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Steelers Alumni Legends | Pittsburgh Steelers - Steelers.com

Steelers Legends Community

Steelers Legends Community

More than 1,700 players have worn the Black and Gold since the team was founded in 1933. Steelers players of the past paved the way for the Steelers of today and the future.

The Legends Community was created by the NFL to celebrate, embrace, educate and connect all who have played in the League. A Legend is defined as a "person or thing that inspires." With less than 1 percent of high school football players eventually being drafted by an NFL team, Commissioner Roger Goodell defined an NFL Legend as anyone who "signed a contract and played at least one preseason game. Once a Player, Always a Legend."

We celebrate our Steelers Legends. Many of them remain active in business and the community, and quite a few have made Pittsburgh their home. Once a Steeler, Always a Steeler.

Visit this page to see what our Legends are doing now, as well as learn more about those who came before.

Steelers in the Hall of Fame

Steelers in the Hall of Fame

Steelers Hall of Honor

Steelers Hall of Honor

Super Bowls

Super Bowls

All-Time Steelers Roster

All-Time Steelers Roster

Legends Foundations

Many Steelers legends continue to give back to the community following their playing careers. Here is a look at Steelers legends' foundations.

Will Allen Foundation

Will Allen Foundation

The Will Allen Foundation (WAF) provides programs and resources to instill hope, remove barriers, promote education, advocate civic responsibility, and change lives in the community. Programs include Quest for Real Life Success, the Robotics Leadership Academy and the Holiday Giving Program which supports needy families. Once the pandemic began, WAF responded to community PPE needs by delivering more than 6,000 face masks and meals to underserved communities, in Allegheny County public housing and the My Brother's Keeper initiative and Columbus City Schools in Columbus, Ohio, in addition to providing adult and youth face masks through the YWCA of Dayton.

Best of the Batch Foundation

Best of the Batch Foundation

Best of the Batch Foundation (BBF) was founded in 1999 by former Steelers Quarterback Charlie Batch to give back to his hometown of Homestead, Pa. It offers over 12 programs to school-aged children, annually serving over 3,800 children and their families over eight Western Pennsylvania counties.

BBF provide a variety of different programs to serve every child who walks through the doors during their out of school time, including STEAM, Girl Talk mentoring, homework help and individualized tutoring, and Grub Time. Functioning as the only completely free clubhouse within a two-bus transfer of the community, the out of school time programming Best of the Batch offers reflects the wants and needs of the surrounding community.

The foundation also provides outreach services through multiple programs, including back to school readiness program BatchPacks, holiday toy drive Batch A Toys, emergency response programming like the Comfort in a Basket initiative, and EITC, OSTC, Pre-K, and college scholarships.

Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation

Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation

The Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation was created in 1997 by Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis to provide opportunities for inner-city youth to succeed and become productive individuals in today's society. The foundation provides education, sports, technology, and recreational opportunities to inner-city underprivileged youth to help them improve their quality of life through mentoring and other programs.

Check-Inn is a virtual program designed to engage the impoverished students of middle schools through engaging, exciting, and stimulating activities based on innovation and technology, entrepreneurship, film, video, art and more. Innovation Huddle gives children exposure and access to STEM and Computer Science programs. Connected Kids works to overcome the digital divide by providing as many underprivileged children and youth as possible with educational resources and technology. Take it to the Lanes teaches students bowling skills to develop a fun and healthy activity.

The foundation also holds a holiday toy drive each year to help make the holidays a happier time for needy families.

Mel Blount Youth Leadership Initiative

Mel Blount Youth Leadership Initiative

Hall of Famer Mel Blount runs the Mel Blount Youth Leadership Initiative (MBLI), which works to provide youth with programs where they will have a healthy environment to learn, work, play and to develop principles of respect, responsibility, and leadership through nurturing, moral and character development and guidance. 

Programs include mentoring, equestrian, Building Champions and Bright Futures programs, along with community outreach and partnership.

Golden Charter Academy

Golden Charter Academy

Steelers alumni safety Robert Golden left his football career to give back to his hometown of Fresno, Calif. He founded Golden Charter Academy which partners with the Chaffee Fresno Zoo to develop students who are environmentally literate and provide frequent environmental education experiences. The Academy promotes innovation by prioritizing scientific method, technology and the learner's expertise; diversity and an awareness of social justice; and the importance of environmental stewardship.

