The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the best franchises in the NFL throughout the history of the league. That fact has remained true since the turn of the century, as Pittsburgh has taken three trips to the Super Bowl, being able to hoist the Lombardi Trophy twice at the end of the 2005 season and at the end of the 2008 season. The offense made some plays during those runs to the big game, but those teams primarily relied upon the defensive side of the ball. The Pittsburgh defenses that played in those games are widely considered some of the best defenses of all-time, and they could have been better had the Steelers not missed on a free agent back during the 2002 offseason.
Peter Diana / Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Pittsburgh Steelers' former head coach, Bill Cowher screams at Ben Roethlisberger early on in the legendary quarterback's career.
During the 2002 offseason, inside linebacker London Fletcher was a free agent. He wasn't the defensive star he would later become just yet, but he was still a good player. Pittsburgh made an attempt to sign Fletcher, but the linebacker ultimately chose to sign with the Buffalo Bills, which is where he played through the 2006 season. The All-Pro linebacker recently went on The Justin Time Podcast, where he shared some background about his free agency back in 2002.
"Become a free agent, I got visits lined up to Buffalo, Detroit, Pittsburgh," Fletcher said. "Those are gonna be my three free agent visits. Go to Buffalo first, they make a really nice offer to me, and we agreed to the deal. Buffalo was the first one to step up to the plate. We had a number that we wanted to get to, and they were close to meeting where we wanted to get to. The smart franchises, the really good ones, you get a guy in your building, especially back then, you got him in your building, you don't let him leave. You got the first crack at it. The worst thing you can do is let that guy go without closing the deal."
Fletcher had visits lined up with the Bills, Detroit Lions, and the Steelers, but unfortunately for Pittsburgh, Buffalo was first on the list. The Steelers never even had a chance to sit down with Fletcher due to the Bills making an offer that was close to the player's asking price.
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Former Buffalo Bills linebacker London Fletcher celebrates during a home game shortly after signing with the team.
Fletcher was a late-bloomer in the NFL. He played with Buffalo for five seasons, but he didn't become an All-Pro caliber player until he played with the then-Washington Redskins. He was also a Pro Bowler four times, and was named an alternate during his final season with the Bills in 2007. Pittsburgh's defense was dominant during the time that Fletcher played with Buffalo, but it is interesting to think about what he could have added to the unit. He is considered one of the best tacklers to ever play the game, an he also tallied 23 interceptions throughout his career.
Steelers Still Filled Their Hole At Inside Linebacker
Missing out on Fletcher may have been a blessing in disguise, because then-General Manager Kevin Colbert and the Steelers were able to go out and sign James Farrior instead. Farrior was a leader on the defenses that helped win two Super Bowls, and he was named an All-Pro twice during his time with Pittsburgh. He played with the team through the 2011 season before retiring, and he was inducted into the organization's Hall of Honor back in 2020.
Steelers.com
An action shot of former linebacker James Farrior (51) against the Cleveland Browns during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It has been stated before how important players like Farrior were to those teams. He and other leaders on the defense kept others in check, and they weren't afraid to be harsh in their leadership styles. This is something many believe Pittsburgh is missing as of late.
What do you think about the Steelers nearly being able to land Fletcher in free agency? Let us know in the comments below!
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