No franchise in NFL history is more synonymous with defensive grit and greatness than the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That notion goes back to when the unit became a cultural phenomenon in the 1970s that included “The Steel Curtain” defensive line, Mel Blount’s weekly wide receiver assaults (which directly led to a rule change), linebacker Jack Lambert’s infamous toothless snarl, and defensive tackle “Mean” Joe Greene’s iconic Coca-Cola commercials.
But the Steelers’ have been more than just those flash moments in pop culture—they have been defined by decades of defensive greatness and success that’s created a legacy of Pro Football Hall of Famers and Super Bowl champions.
With 10 defensive players enshrined in Canton as Steelers, it’s tough to separate Pittsburgh’s legendary defenders from those that were simply great during their time in the Steel City. Nonetheless, we’ve attempted such an undertaking, so without further ado, here’s a look at the 10 greatest defensive players in Pittsburgh Steelers history:
The Steelers’ best defensive player of all time has to be defensive tackle Mean Joe Greene, the Steelers’ No. 4 overall pick out of North Texas State in the 1969 NFL Draft. Without Greene, the Steelers as we know them may never have came to be, as he was the draft pick that sparked a run of several epic draft classes for the team over the next half-decade.
Few players in NFL history cut a swatch like Greene, who was a four-time Super Bowl champion, two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time NFL All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler, as well as the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1969. He was the best defensive tackle in the land during an age when defensive tackles dominated the NFL game.
While Greene eventually changed his image entirely, when he first came out there were a few words to describe Greene on the field: surly, annoyed, and violent. If one was to watch any highlight tape of Greene in his early days, it would be all too clear how he got the nickname “Mean Joe”.
Away from the field, Greene was a bona fide celebrity of the highest order thanks to one iconic Coca-Cola commercial — “Hey Kid, Catch!”—that became something people actually said to each other for years and years and served to show people that the big man wasn’t as “Mean” as his football persona made him out to be.
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