Best WRs in Steelers history?

[Legacy User]

agree with the list..love them all.. hard ranking brown 1 yet till his career closer to ending..lacking big game production in playoffs! I still wonder how swann- Stallworth fare in todays no touch rules!
that said picking 1 guy for my championship of universe id grab mr ward in his prime 1st!! dude was fiercest competitor ever!

[Stallworth16]

AB is creating a spectacular career. But he is only 27, half way through. Ward has a Super Bowl MVP and 2 rings. Stallworth and Swann have 4 rings and Swann has an MVP. Stallworth could've been SB MVP in 1980.

1. Stallworth
2. Ward
3. Swann
4. Brown
5. Heath Miller

AB is climbing fast. Yeah, Heath is a Tight end, but I love his consistency over the years.

Here's the all-time stats:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/t ... eiving.htm

[RemoAZ]

1, Stallworth
2. Hines
3. AB
4. Swann
5. Lipps

I agree with this list although I probably bump Lipps up to #3. He is often under-rated. He was as good as anybody we've had. Great returner too.

[Legacy User]

I was looking at stats..and stat wise brown blows them all away.. incredible numbers.. he has chance to be best ever in nfl if he can play this well for long enough time.. swans numbers aren't very impressive. lotsa injuries! but when he was on field he was great..Stallworth was so consistant and had long career.

[Havoc]

I was looking at stats..and stat wise brown blows them all away.. incredible numbers.. he has chance to be best ever in nfl if he can play this well for long enough time.. swans numbers aren't very impressive. lotsa injuries! but when he was on field he was great..Stallworth was so consistant and had long career.

False. It depends on what numbers you are looking at (including rs).

Like Franco stated, wake me up when he does something in the ps (besides 3rd and 19) if you want to have this conversation.

The idea of AB being the best wr in the history of the league is a joke. We all love AB but let's not get carried away.

AB didn't do squat without Ben this season (except for throwing fits on the sideline).

[bradshaw2ben]

It's pretty much impossible to even have a conversation like this without establishing the ground rules-- eras are so different, based on talent or results or how dynamic?

[Havoc]

It's all relative. I look at league rankings (but I'm not saying this tells the real story).

I already posted in this thread league wr TD ranking per season. Both Swann and Stallworth are significantly ahead of AB.

They both destroy AB in the ps, obviously.

AB's story is still being written.

[swissvale72]

While we're sort of on the topic, here's a piece related to something we've discussed here recently:

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/pi ... elers-fans

[COR-TEN]

If AB has another seahawk type performance in the ps and the steelers lose, I wonder if this forum will blow up and call him a choker. Pey pey, or a post season bust. Players are defined mostly by their "body of work" in the ps, how many rings they have, mvp awards. etc. yes?

Anybody remember Jim Kelly? What did Dan Marino do in the ps? Marino had a .444 ps winning percentage in 18 games, and Kelly .529 at 17, yet both were great QB's. I personally do give those players props, even though they didn't win titles. Are they in the same convo as BR or Brady and Favre?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_start ... ff_records

[Steelcody7]

Why are most of you mentioning the need for big playoff performances as validation?

The Steelers thrived and won in those days because of the defense, whereas today's team relies on the offense. I've only watched the tapes, but Brown will definitely be in the conversation as a top WR in Steelers history if he stays in Pittsburgh. I would argue that the current WR corps could end up being the best in Steelers history when you look at how deep it is.

[Havoc]

Why are most of you mentioning the need for big playoff performances as validation?

The Steelers thrived and won in those days because of the defense, whereas today's team relies on the offense. I've only watched the tapes, but Brown will definitely be in the conversation as a top WR in Steelers history if he stays in Pittsburgh. I would argue that the current WR corps could end up being the best in Steelers history when you look at how deep it is.

Playing at a a HOF level in the ps vs the best competition is different from beating up on bad and mediocre rs competition. A lot of sports is about who your opponent is. Post season is like being in a higher league. Pressure in the biggest moments is another factor and you can't duplicate this in the rs.

The last 2 of the 70's Lombardi's were as much or more about the offense. The late 70's offense was the most dynamic in the league.

Bradshaw was league mvp in 78.

Bradshaw led the nfl in TD passes in 78.

The offense led the league in scoring in 79.

The total number of Steelers SB mpv's in the 70's for defensive players is zero.

In the 3 ps games in 78 the offense scored 33, 34, and 35 points.

In the 3 ps games in 79 the offense averaged over 30 (again).

Stallworth had 4 receiving TD's in the 78 post season sb run and 3 in 79. Swann had 3 in 78.

Swann's post season spectacular catches are still nfl highlights all these years later.

I would probably take both Swann's and Stallworth's skillets in the RZ over AB's.

