The Steelers had already clinched a playoff slot, so Sunday’s regular-season finale against Cleveland may have seemed meaningless.

Despite the 13-9 final score, it was anything but. Not only was there the chance to win the AFC North title and a first-round bye, but several players also had the opportunity to set milestones during the game.

Antonio Brown, the Steelers MVP, had 90 yards receiving and reached 1,100 yards to join Mike Wallace, making them the third Steeler tandem to accomplish the feat. Hines Ward and Plaxico Burress did it in 2002, while Ward did it again in 2009 with Santonio Holmes.

Then there was quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who topped 4,000 yards passing. It was the second time in his career he had done so, and the win was the 80th of his career in just his 113th start. He joined elite company, including Tom Brady, Ken Stabler and Roger Staubach.

Tight end Heath Miller also reached a pinnacle, tying Hall of Famer Lynn Swann in career receptions for fourth place in Steeler history.

But if you ask any player on the team, including those three, their achievements paled in comparison to the one they wanted for Ward.

Ward already has played in four Pro Bowls and three Super Bowls, and has an MVP award from Super Bowl XL to his name. He owns 13 team receiving records. But with five catches, giving him 1,000 for his career, Ward would pretty much claim his ticket to Canton.

“All week I was just trying to say, ‘Man, I just want to win.’ Because we still have a chance (to win) the AFC North and get that bye week,” Ward said. “I think winning meant more to me than anything, but in the back of my mind I thought, ‘Man, it would be great to get 1,000 catches.’ “

Ward admitted he was nervous as that thought and the game drew closer.

On the first offensive play of the fourth quarter, Ward took a shovel pass from Roethlisberger. Although it went for negative yardage, it was the 1,000th of his career.

“My 1,000th catch, my whole career here, this is amazing,” Ward said. “Coming to the NFL, I was just proud to be in the NFL. My goal wasn’t to catch a thousand balls or anything. But through hard work and perseverance and being able to stay healthy … here I am. It’s an elite club to be in.”

Hall of Famer Jerry Rice is the only other player to have both 1,000 receptions and multiple Super Bowl rings, and just eight other players have reached 1,000 catches.

“We’ve been counting down since week one for him to do it, and it took till Week 17 in the fourth quarter,” safety Troy Polamalu said. “But he got it and deserves it. He’s been in a run-first offense for so long. I don’t know who else is on that list, but it would be interesting to see because being in Pittsburgh and putting up the numbers he did in a run-first offense for maybe 10 of his first 14 years, he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.”

The words throughout the locker room echoed Polamalu.

“Man, he is one of the greatest ever in my book,” defensive lineman Brett Keisel said. “He has the same kind of story that I do and that is why I respect him so much. He played special teams, worked his way into the receiver role, and now 1,000 receptions, that is amazing. He is one of the all-time greats. There is no doubt he’ll be in the Hall of Fame. It’s been a honor to play with him.”

“I can’t say enough about Hines,” tackle Max Starks said. “I’ve been his teammate for eight years now, and he’s amazing, the things he can do. I’m very glad he hit that milestone and he is very deserving of it.”

“He’s a great player, a Hall of Famer, a role model,” Wallace said. “He’s like a big brother to me. He doesn’t say much, he just comes ready to play. It was on the top of our list to get Hines his catches and I’m glad we did.”

The question now: is this the curtain call for an athlete who has played the game with the tenacity of a throwback player? Although his contract runs through 2012, Ward wasn’t ready to talk about that. Instead he was focused on the playoffs and helping Pittsburgh to another Super Bowl appearance.

“I just want to thank all the guys. I think they were my biggest fans,” Ward said. “To catch a 1,000 balls is big, considering playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers you have to worry about the weather conditions. I’m just focused on doing what I can do to help this team and the younger guys make the playoffs.”

“People were telling me later they could hear it through their TV,” Batch said. “I was like, ‘really, OK, pretty good.’”

Actually, better than that.

Batch was his usual efficient, reliable self against the Rams, passing for 208 yards and showing there’s plenty of life left in his 37-year-old legs, extending several plays that turned into big gains as the Steelers (11-4) kept their hopes of an AFC North title alive.

The Pittsburgh native improved to 5-2 while subbing for starter Ben Roethlisberger through the years, earning praise from coach Mike Tomlin and turning Roethlisberger into one of the world’s tallest — and most handsomely paid — cheerleaders.

