A new Pittsburgh Steelers series to pass the time this offseason. We’re ranking the top 10 “freak” athletes in history. Choosing just 10 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 have expected.
Today, the top two names on the list.
2. Rod Woodson/DB (1987-1996)
An elite athlete in every sense of the word, Woodson had world-class speed. In 1984, he qualified for the Olympics in the 110-meter hurdles but opted not to compete, focusing instead on football. The 55-, 60-, and 110-meter hurdle records he set at Purdue still stand today.
At the 1987 NFL Combine, Woodson weighed in at a stout 6’0, 202 pounds. He tested off the charts: a 4.29 40-yard dash, 36-inch vertical, 10’5″ broad, and sub-4 second short shuttle time. Remember, this was the 80s when training and Combine emphasis was much less rigorous or common, and even a decade before Mike Mamula became the poster child of “workout warrior.”
His athleticism translated to the NFL. A high-end cover corner who could hit, Woodson was also an excellent returner. In his decade with Pittsburgh, he housed a pair of kicks and punts for touchdowns.
Woodson’s straight-line speed is his calling card; he ranked third in our 2018 list of fastest Steelers ever, only behind Dwight Stone and Ike Taylor, but he was an all-around athlete with no weakness. To do so at his frame, large by both the era’s and today’s standards, is all the more remarkable. Though his career extended beyond Pittsburgh, it’s worth mentioning Woodson was a full-time starter through his age-38 season with the Oakland Raiders until a knee injury ended his career.
1. Troy Polamalu/S (2003-2014)
No one in NFL history is comparable to Polamalu. He packaged his football IQ and instincts, which get plenty of recognition, with tremendous athleticism.
At his USC Pro Day, he measured in at just over 5’10 and 206 pounds. He ran a 4.33 40, jumped 43.5 inches in the vert, and put up 25 reps on the bench press. One of my favorite Pro Day stories is the fact the USC training room had to remove ceiling tiles above the vertical jump bar so Polamalu wouldn’t hurt himself. The man literally jumped through the ceiling.
Once drafted, Polamalu showed his one-of-one tools. The acceleration to close space in the blink of an eye. To cover ground unlike anyone else.
It’s hard to describe his athleticism in a way that does it justice. But it’s clear he’s No. 1 in team history.
Top 10 List
Numbers 9 and 10
Numbers 7 and 8
Numbers 5 and 6
Numbers 3 and 4
10. OL Carlton Haselrig
9. QB Ben Roethlisberger
8. WR Antonio Brown
7. RB Jerome Bettis
6. DL Gene ‘Big Daddy’ Lipscomb
5. QB Kordell Stewart
4. LB Levon Kirkland
3. OL Alan Faneca
2. DB Rod Woodson
1. S Troy Polamalu