There has been plenty of talk recently about the Pittsburgh Steelers moves in free agency and speculation about what they will do in the upcoming NFL Draft. While the off-season is a fun time to think about the future, it also is a great time to reflect on the past while we don't have Steeler football on every Sunday. There have been so many great players to pass through the organization in the 21st century. We have seen greatness with Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Alan Faneca, among many more. But, with as many star players as there have been, some get lost in our minds along the way.
This is surely a fun discussion to have. Which Steeler in the last 21 years was a key to many seasons of success, but occasionally gets overlooked? Well of course, to each his/her own. But there is one guy that comes to my mind every time I think of underrated Steelers. Before I dive into this particular defensive player, it's hard not to mention several others. Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel, Casey Hampton, Deshea Townsend, Clark Haggans, Larry Foote, Antwaan Randle El, Mike Wallace, and Ike Taylor all come to my mind and deserve credit. There are certainly more that have performed well and are under appreciated for their efforts while wearing the black and gold.
That brings us to a linebacker who was a staple for the Steelers defense from 2007 to 2016, Lawrence Timmons.
Timmons played 10 years for the Steelers and missed just two games. He led the Steelers in tackles five out of the 10 years he played, yet only has one Pro Bowl honor. In defenses that had Polamalu, Ryan Clark, James Harrison, James Farrior, Ryan Shazier and Lamar Woodley, Timmons was vastly underrated.
He was the most important defensive player for the team in 2014 with 132 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two sacks. Timmons' play against the run helped the Steelers to allow only 100 yards per game on the ground to opposing offenses. This was the only year that he was a Pro Bowler and was also named a Second Team All-Pro. This season, however, wasn't even his best year.
Timmons was arguably, behind Polamalu who won Defensive Player of the Year, the most important player for the Steelers defense during their Super Bowl run in the 2010 season. Albeit ending in a loss to the Green Bay Packers, he had a phenomenal season and didn't receive even one NFL honor. The defense allowed just a mesmerizing 62.8 yards to opposing rushing attacks. The whole defense was extremely talented, but Timmons in the middle led the team with a career high 135 tackles. He added 10 tackles for loss, eight QB hits, three sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
There are dozens of Steelers who were under appreciated during their tenure in Pittsburgh, and as far as the last 21 seasons go, Timmons has a case to be considered one of the most underrated Steelers players of all time.
Who is at the top of your list for most underrated Steeler of the 21st century? Let us know in the comments below!
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