The Pittsburgh Steelers teams of the early 2000s were something special. They won two Super Bowls centered around a strong 3-4 defense. One of the unique features of that defense was their nose tackle, Casey Hampton.
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Steelers' Casey Hampton (98) celebrates with his son after Super Bowl XLIII.
Hampton was an integral part of those defensive units, so it wasn't surprising that he was named to five Pro Bowls during his 12 seasons in Pittsburgh. The young defender from Texas was selected with the Steelers' first overall pick at 19 in the 2001 NFL Draft. Quickly becoming a fan favorite, Hampton prided himself on having an unstoppable mentality.
Recently, Hampton joined Rob King on the Steelers Time Machine via Steelers.com to discuss his incredible career. King remarked how unusual it was for a nose tackle to receive the overwhelming recognition that Hampton did.
"Playing a position like I played, when you don't get a lot of stats and things like that, it's a bigger deal when you make a Pro Bowl because that means that guys really respect you," Hampton explained. "And they respect what you're really doing, so I took a lot of pride in that. I think that myself, along with the other defensive linemen, you know, Aaron Smith, Kimo von Oelhoffen, all of us were so underrated for what we did. But the real, true football people know that the defensive line is what makes it go, so that was a great honor for me to be able to make those types of Pro Bowls."
Those in the "know," as Hampton put it, certainly understood the impact that Hampton and his fellow linemen had from a very early time. King pointed out that Hampton was named to the Steelers' 75th Anniversary Team in 2007 after just six years on the team. He said that having those iconic defensive players from the 1970s say that he would have fit in on their roster was the highest form of flattery.
During his time with the Steelers, Hampton was predominantly a two-down player. However, he could be depended on to control the middle of the line of scrimmage during those downs. At roughly 325 lbs, he presented a brick wall-like presence in the middle of the field, nearly impossible to move. No one was surprised to hear the Steelers' defense finish in the top three in run defense in the NFL a whopping 10 times during his time in Black and Gold.
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Steelers' Casey Hampton came up with a huge sack on Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck.
This only spotlighted how unique the system was under Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau; as King stated, Hampton was out there "eating up blocks," which allowed the linebackers to get loose. Hampton said it was because they ran a "true 3-4." He said he talks to players constantly, and no one else is running a system like the one they did.
Hampton got a shot to show off that unique defense and his incredible skill set during Super Bowl XL. The Steelers defeated the Seattle Seahawks 21-10, and Hampton recorded four solo tackles and a sack of Seahawks quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck.
Steelers' Casey Hampton Applauds Defensive Guru Dick LeBeau
Hampton told King he credits his former coach, LeBeau, with his success. We often hear about how Head Coach Mike Tomlin is a "player's coach" and how players all over the NFL want to play for him. But Hampton said that LeBeau was also a player's coach, which meant a lot.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin (left) and Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau (right) talk on the sideline during a 2010 preseason game.
Mistakes are a part of learning, even in professional football, and Hampton said that LeBeau had a unique way of approaching those errors. LeBeau wouldn't yell at players or berate them. He would explain and redirect. He understood how hard it was; after all, he'd been a player in the league and knew the challenges of learning a professional system himself.
Do you recall Hampton's time with the Steelers? How would you describe the impact he had? Click to comment below!
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