The best Steelers veteran seasons of the Colbert era

The Steelers have started a host of veterans since Kevin Colbert took over. Here are the 7 best veteran seasons of the 2000s

The NFL is a young man’s game, and it isn’t more evident than the Steeler’s reliance on youthful players and rookies on their roster. That said, every team needs a core set of veterans to help lead these young players early on in their careers. While these veterans can see a varying degree of playing time, typically they are either supplemented or entirely replaced by a young up and comer. Thus, it is surprising to see an older veteran have a great season late into their career.

This makes seasons like this rare, but in the Steelers case, they have seen veterans excel on their roster. Considering the athleticism and conditioning that goes into being an NFL player, being able to compete at a high level into your thirties is truly a feat. Those seasons should be remembered fondly by fans, as fan-favorite players entering the twilight of their careers get one last chance to show the NFL what they have.

Important to note is how a veteran is defined. Every position in the NFL seems to have a dropout age; an age that once hit signifies the decline and eventual retirement of a player. Some positions like OL, QB, and DL can excel well into their late 30’s, while others like RBs drop off as early as their late 20’s. For this list, a veteran must be at least 32 years old, although ranking preference will favor positions that tend to drop off at an earlier age. With all of that said, here are the 7 best veteran seasons for the Steelers during the Colbert era.