Steelers Now
In response to Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley’s statement that the 2024 Eagles are a top-5 all-time NFL team, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports ranked his top-5 NFL teams in league history. And the Eagles did not make the cut.
Benjamin thinks top-5 is a stretch, he believes a more reasonable ranking for the 2024 Eagles is probably somewhere between Nos. 10-20 of all time.
So who’s on Benjamin’s top-5 NFL teams list? He has (in order), the 1972 Miami Dolphins, 1985 Chicago Bears, 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1984 San Francisco 49ers and 1992 Dallas Cowboys.
The 1972 Dolphins are the only NFL team to complete an undefeated season, finishing with a 17-0 record. It’s hard to dispute Miami not being No. 1.
The 1985 Chicago Bears are one of the most renowned Super Bowl-winning teams in NFL history. They were loaded on both sides of the ball and completely dominated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX, 46-10. Chicago finished ranked No. 1 in basically every defensive category.
They were also entertaining off the field with head coach Mike Ditka, quarterback Jim McMahon and William “The Refrigerator” Perry. The Super Bowl Shuffle was an iconic 1980s moment.
Chicago also had legendary linebacker Mike Singletary and arguably the greatest running back of all-time in Walter Payton. Two of the greatest players ever.
The 1978 Steelers finished 14-2 in the regular season, 17-2 overall when counting the three playoff wins.
The Steelers had a -217 point differential in 1978, which is the second-best in franchise history. The Steelers’ 1975 Super Bowl-winning team had a -239 point differential.
The Mel Blount Rule opened things up for the Pittsburgh’s offense, too, as quarterback Terry Bradshaw was named League MVP and Super Bowl MVP. Bradshaw set then-Super Bowl records with 318 yards and four touchdown passes in the Steelers’ 35-31 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII. It was Bradshaw’s first 300-yard performance.
Bradshaw transitioning into an elite quarterback in that season gives the ’78 team an edge of the ’75 team.
“A who’s who of all-timers, the ’78 Steelers featured a whopping 10 future Hall of Famers, including Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, John Stallworth and “Steel Curtain” defensive icons like “Mean” Joe Greene, Jack Lambert and Mel Blount. Bradshaw was electric, tossing 28 scores to win MVP, but Pittsburgh’s nasty physicality — which still defines the franchise to this day — led to Super Bowl XIII triumph,” Benjamin wrote.
Despite not winning a Super Bowl that year, the 1976 Steelers are widely considered by many, including the Rooney family, to be the best team in franchise history.
The Steel Curtain defense was exceptionally strong, leading the league in rushing defense and limiting opponents to a record-low number of rushing yards. They even pitched five shutouts during a stretch of games, allowing just 28 points total.
In the 40-14 Divisional Round victory against the Baltimore Colts, Franco Harris rushed for 134 yards on 18 carries but suffered a rib injury. Rocky...
