone else.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

None.

Nobody epitomizes the 70s dynasty more than Greene. Anyone else is overkill.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

I think the steelers ,, if keeping things the way they are.. Could do a "ring of honor:" or something to that effect,, maybe in the Great hall.. While not retiring Jerseys ,, the numbers could represent a player in the past.. on the "ring of honor".

 

[Wingman]

I think the steelers ,, if keeping things the way they are.. Could do a "ring of honor:" or something to that effect,, maybe in the Great hall.. While not retiring Jerseys ,, the numbers could represent a player in the past.. on the "ring of honor".

That would be a great way to do it. There are as of now too many great players to retire numbers. Stautner was the first truly great player in the history of the team. And as already mentioned Greene was the foundation of the team and nearly a lifer in the organization.

Putting the names on the jerseys and hanging them or mounting an enlarged image of the jersey would be a great way to go about it. Aaron Smith, Rod Woodson, Lloyd, Bettis, Harrison, Polomolu, Faneca as well as others from the past should be there when they retire.

This would enshrine the memory of greatness and still allow the use of the number.

 

[skialta]

absolutely nobody

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Rod Woodson?

I'm thinking not any more for quite awhile. Joe deserves it more than anybody!!!!

Woodson was one of the best to ever play his position, BUT 1) no SB ring with the Steelers and 2) he left and played for two of our most hated rivals.

 

[Vader]

As much as I love Green I'm not sure this was a great idea. There are so many great players on those 70s teams that just giving it to one guy seems out of place. I wish they would have left it alone and just not use the numbers.