Former Pittsburgh Steelers RB Willie Parker didn’t have the longest NFL career. That’s not surprising as running backs take a heck of a beating. But the surprise is that Parker went from an undrafted free agent in 2004 to a two-time Super Bowl champion.
Even though Parker only played six seasons in the NFL, all with Pittsburgh, he was still a difference maker for most of that time. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry (including a career-high 4.7 in 2005). His best season was 2006. He posted career-highs in rushing yards (1,494), rushing touchdowns (13), receiving yards (222), and receiving touchdowns (3). That year, he made his first of two Pro Bowls.
And to think, former Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert wasn’t thrilled when the team inked him to that free-agent deal in 2004.
“When we signed Willie, I was upset because we had other running backs rated higher…” said Colbert on an episode of the Lyons Share Podcast entitled ‘Inside the Draft Room’ that came out on Friday. “He only had 242 yards as a senior, because he played in a three-way rotation because he had a fumbling problem at North Carolina. Coach Hoak helped him overcome that with us. And of course, Willie still has the longest run in Super Bowl history.”
So how did Parker end up in Pittsburgh if the team’s general manager didn’t want him? Parker himself credits Dan Rooney Jr. for getting him there. Colbert credits former running backs coach Dick Hoak for helping Parker stick.
Dick Hoak played running back for the Steelers for 10 years before joining the coach staff in 1972 as the running backs coach. He held that position for 35 years until he retired in 2006. He worked with Hall of Fame talents like Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis, and he helped turn Parker into an unexpected weapon for the Steelers. The fumble issues never fully went away. He fumbled 17 times on 1,337 career regular-season touches. He had a career-high seven fumbles in that 2006 Pro Bowl season.
But Parker still posted three straight 1,200+ rushing seasons from 2005 to 2007. He finished his career with 5,378 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns in 79 career regular-season games. In the span of six years, Parker went from an intriguing undrafted free agent with minimal college experience to becoming a Steelers icon. And he solidified that spot with one run during the 2005 postseason.
If you were alive then, do you remember where you were when Fast Willie Parker housed one in Super Bowl XL? #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/vqVd73NU6J
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) February 5, 2025
Most people think about Bettis’ triumphant return to Detroit when it comes to Super Bowl XL. But Parker is the one who set an NFL record with a 75-yard touchdown sprint only moments into the third quarter. The Steelers had a 7-3 lead at that point, and Parker’s touchdown proved to be the game-winning points in the 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
As for Colbert, how did he end up feeling about the Steelers signing Willie Parker in 2004?
“We’re fortunate we did,” Colbert said.
And Steelers fans agree.
