In his Hall of Fame career as a player and equally distinguished career as a coach, former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has seen and done it all.
There’s quite a bit to choose from a most memorable standpoint, but for LeBeau, who appeared on the “Bleav In Steelers” podcast with host Mark Bergin and former Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor, his most memorable season from his career as a player and a coach was 2008 with the Steelers.
“But in all seriousness, because of the special connection that you guys had with that ’08 defense, then that I wrote a book about it because I realized that while we were going through it, that this is a special bunch of guys and there was a charisma there, a bond that every coach strives to get from his unit,” LeBeau said of the 2008 defense, according to audio via the show’s podcast page. “But it almost rarely…it almost never happens, I should say.
“That particular group of guys and that particular season and the way it unfolded and the way it ended, that has to be the most memorable year of my coaching and playing career.”
The 2008 Steelers defense was quite special based on the statistical dominance that the group displayed week after week as well as off the field the bond that the group had.
That 2008 unit was as dominant as they come. It led the NFL in fewest points allowed, total yards allowed, passing yards allowed and was second in rushing yards permitted, leading the Steelers to a Super Bowl win over the Arizona Cardinals that season. Safety Troy Polamalu, who went on to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and linebacker James Harrison earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods that season. Harrison won the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award, thanks to his franchise-record 16.0 sacks.
That Steelers allowed a league-low 3.9 yards per snap and 13.9 points per game. On top of those impressive numbers, the Steelers held opponents to the lowest third-down conversion rate (31.4) in the NFL and finished second in sacks (51). To close the season, Harrison’s pick-six in Super Bowl XLIII was a key moment in the Steelers edging the Cardinals.
“It was just as exhilarating as it was when we lived through it and we were living and dying with every play,” LeBeau said regarding the 2008 defense. “You guys are still this special. And to be totally honest with you, I knew you guys were good ’cause I’d had tremendous exposure in the National Football League to good teams and great athletes. But until I did that and searching for stuff that I might wanna put in my book, I realized how good you were, ’cause you know, we were always getting ready for the next game.”
While he might not have truly known how great that 2008 defense was while coaching it due to that narrow-minded focus and worrying about preparing for matchups each and every week, getting the opportunity to go back, research it for his book and really understand it showed LeBeau just how great that group was.
Though it didn’t have a ton of headliners outside of Polamalu and Harrison, the Steelers’ 2008 defense was utterly fantastic top to bottom in LeBeau’s scheme.
Defensive ends Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel and nose tackle Casey Hampton did a great job shutting down the run, tying up blockers as two-gapping monsters in the trenches under LeBeau. Outside LaMarr Woodley was the perfect bookend for Harrison, while on the inside Larry Foote and James Farrior were sideline-to-sideline playmaking machines, being true ahead-of-their-time linebackers.
Cornerbacks Ike Taylor and Deshea Townsend shut down the opponent’s passing game weekly, especially Taylor, who was quietly that lockdown cornerback who was perfect in LeBeau’s scheme. Safety Ryan Clark was the perfect piece to play next to Polamalu, too.
The Steelers sure had a legendary defense for the ages in 2008 under Dick LeBeau. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/Bl8SPUwZ4U
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) June 13, 2020
LeBeau’s presence as the coordinator and the puppet master topped it all off for the 2008 defense. They were so dominant that they led almost every major category that LeBeau tracked himself throughout the season.
“Well, as we were going through the season, I realized that this is very unusual year that you guys were at the top, or very near the top, in almost all these categories,” LeBeau said. “And I think I had 11 key areas and maybe four or five other areas of interest. And at the end of the season, you guys have 11 key defensive numbers that I thought was necessary for a team to be successful on the field competing in the NFL. You guys were number one in nine, nine out of the 11 categories. And the other two you were second.
“And in the areas of interest, I think, there was two more firsts and a…third and a fourth, and I think the lowest of any statistical category that I thought was even worth mentioning. …I was aware of it because of those numbers. Not everybody was as statistically inclined as I have been all my life, Okay? So I said that this team should be remembered that these numbers are legendary.”
The numbers certainly were legendary, which in turn made that 2008 defense legendary in its own right. A legendary defense coached by a legendary former player and defensive mastermind.
What a special group that was. It remains special to this day.
Check out the full interview with Dick LeBeau on the “Bleav In Steelers” podcast with Mark Bergin and Ike Taylor below.
