The Pittsburgh Steelers have no shortage of accomplished and impressive players throughout the teams' history. There have been many Super Bowl champions, Hall Of Fame members and legends of the game. Sunday marks 98 days until the start of the NFL season so we will be taking a look back in Steelers' history to discuss the best players to wear the number 98.
These will be players that were with the team for multiple seasons and contributed to the teams' success such as Gerald Williams, Casey "Snacks" Hampton, and Vince Williams. However, there were other Steelers who wore the number in the past for only a couple of seasons such as Olivier Gibson, Ernie Brown and Taco Charlton. One current Steeler, DeMarvin Leal, wears the number 98. He is expected to bring some versatility to the Steelers' defense in 2023.
Gerald Williams
Williams was a defensive linemen that played college football at Auburn University. Williams was drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 1986 NFL draft, and was a constant on the Steelers defensive line until 1994. After his nine seasons with the Steelers, Williams played for the Carolina Panthers for three seasons and then the Green Bay Packers for the 1997 season.
Williams was able to tally 25.5 sacks, 396 tackles and five forced fumbles throughout his NFL career which mostly came with the Steelers. In Williams' nine seasons with Pittsburgh, the team did not see much success, making the playoffs just four times in those years and never advancing past the Conference Championship. Despite the lack of team success, Williams' longevity and commitment to the Steelers alone lands him a spot on this list.
Casey Hampton
Hampton is the most decorated and accomplished Steelers' player to ever wear the number 98. He was the Steelers first round pick in 2001 and played for the organization from 2001-2012. The Steelers were the only team he played for during his NFL career. He saw much individual success throughout his time in the league recording 398 tackles, nine sacks and four forced fumbles along with two recoveries.
Hampton had the reputation of being a run-stuffer. He was sent to five Pro-Bowls, along with being selected to the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team and the Pittsburgh Football Hall of Fame. The team also saw a lot of success throughout Hampton's tenure with Pittsburgh. The team had just one losing season in his 12-year career and was able to capture their fifth and sixth Super Bowl titles.
Vince Williams
Williams was selected by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL draft and little did Pittsburgh know, they had found a diamond in the rough. Williams went on to be a key part of the teams' defense throughout the rest of the 2010s, being the primary backup and an effective special teams player for the first three years of his career before being named the starter prior to the 2017 season.
Williams was known for his ferociousness and hard-hitting ability on the gridiron. Miami Dolphins' receiver Tyreek Hill has spoken publicly about how Williams made him re-think his role in the NFL.
Williams played with the Steelers until he made his decision to retire during the 2021 offseason, after the Steelers released him and then resigned him to a one-year contract. Williams was a rare bright spot on a defense that suffered throughout most of the 2010s, which earns him a spot on this list.
The Future Of The Steelers Number 98
On the current roster, 98 is worn by Leal. Leal is going into his second season in the NFL after not playing much in his rookie year. Leal is seen as a player who is in between a defensive linemen and linebacker, which means he is athletic and can provide some much needed versatility to the Steelers defense in 2023. He is a young player to watch this season as Leal hopes to be on the field more, and eventually be a player that is talked about on this list.
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