Top 10 Best Pittsburgh Steelers Players of All Time

You don't need to bleed black and gold to know the Pittsburgh Steelers have churned out some of the most iconic players the NFL has ever seen. But if you do bleed black and gold, chances are you've had more than a few debates about who really belongs at the top of the Steelers mountain. Quarterbacks who brought home the rings. Defenders who made grown men regret picking up a football. Guys with hair so wild and hits so brutal, they're still living rent-free in rival fans' nightmares.

Maybe you grew up watching the Steel Curtain suffocate offenses in the '70s. Maybe you spent your Sundays yelling at the TV as No. 43 flew across the screen like a human missile. Or maybe your loyalty lies with the more recent legends who kept the wins coming and the terrible towels spinning. No matter which generation of Steelers you vibe with, your opinion helps shape this ongoing conversation.

The Top Ten

Mean Joe Greene

Charles Edward Greene, better known as "Mean" Joe Greene, is a former American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League from 1969 to 1981. He was a key member of the "Steel Curtain" defense and helped lead the team to four Super Bowl victories.... read more

I can't knock anyone on this list because they're all Steelers, but Mean Joe has got to be at the top. If you saw what the Pittsburgh Steelers looked like before Mean Joe was drafted, it was sad. He was the best player on the best defense in the history of football and changed the Steelers from losers to winners!

#1 Pittsburgh Steeler of all time. Mean Joe was the catalyst that changed a perennial loser into the Steel Curtain and the team of the 1970s.

Indisputably the greatest defensive tackle of all time on any team.
Troy Polamalu

Troy Aumua Polamalu is a former American football strong safety who played his entire twelve-year career for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League. He was known for his hard-hitting play and distinctive playing style. Polamalu was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and was inducted into... read more

Love him! This man is the definition of a football player! He's all in for the game, gives 100% all the time, and he's hands down the best safety I've ever seen! Plus, he's an amazing human being. Hopefully, he will be a Steeler for many more years to come! Steeler football is all about defense, and Troy is the exclamation point on this team!

Troy has pulled plays out of the air just when you thought it was over. He should definitely make the top 10, but let's not forget, it's the teamwork that makes the Steelers great.

He is a playmaker and game-changer. Opposing QBs base their entire offensive plan around avoiding him. And nobody is more altruistic off the field.
Ben Roethlisberger

Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr., nicknamed Big Ben, is a former American professional football quarterback. He played his entire 18-season career for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League. Roethlisberger led the team to two Super Bowl victories and retired after the 2021 season.

He is my favorite player, and I think he is a really good quarterback.

He is a really good QB the Steelers have had!

Big Ben is just so awesome. He is the best quarterback on the Steelers team.
Jack Lambert

I think that he really should have been in the #1 spot! To me, Mean Joe Greene didn't play anywhere near as good as Jack Lambert! I mean, at least put him in the #2 spot for sure!

Reflected the city in which he played. Rough, tough, no-nonsense, and intense. His style of play was emulated by every high school linebacker in America.

Together, Jack and Terry were the best I can remember, making them winners on both sides of the ball (not that they both didn't have a lot of helpers).
Terry Bradshaw

Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League from 1970 to 1983. He led the Steelers to four Super Bowl championships and was named Super Bowl MVP twice. After retiring, Bradshaw became a television sports analyst... read more

He brought the Steelers from lovable losers to Super Bowl winners.

He is way better than Big Ben, and I'm a Steelers fan.

Come on! Terry Bradshaw is the best, hands down!
Franco Harris

Franco Harris was an American football player best known for his time as a running back in the NFL. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft as the 13th overall pick. Harris played the majority of his career with the Steelers and briefly joined the Seattle Seahawks... read more

The Immaculate Reception is what saved the Steelers and led them to become the greatest NFL team of the Super Bowl era.

Mean Joe Greene said they didn't start winning until Franco Harris.

The man is Italian. What's better than that?
Jerome Bettis

One of only five players in NFL history to rush for over 14,000 yards and run for 100+ touchdowns (including postseason play). The other four guys are Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, and LaDainian Tomlinson.
BEAST
Hines Ward

I love Hines Ward. He never misses a catch from Roethlisberger. Ward is an MVP. He also always has a smile on his face. He is also very strong and he is my favorite player.

He is simply unstoppable. Agreed, without that amazing pass from Ben Roethlisberger, Ward would not be able to make such huge runs leading to touchdowns.

