Who are the 15 strongest players in Steelers history?

The Steelers drafted a prototypical nose tackle in the first round of the 2001 NFL draft

In 1982, the Steelers switched from a base four-three defense to a base three-four defense.  The linchpin to a three-four defense is the nose tackle.  Part of the reason for this is that the nose tackle must be able to command a double team to free up the inside linebackers.

Casey Hampton was the prototypical nose tackle.  Listed at 6′ 1″ and 325 lbs., Hampton was a load.  Cut from the same cloth as Joel Steed, Hampton was dominant in the middle of the defensive line.  He was great against the run, but also had some pass-rush upside.

During his twelve-year Steelers career, Hampton registered nine sacks.  While this number may not look impressive, considering he was double-teamed on almost every play, that’s actually not too shabby.

What was also not too shabby was his strength.  Hampton put up thirty-four reps on the bench press during the combine. You may not think thirty-four reps is impressive for someone who weighed 325 lbs., but big guys are not known for having stamina.  Trust me, thirty-four reps is pretty darn good.

What is also pretty darn good is this:  According to an article that appeared on Strengthfighter.com in 2014, Hampton was able to bench press 600 pounds and was able to squat 800 pounds. Those numbers would probably win most powerlifting competitions, assuming Hampton would be competing as raw modern, meaning no bench shirt and only knee wraps or knee sleeves.

Let’s move on to number nine on our list.