It’s hard to believe that the 2010s are already drawing to a close, but 2020 is merely weeks away. The NFL saw hundreds of insane storylines unfold over the last decade, but the most interesting team of the decade was none other than the Pittsburgh Steelers. One can certainly make the argument that the Steelers vastly underachieved in the 2010s, but Pittsburgh certainly wasn’t boring over the last decade. Here are the top 10 Steelers moments from the 2010s.
10. Ryan Shazier walks on the field for the first time since gruesome injury (2018)
Star Linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a brutal spinal injury against the Cincinnati Bengals in December 2017, and many questioned whether or not he would ever be able to walk normally again.
Thankfully, Shazier proved to the world that he could recover by walking on to the field at Paul Brown Stadium (the stadium where he suffered the injury) the very next season. It was a very powerful moment that even brought Bengals fans to a standing ovation.
9. Steelers trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick (2019)
The Steelers spent the latter half of the 2010s in desperate need of help in the secondary. For too many years they had suffered heartbreaking playoff losses because of their inability to stop opposing passing attacks. General manager Kevin Colbert had enough three weeks into 2019 and elected to go all out by trading a first-round pick for Dolphins Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, a move that has ignited a defensive resurgence in Pittsburgh.
8. Steelers comeback against Jacksonville (2018)
The Jaguars tormented Pittsburgh with two brutal losses in 2017, but the Steelers got their revenge with an epic comeback win during the 2018 regular season. For three and a half quarters the Jaguars looked like they were going to once again frustrate Pittsburgh with a dominant defense, but then wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster made an incredible sideline grab to spark the Steelers offense. Big Ben capped the team’s comeback with a gritty rushing touchdown.
7. Le’Veon Bell’s Walkoff Touchdown vs. the Chargers (2015)
With Big Ben sidelined for a month with a knee injury, Michael Vick took over the team’s quarterback duties in his absence. It was running back Le’Veon Bell who really carried the load, however, and his greatest moment came with a walk-off touchdown against the Chargers on Monday Night Football. Bell took the direct snap from the wildcat formation and forced his way in for the win.
6. Polamalu’s Strip Sack on Sunday Night (2010)
The majority of Troy Polamalu’s career-defining plays came during the 2000s, but he still had several iconic moments during the 2010s. The best of his moments from the last decade came during a Sunday Night showdown in 2010 against the rival Baltimore Ravens. On a cold December night with the AFC North division title on the line, Polamalu stripped Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, allowing Big Ben and the offense to easily punch in the go-ahead touchdown.
5. The Comeback vs. Denver (2015)
Even with an endless onslaught of injuries, the 2015 Steelers had one of the best (if not the best) offenses in the league. They put up ridiculous numbers every week and continued to make top-tier defenses look bad. Their greatest moment came in a late-season matchup against the Broncos, who boasted the league’s top defense.
The Steelers erased a 17-point deficit against Denver thanks to an incredible second half by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and it allowed the Steelers to sneak into the playoffs as the sixth and final seed.
4. Big Ben Outduels Andrew Luck with Monster Performance (2014)
Ben Roethlisberger will always be remembered as one of the toughest players to ever play football. Most of his iconic moments are gritty, physical feats and late-game heroics, but the best game of his career was a result of raw skill. In 2014 the Steelers engaged in a shootout with high powered Indianapolis Colts, but Pittsburgh was able to come out on top thanks to Big Ben tossing 522 passing yards and six touchdown passes.
3. Boswell’s game-winning field goal caps insane wild card win over Cincinnati (2016)
The Steelers playoff win over the Bengals during the 2015 season was ugly. The game will be remembered for numerous ugly injuries and several dirty penalties by both teams.
Giovani Bernard’s season-ending injury and Antonio Brown’s concussion (as a result of a dirty hit by Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict) will be what the game is remembered for, but lost in the chaos was Chris Boswell continuing his clutch season with yet another walk-off field goal. The Steelers spent several weeks early in the season struggling to find a competent kicker, but after signing undrafted rookie Chris Boswell, all of those struggles disappeared.
2. Antonio Brown’s Helmet Catch Sends Steelers to the AFC Championship (2011)
Antonio Brown’s reputation in Pittsburgh is now filled with infamy and hate, but there is no denying all of the incredible things he did in Pittsburgh. During his rookie year, he was responsible for a ridiculously clutch catch in the Divisional Round vs. the Baltimore Ravens. With the game tied 24-24 in the game’s final minutes, the Steelers faced third down and 19 yards to go while deep in their own territory. Big Ben lobbed a prayer down the sideline that Antonio Brown miraculously caught by pinning the football to his helmet. The catch set up the Steelers game-winning touchdown and the Steelers would go on to win the AFC and play the Packers in the Super Bowl.
1. The Drive that Saved Christmas (2016)
Christmas Day usually has the NBA in the spotlight, but every few years the calendar aligns just right, allowing the NFL to broadcast a couple games on the holiday. 2016 was one such year and it saw the Steelers and Ravens face off with the AFC North title on the line. The game was a back and forth thriller that saw numerous lead changes in the fourth quarter.
It all culminated in an epic game-winning drive for the Steelers which resulted in Antonio Brown catching the game-winning touchdown with nine seconds left on the clock. The play has been dubbed as the “the immaculate extension” because Antonio Brown caught the ball short of the goal line but was able to force himself through two defenders and break the plane before being tackled. This epic drive and incredible play to win the division on Christmas day was the greatest Steelers moment of the decade.
