The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
GREG SMITH FROM GAINESVILLE, FL: I loved Dan Kreider as the Steelers fullback. He was hardnose. Rank the best fullbacks for Pittsburgh and list their stats.
ANSWER: The best fullback in franchise history was Franco Harris, and behind him on that list would be John Henry Johnson. You see, there was a time in NFL history where the primary focus of a team's running game was the fullback. Cleveland's Jim Brown was a fullback, as were Miami's Larry Csonka, Green Bay's Jim Taylor, and Chicago's Bronko Nagurski, to name a few. For the Steelers, both Franco Harris and John Henry Johnson played the fullback position in a split backfield, and both were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It wasn't until more recently that teams got away from the split backfield concept (fullback/halfback) and went to a running back/blocking back system where one guy did most if not all of the carrying and the other guy did the blocking. Chuck Noll was a proponent of the split backfield approach, and so it really wasn't until Bill Cowher was hired in 1992 that the Steelers moved toward the running back/blocking back concept on offense. In my opinion, the notable blocking backs were Tim Lester, Dan Kreider, and Jon Witman. Jerome Bettis, a.k.a., The Bus, was such a fan of Lester's work that Lester became known as the "bus driver." Lester never had more than 8 carries in a season with the Steelers, and he finished his career in Pittsburgh with 126 yards on 33 carries; in 8 seasons in Pittsburgh, Kreider had 144 yards on 31 carries; and in his 6 seasons with the Steelers, Witman had 129 yards in 37 carries.
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CHRISTOPHER GIBSON FROM MANALAPAN, NJ: I'm interested in the back story on Antwaan Randle El. How does it happen that after 4 years as a QB at Indiana, the Steelers draft him as a WR in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft? And he was good. Other than that brilliant heave in Super Bowl XL, was there ever any consideration of him playing QB when he was drafted?
ANSWER: After an Indiana-Penn State game, Coach Joe Paterno referred to Antwaan Randle El as the Hoosiers' "whole offense," but when it came time for him to transition to professional football Randle El realized his skills were not going to transition to the NFL as a quarterback. And so Randle El fully embraced the switch to wide receiver. He played that position in the Senior Bowl and was voted the North team's MVP after catching 2 touchdown passes in the game, and then he also worked out with the wide receivers during the NFL Combine. Once he got to the Steelers, Randle El's niche was as a slot receiver on offense, with the occasional gadget play thrown in, and as a returner on special teams. In 80 games over 5 seasons with the Steelers, Randle El amassed 2,256 yards receiving (12.3 average) and 4 touchdowns; he was 16-of-18 passing for 170 yards a 4 touchdowns; and he scored 5 more touchdowns on returns – 4 punts and 1 kickoff.
TERRY BROWN FROM NORWALK, CA: The Browns and Dolphins often play in their white jerseys at home. The Dolphins usually do it to make opponents wear dark jerseys in Miami's heat. My question is: Have the Steelers ever played a preseason or early regular season game at home in their road white uniforms to beat the heat?
ANSWER: During the 1950s-1960s, NFL teams routinely wore white jerseys at home, much in the same way Major League Baseball teams did. Into the latter part of the 1960s the Steelers wore white jerseys for some of their home games, and in the 1969 opener (Chuck Noll's inaugural game as head coach), the Steelers wore white jerseys in a 16-13 win over Detroit at Pitt Stadium that was their only victory in a 1-13 season. But once Three Rivers Stadium opened in 1970, the Steelers wore black jerseys for home games. And Dallas is another team that traditionally prefers to wear white jerseys at home.
BRETT BILLEC FROM CAMPBELL, OH: As far as the history of the Steelers trading up in the first round of a draft, didn't they trade up for Casey Hampton?
ANSWER: No. The Steelers began the 2001 NFL Draft with the 16th overall pick in the first round, but they traded back with the New York Jets in return for the 19th overall pick (which became Casey Hampton), plus a No. 4 (Mathias Nkwenti and a No. 6 (Rodney Bailey). The Jets used the Steelers original pick to select WR Santana Moss.
JOEY BARCLAY FROM HENDERSON, NV: One of my favorite running backs was Le'Veon Bell, and I think everyone can appreciate his art. I recently saw he had announced that he wanted to return to the NFL if the Steelers would take him back. He is 33 years old, but even at that age he is still very fit (been doing lots of boxing and more) and would 100 percent be able to teach some newer talent like Jaylen Warren a lot. My question is this, do you think Le'Veon Bell could come back to the Steelers? And do you believe he could do anything in the NFL currently?
ANSWER: In his prime, Le'Veon Bell was an All-Pro back who could run it and catch it, but I cannot imagine a realistic scenario in which the Steelers would have any interest in a reunion with Bell. After he left the Steelers – while he was still in his late 20s – Bell played 3 more seasons with 4 different teams and he totaled 1,218 rushing yards (3.3 average) and 7 TDs along with 87 catches (7.2 average) and 2 TDs.
ROB WARREN FROM MISSOULA, MN: After the DK Metcalf trade we no longer have a second-round pick. With the draft being so deep do you see us trading out of the first round to get a couple of more picks? Other than possibly trading George Pickens or a linebacker like Nick Herbig or Alex Highsmith, I cannot see anyone the Steelers could offer to get back a second rounder.
ANSWER: In the scenario you propose, I would rather have the players you're willing to trade away than a second-round pick in the upcoming draft.
WILLIAM STOKES FROM SANDSTON, MN: What years did the Steelers draft in the top ten and who did they select?
ANSWER: Founded in 1933 by Art Rooney Sr., the franchise has participated in every draft (which was instituted in 1936) in NFL history., and since there weren't more than 10 teams in the league until after World War II, there were many years when they couldn't help but pick in the top 10. Starting with the hiring of Chuck Noll in 1969, the Steelers drafted in the top 10 eight times.
• 1969 (No. 4 overall) DT Joe Greene
• 1970 (No. 1 overall) QB Terry Bradshaw
• 1971 (No. 8 overall) WR Frank Lewis
• 1986 (No. 9 overall) G John Rienstra
• 1987 (No. 10 overall) CB Rod Woodson
• 1989 (No. 7 overall) RB Tim Worley
• 2000 (No. 8 overall) WR Plaxico Burress
• 2019 (No. 10 overall following trade) ILB Devin Bush
