Class of 2018 Finalist Spotlight: Alan Faneca

Pittsburgh Steelers legend Alan Faneca was recently named a finalist for the Class of 2018. If elected, he would become the 18th Guard enshrined. In the past seven classes, only two pure guards have been Enshrined.

Faneca, a 6’4”, 322-pound guard out of LSU, was drafted in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Faneca played high school football at Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg, Texas, and began having epileptic seizures at age 15, controlling the disease with medication his entire career. He blocked for future Hall of Famers Jerome Bettis and Curtis Martin.

He became a starter Week 6 against the Cincinnati Bengals and helped the Steelers offense compile 257 yards on the ground that day, earning All-Rookie honors that season. He missed only two starts for the remainder of his 206-game career.

In 2001, Faneca’s skills helped the Steelers’ produce the 3rd ranked total offense, a 13-3 record and their first division title in four years. He helped the Steelers post 10-plus wins five times including regular season records of 13-3 (2001) and 15-1 (2004).

In all, Faneca won four division titles and earned one Wild Card berth with the Steelers and added a sixth career playoff appearance with the New York Jets in 2009.

Faneca started 14 playoff games including four AFC championship games and a Steelers victory in Super Bowl XL.

He earned his first Pro Bowl honor following the 2001 season which began a string of nine straight Pro Bowl nominations (2002-2010). Faneca was named first- or second-team All-Pro eight straight times and was named All-AFC seven times (2001-07).

Faneca was a mauler in the run game and he helped his team secure 11 top 10 rankings in run offense during his 13 seasons in the NFL. He blocked for nine 1,000-yard rushers, five 3,000-yard passers and is a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.

These days the former 6-foot-5, 320-pound guard has lost over 100-pounds and is running marathons. In 2014, Faneca completed the New Orleans Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in 3:56:17. He also served as an assistant coach this summer for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the team’s OTAs and Training Camp.

Along with staying fit and being an advocate of healthy lifestyle for all children and adults, early spring, Faneca was inducted into the SHAPE America Hall of Fame.

Faneca also does extensive work with the Epilepsy Foundation of America and has participated in a podcast called "Speaking Out for Epilepsy". 

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