The Pittsburgh Steelers have an illustrious history full of success, and that is mainly due to the organization's consistent eye for talent. Pittsburgh has gone through a bit of a rough patch in recent years with postseason success, but the entire reason much of the fan base has been so frustrated lately is because of the standard the franchise is held to. That standard was built by years of triumph in the difficult business that is the NFL, and the Steelers have been able to get to the mountaintop so many times because the franchise has been able to figure out the right players to bring into the fold.
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Former Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward (#86) celebrates his infamous touchdown catch against the Seattle Seahawks thrown by Antwaan Randle El in Super Bowl XL in Detroit, MI.
Pittsburgh is well known for the dynasty it created during the 1970s, but the organization was also one of the best in the NFL throughout the 2000s. The Steelers went to three Super Bowls and won two of them while being a consistent figure in the postseason. They had meaningful contributions from tons of players, including premier draft picks and guys that had to wait until after the NFL Draft to be signed to a team. One of those players was running back Willie Parker, and former Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert recently went on The Lyons Share Podcast with former Pittsburgh tight end Mitch Lyons to discuss the signing of Parker.
"Willie Parker, who we talked about earlier, out of North Carolina." Colbert noted. "When we signed Willie, I was like, upset, because we had other running backs rated higher. But, we come to an agreement with Willie and you know, after the draft, it's all frantic, and we were fortunate we did. He only had 242 yards as a senior because he played in a three-man rotation because he had a fumbling habit at North Carolina."
Pittsburgh signed Parker as an undrafted free agent after the 2004 NFL Draft. The back would go on to play for the Steelers for six seasons, and he was even named a Pro Bowler during the 2006 and 2007 campaigns. The back made his presence felt in Pittsburgh, and he was inducted into the franchise's Hall of Honor during the 2024 season.
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Steelers' Willie Parker set the record for the longest championship run during Super Bowl XL.
Parker was a part of two Super Bowl-winning teams for Pittsburgh, and he made his impact felt in Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks when he ripped off a 75-yard touchdown run. It is still the longest run in Super Bowl history. He was a key part of the offense as he carried the ball over 200 times in four separate seasons. He eclipsed 1,200 yards from 2005 through 2007, and he totaled over 6,000 yards from scrimmage and 29 total touchdowns for Pittsburgh.
It is a good thing Colbert and the Steelers got a deal done with Parker as he is by far the most accomplished running back from the class of undrafted free agents in 2004.
Steelers Have A Knack For Finding Super Bowl Heroes After The Draft
Parker wasn't the only undrafted free agent that had a meaningful impact on Pittsburgh's Super Bowl-winning teams of the 2000s. Star outside linebacker James Harrison was also undrafted, and he registered one of the most memorable plays in Super Bowl history when he returned an interception the entire length of the field as time expired in the first half of Super Bowl XLIII.
The Athletic
Former Pittsburgh Steelers OLB James Harrison makes one of the most memorable plays in Super Bowl History against the Arizona Cardinals in 2009.
Harrison was a diamond in the rough for Pittsburgh as the organization actually cut him several times, as did other teams. He went on to be the Defensive Player Of The Year in 2008, and he is a potential Hall Of Famer as he was named a Pro-Bowler five times and made an All-Pro team four times.
What do you think about Pittsburgh originally being upset about signing Parker? Let us know in the comments below!
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