Former NFL linebacker London Fletcher was one of the most underrated players of his generation. He played in the league from 1998-2013, making four Pro Bowls, being named a second-team All-Pro twice, and also winning a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams. Fletcher also has the second-most solo tackles of any player in NFL history. The only person above him is former Baltimore Raven Ray Lewis. In his career, he played for the Rams, Buffalo Bills, and Washington Commanders. However, he recently revealed that he could’ve played for the Steelers.
“Become a free agent, I got visits lined up to Buffalo, Detroit, Pittsburgh,” Fletcher said recently on The Justin Time Podcast. “Those are gonna be my three free agent visits. Go to Buffalo first, they make a really nice offer to me, and we agreed to the deal. Buffalo was the first one to step up to the plate.”
Fletcher left the Rams in free agency following the 2001 season. At that point, he was just starting to blossom, having only four NFL seasons under his belt. He would eventually become one of the best and most consistent players at his position during that time.
Meanwhile, the Steelers were also starting to find their footing again. After failing to make the playoffs in three straight seasons, they went 13-3 in 2001, falling one game short of the Super Bowl.
They also had a hole in the middle of their defense at linebacker. The Steelers had Kendrell Bell, who was coming off a stellar first NFL season where he was named Defensive Rookie of the Year. However, they didn’t have a solid partner beside him.
Enter Fletcher, who was starting to become one of the most reliable linebackers in the league. The Steelers made a run at the young player. Unfortunately, things didn’t break right for them to sign him. During that same podcast, Fletcher explained why he landed with the Bills.
“We had a number that we wanted to get to, and they [the Bills] were close to meeting where we wanted to get to. The smart franchises, the really good ones, you get a guy in your building, especially back then, you got him in your building, you don’t let him leave. You got the first crack at it. The worst thing you can do is let that guy without closing the deal.”
It sounds like it was just bad luck that the Steelers didn’t sign Fletcher. His visit with the Bills was first, and he liked their offer enough to not leave without signing it. Had he visited the Steelers first, perhaps Fletcher would’ve joined their team.
However, the Steelers didn’t leave that offseason without signing a linebacker. They missed on Fletcher, but they pivoted to former first-round pick James Farrior. Farrior hadn’t done as much as Fletcher up to that point, but the Steelers saw potential in him. His career took off in Pittsburgh, Farrior becoming one of the best pieces of their championship-level defenses.
In a different world, it could’ve been Fletcher who helped the Steelers win two Super Bowls. However, the Steelers probably aren’t too upset that they missed out on him. Things worked out well for them in the end.
