For Pittsburgh Steelers fans, the pre-1970s era is a treasure trove of forgotten heroes who laid the foundation for the dynasty years. Longtime Steelers fan/collector and Terrible Podcast listener Elijah Fisher asked if Steelers Depot could expand the Steelers Legends Team announced in 2007. Specifically, he asked to expand the team by adding eight offensive and eight defensive depth players to make it a 40-man roster. The NFL roster size was 40 players from 1964-1973.
The 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers Legends team
The 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers Legends team was chosen by a group of Steeler officials and local journalists as part of a celebration for the Steelers 75th season. The Legends team represented 24 of the best players who played for Pittsburgh before 1970, since most fans would be unfamiliar with their names and likely never saw them play. The list is available on Wikipedia since the Steelers website archived the list. The panel chose the following players who played before 1970: 11 on offense, 11 on defense, one punter and one placekicker:
Pos Name Years* Pro Bowls* Hall of Fame Top 500 Rank Honors
QB Bobby Layne 1958-62 1 Yes 66 1950s All-Decade Team
RB Dick Hoak 1961-70 1 No 63
RB John Henry Johnson 1960-65 3 Yes 57 1962 AP Second team All-Pro
WR Roy Jefferson 1965-69 2 No 88 1969 Steelers MVP/First Team All-Pro
WR Ray Mathews 1951-59 2 No 59 1952 UPI Second Team All-Pro
TE Elbie Nickel 1947-57 3 No 43
C Chuck Cherundolo 1941-421945-48 2 No 156 1942 AP Second Team All-Pro
G Mike Sandusky 1957-65 1 No 94 1962 UPI Second Team All-Pro
G Bruce Van Dyke 1967-73 1 No 114
OT Charley Bradshaw 1961-66 2 No 125 1964 UPI Second Team All-Pro
OT Frank Varrichione 1955-60 4 No 112
DT Gene Lipscomb 1961-62 1 No 370
DT Ernie Stautner 1950-63 9 Yes 19 1950s All-Decade Team
DE Ben McGee 1964-72 2 No 71
DE Bill McPeak 1949-57 3 No 78 1953 UPI Second Team All-Pro
LB Dale Dodrill 1951-59 4 No 61 1954 AP First Team All-Pro
LB Myron Pottios 1961 1963-65 3 No 190 1963 UPI Second Team All-Pro
LB Jerry Shipkey 1948-52 3 No 96 2 time AP First Team All-Pro
DB Jack Butler 1951-59 4 Yes 27 1950s All-Decade Team
DB Bill Dudley 1942 1945-46 1 No 62 1940s All-Decade Team 1946 NFL MVP
DB Howard Hartley 1949-52 No 296 1951 AP Second Team All-Pro
DB Clendon Thomas 1962-68 1 No 98 1963 AP Second Team All-Pro
PK Armand Niccolai 1934-42 No 135 1935/36 UPI Second Team All-Pro
P Pat Brady 1952-54 No 436
*Years played and Pro Bowls achieved while a Steeler. Note: Blank Pro Bowl fields indicate no selections unless otherwise noted.
1953 All-Steelers team
The earliest All-Time Steelers team we found was the 1953 All-Steelers team put together by then Pittsburgh Press Sports Editor Chester L. Smith. He made a contest among readers of who could match the team he chose. The winner got a pair of tickets to the Steelers-Bears preseason game. He selected a first team and gave honorable mentions to another 12 players. Up to this time, almost all players played on both sides of the ball.
Pos Name Years* Pro Bowls* Hall of Fame Top 500 Rank Honors
QB Jim Finks 1949-55 1 Yes 106
TB Byron “Whizzer” White 1938 No 466 1940s All-Decade Team 1938 First Team All-Pro
HB/WB Lynn Chandnois 1950-56 2 No 127 Steelers KRTD Leader (3)
TB Bill Dudley 1942-46 1 No 62 1946 NFL MVP 1940s All-Decade Team
E/DE Elbie Nickel 1947-57 3 No 43
E Bill Sortet 1933-40 No 188
DT/G Ernie Stautner 1950-63 9 Yes 19 1950s All-Decade Team
G George Hughes 1950-54 2 174
G Red Moore 1947-49 No 352 1947 UPI First Team All-Pro
C/LB Chuck Cherundolo 1941-48 2 No 156 1942 AP Second Team All-Pro
FB John “Bull” Karcis 1936-38 1 No 424
T John Woudenberg 1940-1942 1 No 366
Honorable Mentions
TB Johnny Clement 1946-48 No 519 Led Steelers 1947 playoff effort
TB/BB Johnny Gildea 1935-37 No 392
FB/LB Jerry Shipkey 1948-52 3 No 96 Two-time AP First Team All-Pro
FB Fran Rogel 1950-57 1 No 119
BB Charles Seabright 1946-50 No 222
E/DE Bob Davis 1946-50 No 262
G/LB Dale Dodrill 1951-59 4 No 61 1954 AP First Team All-Pro
G/LB Ray Bucek 1946 No 764
G Milt Simington 1942 1 No 577
T/PK Armand Niccolai 1934-42 No 135 1935/36 UPI Second Team All-Pro
T Joe Coomer 1941-46 1 No 396
T/DL Jack Wiley 1946-50 No 245
Augmenting the 2007 Legends team
Augmenting the 2007 Legends team is a difficult task. In addition to the 1953 All-Time Steelers team, we scoured various contemporary newspaper articles, lists of franchise records, and the 2024 top-500 list of all-time Steelers from the Perspective of an Average Steelers Fan series. Many Steelers players played both ways or served double duty as specialists well into the 1960s when platooning became the norm.
