James Harrison's Contribution to the Steelers Linebacker Legacy

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a franchise that yields nothing to any other NFL franchise when it comes to linebacking.

In 1970’s, Andy Russell and Hall of Famers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert set the standard. Since then, notable Steelers linebackers have fallen into two categories.

• Those who have upheld the standard, and those who added their own legacy to it.

The fact that he will not finish his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in no way diminishes James Harrison’s contribution to Steelers proud Linebacker Legacy.

The Steelers Linebacker Legacy

Steelers Nation does not accept linebackers who merely play “above the line.” Steelers Nation demands excellence for its linebackers.

The Steelers Media Guide used to run a page on the teams “Linebacker Legacy.” From 1969 to 1987 the Steelers sent at least one linebacker to the Pro Bowl. The steak ended with Mike Merriweather in ’87, but began anew in 1991 with Greg Lloyd, ended in 1998 with Levon Kirkland, only to begin again in 2001 with Jason Gildon continuing with James Harrison into 2010.

With such a time-honored tradition at linebacker, one may ask, what must a linebacker do to add to the tradition instead of simply living up to it?

To contribute to Steelers Linebacker Legacy, a linebacker must:

• Have a nasty streak
• Be relentless
• Strike fear into the hearts of quarterbacks
• Step up when times get tough
• Secure turnovers
• Inspire his teammates
• Make game-changing plays

James Harrison did all of these things, and Steel Curtain Rising now takes a look at how he did them and you can read and/or see them for yourself by clicking on the links below or simply scrolling down.

James Harrison Redefines “Nasty”
The Relentlessness of James Harrison
Striking Fear into Opposing Quarterbacks
Stepping It Up When Times Get Tough
James Harrison - Ball Hawk
Silverback Leading by Example
Super Bowl XLIII James Harrison, Game Changer

James Harrison Redefines “Nasty”

His predecessor Greg Lloyd wore t-shirts exclaiming “I wasn’t hired for my disposition.”

Joey Porter, his immediate predecessor, stirred up the pot once getting throw out of a game for pre game brawling and would follow opponents to the team bus. (Incidentally, Porter’s ejection at Cleveland led to Harrison’s first start we he registered 6 tackles and a sack.)

But Harrison’s signature “Nasty” came on Christmas Eve in 2005 and needs no words to describe it:



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The Relentlessness of James Harrison

Roger Goodell and Ray Anderson disciplined James Harrison as if Harrison thought he played by his own set of rules. In 2010 they had the decency to go public with their feud.

But prior Harrison had been fighting a Cold War with the officials, whereby the referees willfully looked the other way as opposing offensive lineman held Harrison, wrestled with Harrison and at times even horse collared him to the ground with nary a flag being thrown.

• That never stopped Harrison, in fact it barely slowed him down as sacked opposing quarterbacks 16 times in 2008 when he was NFL Defensive Player of the Year

Harrison posted double digit sack seasons in 2009, 2010 and would have done so in 2011 had it not been for injury and suspension.

Silverback accomplished that feat despite essentially playing with one arm in late 2009, two herniated disks in 2010 and recovery from back surgery and then an orbital bone fracture in 2011.

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Striking Fear into Opposing Quarterbacks

Steve McNair was a Steelers slayer during his time in Tennessee and with Baltimore. But he had the misfortune to start the Steelers 75th Anniversary game which James Harrison chose as his moment to explode onto the national scene.

On that night, Harrison:

• Sacked McNair 3 times and got a piece of another McNair pass
• Intercepted a McNair pass and returned it for 20 yards
• Defensed 1 pass
• Forced 2 forced fumbles and recovered another fumble
• Finished the game with 9 total tackles

McNair had been .500 in his four stars prior to that game. He lost both that night and in the two starts that followed, his final NFL action.

Steve McNair had owned the Steelers during his time in Tennessee and Baltimore. But he’d never had to start opposite James Harrison until that night.

It would seem that Silverback made a lasting impression.

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Stepping It Up When Times Get Tough

The glow of Super Bowl XLIII masks the fact that the 2008 Steelers were maddingly inconsistent on offense. Their late November game vs. San Diego provides a perfect example, as Ben Roethlisberger threw for 300 yards, Hines Ward caught for 100 yards, and Willie Parker ran for 115.

But the only points the Steelers scored were off of Jeff Reed’s leg and one defensive score.

• And as if you had any doubt, that defensive score was made possible by a James Harrison strip sack in the end zone.

That wasn’t all that Harrison did that day. Late in the first half San Diego stood at their 2, threatening to score. James Harrison intercepted the ball and took it back 33 yards, setting up one of Reed’s field goals.

Oh, and if the Steelers backs were far enough to the wall, the penalty differential was 13-2 in San Diego’s favor that day.

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James Harrison - Ball Hawk

Sacking the quarterback is great. Sacking the quarterback and stripping the ball is even better. James Harrison had a knack for doing both. At times it seemed like he had a Tomahawk instead of a forearm and the numbers back this up.

Forced fumbles were a James Harrison specialty

This simple comparison highlights James Harrison’s uniqueness.

In 22% of his games, James Harrison caused the opponent to cough up the ball. Of the other Cowher-Tomin era outside linebackers, only Greg Lloyd had better with a “games with forced fumble” percentage.  

While outside linebackers are usually measured by sacks, the forced fumble is an equal and often times greater measure, as the chart indicates.

Of all the linebackers ranked, only Clark Haggans "overperforms" whereas LaMarr Woodley perhaps under performs. Otherwise you have a pretty fair ranking of the Steelers outside linebackers during the Cowher-Tomlin era.

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Silverback Leading by Example

Joey Porter antagonized the opposition. Greg Lloyd demanded excellence of his teammates both on and off the field. James Farrior acted the quarterback of the defense and led in the locker room.

• Some players, quiet by their nature, lead by example.

Most players, when they reach elite status, refuse to play special teams. Yet when the Steelers kicking coverage was struggling against Jacksonville in the 2008 playoff game, James Harrison agreed to cover kicks.

