SB Nation User Blog: maryrose

The Perfect Storm: Ben, Hines and a Discussion of Concussion

maryrose — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:55:54 -0000

Let's review here. The Steelers are reeling from back-to-back losses, the latest to a Kansas City team who had no business being in the game with them. Their star quarteback, Ben Roethlisberger, gets knocked out of the game with a slight head injury, slight enough that Ben was lobbying to go back in the game if the Steelers got the ball again. But they don't get the ball and making matters worse, their capable back-up breaks his wrist. Roethlisberger practices all week, good news since Charlie Batch is out, but post-activity headaches persist instead of going away. Having to make a tough last-minute decision, the Steelers decide to sit Ben after his teammates have scattered. A fifth-round quarterback with one NFL pass to his resume takes a few more reps during the week, but not nearly enough. The team happens to be playing against it's most physical rival on Sunday night prime time. Taken by surprise, star wideout Hines Ward, a veteran who has been playing long enough to remember when concussions did not preclude most players from resuming play, makes some disappointing comments in a national interview that fit in perfectly with this quirky perfect storm. Capping off the pre-game week, Big Ben comes strolling out of the locker in full uniform, ready to hand off as the emergency quarterback if necessary.

Forty, 25, even 10 years ago players were getting concussions on the football field left and right. Diagnosis and testing were light years behind where we are now. Players were returning to play at their own discretion, and doing so quickly. I can't imagine how many concussions Terry Bradshaw and the others of yesteryear sustained. The official medical term back then was "getting your bell rung." Teammates actually used to joke about it. They called it different nomenclature like "the John Wayne Walk," depicting a guy staggering along. The world was so much different not long ago. Concussions were often "sissy" injuries. Ten years ago, under the exact conditions, Big Ben would have been in the lineup Sunday, probably five years ago, maybe even last year

Today, modern medicine, combined with a society of political and behavioral perfection, has heightened awareness and heightened sensitivity. That's really an interesting combination. We know much more about head injuries. Add to that knowledge the political correctness of acknowledging head injuries as being much more important in the game of life than in the game of football. This puts players, in this case Ben, in the awkward situation of wanting to do the right thing health-wise, but in conflict of also wanting to do the right thing for his team and teammates. What's the right thing to do? Tell the truth to the doctor? Or lie and take risks that once were unknown? In some ways, the ignorance of yesteryear was bliss.

It is also interesting that the leaders in this rapidly-growing medical arena are none other than doctors with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dr. Joseph Maroon is a world-renowned neurologist who happens to be one of the Steelers team doctors. He developed the IMPACT test that takes baseline measurements of football players, and then uses that baseline information as comparison when any kind of head impact occurs. The fact that the Steelers are in the forefront of this effort, and given national and international acclaim, probably puts them in a more conservative position when making decisions within their own organization. Like the old saying goes, it's probably not a good idea to break federal law when you are hanging out in Washington. Likewise, a player under the care of Dr. Maroon is not likely to error on the risk side.

Adding to the difficulty in grasping the rapidly-changing advances of head injuries is the fact that they are more often gray than black and white. Broken bones and torn muscles, while certainly varying in degree, either are or aren't. Concussions are more of a continuum measurement. Helmets collide all the time without stopping to take neurological tests. Only when the player shows any signs of that "bell-ringing" do the tests come into the picture. What do you do when a player has an extremely mild concussion? Probably let him play next week. Each increment on the continuum makes it more difficult to evaluate playing or not playing, until you cross the line where you know a player should not play.

Ben was as close to the middle of that gray line as possible last Sunday. Another inch on the positive side and he probably plays and the whole Hines Ward interview doesn't happen. Another inch on the negative side and the Steelers know earlier in the week that Ben would not play. The players know what is going on, the team prepares accordingly in practice and again, the Hines Ward interview does not happen. Only because Ben's condition was in perfect straddle on the fence does the Ward interview ever happen. Hines Ward is as "old school" as a veteran can get these days. What he thought and believed is no different than most other players who played before the turn of the century. His mistake was making his feelings public and putting his quarterback in a precarious situation.

One final element to this "perfect storm" is the fact that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has issued a series of statements, just this week, about the ever-growing attention being paid to concussions and head injuries. These statements are the result of recent inquiries into this area by the U.S. Congress. With Goodell's statements appearing daily, it is probably not a good idea for the defending Super Bowl quarterback to play in front of a national television audience after being removed from the game a week ago due to head injury.

What a crazy week to a roller-coaster year. Hopefully the Steelers can nail down two wins in five days and put this mini-drama perfect storm to rest.

Why are the Steelers 6-5?

maryrose — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:10:10 -0000

OK, there's nobody in the Nation who predicted the Steelers would be 6-5 and currently third in their division at this stage. Last year the team was two games better with the most difficult schedule in recent league history. This year, with a significantly lesser schedule (supposedly), the team has lost three in a row for the first time in the Tomlin regime. The beauty of the NFL. So let's see what the Nation thinks is the reason (or reasons):

Poll

What is the main reason why the Steelers are currently struggling at 6-5?

When you win a Super Bowl, you are vulnerable to not having the same hunger, the same edge, and the difference is losing close games instead of winning them.

189 votes

When you win a Super Bowl, the teams you play, especially in a hotly-contested rivalry division, step up and play their best against you and the difference is losing close games instead of winning them.

140 votes

Injuries are a part of the game for every team, but when you lose your most valuable players on both sides of the ball, chances are you will be 6-5.

723 votes

The NFL is such a fine line, the bounces and breaks of the game are the difference between 9-2 and 6-5.

440 votes

The coaching staff has not schemed properly enough to put the players in positions to succeed.

335 votes

Other....Please explain in comments

89 votes

1916 votes | Poll has closed

Giving Thanks for the Pittsburgh Steelers

maryrose — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:24:03 -0000

There are 32 football teams in the NFL. They all share media revenues, have relatively equal stadium sizes, operate under a salary cap and thus, are all created equal. Since the inauguration of the Super Bowl, at roughly the same time the old AFL and NFL merged into one structure, each franchise should have mathematically won a single Super Bowl, with 11 teams lucky enough to grab two Lombardis. The Pittsburgh Steelers have won two by themselves in just the last four years. They have won six overall, more than any other franchise. Thank you Steelers.

