The 2010s were a decade full of big moments and heartbreaking letdowns for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They represented the AFC in Super Bowl XLV against the Green Bay Packers but ultimately fell short of winning a seventh Super Bowl ring. There were plenty of playoff heartbreaks for the team, too. The Tim Tebow game, the game they squandered away against the eventual-champion Denver Broncos in 2015, and the 45-42 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2017 all come to mind. Pittsburgh’s regular-season record in the decade was 102-57-1, but they posted a disappointing 5-6 postseason record. With the decade behind us, we’ll take a closer look at the Pittsburgh Steelers all-decade team, starting with the offense.
Check out the Steelers all-decade team on defense.
Pittsburgh Steelers 2010s All-Decade Team: Offense
Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger
There are several positions here that will come as no surprise, and this is one. Future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger is the best Steelers quarterback of the 2010s. Game-manager “Big Ben” became gun-slinger Big Ben a few years into the decade when the Steelers defenses of old no longer existed. This change in playstyle resulted in Roethlisberger putting up some crazy numbers in the 2010s. He led the league in passing yards twice and was a five-time Pro Bowler.
Many memories come to mind from the last decade for Roethlisberger. One is when he threw six touchdown passes in back-to-back games, setting an NFL record with 12 touchdown passes in a two-game span. Who could forget in that disappointing loss to Jacksonville when Roethlisberger lit up the league’s top pass defense for 469 yards and five touchdowns? As was a trend in the second half of the decade, Roethlisberger was once again let down by his defense in that one. And then there’s connection Big Ben built with Antonio Brown, which was one of the best quarterback-receiver connections in league history. All things considered, the 2010s were a great decade for Ben Roethlisberger.
Running Back: Le’Veon Bell
His time in Pittsburgh came to a disappointing end, but Le’Veon Bell was the best running back in the league at one point. He truly could do it all as a running back. Bell was the Steelers’ workhorse; he quickly racked up rushing attempts and caught a lot of passes, too. Along with that, he was the league’s best pass-blocking back. In five years in Pittsburgh, Bell totaled 7,996 scrimmage yards on 1,541 touches and 42 total touchdowns. Steelers fans will never forget Bell’s walk-off touchdown against the San Diego Chargers in 2015, or his 38 carry, 236 yard game against the Buffalo Bills in the snow in 2016. He quickly became a fan favorite in Pittsburgh, and Le’Veon Bell was phenomenal to watch. His vision, patience, and all-around play had him at the top of the league for several years.
Honorable mention: Rashard Mendenhall, and Roosevelt Nix as a fullback
Wide Receiver: Antonio Brown
Here’s another one that isn’t a surprise. Antonio Brown was the best wide receiver in the NFL for an extended period of time. Just look at his accomplishments in the 2010s: seven Pro Bowl selections and four first-team All-Pro selections. He led the NFL in receptions twice, yards twice, and touchdowns once. Brown quickly developed from the rookie with a big playoff reception against the Baltimore Ravens to a full-blown superstar. There really are too many memories or moments to list from Antonio Brown’s time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Instead, we’ll just list his numbers in nine seasons with the team: 837 receptions, 11,207 receiving yards, 74 touchdowns. You’d have been hard-pressed to find a wide receiver who worked harder to perfect his craft than Brown when he was at his peak. His personal problems might keep him out, but Antonio Brown is easily a Hall of Fame-caliber wide receiver. Brown’s development from sixth-round pick to the league’s premier receiver was a fun one to watch.
Wide Receiver: Mike Wallace
He only spent three seasons with the team in the 2010s, but Mike Wallace was a great receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers. His speed made him one of the league’s top deep ball threats. From 2010-2012, Wallace totaled 3,286 yards on 196 receptions (just shy of 17 yards per reception) and 26 touchdowns. His 21 yards per reception was good for second in the NFL in 2010. In 2011, Wallace earned his only career Pro Bowl selection. He went on to have a couple of decent seasons in Miami and Baltimore, but Wallace never returned to the level he was at in Pittsburgh. Things didn’t work out financially in Pittsburgh to keep Wallace around, but he was their best receiver in the early part of the last decade.