Needless to say Jacksonville enjoyed no more long kickoff returns.

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Super Bowl XLIII James Harrison, Game Changer

Super Bowl XLIII will be remember for many things. Lombardi Number Six. Ben Roethlisberger authored the most incredible come from behind drive in Super Bowl history.

But what made that drive relevant came at the end of the first half, as Arizona was looking to score a touchdown with time expiring, when James Harrison made a read and decided to do a little free lancing. Here, one more time, is what happened:



Dick LeBeau calls James Harrison’s 100 yard touchdown run the best defensive play he has ever seen. What a game changer it was.

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Silverback Finishes Outside of Steelers Nation, But Legacy Remains Untarnished

Sadly, James Harrison will not finish his career in the Black and Gold. Salary cap considerations and pride did not allow it.

But that changes nothing. His contribution to the Pittsburgh Steelers Linebacker Legacy will always remain intact.

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Steelers Draft Needs: Longing for More of the Linebacker Legacy

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a franchise which yields nothing to anyone with it comes to its Linebacker Legacy. While the original Steel Curtain provided the heart of the Super Steelers defense, linebackers Andy Russell, Jack Ham and Jack Lambert provided the unit’s mind and soul.

• Russell and Ham knew enough to shut down opponents plays before the snap count started. Lambert simply brought attitude.

And the tradition has been handed down from generation to generation. From Greg Lloyd and Levon Kirkland to Joey Porter and James Farrior to James Harrison and Lawrence Timmons.

If the Steelers are to continue linebacker legacy they must do so in the 2013 NFL Draft.
The Steelers will begin 2013 with:

• One outside linebacker whose last two seasons have been ruined by injury (LaMarr Woodley)
• Another outside linebacker who is a big question mark (Jason Worilds)
• An aging inside linebacker who still has something left, but whose time is fading (Larry Foote)
• Another inside linebacker who can’t seem to string to strong seasons together (Timmons)

Worse yet, the Steelers have Adrian Robinson and Chris Carter behind them and neither of whom has proven anything and Stevenson Sylvester whom the Steelers did not think enough of to protect in Restricted Free Agency. (Marshall McFadden is also in the mix, for whatever that is worth.)

Linebacker Needs have “Got the Steelers Inside and Out” 

Clearly the Steelers have needs at linebacker to fill in the 2013 NFL Draft. But if forced to make a decision, as they likely will, which position takes priority, inside or outside?

• There is no easy answer here, but in this case a simple methodology based on math might help.

For the purposes of evaluating draft-day needs, the Steelers must assume a worst case scenario for 2012’s third round pick Sean Spence.

But even if you assume that Sean Spence’s NFL career is over before it started, the Steelers still have Stevenson Sylvester. At this point Sylvester isn’t likely to be anything more than a back up, but he has played well on special teams and has three season’s in Dick LeBeau’s defense under his belt.

Add to that fact that Lawrence Timmons and Larry Foote are both under contract, although Foote's career has clearly entered the “take it year-by-year” phase.

In contrast on the outside, Jason Worilds is a free agent, and even if Robinson and Carter have more of an upside that Sylvester, they both have less experience.

• Er go, outside linebacker is a higher draft priority than inside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2013 NFL Draft.

But the Steelers would do well to beef up at both positions.

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Steelers Decision Not to Take Back James Harrison Shows Team in Transition

Sometimes a clean break is best.

At least that’s what the Pittsburgh Steelers are gambling when it comes to James Harrison.

Just one month ago the Steelers were negotiating James Harrison’s future with the franchise. The Steelers wanted James to take less. James not so much.

Word was the Steelers offered him a 30% reduction in salary with the chance to earn that back via incentives.

• James Harrison and his agent Bill Praise said, “Thanks but no thanks.” 

The Steelers granted Harrison his release, and one of the greatest linebackers in franchise history went off in search of greener pastures.

• Except for the fact that James Harrison is learning that the grass is not always greener on the other side. 

The initial wave of free agency has come and gone, and James Harrison remains unemployed.

The Baltimore Ravens figured to give him a good look but, unfortunately for James, Ozzie Newsome decided to invest his salary cap dollars in Elvis Dumervil. Peter King of Sports Illustrated has gone as far as to say that there is no colder name in free agency than James Harrison.

After Baltimore made their choice, Harrison made it known he would not be adverse to setting aside his pride and rejoining Pittsburgh.

The problem is, reports Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette, the Steelers are no longer interested.

Door on The South Side Only Revolves so Much

As Steel Curtain Rising has noted before, Kevin Colbert’s attitude towards departed free agents differs sharply from his predecessor Tom Donahoe. The later took a parochial view, Colbert in contrast doesn’t hesitate to puts the prodigal son parable into practice with former free agents. Just ask William Gay and Matt Spaeth.

• Yet Colbert takes or at least wants to take a different take with veterans whom the Steelers have waived

A year ago when questions about whether recently released veterans Hines Ward, Aaron Smith or James Farrior might be called back in an emergency Colbert said this:

When we terminated those players [Ward, Smith, and Farrior], it was a termination. We felt that was it, their time as a Steeler was over. It was time for everybody to move forward and that’s where we left it. You never say never but they also know we all understand that was it.

Now that is a principle.

And sometimes circumstances force the Steelers to make policy exceptions to that principle. The most clear cut exception is the Steelers brass declaring their commitment to youth on offensive line after Willie Colon’s 2011 injury only to go out and resign Max Starks after the debacle in Houston.

• But circumstances have already given the Steelers their chance to make an exception to principle with James Harrison and they have declined to do so.

Time will tell whether their decision was the right one, but one thing is certain...

The Steelers Are a Team in Transition

Kevin Colbert can protest all he wants, but now that Pittsburgh has had the chance to get James Harrison back at a bargain basement salary and said no, the Steelers are officially a team in transition.

