6 Great Steelers Nominated For Hall Of Fame In Senior Category

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most revered NFL franchises in history. The team just celebrated its 91st anniversary in June, but the early years were not kind to the Rooney family or the city of Pittsburgh. The Steelers struggled for decades until they finally brought in Head Coach Chuck Noll in 1969. 

Noll changed the way football was done in the Steel City, took a team that was a laughing stock, and made them champions. The Steelers won their first Lombardi Trophy in 1974 and went on to win five more. The hiring of Noll started a trend toward loyalty and a commitment to excellence that has been unwavering ever since. 

Only two coaches have succeeded Noll: Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin. All three head coaches have taken a turn under the confetti, hoisting the Lombardi, a feat that no other team can boast. Cowher and Noll are both enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame, and Tomlin will certainly join them someday. Those amazing coaches have helped develop tremendous talent over the years. 

The Steelers in the NFL Hall of Fame read like a who's who of great players: Terry Bradshaw, Joe Greene, Jerome Bettis, Rod Woodson, and Jack Lambert are just a few. According to a post from Teresa Varley, the Pro Football Hall of Fame may add some more Steelers members to its "seniors category." 

"L.C. Greenwood, Norm Johnson, Eugene 'Big Daddy' Lipscomb, Andy Russell, Mike Wagner and Byron 'Whizzer' White are among the nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 in the Seniors category," posted Varley.

Similar to the regular nominations, seniors are selected by a committee, which whittles them down to a final list that is voted on. For a player to be eligible, they must have played at least 25 seasons ago. There are currently 183 seniors on the list. The initial cut will drop to 50 and then eventually to the three that will be voted upon. To be selected, the candidate must receive at least 80% of the vote out of the 50-person committee. 

Many Steelers Have Been Snubbed

Every year, when the Hall of Fame nominations are announced, fans express frustration over the players who are not enshrined, but should be. That list includes players like Hines Ward, James Harrison, Greg Lloyd, Casey Hampton, and Dwight White.

While all of the players named have a valid case for being enshrined, some feel like bigger snubs than others, including L.C. Greenwood, Andy Russell, and Mike Wagner. If any of them were to finally have a bust in Canton, it would help soothe fans' frustrations. Some of those men spent their whole careers in the Steel City, while others, like Byron White, just spent a single year.

Do you think any of those former Steelers players will be enshrined in Canton in 2025? Click to comment below. 

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