When players need someone to talk to in the locker room, or they are need a teammate on the field to get the group pumped up during key times, it's normally the team captains they depend on.
They are leaders, not just by their play, but by the example they set, on and off the field. They guide younger players in the right direction while keeping veterans all on the same page.
They are stabilizing forces, players who give their all to the team and aren't afraid to take a tough stance.
That is why they were named the Steelers 2020 team captains.
Steelers' players voted on Monday for the captains and this year's team captains are Ben Roethlisberger and Maurkice Pouncey on offense, Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt on defense and Jordan Dangerfield on special teams.
Roethlisberger has been the team's offensive captain 12 times in his career, including 10 consecutive seasons. Pouncey is an offensive captain for the fourth time, previously selected with Roethlisberger in 2013, 2018 and 2019.
Heyward, who is in his 10th NFL season, is a defensive captain for the sixth consecutive year. This is the first time Watt, who is in only his fourth season, has been selected as a captain.
This is also the first time Dangerfield has been named the special teams captain.
Take a look at photos of the Steelers 2020 team captains
The following are the Steelers' team captains who have been selected during head coach Mike Tomlin's tenure (since 2007):
YEAR | OFFENSE | DEFENSE | SPECIAL TEAMS |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | Hines Ward, WR | James Farrior, LB | James Harrison, LB |
Clint Kriewaldt, LB | |||
2008 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB | James Farrior, LB | Jeff Reed, K |
Hines Ward, WR | |||
2009 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB | James Farrior, LB | Jeff Reed, K |
Hines Ward, WR | James Harrison, LB | Keyaron Fox, LB | |
2010 | Heath Miller, TE | James Farrior, LB | Keyaron Fox, LB |
Hines Ward, WR | |||
2011 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB | James Farrior, LB | Armaz Battle, WR |
Hines Ward, WR | |||
2012 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB | Brett Keisel, DE | |
2013 | Maurkice Pouncey, C | Ryan Clark, S | |
Ben Roethlisberger, QB | Brett Keisel, DE | ||
2014 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB | Troy Polamalu, S | Robert Golden, S |
Shaun Suisham, K | |||
2015 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB | William Gay, CB | Robert Golden, S |
Cam Heyward, DE | |||
2016 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB | William Gay, S | Robert Golden, S |
Cam Heyward, DE | |||
2017 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB | Cam Heyward, DE | |
2018 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB | Cam Heyward, DE | Chris Boswell, K |
Maurkice Pouncey, C | |||
2019 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB | Cam Heyward, DE | Roosevelt Nix, FB |
Maurkice Pouncey, C | |||
2020 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB | Cam Heyward, DE | Jordan Dangerfield, S |
Maurkice Pouncey, C | T.J. Watt, LB |
Take a look at photos of the Steelers team captains under head coach Mike Tomlin