Following a dominant collegiate career at the University of Texas that saw him win the 2000 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award and a final two seasons in Austin that solidified him as a Longhorn great, Pittsburgh Steelers’ Hall of Honor member Casey Hampton felt ready to carry over his impactful playing style from college to the NFL.
But once in Pittsburgh, things changed drastically for Hampton.
After leading the Longhorns in tackles in 1999 and 2000 with 101 and 78, respectively, winning the DPOY award for the conference in 2000, too, Hampton was expecting to be that game-wrecking nose tackle that racked up tackles and made plays for the Black and Gold.