Dick LeBeau heads 4-member Steelers' Hall of Honor class

When choosing the 2024 inductees for the franchise’s Hall of Honor class, the Pittsburgh Steelers stuck with candidates who ended their career in the 21st century.

Four members were introduced Saturday at a news conference at Fred Rogers Center on the Saint Vincent College campus: long-time defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, outside linebacker Jason Gildon, nose tackle Casey Hampton and running back Willie Parker.

The Hall of Honor was introduced in 2017, and this year’s class is the first one that didn’t include anyone associated with the 1970s Steelers teams that won the Super Bowl four times in a six-year span.

All four inductees, though, were part of a more recent slice of Super Bowl history, with all but Gildon earning at least one championship ring.

LeBeau made history by becoming the first exclusive assistant coach to be chosen for the Hall of Honor. Dick Hoak, who also played running back for the team before coaching the position, was part of the inaugural class.

LeBeau spent 59 years in the NFL as a player, assistant coach and head coach before retiring following the 2017 season.

The architect of the zone blitz and leader of the famed Blitzburgh defense in the 1990s and 2000s, LeBeau had two stints as defensive coordinator.

“It’s unusual, I would say, for an assistant coach to go in,” team president Art Rooney II said Saturday. “I’m not sure how many times that will happen. He’s such a remarkable person and so loved by his players.”

LeBeau was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. He was employed by the team from 1992-96 and from 2004-14 when the Steelers won two championships and appeared in a third Super Bowl.

When he was promoted from defensive backs coach to defensive coordinator in 1995, LeBeau oversaw the switch from Kevin Greene to Gildon at outside linebacker. Greene left the Steelers after the ‘95 season, and the Steelers entrusted his pass-rushing role to Gildon, whose prior experience came on special teams.

“Even when he was defensive backs coach, he was very approachable,” Gildon said. “Even though I was a linebacker, he was easy to approach for advice. He’s genuine, and he really cares about people.”

All Gildon did was become the franchise’s all-time sacks leader with 77 before departing the Steelers in 2003 and spending his final season in Jacksonville. His record since has been surpassed by James Harrison and T.J. Watt.

Gildon was selected to the Pro Bowl from 2000-02 and was a first-team All-Pro in 2001.

“We were trying to replace a Hall of Fame player (in Greene), and we didn’t know quite what we had,” Rooney said. “For him to come in and eventually set the Steelers sacks record shows what a great career he had.”

Gildon was the only member of the quartet to attend the Hall of Honor presentation.

“Once you’ve played here, you always know and are always aware of the great talent that has come through this organization,” Gildon said. “To be honored with all the greats is very humbling.”

Parker’s tenure lasted just six years, from 2004-09, but his record 75-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XL helped spring the Steelers to a fifth championship. He had three seasons with at least 1,200 yards rushing and finished with 5,378 rushing yards, which ranks third in franchise history behind Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis.

An undrafted free agent, Parker was unearthed by Rooney’s brother, Dan, who lived in North Carolina and scouted the region.

“I do remember his first training camp,” Art Rooney II said. “It may have been at the Latrobe scrimmage, he broke off a couple runs, and I was like, ‘Who is that guy?’ My brother was quick to tell me.”

Hampton spent 12 seasons with the Steelers after being a first-round draft pick in 2001. Although he didn’t compile gaudy statistics, Hampton was the enforcer at nose tackle in the 3-4 defense. Hampton was named to the Pro Bowl five times and earned two Super Bowl rings.

“He was the rock in the center of that line,” Rooney said.

Counting the four newest members, the Steelers have inducted 57 players, coaches and contributors into the Hall of Honor. The 2024 class will be honored Dec. 8 when the Steelers play the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium. The annual Hall of Honor dinner takes place the previous night and includes the official induction ceremony.