Steelers' Ike Taylor Talks About Shocking Revelations New Players Got Coming To Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a well-earned reputation around the league for the brotherhood-like atmosphere the organization creates with players. Troy Polamalu said it extended beyond football with guys even going onto other teams' buses to settle scores when they felt one of their own was disrespected. Polamalu's longtime teammate, Ike Taylor said it is such a unique situation that, during his time, when well-respected veterans came from other organizations to join Pittsburgh, they had their eyes opened to the Steelers way. 

Taylor, now a scout for the organization, recently joined host Kaleb Everhart on the Three Point Stance podcast presented by SteelerNation. He talked extensively about the special camaraderie he experienced playing 12 seasons in Pittsburgh.   

"When you become a Pittsburgh Steeler, it's not about you no more," Taylor said. "It's about your brother that you're playing with. Some things are going to hurt and you may not like it. You are going to be put in situations where it's going to hurt you, but it's going to be beneficial to the team."  

In March of 2004, the organization brought in Duce Staley from the Philadelphia Eagles to try to lessen the workload of an aging Jerome Bettis. Staley was excited to join the Steelers and get to play with the highly esteemed veteran running back in the twilight of his career. Staley got into 16 games in three seasons in Pittsburgh and told Taylor he couldn't believe the kinship shared between the players on his new team. 

"We hear about the so-called brotherhood you have, but to actually live it in the locker room and off the field, I see why," Taylor recalled the running back telling him. "Y'all really do take care of each other." 

The team needed an offensive lineman in 2010 after the established starter at right tackle, Willie Colon, was lost for the year. So, the team added five-time Pro Bowl tackle, Flozell Adams from the Dallas Cowboys in July. Taylor said he remains close with Adams even though he spent just one year in the Steel City and recalled the culture shock Adams experienced moving from Dallas to Pittsburgh. 

"Flo (Adams) was like 'Corners and safeties are hanging out with the offensive lineman?' And I was like 'we do that all the time,'" Taylor said. "He told me 'Where I was at we ain't never doing any of this.'"      

Taylor added it was a tradition for the team to hang up pictures of five or six of the top performers from the previous week at the South Side practice facility. Adams said he'd never experienced anything like it and definitely had never had his picture hung up in a team facility before. 

Taylor said even legendary Defensive Coordinator, Dick LeBeau, who had been in football for over 60 years, said there was something special about those Steeler teams. He's even writing a book about how special he thought the 2008 defense was.  

Steelers' Taylor Detailed How The Brotherhood Came Together To Support One Of Their Own After Tragedy In 2023 

While the brotherhood is an important part of how the organization has been so successful on the field, it lasts long past the days when a player has left the organization. Taylor detailed how he saw guys come together to support one of their own when linebacker, Clark Haggans tragically passed away in June at the age of 46.

Taylor said it was so important to show support for their brother and to be able to give him a proper send-off. It wasn't just about attending the funeral either. 

"We're in a group text and we made sure to set money aside for his son and his daughter," Taylor said. "This is deep. This is the real live brotherhood we have." 

Taylor said that playing for Pittsburgh gave him all the life skills he needed to succeed in his new career in the front office. But also, like many other players in the organization, it's given him a family for life.

He said the basis for the brotherhood in Pittsburgh is rooted in how the Rooney family has treated their players. He said that the care they show in talking to guys about their wives and kids sets the standard. The late Dan Rooney even offered up his office to Taylor once just to take a nap. Players from the outside truly don't recognize what it means to be a part of that brotherhood until they live it and it all starts from the top.