Wide Receiver: JuJu Smith-Schuster
Though his best work will come over the next decade, JuJu Smith-Schuster still finds himself a spot on the 2010 team. His first three seasons in the NFL came last decade and he made an impact right away. As a rookie, he fell just short of 1,000 receiving yards on 58 catches. His second year was a big one. Thanks to all the attention Antonio Brown got from opposing defenses, Smith-Schuster was really able to put up numbers. He finished that year with 1,426 yards (fifth in the league) on 111 receptions (t-6th) and seven touchdowns. Smith-Schuster’s 2019 campaign wasn’t great, but that was mainly due to nagging injuries and poor quarterback play. His first three years with the Pittsburgh Steelers were full of promise, and Smith-Schuster’s career is just getting started.
Honorable mentions: Emmanuel Sanders, Markus Wheaton
Tight End: Heath Miller
Heath Miller‘s career perfectly split the 2000s and 2010s, and he’s without a doubt the tight end on both all-decade teams. He wasn’t a flashy tight end by any means but was a great blocker and security blanket for Roethlisberger. Miller connected with Roethlisberger on touchdown passes 41 times during his career. That ties him with Hines Ward for the second most, as Brown and Roethlisberger connected for 74 touchdowns. Look no further than the “HEATHHHH” chants every time a Steelers tight end catches a pass to know how much Miller was loved by fans in Pittsburgh. He’s the best tight end in Pittsburgh Steelers history, and easily their top tight end of the 2010s.
Left Tackle: Alejandro Villanueva
The Army Ranger-turned offensive tackle has put together a good body of work so far in the Black and Gold. Formerly a defensive end with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Steelers successfully turned Villanueva into a high-caliber left tackle. Villanueva started his first game for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6 of the 2015 season and has started every game since. 74 starts later, he is a two-time Pro Bowler. He has his ups and downs and has had struggles with some of the league’s premier edge rushers. But overall, Villanueva has done a more than serviceable job protecting the blindside of Steelers quarterbacks. He had big shoes to fill when Kelvin Beachum went down with an injury in 2015, but he did a good job filling them.
Honorable mention: Kelvin Beachum
Left Guard: Ramon Foster
Moving forward, there won’t be much of a debate to be had with the rest of the offensive linemen. Ramon Foster gets the nod at left guard. The former undrafted free agent started 144 of a possible 160 games in the 2010s for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He never got a lot of credit due to the talent that surrounded him on Pittsburgh’s offensive line. Sometimes with an offensive lineman, less attention is better. That was absolutely the case with Foster. He quietly did his job, took care of business, and was a staple on Pittsburgh’s offensive line for the whole decade. Along with that, he was a great guy to have in the locker room and a mentor to many of the younger players. Every successful franchise needs to have players like Ramon Foster.
Center: Maurkice Pouncey
Here’s another no-brainer. Since being drafted in the first round of the 2010 draft, Maurkice Pouncey has put together a Hall of Fame-caliber career for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has started 121 during his 10 seasons in the NFL. In 2013, he only played in one game before tearing his ACL, and he broke his leg in the 2015 preseason. Other than those two seasons, Pouncey has played 13+ games in every season and has been one of the best centers in the NFL. Every year that Pouncey has been healthy, he has been selected to the Pro Bowl. He’s also a five-time All-Pro, twice on the first-team and three times on the second-team. Recently, Pouncey added another accolade when he was selected to the NFL’s official 2010s all-decade team. Whenever he decides to hang it up, there’s a decent chance Maurkice Pouncey will be headed to Canton.
Right Guard: David DeCastro
David DeCastro is the epitome of consistency. Since 2013, he has started 108 of 112 total games for Pittsburgh. He’s a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, twice as a member of the first-team. DeCastro is about as well-rounded as an offensive lineman will get. He’s a bulldozer in the run game, a great athlete who gets to the second level, stout in pass-blocking, and extremely mobile in pulling situations. DeCastro has been the best, most dependable, and most consistent offensive lineman on the Steelers for the past several years. The pulling tandem of him and Pouncey is a nightmare for opposing defenses.
Right Tackle: Marcus Gilbert
Injuries kept him from being a top right tackle in the NFL, but Marcus Gilbert was more than solid with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After being drafted in the second round of the 2011 draft, Gilbert started 87 games for the Steelers over the next eight seasons. In 2012, 2017, and 2018, Gilbert played in less than half of Pittsburgh’s games due to various injuries. When he was able to stay on the field, Gilbert was one of the best pass-blocking tackles in the league. His 2015 season, when he played every snap for the Steelers, was his best and showed how great Gilbert really was when healthy. It’s a shame what injuries did to his career, but Marcus Gilbert is still a no-brainer as the Steelers best right tackle of the 2010s.
READ MORE: The Extraordinary History of the Pittsburgh Steelers Logo
