All time linebacking corp

[BlitzburghRockCity]

You can have any 4 linebackers on the field at one time, who's your starting group? You can choose from anybody on any Steeler team since 1969. When you actually sit back and think about that it's a pretty touch decision because there's so many to choose from. Even though the Steelers played the 43 in the 70's; only using 3 linebackers on the field at a time we'll go with 4 since that's what we use now. And post up why they are your choices.


OLB - Greg Lloyd
OLB - Kevin Greene
ILB - Jack Lambert
ILB - Levon Kirkland

Lloyd - he was just flat out mean and had so much quickness and power that he could run go side line to sideline and chase down the QB from the opposite site of the field with no problems at all.

Greene - a lot of upper body strength and a guy that could use his moves and power to go right through or around any Tackle in the game.

Lambert - the best ILB of all time, bar none. He wasn't the biggest or the strongest but he feared nobody and he was in every play dishing out the pain and standing up for his teammates. There's nobody else you'd want to have in your corner more during a game than Lambert.

Kirkland - a guy that was so big and strong but could drop back into coverage and run with virtually any TE in the league. He was a leader on the team and somebody who could bull rush any offensive lineman and go right through them.


honorable mentions:

Jack Ham - the unsung, quiet hero on the dynasty Steel Curtain. He may not have gotten all they hype but he was as solid and sure as there was and a key cog in the linebacking corp of the greatest defense of all time.

Kendrell Bell - his first 2 years in the league he was just a demon, he had so much power and explosiveness that he would take on Centers and Guards and just drive them backwards play after play. Had he not gotten hurt the sky would have been limit for this kid.

Porter - One of the most controversial and outspoken players in team history, he had the quickness to get by a Tackle and the ability to drop back in coverage and run with RB's, TE's and WR's alike. He was the heart and sole of the defense for years.

Gildon: the all time team sack leader, the dude was an unsung hero year after year and has always been a favorite of mine. He leared from Lloyd and Greene and had pass rushing skills second to none in his prime.

[TEEMONT]

You gotta throw my boy Bryan Hinkle in there somewhere.

[MDSteel15]

Just a quick ???, how do you not have, even as an honorable mention, JACK HAM? He was actually the best LB on the 70s Steelers! Believe me I love Lambert, and he should be on the list, but you have to have Ham.

[BlitzburghRockCity]

Everybody make their own lists of who you want, that one was just my picks. Jack Ham deserves to be on anybody's list, he was an unsung hero on the Steel Curtain for sure and would be a worthy candidate. I just choose Lloyd and Greene because they worked so well together and both of them were bookend OLB's that were just such a force to be wreckoned with that I couldn't resist it. You could make a case for so many great Steeler LB's over the years that it's hard to pick just 4.

[K Train]

OMG! YOU DONT HAVE JACK HAM!??

stfu, theres been alot of great linebackers over the years...have to leave some out when you pick 4....give me lloyd, porter, gildon and lambert...i dont care if i have 3 OLBs lol

[Black@Gold Forever32]

If you're running a 3-4 I have to be technical here....I don't think Ham could play in a 3-4? So he wouldn't make my list either......I still would pick Lambert since he was just a mean SOB....With him and Lloyd on the same defense that would scare any offense....lol So here is my four....

Greg Lloyd
Jack Lambert
Chad Brown
Joey Porter

I was really torn in trying to pick four......I went with Greg Lloyd just the simple fact he was just nasty and damn good 3-4 OLB....He was favorite player growing up (along with Woodson)......

Jack Lambert is the best MLB period...enough said....Could he play in a 3-4? I don't know but he was nasty also....So he makes my list...

As for Chad Brown....I went for him as the other ILB for the simple fact he was badass in the Steelers Blitzburgh D as a ILB or OLB......When Lloyd went down with a season ending knee injury early in 1996 (might have been the first game of the season) can't remember off hand...Brown switched to OLB and had a monster year....So I want his flexibility on my defense......

Top Gun, is so right Keven Greene and Greg Lloyd were so great together and its hard not to take Greene....But I went with Porter......Its really hard to not pick Gildon also.....I just think overall Porter was better then Greene/Gildon....Plus I would want his energy on the team....Talking his trash...lol

[BlitzburghRockCity]

Yeah that game that Lloyd went down in was the season opener down in Jacksonville. That day we lost 3 LB's in that game for varying amounts of time as I remember it. Seeing Lloyd hobbling off the field my heart just sank; then later that evening on NFL primetime they showed a replay of it and confirmed it was a torn ACL.

I don't know how well Ham would do in a 34 scheme...he was 6'1 225 so he was alittle on the small side and in today's NFL he may get swallowed up by the big tackles but then again he was a trooper and a scrapper so I wouldn't put it past him to do well just like Lambert. Both of them played way above what their size would normally dictate.

[swissvale72]

Jack Ham was the PERFECT linebacker.....always in position, never missed a tackle, covered passes esceedingly well....any list without him is bogus

Jack Lambert....was certainly well protected....so damn intense, covered waaaay downfield

Greg Lloyd.....I wasn't hired for my disposition....

4th spot....Andy Russell

[Zachintosh66]

Lambert

Ham

Lloyd

Gildon

[BR7]

OLB Lloyd
ILB Kirkland
ILB Merriweather
OLB Lambert

Too bad Merriweather was an ass about his contract, sat out a year and bolted for the Vikings. Hard to get that 4th in there.