Sidney Thornton  Sidney Thornton (born September 2, 1954) is a former American professional football player who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2nd round (48th overall) of the 1977 NFL Draft. A 5'11", . running back from Northwestern State University in Louisiana, Thornton played in 6 NFL seasons from 1977 to 1982 for the Steelers, winning two Super Bowl titles for the team.