Top 50 Pittsburgh Steelers of the 2000’s: players 50-41

The Steelers have had their share of talent over the past two decades. Here are players 50-41 of the top 50 Steelers of the 2000’s.

Over the past few weeks, I have spent hours comprising a list of the top 50 Pittsburgh Steelers of the 2000’s. Though I can’t say it was easy to sort them out, but my list is finally complete.

For this list of my top 50 players, I followed certain criteria. I wanted players who have started several years on the Steelers and who were important or productive in one way or another.

This list contains both players that were drafted or signed by the Steelers, but does not include players that entered the league before the year 2000. Because of this criteria, here are a few notable players who just missed the cut:

Alan Faneca, LG (1998)

You could make a case for Alan Faneca to be the best offensive linemen to ever put on a Steelers uniform. The prolific guard went to 9 straight Pro Bowls and was a First Team All-Pro player six times in his impressive career. He would have been very high on this list.

Hines Ward, WR (1998)

Ward is one of the most notable Steelers of all time. He played in the Steel City for 14 years and became one of the faces of the franchise. Though Ward was never considered an elite talent, he became the most productive receiver in Steelers history and earned 4 Pro Bowl honors.

Joey Porter, OLB (1999)

Porter was a terrific pass rusher for the Steelers in the early 2000’s. He started seven seasons in Pittsburgh, during which time he earned 3 Pro Bowl appearances and 1 First Team All-Pro. His name is considered among the all-time great pass rushers in Pittsburgh.

Aaron Smith, DE (1999)

What a gift it was for the Steelers to be able to land Joey Porter and Aaron Smith in back-to-back picks in the 1999 NFL Draft. Aaron Smith was a big 3-4 defensive end that always seemed to fly under the radar. Though he made just 1 Pro Bowl in 2004, Smith was a cornerstone to the Steelers defensive line for nearly a decade.

I wish I could include everyone on this list, but I drew the line at players that entered the league from the year 2000 until present day. Without further ado, here are players 50-41: