NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
Five Steelers legends immortalized among the greatest hundred players in NFL history.
The NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team stands as the league's most prestigious collective honor, unveiled in December 2019 to celebrate a century of professional football history. Selected by a panel of media members, former players, and coaches, this roster represents the absolute pinnacle of talent across all eras of the game. For Pittsburgh Steelers fans, its significance is profound, as it serves as the ultimate validation of the franchise's historical dominance and the enduring legacy of its legendary figures.
- Team Size
- 100 players
- Selection Year
- 2019
- Steelers Representatives
- 5
- Most Represented Position (Steelers)
- Linebacker/Defensive Back
- Notable Honorees
- Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Mel Blount, Jack Lambert, Franco Harris
Lore & Background
The selection process didn't just count names; it echoed the roar of the Steel Curtain. While other franchises leaned on offensive fireworks, the Steelers' presence was anchored by a defensive terror that rewrote the sport's DNA. Joe Greene wasn't merely selected; he was recognized as the gravitational center who pulled the entire league into his orbit, while Mel Blount's nod acknowledged the moment the NFL had to change its rulebook because one man was simply too physical to guard legally.
In Their Own Story
Inside Heinz Field, the air grew thick with the scent of popcorn and cold steel as the stadium lights hummed against the winter dusk. A young fan traced the ink on a vintage program, watching ghosts of the '70s materialize from the frozen turf: Greene's sneer, Lambert's glare, Blount's shadow, Harris's stumble-and-gain, Bradshaw's grin. These weren't just names in a list; they were five souls pulled from a century of chaos to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the league's gods. In that hushed pre-kickoff moment, history felt heavy and golden, a tangible weight on the black-and-gold shoulders, whispering a promise that while dynasties end, legends never fade.
Reader's Guide
In December 2019, the NFL didn't just host an anniversary; it held a coronation. A panel of over 150 experts—Hall of Famers, coaches, and historians who had watched football evolve since 1920—cast their votes to seal the top one percent of all time. For Pittsburgh, this wasn't a statistic; it was a historical seal of approval validating two distinct eras of dominance. Five Steelers earned their spot: Joe Greene (DT), Terry Bradshaw (QB), Mel Blount (CB), Jack Lambert (LB), and Franco Harris (RB). Their inclusion bridges the Steel Curtain's terrifying defense with the high-flying 1970s offense, creating an unbreakable link between eras. This list remains the definitive yardstick: to be considered truly great in Pittsburgh, you must now measure your soul against Greene's intensity or Blount's coverage.
Did You Know?
- Joe Greene is widely regarded as the only player on the entire All-Time Team who possessed the versatility and dominance to start at virtually any position on the field.
- Mel Blount's selection forced a permanent acknowledgment that his physical 'Blount Rule' style of coverage was so effective, it literally changed NFL regulations.
- The five Steelers honored represent the core of four of the franchise's six Super Bowl victories from their dominant 1970s dynasty.
- Jack Lambert stands as one of only three players on the entire All-Time Team who never played a single down on offense.