September 23, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace (17) reacts after catching a touchdown pass against the Oakland Raiders in the third quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Steelers 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Steelers We Wish Never Left

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Jul 26, 2026 8:00 AM ET

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most successful and storied franchises in the NFL. As such, plenty of Hall of Fame players and legends of the game have passed through the organization.

As the Steelers prepare for the 2026 campaign, the hope is that they can add to the franchise's historic ranks with another impressive season.

Even with all of the accolades, the Steelers have certainly gotten things wrong over their history. These players especially stand out as the ones that the Steelers let get away. Whether it was because of their accomplishments with other organizations or the hole they left behind with their departure, we all wish the Steelers had never let these players leave.

Rod Woodson - Understandable Loss That Came Back to Bite Them

Rod Woodson was one of the most electric defensive backs in the history of the league. He was a shutdown cornerback with Pittsburgh for a decade before hitting unrestricted free agency in 1997. It came at a time when he was recovering from a major Achilles tendon injury, and the Steelers walked away.

We all know what happened next. After a year in San Francisco, he signed with the rival Baltimore Ravens and transitioned to playing safety full time. His efforts helped the Ravens win Super Bowl XXV over the New York Giants.

The Steelers wouldn't land their next generational defensive back for another decade, when Troy Polamalu would help save the defense and lead them to two Super Bowls.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mike Wallace - Deep Ball Threat

In many ways, Mike Wallace was the start of a new era in Steelers wide receivers. A third-round pick in 2009, he posted his best years in the NFL in Pittsburgh, including over 1,200 receiving yards in 2009.

The problem for Wallace was the amount of depth behind him pushed him out of a job. Unfortunately for him, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown came in and supplanted Wallace. The Steelers were better off for it, but his ability as a deep-ball threat would have complemented the offense extremely well during the breakout of AB.

Javon Hargrave - Missing Nose Tackle

How many times have you said to yourself, "The Steelers need a nose tackle?" Since the days of Casey Hampton, there has been one player who has come close to replicating that success. That player is Javon Hargrave.

After playing his final year with the Steelers in 2019, he's continued to improved. He's been named to two Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl. The Steelers, meanwhile, are still searching for that long-term solution in the middle of the defensive line.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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