NFL Trade Deadline: 30 greatest trades in NFL history

25. Steelers trade for Jerome Bettis on draft day

Based off his first two years with the Los Angeles Rams, Jerome Bettis seemed like he was on his way to a stellar career with the team. He had rushed for 2,454 yards to go along with 10 touchdowns in those two seasons.

While the stellar career part of that sentence is accurate, it wasn’t until Bettis was acquired by the Pittsburgh Steelers when the running back’s career truly took off.

After a disappointing 1995 season with the Rams after they moved to St. Louis where he rushed for just 637 yards with three touchdowns, Bettis was traded to the Steelers before the 1996 season.

Along with Bettis, St. Louis sent a third-round pick to Pittsburgh. In return, the Rams received a second-round pick in 1996 and a fourth-round pick in 1997. Looking back, this was an absolute steal for Pittsburgh.

The Steelers have a reputation for being one of the most historic franchises in all of sports. There’s no question Bettis will always be viewed as one of the most beloved athletes to ever play for the organization. Just look at all the accomplishments he had throughout his Steelers career.

Right away, Bettis made an immediate impact on offense for Pittsburgh, as he would go on to record 1,000-yard rushing seasons for six years in a row. To top it off, the future Pro Football Hall of Famer ended his career on the best note possible by winning the Super Bowl XL in his native Detroit.

Some will argue that Bettis wasn’t as effective towards the end of his career. However, seeing how his final four NFL seasons consisted of 38 rushing touchdowns, this is just one of many examples behind why he was such a valuable member of the Steelers all those years.