Steel City Underground presents the 1st annual SCU Awards. Our panel of contributors all voted on various awards for the Steelers with the player getting the most votes being the winner. Each article will have the list of nominees with one of our contributors stating their case for why that player earned their vote and deserves the award. Comment and let us know if you agree or disagree with our winners and nominees. 

There’s many ways to define an underdog: it could be a player who surprised people, a player who people had low expectations for, or a player that doesn’t get the appreciation they deserve.

The Steelers are a team built on underdogs. Players like Antonio Brown, a 6th round draft pick, fit the bill years ago. Plus, there are plenty of players on the team who contributed significantly, when many had low hopes for them:

• Jesse James was expected to have a reduced role in 2016, but ended up starting all season while Ladarius Green dealt with injuries.
• Many didn’t have Chris Hubbard making the Steelers 53-man roster, but he ended up starting at right tackle a few games this season, and even was used as an extra blocker on running downs.
• Eli Rogers overcame an injury-ending first season, finishing 2nd in receiving yards among wide receivers.
• Cobi Hamilton started as an afterthought, and ended up being one of the Steelers most clutch receivers.
• Last but not least, DeAngelo Williams stepped up in during Le’Veon Bell‘s absence; the offense didn’t skip a beat.

Therefore, the comeback award was the tightest race of all SCU awards by far, with plenty of worthy contenders.

Jesse James

I almost went with Eli Rogers for underdog of the year but when it came down to it, a lot of fans actually had some lofty expectations of him heading into the season after all of the OTA/preseason hype. I wasn’t disappointed in Rogers, I just saw the success coming.

However, Jesse James was supposed to be an afterthought in this offense, an understudy, the backup… but The Outlaw stepped up and got the starting nod for a majority of the season because of Green’s health(or lack there of.) He didn’t set the world on fire but he proved himself early in the season as a reliable redzone target for Ben.

He came through in a BIG way on Christmas day at Heinz field to help lock up the AFC North (even hurdled a dude on the game winning drive). Finally, The Outlaw out-performed the All-Pro tight end, Travis Kelce, head to head at arrow head stadium.

Jesse James doesn’t keep any DCs up at night by any means, but he came through in some big ways this season.

– Zac Celedonia

Chris Hubbard

I could’ve selected a few people for this award as well, but I think Chris Hubbard impressed me the most.

This is no slight at Chris, but going into his start at right tackle for Marcus Gilbert, I was thinking this team was totally screwed. Instead, Hubbard not only played well, but played so well he became the extra “tackle eligible” body in jumbo packages.

If you asked if that was possible back in July or August, I’m sure I would’ve would’ve answered in laughter. Nice job Chris. That’s why you’re my underdog pick.

– Joe Kuzma

Eli Rogers

Many expected Eli Rogers to have a good year, but nobody expected him to be the teams #2 receiver at the end of the season. All the hype was focused on Markus Wheaton and Sammie Coates back in August. Well, both players got hurt and Rogers was thrust to the top of the depth chart.

He didn’t disappoint either.

Rogers showed to be almost an “Antonio Brown Jr.”, often winning with his precise route running skills over factors like speed and height. Rogers stepped up significantly when called upon this season and that’s why he deserves Underdog of the Year.

– Eric Herrmann

Cobi Hamilton

Hamilton was drafted by the Bengals in 2013, but never made it off the practice squad. He bounced from Cincinnati, to Philadelphia, back to Cincinnati in 2014 and made their 53, but was waived in 2015. From there he bounced around until the Steelers took a chance on him. Nobody expected much from this perennial practice squad player. Let’s be honest, if we don’t lose Markus Wheaton, Martavis Bryant isn’t suspended, and Darrius Heyward-Bey doesn’t suffer a foot injury, it’s likely Hamilton never makes it off the practice squad to get his chance.

– Brian Roach

DeAngelo Williams

With the category being “Underdog of the Year”, DeAngelo Williams was the first to come into my mind. How can he not be, when his job is to play when Bell isn’t there?

It’s unquestionable that Bell came back from a 3-game suspension on fire this year, but in those first 3 games, our offense didn’t skip a beat. That’s partly because Williams was there.

He stepped aside for Le’Veon during the season, but came in during the AFC Championship, just as he did in the first three games of the season.

He’s ready whenever, without question, and for that he’s my Underdog Player of the Year.

– Megan Mackenstein

Winner: Jesse James (3 votes)

Runner ups: Hubbard (2 votes), Rogers (2 votes), Williams (1 vote), Hamilton (1 vote)

It was a tight race, but James deserved the award. After entering the league as a fifth-round draft pick last season, James had to step in and fill big shoes by the departed Heath Miller, and also solid second option Matt Spaeth.

James’ stats weren’t eye-popping: he caught 39 passes for 338 yards and 3 touchdowns. Yet, it’s the numbers you don’t see on the boxscore which speak to Jesse’s presence. The second-year tight end played in all 16 games, including 3 postseason appearances, and played the seventh-most of any Steeler on offense.

That’s an impressive feat, considering four of those players were offensive linemen (who never come out of the game) and the other two were… Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown (who also rarely leave the field).

That speaks to James’ consistency and durability during his sophomore, “underdog” season.

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