The Pittsburgh Steelers built a ferocious defense in the 2000s that helped power them to two Super Bowl titles. Many of the most notable names, like Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, and Joey Porter Sr., are etched in Steelers lore. However, they didn’t just have star power. That group worked as a unit, making everything click. Defensive lineman Aaron Smith was one of the more underappreciated players on those teams. Former Steelers offensive lineman Max Starks even thinks Smith could’ve been one of the best players in the league.
“Aaron Smith was the heartbeat of our defense,” Starks said Wednesday on the Off the Ball podcast.