Since that merger in 1970, the Steelers have compiled 29 winning seasons. No team has done better, only one has matched (Miami) and most are far behind. The Steelers have finished in the Conference Final Four 20 times. No team has done better, only one has matched (Dallas) and most are far behind. Pittsburgh has played for the Conference Championship 14 times. No team has done better, only one has matched (Dallas) and most are far behind. As a fan who enjoys the journey even more than the bottom-line destination, I am very thankful for that cornucopia of success.

The Steelers have had three head coaches since 1969. Our friends to the northwest will likely hire their third head coach in 13 months. Each of Pittsburgh's three coaches has delivered unprecedented success. Chuck Noll won four Super Bowls, the only coach in NFL history to make that claim. Bill Cowher followed with a 15-year career that delivered 15 home playoff games, an astounding one per season, and achieved the best record in the NFL during those 15 seasons. Mike Tomlin is off to one of the best coaching starts in recent NFL history. Each has hoisted at least one Lombardi. Thanks Pittsburgh.

I want to win as much as anyone in Steeler Nation, but I know how hard that is to do. I know that it is not an inherent birthright for the Pittsburgh Steelers, or any franchise, to succeed. I know that with the spoils of a Super Bowl come the added weight of a bull's-eye target. Division teams like Cincinnati, Baltimore and even Cleveland play Pittsburgh like no other team. They want nothing more than to knock off the Steelers. Even teams like the Kansas City Chiefs play the Pittsburgh Steelers as if it is their Super Bowl. We need to fight that all season. While being the champions is a hard position to defend, I am thankful that we are in that dubious position to begin with.

While I did nothing for the happenstance of being a fan of the team owned by the Rooney family, I am proud of that nonetheless. People in stable positions aften take stability for granted. If you think it is frustrating to figure out how to tackle kick returners or hold second-half leads, try being a fan of an owner who hires and fires general managers like bartenders, or perhaps yanks the team out of town when a more attractive suitor beckons. There are four Rooney brothers who could have made better deals when selling their shares, but decided instead to be like their father and figure out a way to keep the franchise under the Rooney flag. I am forever thankful for that.

Yes, we are 6-4 and no, the sky is not falling. Last I checked those other guys are getting paychecks also. Yes, we need to make changes and no, it won't be easy. Those other guys are also among the finest football players in the world. But I took a tour in my mind of every NFL city and asked myself where would I like to be if I could choose any franchise of which to be a fan. I took into account past, present and future and all the trimmings surrounding a team to fall in love with. My honest answer was the Pittsburgh Steelers, and for that I am eternally thankful.

Finally, I am thankful for being a proud member of Steeler Nation, the greatest fan base on the planet. Game after game after game the television announcers make a concerted effort to point out how many Steelers' fans invade enemy stadiums. Hines Ward scores a touchdown and it doesn't take him long to find a black and gold "86" in the end zone to give the ball to. Opposing players take umbrage over being visitors in their own house. Where else does that happen, in any sport on any level? America's Team is not some self-proclaimed moniker that hs no substance. America's Team shows up every Sunday in every stadium throughout the land.

Thanks also to Blitz and Shake and all the contributors to this site. You have added a touch of spice to my life. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

State of the Union: Steelers 5-2 at the Break

maryrose — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:22:14 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Browse more photos »

One game short of the mid-season mark, the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves with a 5-2 record and tied for the lead in the AFC North Division with Cincinnati. Stopping to reflect during the bye week, the glass is definitely more full than empty. Steeler Nation yearns so much for perfection, sometimes it harpoons whatever shortcomings the latest game delivers. Utopia would have the Steelers passing for 375 yards, rushing for 175, shutting down opponents defensively and not committing turnovers every single game.

The NFL is not Utopia. Last I checked, those other guys get paid handsomely, have full coaching staffs, high-tech facilities and don't buy into the Steelers having their way all the time. We've lost fourth-quarter leads, given up kickoff returns, missed field goals, dropped passes and at times not blocked or tackled very well. These maladies are a part of life in the NFL. While we cannot insist on avoiding them, we can hope that shortcomings can be corrected as opposed to having insufficient personnel. I believe the former as opposed to the latter and thus, hope springs eternal.

The Steelers have had several pleasant surprises through the first seven games. At the top of the list is Rashard Mendenhall. The guy is becoming more entrenched each week into the present and future of the Steelers. Not notoriously big or fast or quick, Mendenhall somehow blends all three together. He catches passes out of the backfield and can block the blitz. Statistically, Mendenhall has rushed for 418 yards in just 78 carries for a 5.4 average, ranking him third in the NFL in yards per carry among runnings backs with at least 75 carries. This coming from a man who missed virtually all of last season with an injury and up until Game 4 this season, was in Mike Tomlin's nonexistent doghouse. If this momentum continues, and Mendenhall keeps his head on straight and stays healthy, he will be the long-term answer. He shows instincts of busting outside and picking up huge chunks of yardage. Yes, he has fumbled, but they seem to be correctible. The last two were the result of fluke strip when he thought he was down and then not knowing where the goal line was. Yes, they are frustrating but yes, they are correctible with maturity (I hope).

Another surprise is the improved play of the Steelers' offensive line. By no means a finished product, each man on the line has stepped up a little which means collectively they have stepped up a lot. Max Starks is earning every penny of his new contract and is getting more comfortable with each game at left tackle. He is taking on the best NFL pass rushers and holding (don't take that literally) his own quite well. Kemo, Hartwig and veteran Trai Essex are getting along great in chemistry class holding down the middle of the fort. The right side, Essex and Colon, is the area where Mendenhall is gaining most of his yards, sometimes impressivlely. Like Mendenhall, the O-line is far from a polished product, but it is no longer the liability it has been in recent times. At least at the moment, the arrow is pointing up.

Mike Wallace is another surprise and is playing like we all hoped ~~Limas Sweed~~ he would. Rookies need to be awfully special to have impact with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Wallace is having impact. Already with 368 receiving yards and a pair of scores, Wallace is eighth in the NFL with a 17.5 reception average and tied for 10th with eight catches for plus-20 yards. Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes are not surprises, but make up the best trio of receivers in the NFL this season. Ward is fourth in the league with 42 receptions, second with 602 yards and tied for the lead with 10 catches of plus-20 yards. Holmes has 30 receptions for 497 yards (10th), carries a 16.6 average (11th) and has eight grabs of more than 20 yards (tied at 10 with Wallace). Maximizing production and opportunity, 28 of Holmes' 30 receptions have moved the chains. There are not enough footballs to statistically do all three wideouts justice, but consider this: combined they have 1,467 yards (210 per game), a staggering 26 catches of 20-plus yards and almost 16 yards per catch.