When the fans started chanting Batch’s name, Roethlisberger joined in. It’s the least he could do for one of his closest friends.

“For an old man … making people miss in the pocket and doing some great things, I was really happy for him and happy for the team,” said Roethlisberger, who dressed but did not play so he could rest his badly sprained left ankle. “He did a great job.”

So good the Steelers might let Roethlisberger watch from the sideline again on Sunday when they close the regular season against woeful Cleveland (4-11). Pittsburgh can still win the AFC North with a victory and a loss by the Ravens in Cincinnati.

Though Batch is openly rooting for Roethlisberger to start, and while Roethlisberger took snaps with the first team in practice on Wednesday, the veteran’s steady performance against the Rams calmed any doubts he can keep the Steelers competitive.

“Charlie likes to chuck it,” wide receiver Antonio Brown said. “You know he wants to get it out of there and let us go to work.”

The same as it ever was for Batch, who spent the spring helping the NFL Players Association negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement then spent training camp wondering if he’d have a job when the season started.

Batch and Dennis Dixon battled for the third quarterback spot behind Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich during the preseason only to move up the depth chart after Leftwich went out with a broken right arm in an exhibition game.

It wasn’t the way Batch envisioned keeping a roster spot. Then again, he’s been around so long — Batch is the oldest player on a team full of guys on the other side of 30 — he’s no longer concerned about how he makes the team so long as he does.

By Batch’s count, this summer was the third — or is it fourth? — time his career was supposed to be over. Yet he remains employed and effective.

The player who deftly avoided blitzing linebackers and methodically moved the Steelers up and down the field looked an awful lot like the one considered a solid starter while playing with the Detroit Lions around the turn of the millennium.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won six Super Bowl Championships in their history. Impressive offensive stats will win the Most Valuable Player Award, Pro Bowl appearances and other individual accolades but the Steelers have achieved all their great success largely because of defense. The first NFL Defensive Player of the Year was awarded in 1971 to Alan Page of the Minnesota Vikings. Since then the Steelers have employed the recipient of the award seven times by six different players.

1972 – “Mean” Joe Greene

Nicknames today aren’t like they used to be. Today nicknames are made up by sportscasters that are trying-and usually failing miserably-to be hip. Either that are players come up with some self-proclaimed name. Back in the 70′s players earned their nicknames and when a player is simply nicknamed “Mean” you know it means a lot.

1974 – “Mean” Joe Greene

Two years later Greene won his second NFL Defensive Player of the Year. During his previous winning season the Pittsburgh Steelers only managed to go to the AFC Championship game. This time the Steelers won the Super Bowl.

1975 – Mel Blount

In 1975 the Steelers won their second straight Super Bowl and along the way they had the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. Mel Blount played during a time when not all of today’s pass interference rules were in place and he took advantage of it. Blount was constantly jamming the wide receiver and halfway through his career Blount was the main reason that the NFL changed many of the pass defense rules.

1976 – Jack Lambert

Jack Lambert might possibly be the toughest guy that ever played in the NFL. Lambert and his toothless grin terrorized the NFL for years and in 1976 Lambert finally got his turn as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. As strange as it may seem, this was the first time the Steelers had the NFL Player of the Year and a defense that ranked 1^st in team defense.

1993 – Rod Woodson

After winning three consecutive NFL Player of the Year awards and four of the last five it would be a long drought before a Steelers player won again. During the 90′s Woodson was the best player on either side of the ball for the Steelers. Woodson’s 71 interceptions is the third best all-time despite missing the entire 1995 season, the year the Steelers went to the Super Bowl.

2008 – James Harrison

Again the Steelers had a drought but in 2008 James Harrison won the Steelers’ first NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 15 years. When Harrison won the award it was only the second time that a Steeler won the award in a season when the defense was ranked number one. Harrison and the Steelers went on to the Super Bowl and won thanks in large part to a 100 yard interception return by Harrison.

2010 – Troy Polamalu

In 2010 the Steelers went to their second Super Bowl in three years and likewise won their second NFL Defensive Player of the Year in three seasons. Polamalu barely edged out Clay Matthews in the voting but Matthews had the last laugh when his Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl.

Source:

History of NFL Awards, NFL.com

The last several generations of Lee Andrew Henderson’s family were Pittsburgh born and even though he was born in Alabama he has been a long time fan of the Pirates, Steelers and Panthers. Lee Andrew Henderson can be found on Twitter at @LeeAHenderson

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