No one make a more strident objection to the Steelers decision to cut James Harrison than the Post-Gazette’s Ron Cook, who went so far as to say:

And, contrary to much speculation, the Steelers are built to win now and will be for as long as Ben Roethlisberger is the quarterback. They aren't rebuilding. They don't need to get younger. They need Harrison.

While Cook’s overall conclusion may be questionable – that the Steelers needed to keep Harrison at all costs – his essential point is right. James Harrison is a player that helps you win Super Bowls.

Jason Worilds might be one of those players, but he’s far from proven it. The Steelers have committed themselves to finding out.

• There is no shame to this. 

The Steelers went through a similar process with Franco Harris and Walter Abercrombie in the early ‘80’s, and Kevin Greene and Jason Gildon in the mid ‘90s.

But the simple fact is that if you opt for Jason Worilds over James Harrison, you’re a team in transition.

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Pittsburgh Steelers All Time Free Agent Defense

Defense defined the Steelers two Super Bowl eras as well as its perennial contender status in the 1990’s. Steelers Nation takes pride in its defense and even prouder of the fact that stalwarts like Greg Lloyd, Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, James Harrison, and Troy Polamalu were home grown.

Since 1969 the Pittsburgh Steelers have drafted exceptionally well on defense.

But the franchise has eagerly welcomed free agents whenever it saw a chance to galvanize units that have set the NFL standard for excellence in defensive football.

With that said, filling out the Steelers All Time Free Agent Offensive team was easier than choosing its defensive counterpart. Nonetheless, the Steelers can field an All Time Defensive squad and here is that selection and, in fact, one can argue that the Steelers three biggest impact free agent signings have come on defense.

To be eligible to make this list, the player must have been an unrestricted free agent prior to joining the Steelers – unrestricted rookie free agents are not eligible, having been duly recognized in a previous edition of the Colbert Record. (Click here for part I, the Pittsburgh Steelers All Time Free Agent Offense)

The Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Free Agent Defense:
(Click on the highlighted titles to go directly to position area)

Defensive End – Ray Seals
Nose Tackle - Kimo von Oelhoffen
Defensive End – Travis Kirschke
Outside Linebacker - Kevin Greene
Inside Linebacker - James Farrior
Inside Linebacker - Keyaron Fox
Outside Linebacker - Chad Brown
Cornerback - Dewayne Washington
Cornerback - Randy Fuller
Strong Safety - Brent Alexander
Free Safety - Ryan Clark

Steelers All Time Free Agents: Defensive Ends

Ray Seals
The original Steel Curtain was home grown. As were the biggest stars on the 1990’s Steelers squads. Likewise so was the trio that led the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl’s XLIII.

But free agents have played a role in the defensive lines that manned all four of the Steelers Super Bowl runs of the Post-Noll era.In fact, one of those injected “60 Minute Men” into the lingua franca of Steelers Nation. That man would be Ray Seals.

When the free agent signing period started in 1994, Steelers Nation clamored for the Dallas Cowboy stars Alvin Harper and Darryl Johnson.

They instead signed Ray Seals from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who made an immediate impact, registering 7 sacks in his first year – only two less than the combined 1993 total of his predecessors Donald Evans and Kenny Davidson.

Seals sacked the quarterback 8 times for an encore in 1995 and kept his head in the game throughout the season that saw him lose his cousin Sam Gamgee who was suspiciously killed during a routine police stop in Brentwood.

Sadly, Seals tore his rotator cuff during the 1996 preseason, and never played another down in Pittsburgh.

Travis Kirschke
The only other free agent defensive end of note for the Steelers was Travis Kirschke, whom Kevin Colbert brought in from Detroit (after a stint in San Fran) in 2004.

Krischke played for the Steelers until 2009. During that time he made appeared in 92 games, made 18 starts, registering 9 sacks and recovering 2 fumbles. All in all, Travis Kirschke proved to be a capable back up.

Honorable Mention:  Nick Eason, Nolan Harrison

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Steelers All Time Free Agents: Nose Tackle

Kimo von Oelhoffen
Kimo von Oelhoffen earned his claim to fame making a run as the Steelers starting Steelers defensive end that began in 2001 and ended in Super Bowl XL.

However, his first season in Pittsburgh was spent as a nose tackle. During that season von Oelhoffen didn’t put up a lot of gaudy statistics, but he did cog up the center of a defense that finished 7th in the NFL and did not allow a touchdown during a five game stretch at mid-season.

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Steelers All Time Free Agents: Outside Linebackers

Kevin Greene
The 1993 off season brought free agency to the NFL for the first time, and many fans and most of the media thought that the Steelers would sit idly. And while the Steelers did decline to enter into bidding wars Tom Donahoe and Dan Rooney quietly went out and made a big splash in the form of Kevin Greene.

• They didn’t start calling it Blitzburgh until Greene arrived and with good reason.

From 1993 to 1995 the Steelers absolutely terrorized NFL quarterbacks, with Greene registering 35.5 sacks alone in just a three year period.

After Super Bowl XXX, the Steelers let Greene go in favor of Jason Gildon, which was a mistake, as Greene played for four more years and added another 41.5 sacks to his career total. Still, for a long time Greene held the title as the Steelers biggest impact free agent signing.

Chad Brown
Playing opposite him is Chad Brown. Brown of course was drafted by the Steelers in 1993 and departed via free agency after the 1996 season.

Tom Donahoe, who while doing a lot of good things as Steelers Director of Football Operations, took a very parochial view to departed free agents, much they way a high school coach might approach players who quit mid season only to want back later.

Once you left as a free agent, Tom Donahoe made it clear you would never be welcomed back.

Fortunately, and wisely, Kevin Colbert has a different attitude, and ten years later the Steelers would turn to him again in 2006 when injuries depleted the linebacking crops. Brown didn’t get a start, but did register a sack and he earns his spot on Steelers all time free agent defense as a celebration of Colbert's "you can come home again" philosophy as much as anything else.

