Teresa Varley

In honor of the 2026 NFL Draft being held in Pittsburgh, we are highlighting the day members of the Hall of Honor were drafted by the Steelers.

The feature will run from April 17-May 1, featuring some of the team's most iconic players.

Today we feature nose tackle Casey Hampton.

April 21

Casey Hampton

Nose Tackle

2001-12

Drafted April 21, 2001

Casey Hampton is a guy who is quick with a smile and a laugh, an infectious laugh that comes from deep down and makes everyone else smile right along with him.

"He is a great guy," said John Mitchell, the Steelers' former assistant head coach/defensive line coach, who was Hampton's line coach. "Even when I got mad at Casey, I couldn't get mad at him I had a great relationship with all of the players during Casey's time. With Casey, we had a different type of relationship. They would always say Casey has a special place in my heart and he does.

"I got to know Casey on more than a player and coach relationship. It was like a father and son relationship. Casey would come to me at times, and we all had problems. Casey gave everything he had. Everything he had he shared with people he cared about."

When the Steelers selected Casey Hampton in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft, they knew they had a player who would give the defense a huge lift, be a staple on the defensive line and be a player they could always depend on.

What they got was a whole lot more. They got a player that gave them his heart and soul.

Hampton played 12 seasons for the Steelers, starting 164 of the 173 games he played in. He finished with 403 tackles, 272 of them solo stops, and nine and a half sacks. He added five forced fumbles, four pass defenses, and two fumble recoveries.

As part of a Steelers defense that dominated opponents, during Hampton's time in the black and gold the team played in the postseason eight times and won their division six times. Hampton also was part of three Super Bowl teams with the Steelers, including a two-time champion in Super Bowl XL and XLIII.

Hampton was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and was voted MVP by his teammates in 2005 along with Hines Ward. He was also a member of the Steelers 75th Anniversary Team during the 2007 season, quite an honor considering the other defensive linemen were Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Ernie Stautner and Dwight White.

"I can remember when Coach (Bill) Cowher and I went down to Texas to work him out," recalled Mitchell. "The day we worked him out you could tell there was something special about him.

"Being a nose tackle in a 3-4 is a dirty job. It's really dirty. The thing you have to realize about Casey that made him special, if you look back at the guys we had that played inside linebacker, that went to the Pro Bowl year in and year out, they are good football players. But the reason they went is they had a nose tackle that took up three guys on almost every play and made their job really easy.

"Casey was special because if you didn't double team him, or triple team him, he would take over the game. The ball would not get to the second level, which is to the linebackers. If you did that, that made the inside linebackers really good. Look at how many linebackers made the Pro Bowl and that will tell you what kind of player Casey was."

April 18

Alan Faneca

Guard

1998-2007

Drafted April 18, 1998

Alan Faneca was drafted by the Steelers in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft and went on to have a Hall of Fame career, elected as a member of the Class of 2021.

Faneca, a first team All-Pro selection an impressive six times (2001-02, 2004-07) and twice a second team selection (2003, 2008), played 10 seasons for the black and gold (1998-2007), and 13 overall in the NFL (New York Jets 2008-09 and Arizona Cardinals 2010).

"His ability to play that position, dominate at that position, but be athletic enough to move around and travel from the standpoint of pulling as an offensive lineman was rare," said Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis. "Usually when you do it, it doesn't end in success. When Alan pulled, we had a tremendous amount of success with our ability to pull."

Faneca was a member of the Super Bowl XL Championship team, and during his time the Steelers won four division titles and won at least 10 games in five of his seasons. He was selected to nine Pro Bowls and was also named to the Steelers All-Time Team in 2007 and the NFL 2000's All-Decade Team.

Faneca was a key to the Steelers ground game, blocking for teams that finished among the NFL's Top-10 in rushing 11 times, and blocking for nine 1,000-yard rushers and five 3,000-yard passers.

Hines Ward

Wide Receiver

1998-2011

Drafted April 18, 1998

Former Steelers receiver Hines Ward was selected in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft out of Georgia and went on to have a stellar career for the Steelers.

Ward, who was a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist for the 10th straight time this year (2017-26), played 14 seasons for the Steelers, and is a player many believe should be in the Hall of Fame.

"Hines Ward is a Hall of Fame player because number one, he had a tremendous impact on the game," said Hall of Fame Coach Bill Cowher. "His numbers may not be what they are to other people because he played in an offense where he wasn't going to be asked to catch the ball. He was asked a lot to block. We had one of the best running games in my 15 years here, and Hines Ward was a big part of that. He was a guy that every defense knew where he was, every defensive safety knew where he was.

"His impact as a blocker, his impact as a player who can make clutch plays at clutch times. He could play inside. He could play outside. A versatile guy who lined up every snap. He was consistent, he was productive over a long period of time. There's no question in my mind that Hines Ward, don't just look at the numbers, but his impact on the field, what he did to the game, he was a difference maker. And everyone knew and understood where he was. To me, that's a Hall of Fame player."

Ward had 1,000 career receptions for 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns. His versatility was always on display with his blocking ability always a shining example of that.

"When you look at his career, he got caught in two different eras," said Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis. "But he was one of the best ever to be in the era that I played in, in terms of being a receiver who was physical, who could block, who could do everything. He was also a deep threat. He could literally do it all.

"The one thing I think people look at now is the numbers and the amount of catches and yards. But Hines Ward was much more than that. I think he's not getting a fair look because of what the numbers have gone to in this new era.

"He was one of the best to ever do it. He played in a physical era where the wide receiver had to be the blocker, the receiver, the deep threat. He had to do it all, and he could do it. That's what made him so special. He got caught in the last part of his career in the numbers era where all these receivers are having a hundred catches for 1,500, 1,600 yards. But they're not doing the things that Hines was doing.

