From to '69, the Steelers only had five winning seasons and posted an overall record of wins, losses, and 18 ties. They made the playoffs only once and were quickly dispatched by the Eagles in a shutout. But it was also during those early years that the team's tough reputation began to take shape. Even back in those days, teams knew they may beat the Steelers on the scoreboard, but it meant paying the price in bruises and blood.
As one would expect during such a tumultuous period, the Steelers saw a string of head coaches come through Pittsburgh, 13 in total prior to Only two left town with winning records: Jock Sutherland from to '47 and Buddy Parker from to ' Despite the losses on the field, the Steelers had their share of star players.
Ernie Stautner was one of the most feared defensive linemen in the league. Despite spending only six of his 13 NFL seasons in Pittsburgh, he still finished his career as the team's fifth all-time leading rusher. Defensive back Jack Butler played for the Steelers from to ' He made four Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams while intercepting 52 passes in his career. Early Steelers history also holds one of the most interesting pieces of football trivia.
During World War II, when most young men were fighting overseas, the Steelers realized they hadn't the personnel to field a squad.
Most of the players they had left had either failed their draft physical or were too old to qualify for the service. The Eagles had the same problem, and so they made a deal with the Steelers to combine teams for the season.
The team became unofficially known as the Steagles and went , which was better than either team usually did on their own. The next season the Steelers combined with the Cardinals and went 0—10, leading to the less-charming nickname "the Carpets," based on the Card-Pitt mashup. Arthur J. Rooney, whom the players had come to affectionately refer to as "The Chief," endured a lot of heartache during those early years. But even the bad times can't last forever. More importantly, he had served on the Colts' staff under Don Shula and had coached in the Super Bowl.
Still, there was no reason for expectations to be any higher for Noll than they were for any of the previous 13 coaches. The Steelers went 1—13 in Noll's first year, their worst record of all time. Although they seemed like the same old Steelers during Noll's first season, changes were brewing. Greene was nasty on the field, hated to lose, and quickly established himself as one of the best defensive linemen in the league. Noll added fullback Franco Harris in , a Penn State alum who would become the NFL's third all-time leading rusher before he retired.
But it was the legendary draft where Noll put the finishing touches on one of the most dominant NFL teams of all time and chose four eventual Hall of Famers in five draft rounds.
In the second, Kent State linebacker Jack Lambert. Chuck Noll rightfully gets credit for some of the smartest drafting decisions in NFL history, but he wasn't working alone. By , Art Rooney's son Dan was serving as the team's general manager and had an influence over Noll's choices.
Dan Rooney, along with the Steelers' scouting team, was a key part of the Steelers' success in the '70s. The concept of building a team through the draft paid off by Noll's fifth season. On Jan. The Steelers repeated the feat in , and again in , and again in They only had four winning seasons and one playoff appearance to their credit in their previous 36 years of existence, but now the Pittsburgh Steelers had posted eight winning seasons and won four Super Bowl championships during Noll's first 11 years.
Noll had turned the Steelers into a dynasty—the team of the '70s. But the good times can't last forever. By the early '80s, the team had begun to dismantle, with many of the players of the Super Bowl years shuffling off to retirement. The Steelers remained competitive under Noll for most of the s, but could not recapture the Super Bowl magic of the previous decade.
Noll retired from coaching after the season with a record of Art Rooney, the Chief, had passed away in at the age of He had lived to see his beloved Steelers bring four Super Bowl championships home to Pittsburgh and grow into one of the most famous professional sports teams in the world. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is the Steelers' all-time leading passer.
It is an understatement to suggest that Bill Cowher had some big shoes to fill when he signed up for the head coaching position in Pittsburgh. His predecessor was a legend who had turned the Steelers from perennial losers to four-time champs.
Like Noll, Cowher was a former player for the Browns as well as the Eagles. He had put in three years as defensive coordinator for the Chiefs, and at only 35 years of age, the Rooneys had chosen him as the man to lead the Steelers into the '90s.
Cowher's Steelers got off to a fast start in They won the division with an 11—5 record, but lost in the first round of the playoffs. Still, it was enough to convince Steeler Nation that this new guy just might know what he's doing. By , the Steelers had returned to the AFC championship game, their first since Pittsburgh lost a heartbreaker to San Diego, but came back again in They lost to the Cowboys in the Super Bowl, but Cowher had returned the Steelers to their former glory.
Cowher guided the Steelers to three more AFC championships in , , and , before finally winning the Super Bowl in Along the way, he had built a roster of some of the best Steelers of all time, including a few who rival the greats of the '70s. In , the Steelers traded for running back Jerome Bettis, who had worn out his welcome with the Rams.
The rumour was he had an attitude problem, but that never materialized in Pittsburgh. Instead, he went on to a Hall of Fame career where he finished as one of the NFL's all-time leading rushers. During the Super Bowl run of , he became the ultimate teammate and mentor to running back Willie Parker, who had taken over his starting role. In , the Steelers drafted Hines Ward from the University of Georgia, a wide receiver who had also played tailback and quarterback.
