Steelers top 30 moments in franchise history
By Kim Myers
Woodson’s first pick six
Jan 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave Terrible Towels during an AFC wild card playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected cornerback Rod Woodson with the tenth pick in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft out of Purdue. Rod Woodson would become the first player in the NFL to return in the same season after having total knee surgery. He tore is ACL against the Detroit Lions trying to tackle Barry Sanders and returned to play in Super Bowl XXX.
Woodson would go on to play seventeen seasons in the NFL, grabbing 71 interceptions and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009. Woodson would grab 38 of those interceptions in a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform.
In 1993 he earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors after an eight-interception season. One of his interceptions that season came in a Week 7 game against the New Orleans Saints. Rod Woodson caught a tipped pass from Saints quarterback Wade Wilson and returned it 63-yards for his first pick-six of his career.
Woodson would catch another interception in that same game and the Steelers won 37-14. Over the course of his career he had 12 interception returns for touchdowns, and NFL record that still stands. His 71 career interceptions rank third all-time in the NFL.
If you were building a team of the greatest Steelers of all time you’re definitely starting with Rod Woodson and Mel Blount as your cornerbacks.
Next: The tackle