[bradshaw2ben]

Why are most of you mentioning the need for big playoff performances as validation?

The Steelers thrived and won in those days because of the defense, whereas today's team relies on the offense. I've only watched the tapes, but Brown will definitely be in the conversation as a top WR in Steelers history if he stays in Pittsburgh. I would argue that the current WR corps could end up being the best in Steelers history when you look at how deep it is.

That's a misconception, perhaps because you're on the young side to remember.
From 1972-75, they had a legendary defense combined with a terrific running attack and an unsettled QB situation. From 76-77, they transitioned to some new pieces on defense and settled into Bradshaw as their franchise QB. In 78, the combination of rules changes and the coming into their own of Bradshaw, Swann, Stallworth, et al changed the orientation of the once defense-centered team to an aggressive but inconsistent defense paired with the greatest offense seen to that point. The offense remained pretty good for a few years, although the defense, via age and retirements finally dropped off enough that the run was over. Once Bradshaw retired, the offense became the Stallworth show, then the Louis Lipps show-- finally, they stalled altogether and Cohwer came in and rebuilt a defense-first team.

The reality is: from at least Super Bowl X, the offense played as big a part as the defense, if not more.

[COR-TEN]

The one thing that I think gets overlooked is context and the degree of complexity of the game. Not to mention the sheer number of players and coaches in each organization. There are so many factors and (x) variables that one could argue almost anything that falls in the middle of any stat graph. And then there are rule changes and the NFL that influences game outcomes. Yeah, I know it throws a wet towel on the discussion, but it's not like you can compare football to baseball or basketball in regard to stats or player accomplishments. So much is dependent on other players and coaches that individualism can't be evaluated accurately. This is why I don't understand the shit that gets thrown at Wheaton, who's behind AB, Bell, Heath, and MB.

AB was non existent with BR off the field. What would have happened if Stallworth or Swann played with Pastorini/ Earl Cambell and the Oilers?

[Legacy User]

It's pretty much impossible to even have a conversation like this without establishing the ground rules-- eras are so different, based on talent or results or how dynamic?

oh I agree totally..its an age old argument in every sport..differant eras.. my only point was ab is catching way over 100+ passes last 3 years now and is within shot of all time record for receptions this year. im betting his last 3 year receptions are a record? and hes getting yardage too..where Stallworth only reached 60s. hines only had 1 season over 100..anyway u cut it ab is amazing..i watched the 70s steelers and swann- stall worth were great..lipps was awesome. loved hines.. but the number ab putting up now is hard to argue with.. hes already over half way to hines 1000 number for career.. again its good point -hines had Kordell and kent dipshit..and bettis in backfield taking reps..but the amazing numbers are damn impressive.

[Kodiak]

I think you have to look at it relative to their peers....There are 4-5 other guys in AB's neighborhood, but hasn't necessarily been the same 4-5 the last 3 years. Same would be said of Swann and Stallworth. Ward was never really even in top-5 but maybe a year or two.

Jerry Rice, on the other hand, was pretty much head-and-shoulder over everyone else playing in his era. Maybe Montana/Young and that system had something to do with it.

then you look at what Randy Moss did a few times, particularly 2007 with Brady.

AB is coming up light on TD's this year. If he finishes REALLY strong, it could be right up there as one of the best seasons ever. Almost certainly would have been if Ben stays healthy all year.

[Legacy User]

AB is a great WR, and is only going to get better as long as he has a HOF-bound QB tossing strikes his way.

I think the best is Swannee and Stalls. Those men did it when the big lights were on. It may seem unfair to say this, but when there is no tomorrow and you do it, it IS greater. That is the only reason Swannee is in the HOF, after all. Because those highlight reels will play forever. In the biggest games, he came up the biggest, along with Stalls, and both of those guys, particularly Swannee who was a starter before Stalls, played in an era with headhunters who could fuck you the fuck up every time. No pussy 5 yards and no touch. These men had to deal with the likes of Tatum and Atkinson and others like them on a regular basis. AB has to deal with nothing like that.

That said, I believe, and have always believed, AB is special. And Hines? There have been physical WR's in NFL history. But none more so than this gentleman. All four of these men should be commiserating in the HOF, and the latter two will one day.

[jebrick]

Swann seems to be the one that gets moved around a lot on the list. I remember how smart he was. There was a game vs the Jets that he just stopped in the middle of the field 30-40 yards deep. By the time Bradshaw threw the ball Swann had a DB on either side of him. So he just jumped way early and both DBs jumped with him grabbing and bumping him. No way he could catch the ball and he knew it so he drew the PI. Different era. Same play might not draw the call today.

Personally, I would have Stallworth, Brown, Swann.