The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced their 15 finalists for the Class of 2014 this week and among those on the list are former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis and defensive end/linebacker Kevin Greene. This will be the fourth time that Bettis has made it to the finals.
An interesting fact found on ColdHardFootballFacts.com, ranks Bettis as the top “Big” running back in NFL history. The website takes different approaches to ranking players and in the case of, “Big Back” 240 pounds is the cutoff for describing a big back. As we know, Bettis tipped he scale between 250 and 265 during his career.
Bettis played 13 years in the league, played in 192 regular season games and rushed for 13,662 yards and 91 touchdowns. Bettis came to Pittsburgh via a draft day trade with the St. Louis Rams in 1996 and helped lead the team to their victory in Super Bowl XL in his hometown of Detroit. Bettis went out a champion and retired after that season. The Bus averaged a franchise-best 72.9 yards a game and racked up 10,571 yards and 78 touchdowns while playing in a Pittsburgh uniform. Jerome “The Bus” Bettis is currently sixth on the all-time NFL career rushing yards list.
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“The sixth-best running back in the NFL should be in the Hall of Fame,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert has said regarding Bettis’ candidacy.
Career highlights and awards
AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1993)
PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year (1993)
6× Pro Bowl (1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001,2004)
3× All-Pro (1993, 1996, 1997)
Super Bowl champion (XL)
PFWA NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1996)
Walter Payton Man of the Year (2001)
3× Pittsburgh Steelers Team MVP (1996, 1997, 2000)
Sixth-leading rusher of All-Time
Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team
Pittsburgh Steelers #36 no longer issued
Kevin Greene played three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and in that time became a polarizing figure and a fan favorite. During his three years in Pittsburgh, Greene played in 48 regular season games and recorded 35.5 sacks during that span. For his career, Greene recorded 160 sacks in 228 regular season games.
Career highlights and awards
5× Pro Bowl selection (1989, 1994, 1995, 1996,1998)
3× First-Team All-Pro selection (1989, 1994,1996)
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
1996 NEA NFL Defensive Player of the Year
1996 UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year
1996 NFL Alumni NFL Linebacker of the Year
1998 NFLPA NFC Linebacker of the Year
1996 NFLPA NFC Linebacker of the Year
Third most career sacks in NFL history
Record 160 Sacks by a Linebacker
As many as five of the 15 modern-day finalists can be selected plus the two senior nominees (punter Ray Guy and defensive end Claude Humphrey, who were selected in August by the Hall of Fame’s Senior Selection Committee).which will take place in New York City Feb. 1, the day before the Super Bowl.
