Vote on the greatest front office moments in Steelers history
Here are the final matchups in Round 2 of Steelers March Madness 2025. This year, our NCAA-style tournament of Steelers moments is focusing on front office moves. If you haven’t yet voted on the brackets, go back to DAY 1, DAY 2 & DAY 3.
BANANA SPLIT BRACKET
1 seed: April 3, 1993 – Signed free agent linebacker Kevin Greene
(signed a three-year, $5.35 million deal)
Greene came to Pittsburgh in free agency because of Defensive Coordinator Dom Caper’s 3-4 system. He didn’t come cheap. He was the highest-paid Steelers defender ever at the time. Greene was only in Pittsburgh for three seasons, but in those 48 games, he earned 35.5 sacks, two Pro Bowls, and an All-Pro season in 1994. He played in two AFC Championship games for Pittsburgh and one Super Bowl.
VS
8 seed: March 18, 2008 – Signed free agent center Justin Hartwig
(signed two-year, $4 million deal)
Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images
Hartwig was the NFL’s highest-paid center in Carolina, but injuries caused the Panthers to draft his replacement. Hartwig also received an offer from Kansas City, his hometown team, but after meeting with Mike Tomlin, his agent convinced him to sign with Pittsburgh. Hartwig started all 32 games during his two years with the Steelers, plus Super Bowl XLIII.
2 seed: March 14, 2006 – Signed free agent safety Ryan Clark
(signed a four-year, $7 million deal)
Set Number: D153547 TK1 R1 F32
After two seasons, Washington cut Clark but was willing to bring him back on a smaller, minimum contract. R.C. felt disrespected, so he chose to test the market. Pittsburgh was his only offer. Clark went on to play in 80 games, starting 78, and made three Super Bowl appearances.
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7 seed: August 21, 1995 – Signed free agent kicker Norm Johnson
(signed a two-year deal)
Photo by Craig Hacker/Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images
After 13 seasons in Pittsburgh, Gary Anderson left for Philadelphia when the Steelers offered him a contract he couldn’t accept. Pittsburgh came to camp with kicker Dean Biasucci, but he was struggling. Johnson happened to be available. Despite making 90 percent of his kicks in Atlanta, he had been replaced by Morten Andersen. Johnson’s special teams coach in Atlanta, Bobby April, was now in Pittsburgh. Johnson went on to lead the league in field goals in 1995. He played in 63 games over four seasons, including Super Bowl XXX.
3 seed: September 16, 2019 – Traded for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
(traded 2020 1st round pick (18th overall, Austin Jackson), 2020 5th round pick (154th overall, Jason Strowbridge) and 2021 6th round pick (207th overall subsequently traded, Jonathan Marshall) to Dolphins for Minkah Fitzpatrick, 2020 4th round pick (135th overall, Kevin Dotson) and 2021 7th round pick (245th overall, Tre Norwood))
Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images
Fitzpatrick wasn’t happy with how he was being used in Miami, so he requested a trade. Despite losing Ben Roethlisberger for the season hours earlier, Pittsburgh made the deal. With the Steelers, Fitzpatrick has acquired five Pro Bowl seasons and three All-Pro campaigns.
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11 seed: August 29, 2017 – Traded for tight end Vance McDonald
(traded 2018 4th round pick (#128 Kentavius Street) to SF for Vance McDonald and 2018 5th round pick (#148 Marcus Allen))
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images
San Francisco had been trying to shop McDonald earlier in the spring. It was apparent to them that George Kittle had starting potential. Pittsburgh was a buyer because the previous year’s addition, Ladarius Green, failed. McDonald spent four years in Pittsburgh, playing in 53 games, starting 47 of them, plus two playoff games.
4 seed: April 17, 1999 – Traded down for linebacker Joey Porter’s pick
(traded 1999 2nd round pick (44th overall, Jim Kleinsasser) to Vikings for 1999 2nd round pick (59th overall, Scott Shields), 1999 3rd round pick (73rd overall, Joey Porter) and 1999 5th round pick (163rd overall subsequently traded, Craig Heimburger)
SetNumber: X72714 TK2
Minnesota was willing to give up a third-round pick to move up 15 spots in the second. They had their eye on tight end Jim Kleinsasser. Pittsburgh’s eventual second-round pick, Scott Shields, only made two starts, but that additional third-round pick turned into 3x Pro Bowler and Super Bowl XL champion Joey Porter.
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12 seed: November 1, 2022 – Traded away receiver Chase Claypool
(traded Chase Claypool to Bears for 2023 2nd round pick (32nd overall, Joey Porter))
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Chase Claypool had not yet become Mapletron as once predicted. Although the Steelers could only get a third-round pick for Antonio Brown three years earlier, Pittsburgh somehow got a second-round pick from Chicago for Claypool. That pick ended up becoming current starting cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Come back next week to vote on the Sweet 16!