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Steelers All Time Free Agents: Inside Linebacker

James Farrior
Headlining the Steelers all time free agent inside linebacker list is James Farrior. Farrior was drafted as an outside linebacker by Bill Parcells and the New York Jets in 1997 and played well, but not spectacularly.

But Kevin Colbert and Bill Cowher saw see that Farrior could do more, and they signed him in 2002 as the Steelers inside linebacker. For the next ten years Farrior played fearlessly, only missing six games to injury and functioning as the “quarterback” of the defense.

He may not have gotten the attention and praise heaped upon players like James Harrison, Joey Porter, and Troy Polmalu but James Farrior was a veritable one-man wrecking crew in the middle of the defense:

• registering 30 sacks
• intercepting 8 balls
• scoring one touchdown
• defending 61 passes
• forcing 12 fumbles and recovering 10

Beyond these on the field achievements, Farrior was a locker room leader, and by all accounts his presence was missed in 2012.

Keyaron Fox
Farrior’s compatriot at inside linebacker pales in comparison, and is arguably the weakest member of the unit. The Steelers signed Keyaron Fox in 2008 to play on special teams and provide depth at linebacker.

While most fans remember him for his egregious  penalty at the end of Super Bowl XLV, Fox played fairly well during his first two years in Pittsburgh. Fox even started 4 games in 2009, pushed Lawrence Timmons for playing time an had an incredible, tell your grandkids about it, 84 yard pick six vs. the Brett Favre led Minnesota Vikings.

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Steelers All Time Free Agents: Cornerbacks

Dewayne Washington
After the 1996 season Tom Donahoe concluded that Rod Woodson’s Hall of Fame caliber games were behind him and figured he could upgrade the position by letting Woodson go and replacing him with Donnell Woolford and by drafting Chad Scott.

Donahoe was of course wrong about Rod Woodson, but sorely mistaken about Woolford. As a result the Steelers had no choice but to go back out into the free agent market and sign Dewayne Washington.

Washington, like Ike Taylor, was known more for the interceptions that he dropped as opposed to the ones he caught save for a late season victory over Jacksonville in 1998 where he ended and closed the scoring with pick sixes. (Incidentally, that was the last great win of the Cowher-Donahoe era.)

Washington played with the Steelers for six years, providing serviceable coverage at cornerback.

Randy Fuller
The Steelers brought Randy Fuller as a fourth or even 5th cornerback in 1995 after Fuller had been cut by the Denver Broncos. That move gave Fuller the good fortune to be in exactly the right place at the pivotal moment of the Steelers Cowher-Donahoe era:

Fuller had one task he had to accomplish and he had a nanosecond to to it in. Even then it was touch and go.

• But Randy Fuller achieved the one task he had to achieve for Pittsburgh.

The Steelers went to Super Bowl XXX as a result. That alone earns him a spot on this list. Watch the video to relive the moment (Available as of 3/3/13 – its 10 minutes. Watch the whole thing. Come on... You know you want to….)





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Steelers All Time Free Agents: Strong Safety

Brent Alexander
By 1998 Carnell Lake was on the downside of his career, and the Steelers let him go, replacing him with Travis Davis. Davis turned out to be a worse replacement for Lake than Woolford had been for Woodson.

One of Kevin Colbert’s first orders of business upon arriving in 2000 was to fix that, and he did so by signing Brett Alexander.

Pittsburgh was good for Brent Alexander, and Brent Alexander was good for Pittsburgh making 64 straight starts at free safety during which he intercepted 15 passes, sacked the quarterback 5.5 times, and forced three fumbles.

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Steelers All Time Free Agents: Free Safety

Ryan Clark
Chris Hope’s departure for Tennessee following Super Bowl XL left a void in the Steelers secondary. To fill it, the Steelers signed Ryan Clark.

At time the conventional wisdom held that Steelers were getting a veteran with serviceable skills who would fill the position while a younger player, such as Anthony Smith, developed into a starter.

The conventional wisdom could not have been more wrong. Ryan Clark has started for seven straight years in Pittsburgh and developed into one of the NFL’s most underrated players.

Ryan Clark’s 10 interceptions, 2 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 5 fumble recoveries in seven years as a starter are respectable, but they don’t convey his full value to the team. Ryan Clark is a vocal leader both on and off the field. His aggressive, hard hitting style sets the tone for the entire defense. He’s always around the ball and steps up when the game is on the line.

Perhaps value is best measured by his the play of the defense in his absence. Clark suffers from the sickle cell trait which prevents him from playing in Denver. In fact, when Clark fell injured in Denver 2007, the Steelers were unable to hold a lead in his absence.

The same story repeated itself at other moments in the 2007 season in the playoffs vs. Jacksonville. The Ryan Clarkless defense have also seen leads slip away in Denver to the likes of Tim Tebow and Peyton Manning. This is no coincidence.

Honorable Mention:  Mike Logan

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Restricted Free Agent Stevenson Sylvester Unlikely to Get Tender from Steelers

Stevenson Sylvester provides a perfect example of why it takes a few years to judge a draft. Sylvester was taken in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL draft.

He didn’t get much action in at inside linebacker, but he did play well on special teams, including a forced fumble in the Steelers surprising upset of the Tennessee Titans.

Generally when a rookie defender excels at special teams that’s a sign of good things to come.

• However, Sylvester’s progress since then has stalled nonetheless.

Sylvester got one start in place of injured James Farrior in the Steelers regular season upset of New England, but was quickly pulled from the game. With injuries forcing Lawrence Timmons to move outside for portions of the mid-season, Sylvester figured to get more time. He apparently hadn’t shown coaches enough and only saw spot duty.

Stevenson Sylvester didn’t fare much better in 2012, and was part of a special teams unit known more for nullifying big plays with penalties than anything else.

Will the Steelers Tender Sylvester?

Stevenson Sylvester is a restricted free agent, meaning that the Steelers can retain their rights to him by offering any number of tenders.

Given his playing history, the Steelers would normally offer him the lowest tender, entitling them to a fifth round pick were he to be signed.