Santonio Holmes – III and Long Foundation

Santonio Holmes – III and Long Foundation

Santonio Holmes' son Santonio "TJ" Holmes III suffers from Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). After experiencing what SCD families go through, Holmes started the III and Long Foundation in honor of his son to raise awareness to help fight Sickle Cell and provide financial support and treatment options for families affected by the disease. 

The foundation's programs and educational services include tutoring services for children during hospital treatment, Educational seminars for parents, social media awareness campaign #GreaterThanSickleCell, Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday community events and the annual Strikes for Sickle Cell Bowling event.

Jon Kolb – Adventures in Training with a Purpose

Jon Kolb – Adventures in Training with a Purpose

Former Steelers offensive lineman and assistant coach Jon Kolb founded Adventures in Training with a Purpose (ATP) to confront health and movement related issues in vulnerable populations who no longer have the benefit of paid rehabilitation. Through this non-profit, Jon and his staff work with children and adults, many of whom are veterans, with purposeful physical training to improve their quality of life.  ATP's specialized division, Aurelius, focuses on training veterans, active military, and first responders to reach their peak performance through a Mind, Body, Soul Regimen.

Vance McDonald - Convoy of Hope

Vance McDonald - Convoy of Hope

Former Steelers TE Vance McDonald serves as an ambassador to Convoy Nation, which connects with athletes, entertainers, and leaders to mobilize public figures in a movement of kindness supporting Convoy of Hope's initiatives. They are Children's Feeding, Disaster Services, Community Events, Agriculture, Women's Empowerment, and Rural Initiatives.

Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research

Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research

The Steelers launched the Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research in 2016 to support continued research and education regarding brain injuries and treatment of sports-related concussions. The Foundation funds research that it believes is the most promising in the area of sports-related concussions and related conditions. To help best evaluate which research programs to fund, some of the most renowned neurosurgeons in the country serve on a national medical advisory panel. Former Steelers running back Merril Hoge is a founding board member, and Hall of Fame RB Jerome Bettis joined the board in January 2022. Proceeds from the annual Hall of Honor dinner support the mission of the foundation, as do a portion of funds raised by the annual Steelers Run and Walk.

39 Legends Foundation

39 Legends Foundation

Former Steelers running back Willie Parkerestablished the 39 Legends Foundationto provide assistance, tools and inspiration to underprivileged children. The foundation has three core pillars – Wellness, with programming including youth football camps and mental health awareness; Education, with a focus on reading, financial literacy, self-confidence and career resources; Leadership & Lifestyle, with programming and resources to learn leadership and healthy living.

Jasmine Nyree (Porter) Homes, Inc.

Jasmine Nyree (Porter) Homes, Inc.

Former Steelers linebacker and coach Joey Porter and his wife Christy's daughter Jasmine was born with severe autism. After struggling to find resources to help them care for her, they established the Jasmine Nyree Day Center in their hometown of Bakersfield, Calif. In 2003. The center served special needs children ages 5 to 12 until 2008 when they expanded to include young adults up to 21. In June 2021, the Porters opened the Jasmine Nyree Campus in Pittsburgh's Sheraden neighborhood after renovating long-vacant buildings in the community. The center provides resources for the community as well as for adults 21 and over with developmental issues.

Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation

Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation

When former Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered his life-altering spinal cord injury (SCI), his eyes were opened to the challenges and barriers SCI patients face in their road to recovery. This led him to start the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitationwith the mission of giving those with SCI and their caregivers the support, resources and funding they need to live independent and meaningful lives. Ryan shares his story in the book "Walking Miracle," released in November 2021.

Donnie Shell Scholarship Foundation

Donnie Shell Scholarship Foundation

The Donnie Shell Scholarship Foundation was created by Hall of Famer Donnie Shell and his wife Paulette to fill in the financial gap for students attending his alma mater, South Carolina State University. Many of the students who attend SCSU come from rural areas of the state of South Carolina and don't have the financial means to afford their college tuition. Though COVID cancelled the annual celebrity golf to in 2020, the foundation held an online auction to benefit the scholarship. An annual celebrity golf outing helps to support the foundation's efforts.

Scholarship Foundation

Scholarship Foundation

The John Stallworth Foundation (JSF) was created in 1980 by Hall of Fame WR John Stallworth and his wife Flo to provide merit-based scholarships to deserving students attending their alma mater, Alabama A&M University. The Foundation's mission was expanded in 2013 to add scholarships for students attending other universities in the state of Alabama. The JSF assists academically gifted, deserving students from diverse economic circumstances. Many of these students do not have the financial means to attend college and are often denied the opportunity to develop their full potential. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $550,000 in scholarship awards.

Team photos throughout the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers

Legends Content