Heath Miller has certainly not missed the party. His 40 receptions are 6th in the league and first among tight ends. With a solid 50 yards per game, Miller is tied for 10th in the league with four touchdowns and is 5th among tight ends with 17 first-down catches. It is hard to imagine anyone more consistent than Heath Miller.

Offensively, of course, the center of attention is Ben Roethlisberger, who is having a Pro Bowl season. He is second in the NFL with 2,062 passing yards, second in completion percentage (70.4), second in yards per attempt (9.25) and fifth with a 102.6 quarterback rating. Perhaps just as important as the statistics show, Big Ben seems to have a better feel for what the offensive line can do. He seems prepared to fire quickly if needed, but also has the instinct to wait for something longer if the line gives him time. This quarterback/O-line chemistry has not always existed.

Lastly on offense, in addition to all that we've seen, it is worth noting an element that we haven't seen. That is, the perpetual bashing of Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians. I have been in the minority as a member of the Arians Fan Club, perhaps as a high-ranking officer, because I've maintained that the offensive line was the problem with the offense and Arians was the fall guy. Arians biggest problem of late is to call more plays for Mendenhall and Holmes, while maintaining the touch levels for Hines Ward and Heath Miller. His only hope for that is to lobby the NFL for 20-minute quarters. Steeler Nation is clamouring for more Mendenhall, while Tone is quietly hoping for more on his plate. The pie is only so big. If everyone deserves a bigger piece, then it must be a damn good pie.

The bottom line is that the Steelers are fifth in the NFL in passing yards per game, seventh in total yards per game and 13th in points per game. Moreover, Arians and Roethlisberger have put the offense in position to win every game this season. Were it not for two missed field goals in Chicago, and a dropped perfect touchdown pass in Cincinnati, the Steelers would be undefeated. The Steelers have played 424 minutes of football this season. Incredibly, they have only trailed in 15 of those minutes.

Turning to the other side of the ball, saying the Steelers' defense has slipped from a year ago, while perhaps true, is as fair as saying Babe Ruth slipped in 1929. When you establish a standard not seen in recent times, less than standard seems below par. The Steelers are 10th in the league in points allowed (18.4), and consider that many of those points came on two kick returns, two pick-sixes, a fluke punt-return strip and the aftermath of an on-side kick. The Steelers are so paranoid about kickoff returns, they settle for pooch kicks that give opponents the ball across the 40-yard line where the defense starts in the hole. Cleveland's lone scoring drive started close to the 50 after the Steelers refused to kickoff anymore. All that considered, 10th place in scoring defense is quite acceptable.

The Steelers' defense ranks second in rushing yards per game (76.6), 15th in passing yards (214.4) and eighth overall (291 yards per game). Those aren't bad at all, but not what the Nation is used to. The Nation is also not accustomed to the defense giving up back-to-back game winning drives by opponents (Chicago and Cincinnati). On one hand, you can say that Troy Polamalu's absence was the difference in those two losses. On the other hand, you can say that a single injury should never make that much of a difference. We've got to be better than that.

I really believe the Steelers' secondary is playing better that what 214 passing yards per game might indicate. With Pittsburgh leading early and often in every game, opponents have been forced to fire away. Quality quarterbacks such as Jay Cutler, Carson Palmer, Phillip Rivers and Brett Favre have been forced into urgency. Even Detroit and Cleveland, in catch-up situations, are capable of racking up some yardage. Considering what has been coming at them, Ike Taylor, William Gay and Ryan Clark have held their own relatively well, especially without Troy. I've seen a good many deep passes with those guys johnny-on-the-spot. Troy, of course, is special. He is like an exotic sports car. When finely tuned with all the parts working, his performance is a combination of beauty and precision. When a part or two is not quite up to snuff, he's in the shop.

Not surprising, Brett Kiesel, Casey Hampton, James Farrior and Lawrence Timmons have performed above-the-line against the run. We almost take that for granted. Aaron Smith's absence is going to hurt, but that is precisely why the Steelers drafted Ziggy Hood. A first-round selection, Hood can no longer hide in Mike Tomlin's oven. He'll rotate with veterans Nick Eason and Travis Kirschke, but if every other NFL team can throw their first rounders into the fray on a regular basis, why can't Pittsburgh? As they say in Ziggy's college state, Missouri, it's time to "show me" something.

The most glaring weakness of the Steelers' defense is their inability to get off the field. They are 24th in the league in allowing first downs (125) and 26th in allowing third-down conversions (43.3%). If you factor in the opponents cashing in on four of five fourth-down plays, the Steelers are among the bottom of the barrell, 28th, allowing third and fourth down conversions. Making matters worse, and this is only an empirical observation, it seems to me that many of those third and fourth downs came with long distances. They don't feel like one-yard cheapshots, but 8-10-12 yarders that make you scream. The fact that opponents have been in so many third-down situations indicates that the defense has been stingy on first and second downs. That's the good news. The conversion rate is the bad news, and clearly the difference between this season and last. Perhaps other teams have smartened up to the Steelers' mantra of refusing to allow the big play, so they reach success underneath. Should we tighten the screws a bit and sacrifice a little vulnerability to some splash? You know Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau is in the lab during this off week with concoctions brewing.

Another hole in the Steelers' defense, at least until the fourth quarter Sunday, was the minimal number of created turnovers and splash plays. The Steelers are in the middle of the pack with five interceptions and five fumble recoveries. It was great to see the defense rise up huge against the Vikings, and maybe we'll see more of that ahead. It was also good to see the sack total continue to climb. The Steelers are now tied for second with 21, mainly because Deebo is heating up.

Special teams took a step forward last season, and have gone two steps backward thus far this season. The ugly habit of allowing kickoff returns for touchdowns does more than hand over seven points, as if that's not enough. It also puts the team in a defensive mode, as mentioned earlier. Instead of aggresively attacking the return team, the Steelers are operating scared with high, short kicks and the result is ridiculous field position. One of the reasons (though not all) the defense has fallen from its lofty numbers is that special teams is not doing them any favors. This notion of "kicking scared" must come to an end.

The punting has been better since Daniel Sepulveda's return, but it also would have been better had Bobby Walden returned, and he's 71. Sepuveda isn't going to the Pro Bowl, but he is solidly in the top half of NFL punters with a 44.8 average and 40.9 net. He also has 10 punts inside the 20. That's all we ask. The return game is both good and poor. Stefan Logan is 6th in the league with a 25.3 kick-return average. You get the feeling he is going to pop one soon. The news is not so good with punt returns, where the Steelers have a milktoast 6.6 average, 22nd in the NFL. Missing two field goals cost us a ballgame, but I still contend Reed slipped on one of them after the rain destroyed a field that needed repair work. Then again, what's a guy from Pittsburgh doing talking about field conditions?