• Indications are that the Steelers are leaning towards not tendering Stevenson Sylvester. 

That does not mean he will not be back.

In fact, the Steelers are likely to roll the dice that they can get Sylvester back at a lower, non-guaranteed salary, hoping that NFL teams won’t exactly be lining up to offer him a contact, even if they can get him without having to give up compensation.

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Free Agent Focus: Steelers on Firm Footeing with Larry...

When injuries prevented Kendrell Bell’s from starting the Steelers 2002 season, Steelers Nation expected Bill Cowher to turn to linebacker John Fiala. Fiala had worked his way the Steelers via special teams and many felt he had the look of a Jerry Olsavsky type player.

Cowher instead handed the baton to that year’s 4th Round pick Larry Foote, who started three games that year, and while he did not become cement his first string status until 2004, Foote went on to start Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII.

Unable to beat out James Farrior and feeling Lawrence Timmons breathing down his neck Foote went to Detroit in 2009 only to return a year later. He backed up Farrior and Timmons in 2010 and 2011 and played well when his number was called. James Farrior's departure after 2012 paved the way for Foote to return to his starting role in 2012.

Steelers Likely to Put the Best Foote Forward

Larry Foote came close to leading the team in tackles in 2012 and had his best year ever in terms of sacks. He also played that immeasurable role in getting the defense lined up properly.

But Foote had difficulties in coverage and was a half step behind at times. Foote is not the future in at inside tackle in Pittsburgh but he clearly has something left.

• Expect the Steelers to find the salary cap space to sign Foote

“Having something left” is something that Foote shares with fellow free agents Max Starks, Ramon Foster and Casey Hampton, yet none of these men is expected back.

Why is Foote different?

First, Larry Foote can likely be signed for the veteran minimum, or close to it.

Second, Foote knows how to get everyone on the defense lined up correctly, which is not something to underestimate in a Dick LeBeau defense.

Third is the depth chart. Stevenson Sylvester hasn’t shown much since he was a rookie, and there’s no way the team can bank on contributions from Sean Spence. Chris Carter has potential which quite frankly means one thing for someone coming off an NFL rookie season, after that the word begins to take on additional meaning.
The bottom line is that the Steelers clearly will benefit from the depth and experience at inside linebacker and Foote is the only one who can deliver.

Scenario that Sees the Steelers Stumbling over Foote

The Steelers have salary cap issues, and the NFL cap is not expected to rise much for even in 2015. Larry Foote could get caught up in a numbers game if say the Steelers keep James Harrison but at a higher salary than anticipated.

Or a free agent signing elsewhere could become available that makes Foote expendable.

Or the Steelers could simply decide for a more thorough renewal of their roster. But that’s not likely as Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that the Steelers are already in talks with Larry Foote about coming back.

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Falling Like Flies: Steelers Lose Linebacker Stevenson Sylvester

The good news from the Steelers 26-24 preseason victory over the Colts is that the Black and Gold escaped with no new injuries.

The bad news is that Pittsburgh lost another player for an extended period of time before the game. Reserve linebacker Stevenson Sylvester injured his MCL in the final play of the final Steelers training camp practice at St. Vincent’s in Latrobe.

Sylvester’s injury is expected to keep him out 3-4 weeks, which to these ears sounds like a conservative estimate given the nature of ligament injuries.

Sylvester’s snaps will be taken up by Brandon Johnson, a veteran journeyman linebacker the Steelers signed in June mainly as an insurance policy.

The Steelers are ailing at linebacker, with James Harrison’s knee surgery putting his status for the season opener in doubt and Jason Worilds also out on the PUP list, with no timetable set for his return.

After parting ways with James Farrior, Kevin Colbert all but ruled out the possibility of bringing Farrior back should disaster strike. The words he used with Ed Bouchette were akin to “you never want to say ‘never’ but….”

You have to wonder how much further depleted the Steelers linebacking corps can become before Colbert begins thinking its “never say never time.”

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Steelers Shed Salary, Super Bowl Rings, and Locker Room Leadership....

Institutional memory is a curious concept. Clearly one can neither precisely define or measure it, but institutional memory nonetheless remains a tangible quality.

One of the lessons that the Steelers organization took from the ‘70’s is that they held on to too many Super Steelers veterans too far past their prime.

After parting ways with Hines Ward, Aaron Smith, Chris Kemoeatu, and James Farrior no one can hurl that accusation at Art Rooney II, Kevin Colbert, and Mike Tomlin.

In 1976 the Steelers left their 1975 first round pick Dave Brown unprotected in an expansion draft…

• …Brown went Seattle where he made a Pro Bowl, two UPI All Pro Teams and one AP All Pro teams

In 1979 the Steelers kept a rapidly fading Dwight White over rookie training camp sensation Dwaine Board…

• White was done within two years, whereas Bill Walsh snapped up Board, who posted three double digit sack seasons with the 49ers in the ‘80s.

And of course in the spring of 1983 the Steelers figured the could squeeze a couple of three more seasons out of Terry Bradshaw, opting to pass on a kid named Marino...

• ...Steelers Nation knows how passing on Dan Marino turned out.

Who knows?

Were memories of those mistakes echoing through Art Rooney II’s head as he gave the word to Kevin Colbert to lower the hammer on yet another franchise icon?

Or did salary cap realities simply force any shred of sentimentality out of the Steelers?

No one can be sure.

The Steelers did start the off season $20 to $25 million over the 2012 salary cap. Colbert and Omar Khan did they damdest to giggle the numbers to the extent where its reasonable to ask whether the Steelers are mortgaging their future.

But the contract restructurings of Ike Taylor, LaMarr Woodley, Lawrence Timmons and Ben Roethlisberger were all to get the Steelers under the cap.

Which only reaffirms the status quo.

• Positioning the Steelers for the future required untethering the organizations it from its recent past.

So now gone are James Farrior, Chris Kemoeatu, Aaron Smith, Hines Ward, Arnaz Battle, and Bryant McFadden.

