The Super Bowl Champion Steelers of the 1970s generally started about half white players and half black, which made them slightly blacker than average for that era. When a young Bill Cowher replaced Chuck Noll for the 1992 season, the Steelers went into full-bore Caste mode -- an all-black offensive line, just one white starter on defense, and the rest of the trappings then in style as exemplified by the Dallas Cowboys.
Now, in the second season of the Mike Tomlin era, the Steelers are well on the way to becoming one of the blackest teams in the league, as this year's version has but 12 white players on the 53 man roster.
There are still five white starters, but of late the organization has only been grooming young black players. The two white starters on defense are in their seventh and tenth years respectively. There are no white linemen on offense other than the starting center, and all the backups at QB are black.
Starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is in his fifth season but may not much last longer given that he once again has to play behind a porous line when it comes to pass protection.
Roethlisberger is the face of the franchise, and deservedly so. He is big, mobile and elusive, and possesses a very strong arm that is accurate most of the time.
Tight end Heath Miller would probably rank among the leaders in receptions at his position if he played with a lot of other teams, but is still the most productive TE the Steelers have had in many years.
Center Justin Hartwig is the former Titan, now in his seventh season out of Kansas. He is the only white lineman on the team, as Pittsburgh let future Hall of Famer Alan Faneca leave to sign with the Jets, a decision the organization may come to rue if Big Ben comes down with a major injury because of the underachievers up front.
Matt Spaeth and Sean McHugh are the backup tight ends.
On defense, the white starting bookends on the line are Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel. Smith is as solid and dependable as a rock and has made one Pro Bowl, while Keisel, in his second season as a starter after a long "apprenticeship," has loads of athletic ability. He excels at pressuring the passer, but he needs to get some more sacks and other big plays to reach acknowledged star status.
Chris Hoke, who could start for many teams, is the backup nose tackle. He's in his eighth season.
Twelfth year man Travis Kirsche out of UCLA, is a backup end.
Since the Steelers no longer draft any white players, it's likely the defense will be all black within two or three seasons, and likewise the offense except for Roethlisberger and Miller. Perhaps that's only fitting for the team whose owner originated the "Rooney Rule" mandating affirmative action in the hiring of head coaches, this in a league already long filled with affirmative action hires on and off the field of play.
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 5
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 12
GRADE: F
Now, in the second season of the Mike Tomlin era, the Steelers are well on the way to becoming one of the blackest teams in the league, as this year's version has but 12 white players on the 53 man roster.
There are still five white starters, but of late the organization has only been grooming young black players. The two white starters on defense are in their seventh and tenth years respectively. There are no white linemen on offense other than the starting center, and all the backups at QB are black.
Starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is in his fifth season but may not much last longer given that he once again has to play behind a porous line when it comes to pass protection.
Roethlisberger is the face of the franchise, and deservedly so. He is big, mobile and elusive, and possesses a very strong arm that is accurate most of the time.
Tight end Heath Miller would probably rank among the leaders in receptions at his position if he played with a lot of other teams, but is still the most productive TE the Steelers have had in many years.
Center Justin Hartwig is the former Titan, now in his seventh season out of Kansas. He is the only white lineman on the team, as Pittsburgh let future Hall of Famer Alan Faneca leave to sign with the Jets, a decision the organization may come to rue if Big Ben comes down with a major injury because of the underachievers up front.
Matt Spaeth and Sean McHugh are the backup tight ends.
On defense, the white starting bookends on the line are Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel. Smith is as solid and dependable as a rock and has made one Pro Bowl, while Keisel, in his second season as a starter after a long "apprenticeship," has loads of athletic ability. He excels at pressuring the passer, but he needs to get some more sacks and other big plays to reach acknowledged star status.
Chris Hoke, who could start for many teams, is the backup nose tackle. He's in his eighth season.
Twelfth year man Travis Kirsche out of UCLA, is a backup end.
Since the Steelers no longer draft any white players, it's likely the defense will be all black within two or three seasons, and likewise the offense except for Roethlisberger and Miller. Perhaps that's only fitting for the team whose owner originated the "Rooney Rule" mandating affirmative action in the hiring of head coaches, this in a league already long filled with affirmative action hires on and off the field of play.
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 5
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 12
GRADE: F