So here we sit at 5-2, equally as close to 7-0 as we could be 3-4. I like the idea of re-tooling and re-energizing with a bye week while our next opponent, Denver, gets beaten up in Baltimore, win or lose. Here we go Steelers, here we go. Keep the faith, brothers and sisters of the Nation.

With Visions of Hall of Fame, Hines' Sight is 20-20

maryrose — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:20:38 -0000

Most of Steeler Nation already believes that Hines Ward has earned his way into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Outside the Nation, the ballot box is not so stuffed. In fact, you'll find many who debate that more work needs to be done. I have been in more than a few cat fights with rivals who hate us, hate Ward, and refuse to give Hines his due. So be it for the moment. Their time is running out.

There is no question that the recent metamorphosis of the Steelers' offense is helping Hines Ward prove to the Doubting Thomas's that he belongs. Thus far this season, the line has raised its level of play to become adequate in the run game and "above the line" in pass protection. Rashard Mendenhall seems to be the perfect running back in the system; a little size, a little speed, a little quick, able to block the blitz and able to catch out of the backfield. Heath Miller is having a blast, Tone is making first downs and Ben is having the time of his life distributing the ball all over the field. Together, everybody is eating.

Perhaps no one is enjoying the offense coming of age more so than Hines Ward, who might be putting the finishing touches on his Hall of Fame discussion. Though quiet this past weekend, Ward is leading the NFL in receptions covering 20 yards or more (10), is second in receiving yards (602) and is fourth in total receptions (42). Ward is lingering on several NFL career receiving lists that, with reasonably modest acceleration, could put him on the very highest level of all-time NFL receivers.

There are only five players who have passed the 1,000-catch milestone. Ward stands at 842 and can join that list with reasonable expectation. He has 74 touchdown receptions and 10,382 receiving yards. Fifteen more touchdowns and 1,800 more yards put him in the top 10 in both of those fraternities. If those things happen, the discussion ends.

But let's take a look at the here and now, and compare Ward to receivers already in Canton. It is not fair to go back far in time, since the game has changed so much. Don Hutson dominated his position every bit the way Jerry Rice did the same, but Hutson's numbers are a far cry from Rice's due to the way the game has evolved. Thus, let's just compare Ward to the six Hall of Famers who have retired since 1985.

**Hall of Fame Wide Receivers Retired Since 1985**
Name	Receiving Yards	Touchdown Catches	Receptions	Pro Bowls	Super Bowl Titles
Michael Irvin	11,904	65	750	5	3
Charlie Joiner	12,146	65	750	3	0
Steve Largent	13,089	100	819	7	0
James Lofton	14,004	75	764	8	0
Art Monk	12,721	68	940	3	3
John Stallworth	8,723	63	537	4	4
Hines Ward	10,382	74	842	4	2

Only Steve Largent has more TD catches (Ward will pass Lofton any day now), and Ward has more receptions than Largent. Of course, Ward is not only "competing" against those already inducted, but also with six other active players (below) who will have lobby groups of their own.

**Active Receivers With Some Hall of Fame Credentials**
Name	Age	Receiving Yards	TD Catches	Receptions	Pro Bowls	Super Bowl Titles
Issac Bruce	36	15,134	91	1,018	4	1
Torry Holt	32	13,067	74	896	7	1
Derrick Mason	34	10,442	54	816	2	0
M. Muhammad	35	11,076	61	831	2	0
Terrell Owens	35	14,364	140	969	5	0
Randy Moss	31	13,766	120	886	6	0
Hines Ward	33	10,382	74	842	4	2

Looking at this list, Ward is already ahead of Derrick Mason and Muhsin Muhammad. He is also younger. It is a no-brainer that Terrell Owens and Randy Moss will pose for the bust. That leaves Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, teammates for many years, who are right there with Hines. The third group (below) are those receivers who are not in the Hall, no longer active, but have numbers that deserve some level of discussion. There are 10 in this bunch.

**Retired Receivers With Some Hall of Fame Credentials**
Name	Receiving Yards	TD Catches	Receptions	Pro Bowls	Super Bowl Titles
Tim Brown	14,934	100	1,094	9	0
Chris Carter	13,899	130	1,101	8	0
Henry Ellard	13,777	65	814	3	0
Irving Fryar	12,785	84	851	5	0
Marvin Harrison	14,580	123	1,102	8	1
K. McCardell	11,373	63	883	2	1
Andre Reed	13,198	87	951	7	0
Jerry Rice	22,895	197	1,549	13	3
Jimmy Smith	12,287	67	862	5	0
Rod Smith	11,389	70	849	3	2
Hines Ward	10,382	74	842	4	2

First off with this list, remove Jerry Rice. He gets his own wing. Tim Brown, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison have also earned a ticket. Like Owens and Moss, if you catch 100 touchdowns and surpass 10,000 yards, you should go straight to the Hall without passing go or collecting $200.

Looking at the whole ball of wax, those already in and those still playing or retired with discussion numbers, Ward has three intangibles also in his favor, none of which should be taken lightly. First, he is an unquestioned leader. Not all elite receivers are leaders. In fact, some are malcontents and even peripheral liabilities. The football world knows Hines Ward is the heart and soul of the Pittsburgh Steelers and his ballot will be reflected accordingly.

Second, it is universally known that Ward is one of the best blocking receivers, if not the best, to ever play the game. Time and time again his blocking acumen is referred to as the gold standard. He has elevated the notion of receivers blocking to a higher level. The NFL has gone to the extent of changing a rule after a legal Hines Ward block. Ask Mel Blount, when they name a rule after you (informally speaking), you have taken a piece of the game to another level. That's Hall of Fame.

Third, Ward is a big-game player. He has two Super Bowl rings. Hall of Fame voters don't take that lightly. Just ask Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. Moreover, he is one of only six receivers in history to have achieved a Super Bowl MVP. Only franchise mates Lynn Swann and Santonio Holmes, in addition to Fred Belitnikoff, Jerry Rice and Deion Branch, join Ward in that elite fraternity.

Best of all, Ward is only 33 and a half years old. He is proving this season that he has a lot of gas in the tank. The best may be yet to come. And for all of the non-believers and Ward bashers, get your licks in while you can. Your time is running out.

