Scripts don’t suit Aaron Smith – even when he tries to, well, script them. Few could have foreseen that Smith would become a Steelers great after Pittsburgh selected him in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft out of Northern Colorado, then a Division II school.
All Smith did in 13 seasons with the Steelers was help them win two Super Bowls, establish himself as a prototype for a 3-4 defensive end and mentor players like Brett Keisel and Cam Heyward.
Playing a position that offers much more grunt than glamour, Smith made only one Pro Bowl during his career (though his 44 sacks still rank ninth in Steelers history).