In his 15 years as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, a career that ultimately put him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Bill Cowher had the opportunity to not only coach some great defensive players but be around great defensive players in the NFL, too.
So, when he talks about greatness, ears perk up.
On Sunday during NFL Today on CBS ahead of the Steelers-Chargers matchup at Acrisure Stadium, Cowher named his top 5 Steelers defenders of all-time, which caused him some pain in the process because he had hard time narrowing it down.
In that top five though, Cowher hit on seemingly all eras.
Cowher named Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu his No. 5 Steelers defender of all time, and then ranked current Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt at No. 4 overall. Coming in at No. 3 overall was cornerback Mel Blount while Cowher’s top two included cornerback Rod Woodson and defensive lineman “Mean” Joe Greene.
Polamalu was one of a kind, as elite as it gets at the safety position. He was a surefire, first-ballot Hall of Famer, being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the Class of 2020.
“Polamalu was Defensive Player of the Year. This guy created havoc,” Cowher said, according to video via NFL Today on CBS. “I’ve never seen a guy make more plays and do more things that can disrupt an offense.”
Polamalu spent his entire 12-year NFL career with the Steelers. He finished with 32 interceptions, 107 pass breakups, 14 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, 12 sacks, 783 total tackles, and 56 tackles for a loss, to go along with five defensive touchdowns.
The star safety’s unique ability to understand what the offense was doing on a given play and put himself in the best position possible to make the play was unlike any other player. That’s why he is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That’s why he’s one of the greatest defensive players in Steelers’ history, too.
Though Watt is still playing, it’s not a surprise Cowher had him in his top five all time. Watt continues to rack up the numbers and accolades. He was the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, has led the league in sacks three different seasons, becoming the first player to ever do that in the modern era, and has the second-most sacks ever in NFL history in a player’s first 100 games.
“This guy’s doing an all-time pace and an all-time sacks leader,” Cowher said of Watt. “He’s three times [led] in sacks in three the last four years.”
He should crack the 100-sack mark for his career rather soon, too.
At No. 3, Mel Blount is very deserving. He had a rule change named after him, leading to the modern passing era that we’re largely in now in the NFL.
A third-round pick out of Southern University in the 1970 NFL Draft, Blount is one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play the game—and not just because his playing style brought about a rule change. He finished his 14-year career with 57 interceptions, not to mention four All-Pro accolades (two first team, two second team), five Pro Bowls and a Defensive Player of the Year award in 1975.
Prior that 1978 rule change, he had recorded 23 interceptions over the three years prior. Though the Mel Blount Rule was named after him, he wasn’t the only player targeted in hopes of creating more of a disadvantage for the Steelers’ all-time great defense.
Even after the rule change, the Steelers won two more Super Bowls with Blount a key piece defensively.
Ahead of Blount, Cowher had Woodson, whom he coached from 1992-96.
“The best defensive player that I ever coached was Rod Woodson,” Cowher said. “I put him on offense. He returned punts. He did it all and made plays.”
A Steeler from 1987-96, Woodson quickly became one of the best defensive backs in the NFL and in Steelers history. Five of his first-team All-Pro accolades came during his time with the Steelers, and he won the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 1993 with the Black and Gold.
He also went to the Pro Bowl every year but 1995 when he suffered a torn ACL suffered in the season opener. He ultimately returned for Super Bowl XXX against the Dallas Cowboys after the Steelers and Cowher famously didn’t place Woodson on Injured Reserve, allowing him to return for the final game of the year.
Woodson then transitioned to safety and had a great career there, too, playing until 2003, wrapping up a 17-year career that resulted in a Hall of Fame induction.
Then, there’s the standard for defense in Pittsburgh, that being “Mean” Joe Greene.
“Two times Defensive Player of the Year. And I’ll tell you what, this guy means everything to Pittsburgh, and he exemplifies what a Steeler is,” Cowher said of Greene. “It is a very, very difficult list. I left some people off of it.”
Greene was easily one of the most impactful, disruptive defenders in the NFL during his time with the Steelers from 1969-81. In 181 career games (172 starts), Greene recorded 77.5 sacks, adding another 16 fumble recoveries and one interception. He helped turn the tide within the franchise, the Steelers going from doormats in 1969 and 1970 into a bona fide dynasty in the 70s, winning four Super Bowls.
During that span, Greene was a 10-time Pro Bowler, five-time first-team All-Pro, and a three-time second-team All-Pro. He twice won the Associated Press’ Defensive Player of the Year award and was named to the NFL’s All-Decades team of the 70s as well as the 75th and 100th-anniversary teams in NFL history. He went on to have his No. 75 retired by the franchise while heading into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a first-ballot player.
There is no doubt he’s the greatest defensive player in Steelers’ history.
One name that Cowher couldn’t fit in his top five that pained him? That would be linebacker Jack Lambert.
“I have to do an honorable mention ’cause I watched this guy as a kid, this guy Jack Lambert. To me, that guy represented everything,” Cowher said of Lambert. “He had no teeth in the middle of his face. You know what, I’ll never forget sitting there. I used to get take a magic marker in and make out my middle tooth just to be like Jack Lambert. Here’s the guys, look at this. These guys are all in the Hall of Fame. These are defensive players. So you look at that list, it was not easy.”
It wasn’t an easy list to put together, but kudos to Cowher for attempting the impossible.
In Steelers’ history, defensive players are some of the biggest names. That’s not just in franchise history, either. That’s in NFL history, too.
When you think Steelers, you think defense. Imagine trying to put together a top five all-time there. Fortunately for Cowher, he got a lot of the top five correct, though the argument should be made for Lambert to somehow get in there, simply based on what he meant to the franchise.
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