Giving these six players their walking papers freed up approximately 10 million dollars in salary cap space.

• But the Steelers are also saying goodbye to 12 Super Bowl rings if you throw in Chris Hoke's retirement.

That statement is perhaps overly dramatic, because 5 of the 6 players had seen age, injury or ineffectiveness drastically reduce their role from 2010 to 2011. James Farrior was the only starter released, the only player with no heir apparent, and the only one who arguably could have contributed in 2012 were salary on consideration.

But winning is just as much about the intangible as it is about the measurable.

• James Farrior, Hines Ward and Arnz Battle were all captains of their respective units
• When William Gay and Kennan Lewis sent Bryant McFadden to the bench, McFadden embraced his role on specials teams with relish.
• Aaron Smith never hesitated to take younger players whom he knew had been drafted to replace him, under his wing.

However necessary their departures might have been, each of the men the Steelers parted wasy with was an important leader, both on and off the field.

That's not something to gloss over lightly, as the Redskins experience of the 90's reveals.

The first Joe Gibbs era in Washington ended just as the salary cap era was beginning. In the blink of an eye veterans like Art Monk, Ernest Byner, Charles Mann, Ricky Sanders and other Super Bowl veterans were gone. These were players who had learned how to win, a lesson which their successors are still struggling to master almost 20 years later.

The Steelers recent “termination” binge was not as wholesale as Washington’s was in the mid-90’s. By all accounts the organizational culture on the South Side is far different that of Redskins Park, and one that’s strong enough to manage the coming locker room leadership transition.

• But the Redskins lesson reminds us that there is no set formula for letting go of Championship Era players as they grow old.

Regardless of whether you let your veterans go too late or too soon, its always about getting the next decision right, and it is rarely just a question of simple numbers.

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Steelers to Cut James Farrior

If Kevin Colbert has put in a more draining week during his time with the Steelers, this past week has to run a close second.

Already having cut a Super Bowl MVP and the franchise’s best 3-4 defensive end, Colbert again had to drop the hammer James Farrior, who for a decade had been a mainstay on one NFL’s top defenses of the decade.

Of the recent cuts, Farrior’s perhaps comes the closest to qualifying as a surprise, although it was quite clear that either he or counterpart Larry Foote would have to go.

Nonetheless, the decision to part ways with James Farrior marks a sea-change for the Steelers defense, as it was Farrior’s job to make the defensive calls in the huddle and perform the necessary adjustments at the line of scrimmage.

• Now that responsibility falls on someone else.

Farrior departs Pittsburgh with no obvious heir apparent. Foote will likely take his place in the starting line up, but Foote is not a long-term answer.

Stevenson Sylvester showed promise as a rookie in 2010, and while he continued to shine on special teams in 2011, he failed to impress in his limited appearances at linebacker in 2011.

Prior to Farrior’s departure, the Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac commented on Twitter that: If Farrior goes, start fitting Steelers uniform for Dont'a Hightower.

Top Steelers Free Agent Pick Up Ever?

The Steelers will never be known for the free agents it signs, but perhaps it should. When the Steelers do go out to sign a high profile free agent, they rarely miss.

• In the 1990’s Kevin Greene, John L. Williams, Ray Seals, and Wil Wolford were all free agents signings that delivered handsome dividends.
• In this decade, impact free agents pick ups came in the form of Ryan Clark, Flozell Adams, and Jeff Hartings.

Bill Parcells used his first pick with the Jets to select James Farrior in 1997, and played the James Madison University graduate at right outside linebacker for 5 years. Farrior played well enough in that role, but Kevin Colbert and Bill Cowher saw something that Parcells and his successors missed.

• The Steelers signed James Farrior as a free agent in 2002 to replace Earl Holmes and neither side ever looked back.

Farrior immediately established himself as a leader of the defense, leading the team in tackles in ’03, ’04, ’06, ’07, ’08, and ’09. Farrior earned Pro Bowl honors in 2004 and 2008, and incredibly only missed two games to injury between 2002 and 2011.

During that entire time, whenever a tackle was being made, regardless of where it happened on the field, if Farrior wasn't making it you were almost certain to see number 51 coming into focus before the whistle blew.

As important as those measurables were, Farrior’s contributions in the huddle and off the field were indispensable. Farrior was a team leader who not only set the tone on the field but also functioned as a player who enforced discipline in the locker room.

• Farrior also set an example with his dedication and ethic of responsibility.

Farrior was a second late on two key plays late on the Bengals winning drive at home vs. the Steelers. Farrior seemed to take those plays, as well as other mishaps as a personal affront.

Accordingly, he redoubled his off season training regime, reported to camp in the best shape of his life, and rebounded in 2010 with a 109 tackle, six sack, 5 passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery performance.

James Farrior’s Last Stand

Longevity is one of the signs of greatness in the NFL and Farrior had his share. Even the great ones can cheat father time for just so long.

Age began to impact Farrior’s game in 2011, evident in his declining production and increasing difficulty in covering receivers downfield. Farrior’s age, his salary for 2012, and the Steelers salary cap woes prompted the team to decide to move on.

• Like his counter part and fellow captain Hines Ward, Farrior must make way for younger, and cheaper, players on the roster.

And just as is the case with Hines Ward, Mike Tomlin will not easily replace the leadership void created by James Farrior’s absence.

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Steelers to Part Ways with Aaron Smith, Chris Kemoeatu

One day after saying good bye to Hines Ward, their franchise leading and future Hall of Fame wide receiver, the Steelers also decided to part ways with the best 3-4 defensive end in franchise history.

Ed Bouchette is reporting that Aaron Smith will not be back with the Steelers in 2012. Unlike Ward, Smith will likely begin, in Chuck Noll's words, his "life's work" as he has indicated that he has zero interest in playing elsewhere, which is most likely a sound decision, given his history of injury.

Smith finished the 2007, 2009, and 2011 seasons on injured reserve. Likewise he sat out most of 2010 injured.

