The Pittsburgh Steelers have an illustrious history lined with Hall of Fame players and Super Bowl victories. It has been one of the most successful franchises in the NFL, and that all started back in the 1970s when the Steelers became the first post-merger dynasty the league had seen. This includes four Super Bowl wins in a stretch of just six seasons, which is something no other team has been able to do since. The other teams to come close to that mark include the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, and technically, the Buffalo Bills.
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A large display of the Steelers' first three Super Bowl rings at the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
The dynasty back in the 1970s came in large part due to former head coach Chuck Noll, quarterback Terry Bradshaw, and one of the best defenses in the history of the NFL. A great receiver corps along with Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier being in the backfield, were also huge factors in the organization's success. Many players from those teams went on to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which signifies just how great some of them were at the sport and it measures the impact that those players had on the league.
There are constantly debates about whether or not players from that day and age could compete in today's league. This is something Bradshaw addressed during an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, and he expressed doubt that certain players could play in today's NFL.
"Joe Greene made the Hall of Fame at 275 pounds, defensive tackle," Bradshaw said. "Jack Lambert, 218 pounds at middle linebacker, Hall of Famer. I always say, size-wise, can't do it. If you want to really get into it, then talk about money. Now, I will say this, the wide receivers, the quarterbacks, the running backs could play today, and probably the tight ends. But my center weighed 252 pounds."
He mentioned both Joe Greene and Jack Lambert by name, who were two of the key anchors on that legendary defense of the '70s. He also mentioned his center, and it is fair to assume he is talking about Mike Webster. All three of those players went on to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but Bradshaw doubts their size would allow them to play as well in 2026.
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Steelers' legendary linebacker Jack Lambert gets inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.
Bradshaw made it clear that players like himself, Harris, Bleier, and the receivers like Lynn Swann and John Stallworth would still find success in the NFL today. Essentially, the former quarterback believes it would be easier for skill positions players to compete because the positions that they play are less reliant on size. Harris would still be a force coming out of the backfield, although the running game has changed dramatically.
Steelers Great Joe Greene Would Probably Still Find Success
Bradshaw seems to doubt Greene and claims the defensive lineman was only 275 pounds when he played. Interior defensive lineman currently play closer to 300 pounds. For instance, Cam Heyward is listed at 295 pounds on the team website, while Derrick Harmon is listed at 313 pounds. That is nearly a 20-pound difference between those two players, so who is to say that Greene couldn't make it work at 275. Greene also probably didn't need to weigh more back then, and if he needed to pack on weight to play today, he likely could do so. This could include muscle, or just eating a larger diet to add some necessary mass.
Associated Press
“Mean” Joe Greene was a cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s Steel Curtain defense and a team that became a dynasty in the ’70s.
Greene has also been hailed for his abilities as an athlete. Former coaches have said that he was one of a kind when it came to his athleticism, so he surely could have made things work in order to find some success in today's game.
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