Pittsburgh Steelers: 15 best running backs in franchise history

Greatest running backs in Pittsburgh Steelers history: #1. Jerome Bettis

So after saying all those great things about Franco Harris, the player who has the most rushing yards in Steelers history, why does he not come in first in the all-time running back rankings? That’s because of the impact that Jerome Bettis had during his dominant run with the Pittsburgh organization.

An absolute bruiser of a running back,  ‘The Bus’ was drafted 10th overall in 1993 by the Los Angeles Rams. After making two Pro Bowls for Los Angeles, their head coach wanted to move him to fullback. Bettis wasn’t fond of this idea and was traded to Pittsburgh along with a third-round pick, in exchange for a second and a fourth-round pick.

There’s no doubt the Steelers won that trade, as Bettis played his best football during the 10 seasons he spent with them. In 1996, he was replacing Bam Morris who found himself in trouble after an offseason arrest and bowled over defenders en route to 1,431 yards an 11 touchdowns.

Bettis won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award for his play. This was also the first of six-straight seasons with at least 1,000 yards rushing for the Pittsburgh running back.

Once he turned 30 years old, the 1,000-yard seasons ended, but his effectiveness did not. Working alongside backs such as Duce Staley and Willie Parker, Bettis continued to play a vital role in the Steelers offense as a short-yardage and goal-line back. He even managed to score 13 touchdowns in 2004 at the age of 32 — while also being named to his sixth and final Pro Bowl.

Bettis’ final season in the NFL came in 2005 when he had just 368 yards, as he had officially passed the torch to Parker. Even with the limited yardage, ‘The Bus’ still bowled his way to nine touchdowns. He then added three more in the playoffs, including one in Super Bowl XL. That was the final game of his career and saw him win a title in his hometown of Detroit.

Bettis is second all-time in yardage for the Steelers with 10,571 yards and second in touchdowns with 78. He did this in two fewer seasons than Harris played for Pittsburgh, meaning he may have been able to pass him with the same amount of years under his belt in the Steel City.

In 2015, Bettis was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’s worked in broadcasting since his career ended and is still incredibly beloved by Steelers fans everywhere.