"When you look at his career in full totality, he was one of the special few receivers who had the ability to do it all, and highlighting the fact that he was the most ferocious blocking receiver that I believe the NFL has ever seen. You put all that in one package, he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame."

Ward was the MVP of Super Bowl XL after leading the Steelers to a 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. In three Super Bowls, Ward registered 14 receptions for 244 yards and two touchdowns.

The Steelers 2008 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee, Ward was named to four Pro Bowls (2002-05) and was a member of the team's 75th Season All-Time Team. Ward was selected by his teammates as the Steelers MVP three times in his career, including 2002 along with Joey Porter, 2003, and 2005 with Casey Hampton.

"When you talk about a guy that gave everything to his team and wanted to get in the end zone every time he touched the ball, whether it was on the 20-yard line or the one-yard line, he was going to find a way to get in the end zone for his team," said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "He did all the small things. He blocked. The things that aren't in stats are what he did. He attracted attention. He found ways to get his teammates open. He blocked for them when they got the ball. He blocked in the run game. The things that Hines Ward did are Hall of Fame caliber worthy play.

"He was a guy when you threw him the ball, he was going to make the play, and he wasn't going to just catch it, he was going to get extra yards, he was going to get you a first down, and he was going to find a way to get in the end zone. And as a quarterback, you find Hines Ward, and you give him the ball, and you just sit back and watch."

Aaron Smith

Defensive End

1999-2011

Drafted April 18, 1999

When Aaron Smith retired from the Steelers, he simply wanted to quietly walk away from the game, no fanfare, no attention.

It was typical of Smith, who didn't like the spotlight, but loved the game.

The Steelers, though, were able to convince Smith to join three of his former teammates, Willie Parker, Joey Porter and Marvel Smith, for a ceremony during the team's training camp where the four of them shared the stage to say goodbye to Steelers Nation.

And it was a salute that Smith deserved.

"It was big," said Smith at the time of his retirement. "First of all, it's the greatest organization in professional sports. Just the way they handle things, do business, the record speaks for itself and the fans, to be a part of something and to finish it is great.

"There are people who would dream of being on this team their entire career. Guys come back to retire. It's a special place and to be a part of that is special."

Smith was drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft, the 109th overall pick, and went on to play 13 seasons. He was a two-time Super Bowl champion, playing on the Super Bowl XL and XLIII teams. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2004 and was named to the Sports Illustrated 2000s All-Decade Team.

Smith, who played his entire career in black and gold, finished with 44 sacks while playing in 160 games, starting 152 of them. He added nine fumble recoveries and seven forced fumbles, along with one interception.

In addition to his on-field contributions, Smith showed his vulnerable side when he revealed his son, Elijah, was undergoing treatment for leukemia during his playing days. Smith didn't just share the story, but also shared his passion for helping those fighting the same disease as the family participated in the Leukemia Lymphoma Society Light the Night Walk along with teammates, family, friends and Steelers staff, celebrating Elijah being a survivor year after year.

"I don't think we can have enough awareness," said Smith at the time. "I was nave before I went through this. I don't think another family or child should have to go through this. I don't think we can bring enough awareness to this."

April 17

Joey Porter Sr.

Linebacker

1999-2006

Drafted April 17, 1999

He was the heart and soul of the defense during his eight seasons with the Steelers, always bringing energy and tenacity to the field.

Joey Porter Sr. had a passion for football from the moment he arrived in Pittsburgh as a third-round draft pick in 1999.

He brought that to the field every game from his rookie season until his final game with the Steelers in 2006, and beyond when he went on to play for the Miami Dolphins (2007-09) and Arizona Cardinals (2010-11).

But no matter where he ended up, his heart was always in Pittsburgh, coming back to retire with the team.

"It meant everything to play for the Steelers," said Porter. "I used to watch the Steelers when I was younger. I watched all those guys. Once I got here some of those guys were still in the locker room and that was amazing too. I loved it here.

"That tradition of being a Steeler is something you can't explain. You realize it when you go somewhere else and play for a different organization. I played for some other organizations that were great, but it's nothing like Pittsburgh. It's nothing like coming home. When you come home you realize what you had when you left. I loved every moment when I was here. I loved every minute of wearing that black and gold jersey.

"I knew when I left, I would retire a Steeler. When you say Joey Porter, you think Pittsburgh. I feel like I am a Steeler."

Porter made three Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl while a member of the Steelers and was named to their all-time team. He added another Pro Bowl berth during his three years with the Dolphins before knee injuries sapped him of his skills over the last two years with Arizona. Porter was named to the NFL's All-Decade team for the 2000s and finished with 98 career sacks.

Porter spent five seasons on the Steelers coaching staff after his retirement, including four as the team's outside linebackers coach (2015-18).

The highlight of his career was being a part of the Super Bowl XL Championship team and everything that went along with it.

"The 2005 run we went on to win Super Bowl XL," said Porter. "That is by far the best memory of my football playing career.

"We were coming off a 15-1 season, lost in the AFC Championship game the year before. We knew we had a strong team. We had some lulls in the season where we weren't where we wanted to be. We knew we couldn't lose, or it would be over.

"We hit a stretch where we got hot at the right time. That made everything come together. Everybody relied on everybody to do their job. It came together like it was supposed to.

"It was Jerome's (Bettis) last year. It made everything worth it once everybody put their hand in the pile, dug deep and realized this is the last time we were going to play with each other. It didn't matter who we were going to play, we were walking into stadiums with so much confidence because we knew we were going to win. It was surreal at times."