He went on to become the leading receiver in Steelers history. In , they signed James Harrison, a player who had been cut three previous times by the Steelers and once by Ravens. Harrison became a starter in and won defensive player of the year in But by , Cowher had retired to spend time with his family. He is beloved by Steelers fans to this day, many of whom would love to see him return to the sidelines.
Hines Ward is the Steelers' all-time leading receiver. Mike Tomlin came to the Steelers after serving as defensive coordinator for the Vikings. He inherited a strong team that included quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, receiver Hines Ward and safety Troy Polamalu. Expectations were high, and Tomlin did not disappoint. The following year, Tomlin took the team straight to the Super Bowl and defeated the Cardinals 27— The Steelers returned to the Super Bowl in , only to lose to the Packers.
He has never had a losing season, and his winning percentage is best among any coach in Steelers history. On the other hand, under Tomlin, the Steelers have consistently underperformed in the biggest games.
The behaviors of wide receiver Antonio Brown were a recurring problem, as well. In , the All-Pro receiver skipped practices without permission, leading to Tomlin benching him for a game.
Brown and Bell both departed Pittsburgh following the season. In many ways, the season seems like a watershed moment in Steelers history. The FireTomlin hashtag trends on Twitter whenever the Steelers lose, and some fans would love to see a shakeup in the coaching ranks. The first quarter ended with the score tied at seven. Dallas scored quickly in the second quarter with a yard field goal by Toni Fritsch, but the rest of the second quarter was dominated by defense. The teams traded punts several times and failed to move the ball.
The Steelers managed to claw their way into field goal range with seconds left in the half, but kicker Roy Gerela missed from 36 yards. Again the teams traded punts in the third quarter before the Steelers managed to return Gerela to field goal range. Again he missed, but this time caused a chain of events that arguably altered the momentum of the game. Cowboys safety Cliff Harris patted Gerela on the helmet and taunted him after the play, drawing the attention of ill-tempered Steelers linebacker Jack Lambert.
Enraged, Lambert grabbed Harris and chucked him to the turf. It was a minor scuffle that sent a major message: the Steelers were done being pushed around. The Steelers blocked a punt through the back of the Cowboys' end zone in the fourth quarter for a safety, then took the ensuing free kick and marched down the field for a field goal. Steelers safety Mike Wagner picked off Staubach on the next Cowboys possession, and again Gerela put the ball through the uprights for three points. When the clock ran out, the Steelers were ahead 21— Staubach's last-minute heroics nearly earned him two more rings.
They had been dubbed "America's Team" and were primed for their second straight Super Bowl appearance and another showdown with the Steelers. Staubach and the Doomsday Defense were back, but the Cowboys had added some major offensive weapons since the season.
Running back Tony Dorsett had won a Heisman Trophy at Pitt in , and by his second year in the NFL, he had established himself as one of the best backs in the league. He was fast, elusive, and tougher than his size would suggest.
By , Staubach had another skilled receiver to complement Drew Pearson as well: Tony Hill hauled in 46 passes during the regular season and made the Pro Bowl. While some of the names remained, this was not the same Cowboys team the Steelers had defeated in Super Bowl X. Fortunately, Pittsburgh had evolved as well.
By , the Steelers had taken a huge step forward. Bradshaw, once a game manager who performed his best in the biggest games, had morphed into one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
He threw for over 2, yards and 28 touchdowns during the regular season. Franco Harris still dominated on the ground, and the Steel Curtain defense ranked first in the NFL for points allowed. Bradshaw and Staubach both fired touchdown passes in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Cowboys linebacker Mike Hegman scooped up a Bradshaw fumble and ran it back 37 yards for a touchdown. Bradshaw responded on the next series by hitting John Stallworth with a yard scoring bomb. The teams staggered into the locker rooms at halftime with the Steelers ahead 21— The pace slowed in the third quarter as the teams traded punts.
The Cowboys got on the board once more with a yard Rafael Septien field goal. The fourth quarter started with a successful Steelers drive that chewed up the clock and culminated in a Franco Harris touchdown run. Dallas fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Bradshaw hit Swann on the next play for an yard touchdown pass.
The Steelers had scored two touchdowns in less than a minute and led the Cowboys 35—17 with left in the game.
But the Cowboys came storming back. Staubach marched his team downfield and scored with a seven-yard pass to tight end Billy Joe DuPree. Dallas recovered the onside kick, and again Staubach willed his team down the field as the clock ticked. Wide receiver Butch Johnson hauled in a touchdown pass with 22 seconds left in the game. Another onside kick attempt failed, and the Steelers eked out one of the most exciting Super Bowls ever played with a 35—31 win.
Today, many Steelers fans regard this game as the greatest win in team history. The Rams of the s were somewhat of a low-key powerhouse. Only the dominance of the Cowboys and Vikings kept them from reaching the big game more often. But reach the big game they did in After finishing 9—7 in the regular season, they defeated the Cowboys and the Buccaneers in the playoffs and earned the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Rams starting quarterback Pat Haden led the team to a 5—5 record before breaking his finger.
