The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long history of talented defenders, particularly at the linebacker position. Of the top 11 linebackers in NFL history, as rated by The 33rd Team’s Elliot Kalb, the team has two members on the list in Jack Ham and Jack Lambert. Ham came in at No. 8 while Lambert was listed at No. 7.
“There are only 11 spots on this list, and it’s impossible not to put two members of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ dynasty that won four Super Bowls in six years,” Kalb writes. “The middle linebacker from that team will be listed ahead of Jack Ham, but that’s not to belittle Ham’s contributions.”
Kalb mentions Ham’s performance against the Raiders in the 1974 AFC Championship, a performance that preceded Ham’s ’75 season which was named the best in team history by an outside linebacker. He also mentions his role on the ‘76 defense that had five shutouts in the Steelers’ final nine games, allowing just 28 total points during that span.
Kalb writes that Lambert “was a great cover linebacker and deserves a spot among the greatest ever to play the position.”
Lambert made nine Pro Bowls in his 11 NFL seasons and was the runner-up for league MVP in 1976. He was also an eight-time All-Pro. His greatness in the middle of Pittsburgh’s historic defenses of the 1970s cannot be understated, and his eight fumble recoveries in 1976 is a record that’s as close to unbreakable as records can get these days.
The Steelers have had a plethora of great linebackers, and maybe down the line someone like T.J. Watt can find himself on the list. Of active players, Von Miller was the only entrant, coming in at No. 9. Lawrence Taylor was listed at No. 1, while former Steelers foe and longtime Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis slotted in at No. 2.
Lambert and Ham were generational talents, and it’s good they’re remembered as the all-time greats they were years later. Without the two of them, the Steelers defense wouldn’t have ascended to the levels it was able to during the team’s 1970s dynasty and the franchise’s defensive identity might not be as strong as it currently is.
Just ahead of Ham and Lambert was Ted Hendricks, who was No. 6. Mike Singletary was No. 5, while Dick Butkus was listed at No. 4. The late Junior Seau, the anchor of the San Diego Chargers defense that shut the Steelers down in the 1994 AFC Championship game, was ranked third.