Pos Name Years* Pro Bowls* Hall of Fame Top 500 Rank Honors
QB Jim Finks 1949-55 1 Yes 106
RB Fran Rogel 1950-57 1 No 119
RB Lynn Chandnois 1950-56 2 No 127 Steelers KRTD Leader (3)
WR Buddy Dial 1959-63 2 No 101 1963 UPI Second Team All-Pro
WR Bill Sortet 1933-40 No 188
Fl Gary Ballman 1962-66 No 160
TB/HB Joe Geri 1949-51 2 No 206 1950 AP First Team All-Pro
C Ray Mansfield 1964-76 No 41
G Byron Gentry 1937-39 2 No 252 1938 UPI First Team All-Pro
DT Joe Krupa 1956-64 1 No 95
DE/PK Louie Michaels 1961-63 2 No 210 1962 UPI Second Team All-Pro
LB Andy Russell 1963-76 7 No 22 1968 UPI Second Team All-Pro
LB John Reger 1955-63 3 No 74 1959 AP Second Team All-Pro
LB/DE George Tarasovic 1952-63 No 97 1959 UPI Second Team All-Pro
DB Marv Woodson 1964-69 1 No 161
DB/KR Brady Keys 1961-67 1 No 123
*Years played and Pro Bowls achieved while a Steeler.
These 16 additions, combined with the original 24 players, create a balanced 40-man roster reflective of the pre-1970 era’s versatility and talent.
Hypothetical Pittsburgh Legends Depth Chart
Offense
QB: Bobby Layne, Jim Finks
RB: John Henry Johnson, Dick Hoak, Fran Rogel, Lynn Chandnois, Joe Geri
WR: Roy Jefferson, Ray Mathews, Buddy Dial, Bill Sortet, Gary Ballman
TE: Elbie Nickel
C: Chuck Cherundolo, Ray Mansfield
G: Mike Sandusky, Bruce Van Dyke, Byron Gentry
OT: Charley Bradshaw, Frank Varrichione
Defense
DT: Ernie Stautner, Gene Lipscomb, Joe Krupa
DE: Ben McGee, Bill McPeak, Lou Michaels, George Tarasovic
LB: Dale Dodrill, Myron Pottios, Jerry Shipkey, Andy Russell, John Reger
DB: Jack Butler, Bill Dudley, Howard Hartley, Clendon Thomas, Marv Woodson, Brady Keys
Specialists
PK: Armand Niccolai
P: Pat Brady
A depth chart like this would showcase the roster’s balance and versatility, with players like Andy Russell and Lynn Chandnois adding depth and flair.
Conclusion
Many thanks to Eli for a great question. It prompted a review of some Steelers history and great stories among these players of yore. These additions not only complete the 40-man roster but also remind us of the grit and versatility of Steelers from an era when the team was still building its legacy.
We considered 115 players in the Steelers top-500 to augment his list. We prioritized players based on their contributions with Pittsburgh before 1970 to align with the original Legends Team criteria.
Some previous greats like Johnny ‘Blood’ McNally, Bill Walsh, or Mike Basrak did not make the cut, though it was a close call to balance the roster. However, they are not forgotten.
What do you think of these additions, Steelers fans? Share your favorite pre-1970 legends on Steelers Depot or the Terrible Podcast!
Your Song Selection
I always like to include a bit of music to celebrate these unsung heroes. Like Pittsburgh’s hardworking spirit, these players are timeless gems whose contributions still sparkle in Steelers history. A lot of folks won’t know most of these former Steelers. But it’s always great to shine a light on some diamonds from the past. Here’s Shine on you Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd to honor their enduring legacy.
Final Photo
Elijah was kind enough to share a photo of his collection, an awesome set of pictures and autographs. Big thanks to him for drumming up the conversation and being a Steelers’ history die-hard like us.
Steelers Legends Team
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