Steelers' Championship Legacy Slights Spark Debate
AI-generated image · US National Wire
Two Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh squads were omitted from a FOX Sports list of the top 10 NFL teams since 2000.
A recent FOX Sports ranking of the top 10 NFL teams since 2000 from a roster talent perspective has sparked controversy by omitting the Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl-winning teams from 2005 and 2008, as Sports Illustrated first reported.
According to the list detailed by Sports Illustrated, the rankings are: the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 1, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens at No. 2, the 2013 Seattle Seahawks at No. 3, the 2026 Los Angeles Rams at No. 4, the 2007 New York Giants at No. 5, the 2007 New England Patriots at No. 6, the 2006 Indianapolis Colts at No. 7, the 2019 Kansas City Chiefs at No. 8, the 2020 Buccaneers at No. 9, and the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles at No. 10.
On the "Speakeasy" podcast, former wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh and former linebacker Emmanuel Acho both supported the omission. Houshmandzadeh described the Steelers as a balanced team that was not "special," while Acho argued the team lacked the "exceptional" or "generational" units seen in other ranked squads, such as the Patriots' offense or the defenses of the Ravens, Seahawks, and Buccaneers.
Sports Illustrated notes that the 2005 Steelers featured stars like Ben Roethlisberger, Jerome Bettis, and Troy Polamalu, with a defense that ranked fourth in yards allowed per game. The 2008 squad, which included Santonio Holmes and AP Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison, led the league in both points (13.9) and yards (237.2) allowed per game. The outlet suggests the 2008 team had a strong case for inclusion, particularly over the 2026 Rams, a team that has not yet played a game.