The Next Punter the Steelers Will Face is Mitch Berger

maryrose — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:29:49 -0000

Yeppir, the Denver Broncos have cut their punter, Brett Kern, and signed Mitch Booming Berger to the roster. The Broncos are the Steelers next opponent. Josh McDaniel has transformed the likes of him Kyle Orton and Ryan McBean, but my guess is he'll walk on water before he turns Berger into Ray Guy. It will be fun having him punt to us Monday Night, November 9. Imagine having Brett Kern as your punter?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4596638

Public Appreciation for Johnny_S

maryrose — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:08:55 -0000

Those who have seen my bits and pieces around here know that the two most important games of any season, in my opinion, are Cleveland Browns #1 and Cleveland Browns #2. I lived though the 60s and remember about 100 games with those folks. I am on Cloud 9 right now because we beat the Cleveland Browns and did so for the 12th consecutive time.

Anyhow, I can't help trolling over to their site and when I see something that I don't like, I pounce on it. A few of those guys made a deal over the fourth down measurement, mysterious indeed, without referencing the hold during Cribbs' TD run or the Hines Ward touchdown or the Mendenhall-when-is-the-play-over strip, etc. So I pointed out the overall officiating, not just the one play that went against the Browns. Needless to say, I got ambushed pretty good. Johnny_S came to the rescue and I want to thank him. When it comes to the Browns, I'm like a teenaged Hatfield wandering into the hangout saloon of the McCoys. I usually get the snot beat out of me. One time my man Blitz came in with guns blazing. This time Johnny_S dragged me out of there. Thanks brother. Together we all eat.

PS, when do we play the Browns again?

He Stood on Higher Ground: This Date in Steelers History, Farewell to the Chief

maryrose — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:02:12 -0000

August 25, 1988. Arthur Joseph Rooney, founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, died following a stroke he suffered, fittingly, in his office at Three Rivers Stadium. He was 87. At Rooney's mass at St. Peter's Church, a friend remarked that it would be a shame if any Catholic in Pittsburgh needed a priest that day, since they were all at the Chief's funeral. Rooney had a special bond with priests. In fact, he almost became one. In his late teens, Rooney qualified for the U.S. Olympic boxing team. He turned down the opportunity to go to the 1920 Games in Antwerp, Begium because of his religious studies. A man he defeated both before and after the Olympics, Sammy Mosberg, won the Gold Medal for the Americans.

Rooney's calling in life, however, was to become an entrepreneur. He was a sports promoter, an outstanding minor league baseball player and was an extraordinary racing handicapper. In 1933, he bought a franchise into the National Football League for $2,500. He named his team the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was common during the Depression days for an NFL team to be named after the city's Major League Baseball team.

Occasionally, I used to hear (rarely anymore) uninformed fans make reference that "the Rooneys are cheap." Nothing could be further from the truth. Art Rooney's generosity was profound and seemingly unconditional. After Byron White had signed his unprecedented $15,800 contract in 1938, the Steelers still lost and did so often. White felt guilty about making all that money and not leading his team to victory. Midway through the season, he told Rooney he would not accept any more paychecks. Rooney called an attorney and arranged for the paychecks to be deposited into White's account anyway. This was in the middle of the Great Depression.

The ultimate "league man," Rooney's think-outside-the-box perspective may well have saved the 1943 NFL season. World War II had rightfully depleted the league's workforce. When the Cleveland Rams bailed out, the remaining nine teams, with weakened rosters, were also in a heated scheduling dilemma which could not get resolved over three days of in-fighting. Rooney volunteered to combine forces with the Philadelphia Eagles. This created a workable eight-team league that allowed the NFL to continue. The next year, 1944, Rooney combined his team with the Chicago Cardinals.

No one was more colorblind than Art Rooney. His first team in 1933 featured one of only two African-Americans in the league (Ray Kemp). In 1956, the Steelers drafted an explosive receiver named Lowell Perry. After six games of speed, promise and a couple electrifying touchdowns, Perry broke his pelvis after being sandwiched by the Giants Emlen Tunnell and Rosey Grier. It was typical of the team's fortunes back then. Rooney turned a young man's career-ending adversity into asset. He immediately added Perry to the coaching staff, the first African-American coach in NFL history. A year later Perry wanted to attend law school. Rooney placed a phone call to the higher-ups at Duquesne to ensure admittance, and then payed the bills.

At the beginning of the 1957 season, the Steelers played an exhibition game in Jacksonville. City officials would not allow the handful of African-Americans on the team to take part in the parade. One of the African-Americans who remembered sitting on the curb in Jacksonville was Coach Lowell Perry. The Chief was incensed. He flew down to Jacksonville and told the players that never again would his team be subject to racial discrimination. The very next year, Pittsburgh was scheduled to play an exhibition game in Atlanta. After being rejected by numerous hotels to accommodate the entire team, Rooney cancelled the game. A decade later Rooney convinced a sportswriter named Bill Nunn to join the Steelers executive staff. Nunn was the first man of color to ever work in an NFL front office. Time and time again, Art Rooney was ahead of his time in setting the standards of equality.

Integrity had no price tag with Art Rooney. Before a game against the New York Giants, Rooney read in his own progam that Giants owner Tim Mara started his career as a "bookmaker." Rooney called his five sons together, had them collect more than 10,000 game programs, and rip the Mara page out. On the other side of the page was an advertisement, which was re-imbursed to the vendor. Rooney would not allow a fellow owner to be embarrassed, even by the truth.

As a humanitarian, Art Rooney had few equals. When a Pittsburgh Steeler was ever in the hospital, Rooney would visit every morning and bring a newspaper and fresh coffee. Rooney's wife, Kathleen, would stop in later with home-baked mufins. When boarding the plane after road games, each player was handed a couple beers while Art Rooney passed out cigars to all who wanted them. No wonder the players loved him, so much so that one year the players walked to his house and sang Christmas carols.

One day at a racetrack, Rooney and a friend were approached by a little old lady. She was sobbing loudly, telling Rooney how she just lost her last dollar. Her family was hungry and her grandson needed medicine. She bet what little money she had in order to make enough to buy food and medicine. Rooney pulled $100 out of his pocket and gave it to her. His friend quickly pointed out that the lady was an imposter. She was a regular phony at the racetrack. "I know that," said Rooney, "but did you see that performance? She earned it."