My favorite! One-of-a-kind player. He's an outstanding receiver, committed to his team, and does everything with a smile!
Lynn Swann

Lynn Curtis Swann is an American former professional football player, broadcaster, politician, and athletic director. He played as a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1974 to 1982 and won four Super Bowls with the team. Swann was named Super Bowl X MVP and was inducted into the Pro Football... read more

It's Lynn Swann for me. Probably the greatest athlete in NFL history. Who catches the ball out of bounds in midair like a ballerina and then lands back in? If he played on another team besides Pittsburgh, he would have crazy numbers.
He also played half his career in a dead ball era where wide receivers couldn't get into routes. The receptions he made against Dallas in the first Super Bowl matchup in '76 were amazing, even when the DBs could do what Jack Tatum did. In my opinion, he's the best.

Lynn was the most acrobatic and graceful receiver in NFL history. Truly a treasure of the best Steelers team in history.
Rod Woodson

A Steeler forever, Rod defined his position as safety. He was also excellent at returning punts and kickoffs. In 1989, he blossomed as a star, with 80 combined tackles and 3 touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl berth and his first taste of postseason success with the Steelers.
In the 90s, no one did it better than Rod. In 1992, he became a game-breaker, making key plays in many Steeler wins throughout his stay. His accolades include the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, and eventual induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Its Joeysworld

The Newcomers

?
Charles Johnson
?
Mike Tomczak

The Contenders

Mel Blount

Mel Blount is my #3 top Pittsburgh Steeler of all time. He was the best DB of his era and caused the NFL to change the contact rules of the game. Mel still played at a Pro Bowl level after the rules changed.

Mel Blount brought pass interference rules to the NFL.
Mike Webster

Iron Mike made great blocks for Franco Harris.
Jack Ham

Jack Raphael Ham Jr. is a former American football outside linebacker who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League from 1971 to 1982. He was known for his exceptional intelligence and speed on the field. Ham was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 and is widely... read more
Antonio Brown

Antonio Brown (born July 10, 1988) is a former NFL wide receiver who played nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers before brief stints with the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He earned seven Pro Bowl selections and led the league in receptions, receiving yards, and... read more

Best WR ever. The only people in front of him are Hines Ward, Lynn Swann, and Mike Wallace.

He can run really fast and do front flips. He also catches really well.

He catches everything thrown close to him and is a threat anywhere on the field.
John Stallworth

Here's why he's one of the best in Steelers history: 537 receptions for 8,723 yards and 63 touchdowns. He played in the Pro Bowl three times and was the 1984 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, catching 80 receptions for 1,395 yards and 11 touchdowns, all career highs.
He holds the Super Bowl record for career average per catch (24.4), 40.33 yards per catch in Super Bowl XIV, 12 postseason touchdown receptions, a string of 17 straight postseason games with at least one reception, and scored a touchdown in 8 straight postseason games (1978-1983). He is a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers all-time team and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, inducted in 2002.
Its Joeysworld
Brett Keisel
James Harrison

James Henry Harrison Jr. is a former American football linebacker who played college football at Kent State University. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2002 and signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Harrison became a five-time Pro Bowl selection and won two Super Bowls with the Steelers... read more

James Harrison has the most sacks for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He is really old but plays like he is 28 years old again.

My favorite Steelers player of all time! When you see James Harrison, you see what a Pittsburgh Steeler is supposed to be.
Le'Veon Bell

Le'Veon Andrew Bell is an American football running back who played for the New York Jets from 2020 to 2021 and returned to the team briefly in 2023. He is currently a free agent following his release in February 2024. Bell previously gained recognition for his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers and his... read more

The best running back the Steelers have had since Willie Parker.

This man was the team MVP for us, and he deserved it.

He's good and all, but he runs so fast!
William Gay

William Gay (born January 1, 1985, in Tallahassee, Florida) is an American professional football coach and former NFL cornerback. He played in the NFL from 2007 to 2017, including two stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and won Super Bowl XLIII. After retiring as a player, he became a coach and is currently... read more

This guy is not only a great player but fun to watch. He has the best touchdown dance ever.
Dermontti Dawson

Number two center of all time, behind only Mike Webster. One of the most underrated players of all time!
Dwight White
Alan Faneca

Alan Joseph Faneca (born June 7, 1976) is a former professional American football guard who played thirteen NFL seasons from 1998 to 2010. He spent the bulk of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, earning nine Pro Bowl selections and winning Super Bowl XL with the team. Faneca finished his career... read more
Heath Miller

Earl Heath Miller Jr., nicknamed "Big Money," is a former American football tight end who spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He played from 2005 to 2015 and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection. Miller won Super Bowls XL and XLIII with the Steelers.

One of the best TEs to play for the Steelers. He has amazing catches, great run blocking, and some of the best speed on the Steelers.
He was an amazing player to be drafted, yet he isn't close to the best.
Andy Russell
David DeCastro

David William DeCastro is a former American football guard who played in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. DeCastro earned multiple Pro Bowl selections during his career and was known for his consistency... read more