Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Starting Offense
By Zach Hiney
WR: John Stallworth, Hines Ward and Antonio Brown
Stats with Steelers: John Stallworth- 165 GP, 537 receptions, 8,723 receiving yards, 63 TD's Hines Ward- 217 GP, 1,000 receptions, 12,083 receiving yards, 85 TD's Antonio Brown- 130 GP, 837 receptions, 11,207 yards, 74 TD's
The Wide Receiver position is one of the toughest to pick on this team because the Steelers have had plenty of talented receivers throughout their history.
However, I think these three stand out above the rest when you look at their body of work and production on the field for the Steelers. Starting with Stallworth, he was the leading receiver in the 70's dynasty that won 4 Super Bowls. While Lynn Swann's acrobatic catches stole the headlines, Stallworth was a consistent player across his 14 seasons in Pittsburgh and was an integral part of that '70s team. He deserves a spot in the all-time starting offense.
Hines Ward was and still is a fan favorite for his ferocious blocking and willingness to stand up to anyone. But, his skills as a receiver were pretty good too. Ward is the only receiver in Steelers history to amass 1,000 receptions as a Steeler and his over 12,000 receiving yards also lead team history. Ward also won the Super Bowl XL MVP for his 5 receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown in the big game. When you look at his receiving numbers and combine with his great skill as a blocker, Ward was a no-brainer for a spot in this team.
The final receiver on the team is one whose departure and time since he left the Steelers has damaged his reputation: Antonio Brown. While Brown has had numerous off the field issues since leaving the team, and even during his tenure in Pittsburgh, there's no denying his performance on the field.
Brown racked up over 11,000 receiving yards and 74 touchdowns despite only starting 103 games for the Steelers. His connection with Ben Roethlisberger was electric and the Steelers offense was consistently putting up nearly 30 points per game when the two of them played. While Brown has had a ton of off the field problems, his play on the field warrants a spot on this team.