Steelers Legendary Coach Dick LeBeau Reveals His Favorite Defense: "My Most Memorable Year"

The Pittsburgh Steelers organization is known for its legendary defenses, and the players that led them. The halls of the Pro Football Hall Of Fame are lined with some of the best defenders to ever wear the black and gold. Everyone knows of the Steel Curtain defenses from the 1970s, which helped the team win four Super Bowls. Former Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau did his best to recreate that magic with his defenses during the 2000s.

LeBeau was the Steelers defensive coordinator from 2004 through 2014, being an important of both Super Bowls won by Pittsburgh during that time. He led some of the best defenses of the decade, including a top five defense in the league during both championship seasons. He joined his former player, Ike Taylor, on his podcast Bleav In Steelers, where he chose the iconic 2008 defense over the 2005 defense.

"In all seriousness, because of the special connection you guys had with that '08 defense, and then I wrote a book about it because I realized this is a special bunch of guys. There was a charisma there, a bond that every coach strives to get from his unit."

LeBeau loved the 2008 defense so much, he wrote a book about the entire season and his career in the NFL. The book is titled Legendary, and even features contributions from players on that defense like Troy Polamalu and James Harrison. The book becomes available on July 9th. LeBeau continued to speak on the 2008 defense, and how memorable it was.

"That particular group of guys and that particular season, the way it unfolded and the way it ended, that has to be my memorable year of my coaching and playing career."

That is no small statement from LeBeau. He had a long and storied career in the NFL, both as a coach and a player. He is considered one of the best players to ever suit up for the Detroit Lions, and was an All-Pro cornerback during his playing days. After he retired following the 1972 season, LeBeau was a coach in the NFL in some capacity from 1973 all the way through 2017. He has seen a lot in the NFL, yet the 2008 Steelers defense is the unit that sticks out for him.

The 2008 defense was full of special players. Harrison, Polamalu, and James Farrior all made the Pro-Bowl that season, with Harrison and Polamalu also being named First-Team All-Pros. Harrison won the NFL's Defensive Player Of The Year Award, while Polamalu was also top-five in voting. 

The talent on the defense was endless. The unit also featured Taylor, Aaron Smith, Larry Foote, LaMarr Woodley, Ryan Clark, Brett Keisel and more. These were all players that played together for a long time, and most of the guys on the 2008 defense were also contributors on the 2005 team. 

Steelers' Defense Shined In Super Bowl XLIII

Pittsburgh's defense made splash plays during Super Bowl XLIII, but they did struggle at times to stop Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals offense. The Cardinals managed to put up over 400 yards on offense, but turnovers forced by the Steelers defense were a huge factor in the victory.

One of the most iconic plays in Super Bowl history took place at the end of the first half when Harrison returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown. The Cardinals had the ball on the one yard line, and were poised to find the end zone before halftime. Thankfully, Harrison made the biggest play of his career, dropping into coverage and picking off Warner. The play was a 14-point swing in the Steelers favor. 

Pittsburgh's offense scored the go-ahead touchdown with 35 seconds left in the game, which meant the Cardinals had a slight chance to drive the ball down the field. LeBeau's defense managed to get to Warner, and strip the ball from his hands to seal the victory. 

What do you think of LeBeau's input on his favorite defense? Let us know in the comments below!

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