'Burgh's best to wear it, No. 50: Steelers' Larry Foote stood tall at inside linebacker

The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number.

No. 50: Larry Foote

Larry Foote made a promise when he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round in 2002.

“The cream will rise to the top,” he said.

Foote, an inside linebacker who came to college as a 208-pound safety, made it happen by his third season, helping the Steelers go from 6-10 in 2003 to 15-1 and a berth in the AFC Championship game a year later.

“Six-and-10 wasn’t a pretty sight,” he said.

Foote was drafted after 13 linebackers, but he really didn’t mind. “In the NFL, you have a lot of politics,” he said.

Foote was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year at Michigan in 2001, tying a school record with 26 tackles for a loss. He played on the most recent Michigan teams (1999 and 2000) to beat rival Ohio State in consecutive seasons.

In the NFL, he fought through a perception that he was too short for inside linebacker (listed at between 6-foot and 6-1). Yet, he started all 80 games for the Steelers from 2004-2008.

After 13 seasons in the NFL (11 with the Steelers), Foote is the Tribune-Review’s choice as the best athlete in Pittsburgh to wear No. 50.

In the AFC Championship Game after the ‘05 season, he stopped a Denver Broncos drive by intercepting quarterback Jake Plummer in the fourth quarter while protecting a 27-10 lead that turned into a 34-17 victory.

It was one of only six interceptions in Foote’s career (including the postseason), but his instincts usually carried him to the football at crucial moments. He retired with 818 tackles (636 with the Steelers).

He was at his familiar post in the middle of the Steelers’ defense for Super Bowl victories against the Seattle Seahawks (XL) after ‘05 and Arizona Cardinals (XLIII) after ‘08.

He played 11 of his 13 NFL seasons with the Steelers, making 105 starts among his 158 games in Pittsburgh, contributing nine forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and 21 sacks.

Today, Foote is a coach for old buddy and former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also coached with Arians in Arizona.

Jersey No. 50 has been worn by several prominent Pittsburgh athletes, some whose careers didn’t proceed as they had hoped.

• Pirates relief pitcher Stan Belinda threw the two-out fastball that the Atlanta Braves’ Francisco Cabrera turned into the game-winning single in Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS. Cabrera became the first hitter in postseason history to win a series with a hit when an out would have meant a series loss.

Belinda, who was traded to Kansas City during the following season for pitchers Jon Lieber and Dan Miceli, finished his Pirates career with 61 saves and 19 victories. He played his last season in 2000 — for the Braves.

• Pitcher Jameson Taillon, the Pirates’ first-round draft choice (second overall) in 2010, is recovering from his second Tommy John surgery.

• Pitcher Charlie Morton was 41-62 in seven seasons with the Pirates, but he is 50-25 in five seasons with four other teams.

• Linebacker Ryan Shazier, the Steelers’ first-round draft choice in 2014, played in the Pro Bowl after the ‘16 season before suffering a spinal cord injury in ‘17. He is on the reserve/retired list and remains a highly visible part of the organization. He attends meetings and helps in scouting and mentoring players while continuing his comeback attempt.

• Linebackers David Little (126 starts in 12 seasons) and Earl Holmes (79 in six) manned the inside linebacker position before Foote.

• Avella native Ralph Cindrich, a prominent attorney and sports agent, played linebacker for Pitt in 1968, ‘70 and ‘71 before a four-year NFL career.

• John Pelusi was the center on Pitt’s 1976 national championship team.

Check out the entire ’Burgh’s Best to Wear It series here.