Steelers Throwback Thursdays: Top-3 Free Agency List
Before the NFL officially gears up for the 2021-22 season, Steel City Underground will be taking fans back in time to feature events, special moments, and historical times in the world of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Steelers Nation. Join us as we revisit these moments in our “Throwback Thursdays”.
The NFL free agency period has begun and teams around the league are trying to revamp their roster to compete for a playoff spot.
Historically, the Steelers build the majority of their roster through the draft, although no team can comprise their team of 100% draft picks.
Here are the Steelers’ 3 all-time free agency signings.
3. Kevin Greene
Coming off of a stint with the Los Angeles Rams, Kevin Greene sought a team that used a 3-4 system in the first-ever year of free agency. In eight years with the Rams, Greene already had 72.5 sacks.
In the three years with the Steelers, Greene added a total of 35.5 more sacks.
Despite only playing three years with the Steelers, Greene is third on the all-time sack leaders list with 160 and eighth on the Steelers list. He was a Pro-Bowler for two of the seasons with the Steelers, and a First-Team All-Pro while leading the league in sacks (14) during the 1994 season.
He never won a Super Bowl as a player, but played in Super Bowl 30 and won Super Bowl 45 as a coach with the Green Bay Packers.
2. Ryan Clark
Clark’s NFL start was a rollercoaster ride.
He played in college at LSU before going undrafted and being picked up by the New York Giants. The Washington Redskins picked him up after being waived by the Giants and he played two years for the Redskins before the Steelers picked him up in 2006.
After being tossed around by a couple of teams, Clark helped the Steelers win Super Bowl 43 and was selected as a Pro-Bowler in 2011.
He doesn’t have the accolades other free agents might have had, but looking at where he came from and what he did to help the Steel Curtain 2.0 cannot be overshadowed. The Steelers led the NFL in the fewest yards allowed, fewest points allowed, or both in five of eight seasons with Pittsburgh.
Troy Polamalu would not have been able to do many of the crazy plays he did without the safety of Clark in the backfield.
That is also a big reason why Clark never got the recognition he deserved by the National Media and the award givers: He was overshadowed by Polamalu in that aspect.
1. James Farrior
Farrior was the 8th overall pick in the 1997 draft by the New York Jets.
The Jets had moved him to outside linebacker and once he was released and signed by the Steelers, he could play the position he played in college and was most comfortable with: inside linebacker. His first year with the Steelers produced 82 tackles in 14 games. The next year, he recorded 141 tackles with one interception.
In his third season, he became a First-Team All-Pro player with 94 tackles, three sacks, and four interceptions: Farrior finished second for league defensive MVP behind Ed Reed.
Farrior ended up a two-time Super Bowl champion, as well as a two-time Pro Bowler, and is the Steelers’ all-time leader in tackles with 742.
He led the team in tackles every year from 2003-2009. James was a major factor of the Steelers defense that was one of the best, if not the best every year while he was on the team.