2008 was the last full season where Smith played healthy. Its no concidence that that was season in which the Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII that year.

Chris Kemoeatu Also Cut

Ed Bouchetee is also reporting that the Steelers will cut Chris Kemoeatu. Kemoeatu was as sixth round pick in the 2005 draft. Possessing incredible size, Kemoeatu always tantalized.

However, he did not start until the 2008 season, after Alan Fanaca’s departure, and did a serviceable job as a starter over the next four seasons.

However by 2011 poor play and inane penalties landed Kemoeatu on the bench, and his release was widely anticipated.

With these latest moves, the Steelers have freed between 8 and 10 million dollars from the salary cap, which will allow them to sign their draft picks and give them a shot at resigning their own players and perhaps players from outside the organization.

Casey’s Turn at Bat?

If reports are correct, the Steelers have yet to finish their house cleaning. It is generally assumed that either James Farrior or Larry Foote will be waived in the coming days and, although Kevin Colbert’s comments at the scouting combine might indicate otherwise, Casey Hampton’s name has been mentioned as a possible cut.

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Antonio Brown Wins Pittsburgh Steelers 2011 MVP Award

In what amounts to a minor shock, the 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers have elected Antonio Brown as its 2011 MVP. Brown won the award despite not starting until mid-November, and not even leading the team in key receiving categories.

Brown, however, is reputed to be one of the hardest working members on the team, and has shown himself to be an incredible talent during the course of 2011. Brown is learning how to get himself open on key downs, moves well after the catch, and has some of the best hands this team has ever seen.

So congratulations to Antonio Brown.

With that said however, it is hard to argue that Brown really deserved the award, although perhaps its easy to understand how it came to him.

The 2011 Steelers are a team in flux. Veterans like Aaron Smith, Chris Hoke, Bryant McFadden, and yes, Hines Ward, are waning, and younger players are coming to the forefront.

• 2010 Steelers MVP Troy Polamalu has had a fabulous year, but has played much of the year at the line of scrimmage, and hasn’t had the interceptions of a year ago.
• Mike Wallace started the year off gang busters, but saw his production dip on the second half.
• Both James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley have raised hell in opponents back fields, but both men have missed large portions of the season to injury.

The only player that really stands out is Ben Roethlisberger, whose play has been consistent throughout the year, and has shown incredible toughness in playing with injuries that would fell a lesser soul. Roethlisberger won the Steelers MVP award in 2009, and in Steel Curtain Rising's view, deserved it this year.

My guess is that the voting was spilt pretty evenly, with Brown having the fortue to come out on top.

Marcus Gilbert, James Farrior Also Honored

Second round pick Marcus Gilbert, who stepped in to start after Willie Colon’s season ended because of an injury suffered in the Debacle at Baltimore, won the 2011 Rookie of the Year Award. (Now, someone tell me, when did they stop calling it the PNC Bank Joe Greene Rookie of the Year Award? Dropping the corporate sponsorship is one thing, but Joe Greene is Joe Greene).

While Gilbert is not the only rookie to contribute – Cameron Heyward has played well as well as Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown, but Gilbert has been the most consistent.

The Pittsburgh press Corps also named James Farrior as the 2011 “Chief Award” winner, given to the member of the Steelers locker room who is most cooperative with the media.

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Steelers Report Card vs. 49ers

From the grade book of a teacher whose sorely disappointed that his star pupil squandered term paper that he needed to give him a much needed cushion heading into final exams, so goes the Steelers report card for going splat against the 49ers. As always, no other grades have been consulted.

Quarterback
What were Ben Roethlisberger’s final numbers? Who knows. They are unimportant. The important stat that sticks out is 4 turnovers and 3 sacks. Ben Roethlisberger was playing with an injury that left him unable to deliver the deep ball, unable to evade pressure, and inaccurate much of the rest of the time. Does he deserve credit for sucking it up under such trying circumstances? Yes, and that’s what prevents his grade from being an out right failure. Grade: D

Running Backs
Rashard Mendenhall only ran for 64 yards, but he did that in just 15 carries against the NFL’s number one rushing defense. Its not his fault that the team chose to run merely 18 times on the night when their quarterback was hurting. Issac Redman seems to have played better than ESPN’s statistics note, but number don’t like. Mewelde Moore had a nice 21 yard run before he got hurt. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
Health Miller was the best player in this unit, although he should have caught the ball that ended up being Ben’s second pick – yes the ball was high. Jericho Cotchery did well late in the game. Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown also played well on a difficult night. Still, if the Steelers got good play out of their receivers, they needed exceptional play. Grade: B-

Offensive Line
The offensive line missed Maurkice Pouncey out there, but nonetheless played well. They did get called for several penalties in the second half, but those were largely academic. The unit actually gave Ben Roethlisberger decent time to throw, but Roethlisberger was unable to take advantage. Likewise, Mendenhall had room to run, but line wasn’t controlling the line of scrimmage with the kind of conviction that was necessary to control this kind of game. Grade: C+

Defensive Line
The San Francisco’s rushers didn’t dominate, but did do enough to keep drives moving. The defensive line did seem to get some pressure on Alex Smith early on, but that pressure was neither consistent nor effective down the stretch. Still, this unit gets credit for forcing two field goals early in the game. Grade: B-

Linebackers
Lawrence Timmons got burned repeatedly and looked nothing like the dominating player he appeared to be growing into during the first half of 2010. LaMarr Woodley was not effective. Jason Worilds was a non-factor. James Farrior got beaten badly when the Steelers could least afford it. The Steelers had no sacks and one QB knock down against a quarterback that will let you beat him if you apply enough pressure. Grade: D+

Secondary
The effort of the secondary was inconsistent. Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark made key tackle after key tackle, and the Steelers kept San Francisco to 4-13 on third down conversions. Still, things could have been better had Alex Smith not missed some wide open receivers. All in all, however, the secondary’s performance was above the line. Grade: B

