When it comes to the defensive secondary, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been very fortunate to have had some tremendous players throughout the franchise’s history. The 33rd Team put together a list of the 11 best safeties of all time, and the Steelers were very fortunate to get two of the team’s all-time greats on the list.
First up was Donnie Shell who landed at No. 7. Shell is one of the best strong safeties of all time and one of the greatest undrafted free agents in NFL history.
Following the 1978 season, Shell was chosen to the first of five consecutive Pro Bowl teams. He was also selected first- or second-team All-Pro five times, from 1978 through 1982.
Dungy told me about his former teammate: “Donnie could play in the box like a linebacker and tackle Earl Campbell, and then was also so skilled at blitzing. He was very physical and had great ball skills.”
He had 51 interceptions, 19 forced fumbles and 19 fumble recoveries. His 51 interceptions made him the first strong safety in the history of the National Football League to surpass the 50-interception mark.
Next up was Troy Polamalu who ended up at No. 4. I’m sure there are plenty of Steelers fans who feel like this is too low, especially with former Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed at No. 2. Polamalu was a special player who didn’t fit in a box in terms of his play style but he was impossible to prepare for.
Polamalu was selected to eight Pro Bowls, received First Team All-Pro honors four times, Second Team All-Pro twice and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Year in 2010.
Polamalu was a big part of the Steelers’ championships following the 2005 and 2008 seasons. In the AFC Championship Game, Polamalu’s interception and 40-yard return for a touchdown with just more than four minutes remaining vaulted Pittsburgh over Baltimore (as CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz put it, “It looks like No. 43 (Polamalu) was sending the Steelers to Super Bowl XLIII.”
One takeaway from this is the exclusion of Rod Woodson. Woodson was only listed as a safety for his final five seasons but he made the Pro Bowl in four of those and was an All-Pro as well.