Another day at the track, a good one for the Chief, ended with him driving home with heavy pockets. He saw a priest waiting for a bus and, with his affinity for priests, stopped and offered the clergyman a ride. During conversation the priest revealed that his church needed a new roof. Rooney asked if the priest knew how much that would cost and was told $7,500. The Chief reached into his bulging pocket, peeled off $7,500 and handed it to the priest. Astonished, the priest politely indicated he couldn't accept money that was not legit. After Rooney identified the track he came from that day, the priest took the cash with dropped-jaw and looked to the heavens. "That's OK," the Chief laughed, "just say a prayer for me."

The most loyal Steeler not named Rooney is and was Dick Hoak, who played and coached for the team for 45 years. Hoak remembers the Chief and his sons with great fondness.

"The way they always treated people puts them on another level," insisted Hoak. "I sustained a concussion in the fourth game of my final year. I spent a week in the hospital. When I woke up, Mr. Rooney was there, bringing me the newspaper every morning. He'd come back at night or call and ask if I needed anything. Art and Dan were always coming into the locker room and talking to us about our families. I'd talk to other players around the league and some of them had never met their owner. I knew we were very fortunate in Pittsburgh to have people who thought they were just regular guys who owned the team. I remember my best year, 1968, when Art called me into his office and gave me an envelope with a large check inside. This was right in the middle of the season when we were losing often. He didn't have to do that. At the end of the season, Dan called me into his office and handed me another envelope, since I had a pretty good year. I told him his father had already given me an envelope. Dan said, 'well, here's another one.' The Rooneys were like that with everyone. They did so many things they didn't have to do and they weren't just trying to look good. The Rooneys were and are solid gold."

After the hazards of Viet Nam tore up Rocky Bleier's foot and leg, Rooney refused to release him. Long after others had gracefully given up on Bleier, Rooney kept him on the payroll for as long as he wanted to attempt a comeback. Giving a break to a Viet Nam vet did not put Rooney in exclusive company. Common sense and public relations value would lead most owners in the same direction. What made Rooney's generosity extraordinary was that it extended years beyond any reasonable time frame. It was Rooney being Rooney. Bleier finally came back after five long years of rehabilitation. He was a huge factor in all four Super Bowl seasons of the 1970s.

When the Steelers won their first Super Bowl in January, 1975, Rooney received thousands of congratulatory letters. He would eat dinner and on many evenings go back into the office to hand-write personal thank-you notes to thousands of fans and well-wishers. When a rookie named Gabe Rivera became paralyzed in an automobile accident in 1983, Art Rooney was his instant source of strength and compassion. Rivera was a frightened young man laying in a hospital a long way from his Texas home. Rooney made certain, above and beyond, that every emotional and financial need was met to their fullest extent.

Following the 1980 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh's rookies gathered in the lobby of Three Rivers Stadium to await individual meetings. An elderly fellow walked into the lobby in his button-down sweater and began to empty ashtrays and straighten up the room. One of the rookies, Nate Johnson, asked the old chap if he was the janitor. "No," the man said, "my name is Art Rooney and I do a little of everything around here." Unphased by the faux pas, Rooney sat down and held court with the young players.

Social status and standing in life meant nothing to the Chief. One of his long-standing habits was to stash his pockets with those little whiskey bottles whenever he took a flight. He would distribute the bottles to the grounds crew. He once made sure that his son Dan saved a Super Bowl ticket for the mailman. He treated everyone as if he or she was the most important person in the world, and people loved him for that. Once a member of the grounds crew needed to ask the Rooneys a question before a game, so he went to the press box. The Chief introduced the guy to dignitaries as "a member of our organization." The worker was so startled, feeling 10 feet tall, he forgot what his question was.

"He dealt with people like no one else I've ever seen," said Dan. "He made you feel as if the most important thing he had to do was to talk to you. He made you feel as if you were a friend. It wasn't planned and it wasn't calculated. He always told us that he wasn't a big shot and that we weren't either."

Art Rooney, like the rest of us, was not without shortcomings. Being a warm-hearted and trusting human being is not a good quality when hiring coaches. Up until he turned the reigns over to his son, Rooney hired three decent coaches and 10 bad ones. One of the bad ones he hired three different times (racetrack buddy Walt Kiesling). Moreover, he gave these coaches carte blanch to do whatever they wanted. They could drill the team into the ground (Bill Austin), trade away all their draft picks (Buddy Parker), cut Johnny Unitas (Kiesling) and even not show up for games (Johnny Blood). Rooney's tolerance level was frustratingly high and the scoreboard often showed it.

But no finer man ever owned a professional sports team. Art Modell, former owner of the Cleveland Browns, was Rooney's rival, friend and colleague for a quarter of a century. Modell characterized Rooney perhaps better than anyone could. "If I am ever in a flood," said Modell, "I am going to stand next to Art Rooney, because he stands on higher ground."

40 Years Ago Today in Steelers History: Rocky Bleier Fights Back

maryrose — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:29:43 -0000

BTSC is grateful to Steelers legend Rocky Bleier, who gave us an hour of his time to recall the worst day of his life, exactly 40 years ago today. Thanks also to Dick Hoak, Bleier's position coach, for chipping in as well. Bleier is a very humble man. Many of his words did not come easy. But the truth is, the Rocky Bleier story is a classic example of human will and perseverance. On the 40th anniversary of his fateful day, let's raise up our glasses to a member of our proud past, Rocky Bleier. For those who would like to read a great book, Rocky teamed up with Terry O'Neill to write "Fighting Back," a great education in Steelers history and human achievement.

August 20, 1969. Robert Patrick Bleier, a member of the U.S. Army's 196th Light Infantry Brigade, was not thinking about the days when he was the captain of the Notre Dame football team. He was not reminiscing about the epic 1966 battle at Michigan State when he led the Irish in rushing in a 10-10 stalemate that sealed the national championship for Notre Dame. He was not remembering that January day in 1968 when he was drafted in the 16th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bleier, stationed in Hiep Douc in South Vietnam, had more pressing matters at hand. Bleier's C Company had been beckoned to rescue B Company after an ambush by the North Vietnamese Army. The fighting escalated and Bleier found himself in trouble.

"About a hundred meters ahead of us we could see the leaves rustling," recalled Bleier. "We knew there would be gunfire and grenades. One of my platoon mates kept yelling, ‘Rock, Rock.' Then I felt a sharp thud in my leg. I thought my buddy threw a rock at me to get my attention. When I looked at my leg it wasn't a rock. A bullet went right through my thigh. It didn't hit bone, but created both an entry and exit wound."

