Pittsburgh Steelers: Top 5 Backups That Make the Team Elite

 Head coach Mike Tomlin has a lot of sayings when it comes to talking about his Pittsburgh Steelers.

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“The rubber meets the road.”

“Don’t blink.”

“Splash plays.”

“The standard is the standard.”

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That last one may describe his football philosophy perfectly. But what exactly does he mean by the standard? Doug Legursky had very good idea of Tomlin’s meaning.

“I bought into it more than anybody,” he said prior to Super Bowl XLV. “It means if somebody goes down, somebody steps in there, there can’t be any fall from play. You have to deliver just as much as the guy in front of you.”

Legursky summed it up perfectly. Over the course of an NFL season a team that depends solely on its starters will not contend for a championship. Injuries happen. Players wear down at the end of the season.

An elite level team has to have quality depth and that is exactly what the Steelers have and it all starts from Tomlin’s philosophy which has now become a part of the players’ mindset.

Tomlin considers his backups “starters in waiting” and when a player is called upon “it’s not his first rodeo.”

It is no surprise that Pittsburgh has been to two Super Bowls in Tomlin’s four seasons given this frame of mind. Tomlin has set a championship standard set from the best player on the team all the way down to the players on the bottom of the depth chart.

Just last season Pittsburgh played without Ben Roethlisberger, Max Starks, Willie Colon, Aaron Smith, the list could go on. Despite the injuries, they still were AFC Champions.

Whether the Steelers reserves stepped in for injuries, ineffective play, suspensions or to give starts a rest, Pittsburgh’s backups set them apart from other contenders in the league and is in part why the Steelers are able to compete at a high level nearly every season.

Here is a look at the top five backups on the Steelers roster.

5. Charlie Batch, QB

In seven seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Charlie Batch has been both the backup and third string quarterback. Regardless of his position on the depth chart, Batch has handled himself professionally and prepared as though he was going to start.

While he has recently been an extra coach on the sideline, Batch has played in 26 games while with the Steelers, but has only started six.

Two of those games came this past season when he filled in for a suspended Roethlisberger and an injured Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon.

Against Tampa Bay in week three, Batch tied his career high touchdown passes with three in a big win over the Buccaneers.

Though he lost his second start against Baltimore, Batch proved himself enough that people were talking that he could be the primary backup for this upcoming season.

It remains to be seen whether or not he will earn that role this season, but he has done nothing but prove himself when given the opportunity.

Given Roethlisberger’s style of play and the play of the offensive line, the backup quarterback is always one play away from starting. Batch is very comfortable in that role which makes him one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league.

4. Isaac Redman, RB

Isaac Redman is not a true “backup” in the sense of the term because he does have a specific role on the team, but if Mendenhall misses any time, Redman would be the first off the bench to replace him.

Though he has only been used in a very limited short yardage role, Redman continued to prove himself throughout the season earning more playing time and an increased role in the offense.

For the season, Redman ran for 247 yards averaging 4.8 yards per carry and he added nine receptions for 72 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning catch in a key divisional game at Baltimore.

Redman never carried the ball more than six times during his career which brings about questions whether or not he can carry the full load.

Given his physical style of play, improved vision and blocking, and increased experience, Redman seems like an ideal candidate to be a quality backup.

In games in which he had for or more carries, Redman averaged nearly five yards per carry. He appears to get better the more times he touches the ball, which is not surprising for a big back.

If called upon this season expect Redman to produce good numbers.

3. Doug Legursky, G/C

Doug Legurksy is an undersized yet versatile lineman who can play center and both guard positions. The Steelers used him at both guard and center over the course of last season.

Despite his small size, at 6”1” and 315 pounds, Legurksy is very powerful. That, along with his versatility, were two reasons why he made the Steelers roster and given opportunities to start.

Legursky did start four games in the regular season at right guard and did not allow a sack. He was called for three holding calls and eventually lost his spot to Ramon Foster, who the coaches felt would match up better against bigger defensive linemen.

It was not until the playoffs, however, before Legursky was at his best.

After replacing Maurkice Pouncey in the AFC Championship game, Legurksy had a fumbled snap exchange with Roethlisberger which resulted in a safety.

Despite that, he helped pave the way for Rashard Mendenhall and had a very good game in the Super Bowl.

Not only is Legursky an outstanding backup, he is also a player who may be competing for the starting job at right guard this season.

2. Larry Foote, ILB

After one year in Detroit, Larry Foote returned to the Steelers to be their primary backup at inside linebacker.

It is not often that teams have players with 94 starts sitting on the bench. But that is what they have with Foote who was happy to return to Pittsburgh.

Foote played special teams and provided valuable relief to James Farrior, who is now 36 years old.

After struggling in 2009, Farrior bounced back this past season and that was in part due to Foote’s presence. He was able to step in on situational downs or at the end of games that the Steelers had in hand to allow Farrior to rest.

Foote is a smart linebacker who does nothing great but a lot of things very well. He knows the defense inside and out and can step into the starting lineup at any point and be a dependable starter, whether it is for a week or the entire season.

In his backup role, Foote had 21 tackles and a sack last season.

Foote should once again provide quality depth at inside linebacker and relieve Farrior when needed. He can also help prepare second year linebacker Stevenson Sylvester to eventually step into a starting role.

Though he is not the most athletic linebacker Foote is very dependable and a great locker room presence which makes him one of the top backups on the team.

1. Chris Hoke, NT

Chris Hoke may be one of the most underrated players in the NFL.

Even though he could have started for a number of teams, Hoke has stayed in Pittsburgh as the primary backup to the outstanding Casey Hampton.

Hampton is a highly rated nose tackle who has made five Pro Bowls and has anchored the top ranked rush defense of this era.

While it may be hard to believe, Pittsburgh’s rush defense has performed just as well, if not better, when Hoke has been in the lineup.

At 6’2” and 305 pounds, Hoke is not built like a typical 3-4 nose tackle but he more than gets the job done.

Hoke gets a lot of playing time as Hampton has become more of a two down player. He may also step in for a series every now and then for the Steelers’ starter.

Aside from his play on the field, Hoke is a quality locker room guy who provides leadership for the Steelers as well as some entertainment when he performs his Russian-style dance during stretches.

It is not often that there is little to no drop off between a starter and their backup, but that is the case between Hampton and Hoke, which is why Hoke is the Steelers top backup.

Hoke certainly meets Tomlin’s “standard.”

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