Backup Vince Ferragamo stepped in and posted a 4—1 record, good enough to get Los Angeles into the playoffs. The Steelers were in their prime in Though the team had struggled with injuries during the regular season, by the time the Super Bowl kicked off, all hands were on deck. Bradshaw had thrown for an incredible 3, yards during the regular season. Harris had rushed for 1, yards and 11 touchdowns. Receiver John Stallworth had hauled in 70 catches for over 1, yards and made his first All-Pro team.
A veteran defense, packed with future Steelers Hall of Famers, stood ready to demolish an underdog Rams offense. Most football pundits and oddsmakers agreed: By the time halftime came around, the Steelers were thought to be shoo-ins for their fourth Super Bowl ring. Pittsburgh countered with a Franco Harris touchdown dive in the second quarter.
The Rams put together a field-goal drive, forced a Steelers punt, and then plodded down the field for one more field goal. At halftime, the Rams led the Steelers 13— Bradshaw connected with Swann on a yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter to put Pittsburgh ahead.
Undaunted, the Rams pulled a trick out of their helmets on the next possession when halfback Lawrence McCutcheon threw to wide receiver Ron Smith for a touchdown. Frank Corral missed the extra point, and the third quarter ended with the score 19—17, Rams. One could only imagine the discussions on the Pittsburgh sidelines as the fourth quarter began.
Whatever was said, the Steelers responded. Bradshaw connected with Stallworth on a yard scoring pass. Later in the quarter, linebacker Jack Lambert intercepted Ferragamo as Los Angeles moved the ball into Pittsburgh territory.
The Steelers closed out the game by plowing over an exhausted Rams defense with running backs Harris, Rocky Bleier, and Sydney Thornton. Harris plunged into the end zone for the final score of the game with left on the clock. Though the Rams had proven that they were worthy opponents, the Steelers had won their fourth Super Bowl in six years with a final score of 31— Philip G.
They dominated in the regular season with a 13—3 record and then defeated Washington and Carolina in the playoffs. The Seahawks were a fitting opponent for the underdog Steelers who had made the playoffs as a wild-card team and reached the Super Bowl by defeating the Colts, Broncos, and Bengals, arguably the three best teams in the AFC.
Alexander had rushed for an impressive 1, yards and 27 touchdowns in the regular season behind the bone-crushing blocking of Strong and a powerful Seattle offensive line. They would face a Pittsburgh defense that was ranked third in the NFL against the run and fourth in points against. Today, Ben Roethlisberger is known as one of the top quarterbacks in Steelers history, but back in , he was a mistake-prone, second-year quarterback who needed a lot of support from a strong Steelers rushing attack and a stingy defense.
The running game and the defense both needed to step up as they had in the AFC playoffs to give Pittsburgh a shot at winning the Super Bowl. Both teams struggled to move the ball in the first quarter, until Seattle managed a yard field goal by kicker Josh Brown. Defense dominated the second quarter as well, until Roethlisberger put together a string of completions to receivers Hines Ward and Cedric Wilson that put the ball on the Seahawks' one-yard line.
The Seahawks stopped Bettis twice, then Roethlisberger carried the ball around left end on third down for the score. It was a controversial play, but after review, the touchdown stood. The Steelers took a 7—3 lead into halftime. On the second play of the third quarter, Steelers running back Willie Parker blasted off right tackle and outran the Seahawks' defense for a record-setting yard touchdown run.
This put Pittsburgh up 14—3, but Seattle stormed back later in the quarter when Hasselbeck connected with tight end Jerramy Stevens for a yard touchdown pass.
With left in the game and holding a tenuous 14—10 lead, the Steelers hammered the final nail in the coffin. On first down and with the ball on the Seattle yard line, Parker took a pitch and started left, then handed off to wide receiver Antwaan Randle El on a reverse.
As he raced around right end, Randle El tossed a deep pass without breaking stride. Receiver Hines Ward hauled it in for a spectacular gadget-play touchdown. When the clock ran down to zero, the Steelers had won their fifth Super Bowl in franchise history with a score of 21— In the decades before , the Cardinals had suffered as one of the worst teams in the NFL.
Formerly hailing from Phoenix, and before that making their home in St. Louis and Chicago, "the Cards" took their lumps, year after year. That changed in when former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt took over as head coach.
Within a year, the Cardinals had won their division, defeated the Falcons, Panthers, and Eagles in the playoffs, and made it to the Super Bowl. Arizona had added some serious offensive firepower in the years leading up to their Super Bowl appearance. In , they drafted Larry Fitzgerald, a wide receiver who would become one of the best in NFL history. In , he had earned All-Pro honors by hauling in 96 passes for 1, yards and 12 touchdowns. Fellow receivers Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston had caught 89 and 77 passes respectively, both for over 1, yards.
At the origin of those passes was Kurt Warner, an aging but still-dangerous quarterback who had been a key part of the Super Bowl-winning Rams team nearly a decade earlier. To stop the Arizona passing attack would take everything Pittsburgh had.
In , the Steelers team that won the Super Bowl in remained largely intact, but with a handful of notable changes.
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