His day would get worse. A live grenade landed close to him and before he could jump out of harm's way, it exploded and riddled his right foot with shrapnel, rendering him immobile. Every member of Bleier's company was either killed or wounded.

"I had a wrap on my leg and we had just lost three or four men," remembered Bleier. "A grenade bounced off Captain Murphy and landed right next to me. I couldn't get out of the way in time."

A third platoon was sent to help, but time and distance seemed like eternity. Bleier crawled through rice paddies, was dragged and was carried in a poncho. All the while, he was losing blood and his foot was burning from the sulphur laced into the shrapnel. When Bleier became too heavy to carry, his fellow soldiers decided to set Bleier down and get to a helicopter with hopes of bringing back a board that would make the job of transporting him possible.

"A few minutes later, I saw a black hand reach down to pick me up," said Bleier. "This man put me over his shoulder and carried me the rest of the way to the helicopter. Racism was never more turbulent than back in the 60s, but in those rice paddies, we were colorblind. We were Americans. I never found out his name. I thought for sure someone would come forward, but to this day no one ever did."

Not a moment too soon, Bleier finally reached the helicopter that took him to a medical camp. His first shot of morphine was administered 14 hours after the initial bullet wound. Flown off to Tokyo, Bleier was treated by Dr. Andy Laorr and Dr. John Baughman. They performed surgery on Bleier, removing more than 100 pieces of shrapnel from his foot. Safe from the enemy at the moment, Bleier thought about football again and asked his doctors about its future. Playing football, Dr. Baughman informed, "was going to be impossible." Walking again with some degree of normalcy was a more plausible goal.

"Dr. Laorr was more diplomatic, but he too told me to forget about playing football," noted Bleier. "He said he was sorry, but there was too much damage to my right foot. Ironically, Dr. Laorr (from Thailand) later set up practice in Indiana, Pennsylvania and saw me play a lot of football."

Three weeks later, Bleier was flown to Fort Riley, Kansas to begin recovery. Accompanying him back to the States was a Purple Heart for being wounded in action and Bronze Star for heroic or meritorious achievement. In January, 1970, Bleier underwent a second surgery to remove bone spurs and cut ligament out of scar tissue. He was rendered 40 percent disabled by the U.S. Army.

What followed is a lesson in human determination that is difficult to fathom. Bleier took shock therapy treatments. He stretched with large rubber bands. He ran before dawn, lifted weights and ran sprints every day. On weekends, he ran the steps of the Kansas State University stadium with 10-pound weights on his ankles. He ate every vitamin known to mankind and supplements like wheat germ and calf's liver.

"I just wanted to play football more than anything else in the world," recalled Bleier. "I was a bachelor. Football was my life and my dream at the time. Nothing else mattered. I loved the game so much. I didn't want to look back later in life and regret not giving the game every ounce I had."

He reported to Steelers camp in the summer of 1970, less than one year after his right foot was nearly destroyed. Chuck Noll was graceful, but he had a professional football team to run. He decided to put Bleier on waivers. The Rocky Bleier story would likely have ended at this point, except for one simple stroke of luck. Bleier was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were owned by a gentleman named Arthur J. Rooney. When it came to being a humanitarian, time and time again, Art Rooney stood on higher ground. He changed Chuck Noll's waiver orders and placed Bleier on Injured Reserve.

This unnecessary act of kindness cost Mr. Rooney $20,000, which was Bleier's salary. It allowed Bleier to concentrate on rehab instead of worrying about gainful employment. Rooney also reached into his pocket to pay for a third operation. Bleier's medical bills were the responsibility of the U.S. Government, but Rooney wanted the Steelers team doctor to perform the surgery. More shrapnel was removed and scar tissue was ripped apart to promote flexibility. With the outlook of playing professional football still looking bleak, Rooney allowed Bleier to work in the scouting department to give him a head start on an alternate career, if needed. It was Rooney being Rooney, on a level unto himself.

In 1971, Bleier continued his rigorous training regimen. He never missed a workout. He felt victorious simply walking around without a limp. When training camp opened he pulled a hamstring. He did have one thing going for him. Nobody in the NFL could possibly imagine Bleier playing football. He was a 16^th round pick before the injury. The Steelers put him on waivers and because no one claimed him, he was able to be placed on the team's taxi squad. This bought him another year. What should continue to not go unnoticed is the Rooney family's generosity.

Bleier came into camp in 1972 and to the astonishment of Chuck Noll and the entire organization, ran a 4.6 forty-yard dash. His best time before that was 4.8. His right foot was shorter than his left, deformed from injury, yet he cut two-tenths of a second off his best forty time. If Noah Webster had been around Latrobe in 1972, he might have changed the definition of the word "inspiration." Bleier's new-found speed elevated the entire organization. He made the regular squad this time and became a special teams demon. He returned a few punts and kickoffs. More impactfully, he was on the coverage teams and used sheer desire to help the team significantly.

During the 1973 offseason, to complement his new-found speed, Bleier hit the weight room three hours a day for six days a week. By the time camp opened, he was bench-pressing 440 pounds. Special teams was his main focus. You would be hard-pressed to find a better special teams player in the NFL.

In 1974, Rocky Bleier came of age. He started in the backfield alongside Franco Harris. His added muscle and desire to be the best football player he could possibly be, made him an exceptional blocking back. The Steelers played in the Super Bowl that season. Bleier not only started, he was sitting in the team meeting when Coach Noll diagrammed the Steelers first offensive play. Bleier would carry the ball off tackle, and do so wearing two different shoe sizes, a 10 and-a-half on his left foot and a size 10 on his right foot, permanently shortened by a grenade. The sensation that ran through his body was overwhelming, thinking back to that fateful day in August of 1969. Later in that Super Bowl, Bleier busted off an 18-yard gallop to sustain a key drive, one more yard than the Vikings would rush for the entire game.

Rocky Bleier didn't become a champion in 1974. He already was one. He would later rush for 1,000 yards in the 1976 season and finish his career with almost 4,000 rushing yards and four Super Bowl rings. He caught a crucial touchdown pass in Super Bowl XIII against the Dallas Cowboys to put the Steelers ahead to stay. His blocking and pass-catching contributions went unsung by most, but not by anyone in the Steelers organization. Dick Hoak, Steelers running backs coach from 1972 through 2006, saw the Rocky Bleier story unfold before his eyes.

