A new Pittsburgh Steelers series to pass the time this offseason. We’re ranking the top ten “freak” athletes in history. Choosing just ten is never easy for a franchise full of so much history and success. This list isn’t just about the fastest players, either. We’ve ranked those guys before. This focuses on strength, quickness, and speed. An overall athletic profile relative to their size and position of players who simply moved in ways no one could’ve expected.
We’ll take it two at a time and count down. Continuing with No. 7 and 8.
8. Antonio Brown/WR (2010-2018)
A skinny kid from Central Michigan who ran a 4.5-something turned into one of the most dominant players in NFL history. That’s one heck of a headline. Brown was never the fastest, biggest, or strongest receiver, but he was impossible to cover. His quick twitch and nuanced route running allowed him to escape even the NFL’s stickiest corners. His calling cards were his hands and body control, routinely making catches deemed impossible.
After Pittsburgh drafted him, Brown improved every facet of his athleticism. His insatiable work ethic filled out his frame with at least 10 pounds of muscle, giving him the strength to compete for the ball in the air and break tackles. He was a nightmare for defenses and proved it every week.
7. Jerome Bettis/RB (1996-2005)
“The Bus” was a style of running back that hardly exists anymore; the light-footed bruiser. His calling card was power, cutting through defenders like paper. But his light feet and surprising quickness made Bettis both a fun player to watch and a difficult one to stop.
For however much he weighed, call it 250 pounds, Bettis moved with a swiftness that made him an NFL unicorn. Defenders who charged hard at him, hoping to hit back, caught air. Those who patiently waited for him to juke were steamrolled. Lose-lose.
Less frequently discussed is his stamina. For all his size, not to mention his asthma, Bettis was a workhorse back who recorded 300-plus seasonal carries four times in Pittsburgh. In a 1997 overtime win over Arizona, he toted the ball 36 times and finished with the game-winning score.
Those talents took Bettis straight to the Hall of Fame.
Previous Lists
Numbers 9 and 10