SCU Panel: Past or present, who is your favorite Non-Steeler?
This may be sacrilege to most of Steelers Nation, but we all have players whom respect that were never a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. We are all football fans in general. Many of us are involved in fantasy football, where we obviously can’t fill an entire roster with only players from our favorite team.
As fans, we enjoy watching the Hall of Fame ceremonies and NFL Network’s Football Life series. Sunday nights, Monday nights, and now Thursday nights consume our evenings in the fall.
So the idea was floated around our office: if asked, who would be your favorite player to never wear adorn the black and gold?
And that’s exactly what we came up with below. Enjoy our picks and we look forward to hearing yours as well.
Brian Roach | Craig Heyward
Before there was Jerome Bettis, there was Craig “Ironhead” Heyward. Heyward was a journeyman running back – never a huge star. I think he made one Pro Bowl and only rushed for 1,000 yards once in his career.
But nobody wanted to tackle Ironhead. He was more than a headache for opposing teams, he was a migraine. He was at least as big, and often bigger than the guys who were trying to stop him. I
loved watching Earl Campbell and Craig Heyward play, but while Campbell was the more successful back, and an eventual Hall of Famer, it was Heyward who was the guy I sometimes like to pretend to be when I was playing backyard football.
Joe Kuzma | Barry Sanders
If you root for underdogs then you know why Sanders is on the list. First and foremost, who didn’t want to see the lowly Lions play in a Super Bowl? They were an NFC team, which meant a few things. Lions games were locally broadcast in my region via CBS (back when they had the NFC telecasts). Since they played in the NFC, that meant they weren’t an annual threat to the Steelers. I couldn’t get behind most players in the AFC because it meant going against my team.
Since Detroit is the nearest NFL team, that meant Lions games were on quite a bit during my youth. On those NFC telecasts, Pat Summerall and John Madden could make anyone sound like a million bucks. But with Barry Sanders, he didn’t need it. Even at a young age, I couldn’t understand why defenders couldn’t bring Barry down. They couldn’t tackle him no matter what they tried. He could break tackles, spin out of tackles, shift gears, juke and jive and turn on the burners. He’d go backward and STILL gain yards.
In a generation growing up on video games, Sanders was a legitimate human joystick. It’s a shame those Lions teams never got to the promised land and equally a shame on how Sanders’ career ended. He kind of just went away, except for those who saw him play: the memory of watching him do his thing will live on forever. There may never be another back quite like him.
Eric Herrmann | Marquette King
My choice isn’t necessarily my favorite all-time, but maybe my current favorite: Marquette King.
Yes, a punter.
I chose him because I love what he represents: making the NFL fun again. So often this game is taken so seriously. When King is on the field he is having so much fun and it’s infectious to watch. His Twitter game is also top-tier. I mean, just look at some of his tweets.
https://twitter.com/MarquetteKing/status/805600409603559424
https://twitter.com/MarquetteKing/status/842818487546335232
https://twitter.com/MarquetteKing/status/870109216836534273
As a person who doesn’t like taking life too seriously, grew up watching Power Rangers and wears $100 JC Penney suits to work every day, King is my dude.
Jim Racalto | Jerry Rice
My favorite non-Steeler of all time… I’d have to go with Jerry Rice.
I read a biography of him as a kid in school and liked him ever since.
Zac Celedonia | Terrell Owens
My favorite non-Steeler of all time is one most of you may have already guessed. My selection is the 2nd all-time leader in receiving yards, and 3rd all-time leader in touchdowns (153).
My choice is viewed by a lot as “selfish” and “over the top”, but they way I see it, he believed that getting the ball to HIM was the best way to WIN. Thus, he had a team-first mentality, even if he showed it in a selfish way.
This man wanted the ball consistently because he consistently believed he was the best player on the field. And more often than not, he was right. His celebrations and antics get bad mouthed but look at the direction the game is FINALLY moving in. The “No Fun League” has recently adjusted the celebration rules, and players are free to have (some) fun once again. This player would score touchdowns, and let EVERYBODY know about it.
When you can walk the walk, you can talk the talk. He has no rings but the one chance he got to play in the big show, he did so… on a broken leg. This player fractured his leg in the playoffs and suited up for the Super Bowl. If his team had won, he would have certainly won MVP.
My choice loves himself. I love myself. I love me some me.
My choice is the one and only, T.O., Terrell Owens.
P.S. he should’ve made the Hall of Fame before Marvin Harrison too!
Terry Fletcher | Derrick Johnson
I like Derrick Johnson from Kansas City. He gives his all every time he takes the field and is a game changer when he is or isn’t playing.
Mitchell Reese | James Laurinaitis
My favorite outsider? James Laurinaitis.
Being an inside linebacker, from Ohio, he was my idol and never failed me watching him. He was a heavy hitter who never gave up on any play. Plus, He was the son of a former tag team legend. If there was a player to like, for me, it was James L.
Christina Rivers | Steve Largent
One guy I enjoyed watching play was Marshall Faulk. Marcus Allen… Joe Montana… but I have to say Steve Largent (WR, Seattle). Flat out, Largent was the biggest underdog in the league at one point. He wasn’t the flashy, sleek receiver of today – no major endorsements or sharpies in his socks. You could look at him and then completely overlook him until he got on the field…and then fireworks! Largent didn’t believe in half speed or protecting his body. He would go to the ball and literally sacrifice his life to make a catch. Classic “baller”. If he hadn’t been with Dave Krieg, I honestly think Largent could have been a bigger name in the game with a HOF QB like Montana. He had hands that wouldn’t quit…like his attitude. I could easily watch highlight films of his play even today. Fantastic attitude and player.
Nathaniel Bodnar | Tracy Porter
The New Orleans Saints drafted Indiana cornerback Tracy Porter in the 2008 NFL draft. The second round talent finished his first season with 25 total tackles, a sack, five pass deflections and an interception returned for 25-yards against the San Fransico 49ers.
Porter’s rookie campaign was what you expect from an athlete who is trying to understand the NFL game and how fast paced it truly is. His second season is when things got a little interesting. He finished the 2009 regular season with 57 total tackles, 12 pass deflections and four interceptions, one returned for a touchdown 54-yards versus the Miami Dolphins in a 46-34 victory.
If you thought that was impressive, his 2009 postseason was one for the ages.
In the NFC Championship game, Porter intercepted Vikings quarterback Brett Farve just when he had his team about ten yards away from a game-winning field goal to advance to Super Bowl XLIV. Farve threw the pass across his body and the Saints ended up going into overtime and kicking their way to the Super Bowl, all thanks to a second-year cornerback that played the ball terrifically.
Porter and his team had one last task to finish and that was somehow trying to maintain an elite quarterback named Peyton Manning, who seemed unstoppable in 2009. With the Colts driving down to score a touchdown to tie the football game late in the fourth quarter, and potentially head into overtime, Porter had other plans. He jumped the “in-route” ran by receiver Reggie Wayne and took it 74-yards for a touchdown, clinching a Super Bowl title for the City of New Orleans, who just a few years before was devasted by Hurricane Katrina.
The City of New Orleans deserved a Championship after Katrina and received one. It was a feel-good moment for the young career of Tracy Porter as he will forever be engraved as the savior of a city that just needed some hope when times were tough.