"Rocky worked so hard," remembered Hoak. "He was quite an inspiration. He did something unheard of - he actually improved his speed significantly. That's how hard he worked. He was the ultimate team player. He was a great blocker and as smart a back as I've ever seen. He could play both fullback and halfback. They were two completely different positions back then. Today you see teams with two feature backs, but they are asked to do the same thing in alternating fashion. In the 70s, the fullback and halfback had different assignments on every play. Rocky knew everything and played both. With Rocky, you told him something once, that was all. I loved coaching him."

There are examples throughout history when the human will transcends probability to a level that is difficult to comprehend. Let us not forget, on this the anniversary of the darkest day of a young man's life, that our own Rocky Bleier was one of those examples. Doctors may have known exactly what was inside his foot, but they could never see what was inside his soul.

On the Silver Anniversary of that fateful day in 1969, I was married to a woman named Sherry, August 20, 1994. I am proud to share this day with Robert Patrick Bleier from Appleton, Wisconsin. Here's to you Rock. Here's to both of us.

Hail the Rod, Spoil the Steeler Fan

maryrose — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:12:17 -0000

Bumped back to the top of the main page as Woodson' induction ceremony draws ever close. Many thanks to maryrose for the typically outstanding post. - Blitz- (Michael B.)

If you sat down and made a depth chart of the all-time NFL team, you could easily argue a case that Roderick Kevin Woodson could be a first-team player on that team. As we close in on the moment when Woodson is about to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in his first year of eligibility, Steelers fans can chalk up another great day in the life of one of their legends. Woodson will become the 23rd Steeler to be inducted and the 18th to be inducted as a primary Steeler. Let's raise up our glasses, Steeler Nation.

Prior to the 1987 NFL Draft, Steelers Head Coach Chuck Noll and his defensive coordinator, Tony Dungy, would not allow themselves to drool over Woodson, since Pittsburgh had the 10th overall pick. Woodson was projected to go in the top five. When Dungy asked Noll if he should visit the Purdue campus in the spring of 1987, Noll told him not to bother. The Cleveland Browns, with that fifth pick, took a guy named Mike Junkin and surprisingly, Woodson fell all the way to 10. The Steelers could not get to the podium fast enough to take the cornerback and return specialist out of Purdue. Woodson played in Pittsburgh for 10 seasons. He played seven more years in San Francisco, Baltimore and Oakland. He played in three Super Bowls for three different teams, including the 1995 Steelers.

Woodson never played offense, yet amazingly scored 17 touchdowns in his career. His 12 career interceptions returned for touchdowns is an NFL record, as is his 1,483 yards returning interceptions. Woodson's 71 career picks ranks third all time. He was an All Pro performer eight times and made the Pro Bowl 11 times. With an incredible nose for the ball, Woodson recovered 32 fumbles, including one for a touchdown. Woodson scored at least one touchdown in 12 different seasons (did I mention he never played offense?), and intercepted passes in 16 of his 17 seasons, the only shutout being the year he missed to injury. He racked up more than 7,000 return yards in his first eight seasons. These are staggering achievements.

It seemed like Woodson did something memorable every year. In the 1989 AFC Wild Card Game, Pittsburgh was a heavy underdog to the high-powered Houston Oilers. The Steelers played the Oilers toe-to-toe, taking the game into overtime, but it looked as though Houston would prevail when it had the ball near the 50-yard line. Lorenzo White took a handoff and was cracked by Woodson, causing a fumble. Woodson then recovered the fumble he caused. Five plays later Gary Anderson's 50-yard field goal gave Coach Chuck Noll his final playoff victory.

In 1992 Woodson recorded six sacks, remarkable for a cornerback. In 1993 he was the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player-of-the-Year. A year later he was selected to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team, one of only five active players granted such honor. That same year, 1994, Woodson told the defensive huddle what play the Buffalo Bills were going to run during a Monday night game. Sure enough, Jim Kelly ran the play Woodson predicted and then chased the Steeler great into the end zone after a pick six. In 1995, Woodson became the first player ever to recover from a torn ACL and return the same season. He blew out his knee in the opener against Detroit and returned to play against Dallas in the Super Bowl. Coach Bill Cowher refused to put Woodson on Injured Reserve, which would have opened up a roster spot, on the chance that Woodson would return.

Woodson ended his career with the Steelers after the 1996 season. Dan Rooney agonized over the decision to re-sign Woodson during his free-agent year. In a calculated salary cap move, Rooney opted to let Woodson go, surely with the knee injury in the back of his mind. This created tension between the two, which Rooney would come to regret. Woodson did not slow down. You can't win 'em all. Later Woodson and Rooney became friends again, and now the two have a great deal of respect and admiration for each other.

Woodson went on the play one season in San Francisco, four in Baltimore and two in Oakland. But his time in Pittsburgh was more than all the others combined. Unlike baseball, football players do not choose the team under which they enter the Hall of Fame. If your career made a primary contribution to a football franchise, you will be listed under that franchise in capital letters. Make no mistake, Rod Woodson will be listed proudly under the Steeler banner in capital letters. Rod Woodson is a Pittsburgh Steeler, one of the greatest players in franchise history, and one of the greatest players in NFL history. Let the Black and Gold have another glorius weekend as we celebrate another pilgramage to Canton.

Rod Woodson Statistics

Year	Team	Sacks	Int	Yds	TD	KOR	Yds	Avg	TD	PR	Yds	Avg	TD
1987	Pitt	0.0	1	45	1	13	290	22.3	0	16	135	8.4	0
1988	Pitt	0.5	4	98	0	37	850	23.0	1	38	281	8.5	0
1989	Pitt	0.0	3	39	0	36	982	27.3	1	29	207	7.1	0
1990	Pitt	0.0	5	67	0	35	764	21.8	0	38	398	10.5	1
1991	Pitt	1.0	3	72	0	44	880	20.0	0	28	320	11.4	0
1992	Pitt	6.0	4	90	0	25	469	18.8	0	32	364	11.4	1
1993	Pitt	2.0	8	138	1	15	294	19.6	0	42	338	8.0	0
1994	Pitt	3.0	4	109	2	15	365	24.3	0	39	319	8.2	0
1995	Pitt	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1996	Pitt	1.0	6	121	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1997	SFO	0.0	3	81	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
1998	Balt	0.0	6	109	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1999	Balt	0.0	7	195	2	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
2000	Balt	0.0	4	20	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2001	Balt	0.0	3	57	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2002	Oak	0.0	8	225	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2003	Oak	0.0	2	18	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total		13.5	71	1483	12	220	4894	22.2	2	260	2362	9.1	2