A night to honor four Steelers legends

Dec 07, 2024 at 07:36 PM

Teresa Varley

Steelers.com

The Steelers have a history they take great pride in, one built on Super Bowl victories and legendary players and coaches who made an impact that will never be forgotten.

On Saturday night, some of those who made the greatest impact were inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor as members of the Class of 2024.

Jason Gildon, Casey Hampton, Dick LeBeau and Willie Parker are the latest Steelers greats to become members of the Hall of Honor, four individuals who made more than a lasting impression on the organization.

While the players were there to be inducted into the Hall of Honor, the event served another purpose. It was a family reunion, with family, friends and former teammates gathered to celebrate greatness.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate the 2024 Hall of Honor Class during the Hall of Honor Dinner Ceremony presented by U.S. Steel, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)

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The Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate the 2024 Hall of Honor Class during the Hall of Honor Dinner Ceremony presented by U.S. Steel, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)

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"I think that is the best part of the whole thing, being here with family, friends and teammates," said Hampton. "It's not really about me. It's the celebration with your teammates and family. Being able to celebrate with the people that I went through this with, who I spent time with, that is the best part of all of this."

The group, who will be honored at halftime of Sunday's game against the Browns, is intertwined with different paths crossing at different times, all of them part of a similar time in Steelers history.

"The NFL is a fraternity, and particular chapters are the franchises that you are associated with and your brothers," said LeBeau. "When you get a chance to meet with brothers, it's a special opportunity and things that sometimes are overlooked in life. But I've never overlooked them.

"I always cherish every moment that I get to see players that I coached, players that were on our team during those years. A million memories come flooding back. And it's one of the absolute joys of life. I don't know if you can really describe it. Euphoria is a good word.

"To spend time with people that you have shared great times with. And to be in the ambiance of the whole atmosphere, I would put it up there with all the great happenings in my life."

Gildon played 10 seasons with the Steelers, including being a part of a team that won six division titles, an AFC Championship, and Super Bowl XXX appearance. He earned First-Team Associated Press All-Pro honors in 2001 and was selected to the Pro Bowl three straight seasons (2000-2002).

What he remembers the most aren't the statistics, but the friendships, the bond, the family feel.

"This is a family run organization," said Gildon. "You always felt that as a player, just from the way Mr. (Dan) Rooney used to come in and interact with us from day to day. He was an approachable person. He was well loved amongst the players. And you felt that sense of family. It starts from the top, the Rooneys and the coaches that they've had throughout the years that kept that sense of family.

"Events like this, when we all get together, I think it really shines a light on the way we do things here. Even those guys that I may not have had the privilege of playing with, they still feel like a relative. You might not have seen them for a while, but once you do, you are welcomed as family as if you played with them. It's one of those special things about having played for the Steelers. I still feel that sense of closeness and that bond that we share to have worn the black and gold."

Hampton, LeBeau and Parker were all part of the Steelers Super Bowl XL and XLIII championship teams, so to go into the Hall of Honor together is something that stands out for all of them, especially Parker.

Parker originally signed with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent following the 2004 NFL Draft. He went on to be a two-time Super Bowl champion and two-time Pro Bowl selection, who finished his Steelers career with three 1,000-plus yard seasons.

"Those guys really know me. They really helped me," said Parker. "To be associated with Casey Hampton and Dick LeBeau, all the training camps we went through, the practices, the games, the conversations, the Saturday nights before a game. Listening to Coach LeBeau read Christmas stories.

"It's family. And I am glad I have some of my family members going into the Hall of Honor with me.

"Spending time together here in Pittsburgh, getting to see your former teammates. To see what everyone is doing in life, catching up. It's an amazing time. We won two championships together and to relive those moments, it's amazing."

LeBeau, who was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his playing career with the Detroit Lions, first joined Bill Cowher's staff in 1992 as defensive backs coach, before being named defensive coordinator in 1995, a role he had for two seasons. He returned to the Steelers in 2004 and spent 11 more seasons as the defensive coordinator.

He is the architect of the zone blitz, bringing 'Blitzburgh' to Steelers Nation and wreaking havoc on opposing offenses.

LeBeau's time with the Steelers was so impactful he is the first individual who was solely an assistant coach to be inducted into the Hall of Honor.

"That's particularly meaningful," said LeBeau. "I look at it as being an equal honor with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They're both Hall of Fames of great organizations. And it's an honor indeed to have your name included in both."

Hampton played 12 seasons for the Steelers, starting 164 of the 173 games he played in. Hampton was also part of three Super Bowl teams with the Steelers, including a two-time champion in Super Bowl XL and XLIII.

Hampton was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and was voted MVP by his teammates in 2005 along with Hines Ward. He was also a member of the Steelers 75th Anniversary Team during the 2007 season, quite an honor considering the other defensive linemen were Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Ernie Stautner and Dwight White.

He has returned to Pittsburgh for alumni weekend, Hall of Honor, and other events. But this time, it's different for him.

"I am really excited about this," said Hampton. "I have been here a few times and have seen guys go in the Hall of Honor, and I am really happy for those guys. To have that feeling those guys had, I wanted to have that feeling, and now I do."

And that feeling is something that will forever hold a special place in all of their hearts.

"When I think about the Steelers, I think of how closeknit the whole organization is," said Parker. "It's family. The Rooneys. Coach (Bill) Cowher, Coach (Mike) Tomlin, all the players from the '70s team that started the winning tradition in Joe Greene, Franco Harris and Lynn Swann. And then the players from my era in Ben Roethlisberger, Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward. I could go on and on with names.

"That is what I think about when I talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now I can put my name in that category."

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