Carter's Classroom Classic: When Levon Kirkland ruled the field

Continuing the theme from our inside linebacker free agent study of Rey Maualuga, we go back in time to look at another inside linebacker who stood out for the Steelers.

Throughout the long history of legendary linebackers in franchise history, one player that often gets left out of the conversation is Levon Kirkland, the powerhouse at the position in the 1990s. He was the centerpiece of the "Blitzburgh" defense that led the team to its Super Bowl XXX appearance, and he stayed with the team until it transitioned to Heinz Field in 2001.

The Steelers got a lot of use out of Kirkland over the years. He earned his spot as a starter in his second season in the NFL in 1993, and in the six seasons between 1995-2000, he would start all 16 games each season.

We spend today's Daily Fun Thing going back in time:



What made Kirkland unique was how he was huge as an inside linebacker. His 6-1, 270-pound frame made him larger than any running back who came his way. But combined with his athleticism, he was able to take that huge frame and run with tight ends as well as cover lots of space to bring down ball carriers.

This made him a natural threat, but his football skills compounded all of his natural advantages to make him complete. inside linebacker for the Steelers.

TURNOVER MACHINE

Often when the Steelers needed a big play, Kirkland would be the X-factor to find a way to make it happen. He would do so many of the little things right that he would put himself in the position to make plays.

One of those moments came in his last home game for the Steelers, and the last game at Three Rivers Stadium, when he forced a fumble on the Steelers' way to winning 24-3:



Kirkland would hit, wrap and attack the ball when he went in for a tackle. In his nine years with the Steelers he would force 14 fumbles. In comparison, James Farrior would force 12 fumbles in his 10 years with the Steelers.

But Kirkland wasn't just one for forcing fumbles, because he intercepted passes too. Teams would often test him over the middle and he would make them pay. Watch him snag this interception off of John Elway while covering Shannon Sharpe:



Kirkland could run with the best of players and be effective adjusting to quick players over the middle while also having the strength to challenge taller targets and fight for the ball. This one snag was during the opening possession of the 1997 AFC championship game and helped give the team a chance to capitalize and take an early lead.

During his nine years with the Steelers, Kirkland would nab 11 interceptions in regular season play. Between 1995-1997 Kirkland would make four interceptions in the playoffs, including the one he recorded against Elway.

He would also be able run with and defend numerous passes throughout his career, rarely losing his balance and usually keeping himself in position to have the best chance to make a play on the ball or tackle his assignment immediately.

DECEPTIVE SPEED 

Kirkland's speed did not always seem obvious to opponents who mistook his size to be a limiting feature. Whether it was in coverage, beating linemen to a spot, or rushing the quarterback, Kirkland could move.

Later in that same playoff game against the Broncos, the Steelers needed a stop on third down to keep the offense in the game. Kirkland would come through with a sack that put the Broncos into questionable field goal range:



The right guard initially tries to chip from helping the center, but before he can disengage and find Kirkland, the Steelers' linebacker is already in the backfield chasing down Elway.

BROUGHT THE BOOM

What might have been the biggest staple in Kirkland's game was how he would forcefully fill holes in the line and make hard-hitting tackles on his opponents. He would make these plays but without selling out on his fundamentals, leaning too far one way or the other or failing to use his arms to wrap his opponents.

Take this huge hit he put on Marshall Faulk back in the 1996 playoffs. He maneuvers to the hole, spreads his feet to make a wide base and accelerates into the hole to deliver the blow:



Notice how even while coming in to deliver a big hit, Kirkland wraps his arms around Faulk's legs and ensures that the play would be made. This is the sort of everyday play that that Kirkland would make and set a tone to the game he was in, while also making an effort to force turnovers.

Kirkland played within one of the best linebacker groups in team history, working with Chad Brown, Kevin Greene, Gregg Lloyd and Jason Gildon among others. In the talks of great linebackers in Steelers' history, Kirkland's name often falls into the background.

That's partially because of all the Steelers linebackers that have been stars and significant contributor to Super Bowl champion teams. Kirkland was not fortunate to be on any of the six teams, but his contributions were part of what made the 90's defenses under Bill Cowher build the young coach a strong reputation as a good coach.

While his contributions to the team never led to a Super Bowl ring, Kirkland should absolutely be regarded among the team's best inside linebackers in its history. Watching him in the 90's era showed a type of player that could play in any time before then in the NFL.

But with the pass-happy NFL today and the faster athletes, it would be an interesting debate as to whether Kirkland would be as dominant as he was in the 90's if he were to play today.