Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel formed the best 3-4 defensive line in the NFL for many years. They helped turn the Steelers into the league’s No. 1 defense several times, collected two Super Bowl rings each and only once fell out of the top three against the run.
They were so good for so long that fans and others became spoiled, nearly as they were with the great Steel Curtain of the 1970s.
“You are talking about fans and other people — I was spoiled,” said John Mitchell, their defensive line coach since 1994.