Pittsburgh Steelers: 15 best running backs in franchise history

Greatest running backs in Pittsburgh Steelers history: #13. Walter Abercrombie

In the 1982 NFL Draft, head coach Chuck Noll was out to find himself a new bell-cow running back which led to Walter Abercrombie’s selection out of Baylor University. The Waco, Texas native stayed in his hometown to play collegiately in the old Southwest Conference.

While with Baylor, he averaged five yards per rush and had 24 touchdowns. He didn’t offer much as a receiver, having 15 catches in his first three years before hauling in 19 for 102 yards (5.4-yard average) as a senior. Even with that shortcoming, Pittsburgh took Abercrombie No. 12 overall.

He didn’t start that year, as Frank Pollard didn’t give up his job and fullback Franco Harris continued to get most of the carries. As a rookie, Abercrombie had just 21 carries in six games with zero starts. He did start to get more time as the years went on and even had a solid stretch from 1984 through 1986.

During that span, he put up 610 yards followed by 851 and 877. Abercrombie scored 13 touchdowns as well in 1985 and 1986, which were by far and away his best seasons as a pro.

After his final season in Pittsburgh, he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. There, he played in just five games with only five rushes and one reception for the Eagles.

Abercrombie still stands at No. 11 all time in rushing yards for Pittsburgh with 3,343 yards and is 12th with 22 touchdowns. He may have never lived up to his draft status, but he still finds himself in the top 15 due to the consistency he had for that three-year stretch in his prime in the mid-1980s.