Special Teams
Keenan Lewis forced what should have been a potentially game changing fumble. Lawrence Timmons got called on a penalty that ultimately made the score 20-3 instead of 16 to 3. Suisham was 1-1 on long kicks – about the best you can expect. Antonio Brown made a few mistakes but put in a solid game. Special teams could have given the Steelers a spark, but it is hard to find fault with their performance. Grade: B-

Coaching
Mike Tomlin coached the worst game of his professional life. Starting Ben Roethlisberger was a good move, keeping him in the game cost the Steelers a shot at home field advantage in the playoffs. Keeping him in the game was inexcusable. With Bruce Arians you have a mixed bag – throwing 44 times against the NFL’s number 1 defense is understandable, throwing 44 times with a wounded quarterback is not. Grade: F

Unsung Hero
To paraphrase Gerry Dulac’s words, there were lots of chances for someone from the Steelers defense to be a hero against the 49ers, yet that hero never materialized.

Nonetheless, on a night when the offense was struggling as bad as it has in recent memory, the defense kept the Steelers in the game deep into the fourth quarter. Absent “splash” plays, that only happens if guys are making quick, smart plays on a down-by-down basis. One man did that through the whole game, registering two tackles for losses and defensing two passes. For his consistent, productive play, Ryan Clark is Steel Curtain Rising's unsung hero of the 49ers game.

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Steelers Report Card vs. Browns at Heinz Field

The Steelers Thrusday Night matchup was not shown here in Buenos Aires, so we'd like to thank Tony Defeo for doing this week's report card. You can read Tony's work regularly on Behind the Steel Curtain.

Quarterbacks
What more can be said about Ben Roethlisberger? Just when we all thought he couldn't enhance his reputation as one of the toughest players in the league, he outdoes himself by returning to play in the second half after leaving late in the first half with a very serious ankle injury. I thought Roethlisberger played a great game, and if not for the injury and many miscues by his teammates, may have had an even more impressive night than his line of 16/21 for 280, two touchdown passes and an interception. Grade: A-

Receivers
Antonio Brown and Company were making it look like it was going to be an easy game of Pitch and Catch between them and Roethlisberger over the better part of the first two drives to start the game. But then two reliable veterans--Hines Ward and Heath Miller--fumbled the football away on successive trips inside the red zone and it seemed to take the zip out of the passing game at that point, and it was a while before things got back on track. All-in-all, though, a solid performance by the receivers as a whole. Roethlisberger and Mike Wallace haven't connected on a deep ball in a while, but I believe Wallace's presence is the best thing to happen to the development of the other young receivers. Brown had 5 catches for 151 yards and salted things away with his 79 yard touchdown catch and run with under three minutes left. Grade: B.

Running Backs
On paper, the running backs did OK if not great last night against the league's 31st ranked rush defense -- Mendenhall, Redman and Moore rushed for a combined 126 yards on 26 carries--but there were those four stuffs of Mendenhall from inside the two yard line early in the 4th quarter. Mendenhall is normally a pretty decent goal line back, but he was running too straight up and down during that critical sequence of plays. It's hard to say what may have happened if Mendenhall would have had some early cracks at the goal line, but thanks to those red zone turnovers, we never got to find out. Grade: C

Offensive line
The running game averaged 4.6 yards a carry, and Roethlisberger was only sacked one unfortunate costly time--and it was a coverage sack--but the group didn't get a great push on the infamous goal line failure (not all the blame was on Mendenhall's straight up style), and those penalties, man, they were drive killers. Marcus Gilbert had two false start penalties, and Chris Kemoeatu was a real buzz kill with two holding penalties and a hands to the face infraction. Just when it looked like the coaching staff had finally had enough of Kemoeatu, Maurkice Pouncey suffered a high ankle sprain, and now, it looks like the staff may have to deal with Kemo's undisciplined style for at least a couple of games. Grade: D+

Defensive Line
The Browns had some success rushing in the first half (mostly on a 28 yard draw play on 3rd and 20), but things settled down in the second half, and Cleveland really couldn't get much going on offense. I thought Cam Heyward played a solid game while filling in for an injured Ziggy Hood. Bottom line, the Browns only rushed for 98 yards, and the defense had two pretty impressive stands at the beginning and the end of the game, so things couldn't have been too bad up front. Grade: B.

Linebackers
There was the good: Larry Foote and James Farrior combined to stop Peyton Hills on 4th and goal on Cleveland's first drive of the game, and Jason Worilds recorded two sacks while filling in for Lamarr Woodley. There was the bad: Lawrence Timmons looked very outclassed while covering Browns' tight end Evan Moore on his 33 yard catch on the first drive of the game. And then there was the ugly: James Harrison and James Farrior were both flagged for personal fouls committed on Colt McCoy. There was enough good stuff to outweigh the bad, but I'd hate to think what the results may have been with a more experienced quarterback. Grade: C+

Secondary
Troy Polamalu recorded his first interception of the year, and for the second time in the last four games, William Gay made a crucial interception when he picked off McCoy in the end zone. I can't ignore the fact that the NFL Network pointed out Polamalu gambling and being out of position a couple of times, but you have to take the good with the bad with number 43, and I never got the sense that McCoy was ever fully capable of exploiting the unit. Grade: B

Special Teams
Nothing to write home about, and maybe that's a good thing. The Steelers were unable to return a punt the entire game, mainly due to Cleveland's punter doing a great job of angling his kicks deep and out of bounds, but Joshua Cribbs was barely heard from all night, and to me, that's the most important part. Grade: C

Coaching
Didn't notice any real coaching errors, and when your franchise quarterback is hobbled, your Pro Bowl center is out with a high ankle sprain, and your young defensive end must leave the game with a groin injury, sometimes you just have to survive and get out of dodge with a win. I didn't even have a problem with Tomlin going for it on 4th down early in the 4th quarter. I know the Steelers didn't make it, but I wasn't too worried about the Browns mounting any kind of serious offense from their own one yard line. Grade: C+

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