Pittsburgh Steelers: 15 best running backs in franchise history

Greatest running backs in Pittsburgh Steelers history: #8. Rocky Bleier

Had Rocky Bleier not been sharing a backfield with the great Franco Harris, he likely would have been much higher on this list. Taken in the 16th round of the 1968 NFL Draft (No. 417 overall) out of Notre Dame, Bleier became a fixture of the Steelers offense throughout their four Super Bowl wins in the 1970s.

After playing in 10 games as a rookie, Bleier missed the 1969 NFL season, as he served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Despite being drafted, he ended up volunteering to head to South Vietnam and was shot in the thigh during an ambush.

Originally being told he could not resume his NFL career, Bleier defied the odds and came back to the team. He was on the IR for the 1970 NFL season, as he had lost roughly 30 pounds and struggled to put weight on his injured leg. Eventually, he returned to strength and played in 130 games with 74 starts from 1971 through 1980.

An effective blocker, Bleier helped clear the way for Harris, but also had his share of success. In 1976, he and Harris each topped the 1,000-yard mark on the ground, with Bleier recording a career-high 1,036 yards and five touchdowns. He added another 294 yards on 24 receptions that season as well.

When he finally did retire after the 1980 NFL season, Bleier had 928 rushes for 3,865 yards (4.2 average) and 23 touchdowns. As a receiver, he pulled in 136 passes for 1,294 yards and two more scores.