The Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s: A Trip Down Memory Lane

With a long history of losing and a 1–13 record in 1969, Steelers fans hoped for better days in the 1970s. When 1970 started out with three straight losses, it looked like another long season for Pittsburgh. But after winning four of their next five games, Steeler fans felt optimistic. But their optimism quickly faded when the Steelers lost five of their next six to finish the season 5–9. Defensive tackle Joe Greene and linebacker Andy Russell made the Pro Bowl.

The Steelers finished the 1971 season with six wins and eight losses. It was the team’s eighth losing season in a row but led by Bill “Super Scout” Nunn, the team had been building up talent through the draft, and it was just a matter of time before it paid off. Joe Greene and Andy Russell made the Pro Bowl again.

Going into his fourth season as head coach, Chuck Noll had an uninspiring record of 12 wins and 30 losses, but team owner Art Rooney stuck with his man. Besides having a good coach, the team had some talented players. Linebacker Andy Russell and center Ray Mansfield were nine-year veterans.

Guard Sam Davis was a five-year veteran. Defensive end L.C. Greenwood and defensive tackle Joe Greene were three-year veterans. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw and cornerback Mel Blount were two-year veterans, while outside linebacker Jack Ham and defensive end Dwight White were one-year veterans. Running back Franco Harris was a promising young rookie. Now it was time to see what all that talent could produce on the field.

The 1972 Steelers surpassed most fans’ expectations by finishing the regular season with eleven wins and only three losses. All three losses were close games, while some of their wins were blowouts. They beat the Patriots 33–3, the Bengals 40–17, the Browns 30–0, and the Chargers 24–2.

They would play the Raiders at home in the playoffs and win 13–7 in the famous “Immaculate Reception” game. They would play at home again the following week in the AFC Championship against the Dolphins, a game they lost 21–17. While it was a disappointing end, few expected this team to come so close to a Superbowl, and it was clear that the Steelers were cellar dwellers no more.

Joe Greene and Andy Russell made the Pro Bowl again, and they were joined by Dwight White, Franco Harris, middle linebacker Henry Davis, and kicker Roy Gerela. Joe Greene made All-Pro and won the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Franco Harris won Rookie of the Year, and Chuck Noll won Coach of the Year.

Now On Top - Pittsburgh Steelers of the 70s

The 1973 season started with the Steelers outscoring their first three opponents 93-23. A week nine win over the Raiders gave the Steelers an 8–1 record. But suddenly, the team went into a terrible slump, losing three games in a row. They rebounded to win their final two games but lost a rematch with the Raiders in the playoffs.

The game wasn’t even close, as Oakland gained 232 yards on the ground against the “Steel Curtain Defense” while holding Pittsburgh to only 65 yards rushing. Franco Harris, receiver Ron Shanklin, Joe Greene, LC Greenwood, Jack Ham, Andy Russell, Dwight White, and guard Bruce Van Dyke made the Pro Bowl. Joe Greene also made All-Pro again.

Roy Blount Jr. wrote a book titled “About Three Bricks Shy of a Load.” The book was about the Steelers’ 1973 season, and the title implied that all the Steelers needed was a few more top-notch players to win the Superbowl. It turns out that Roy was right. In 1974 the Steelers had one of the best drafts ever, drafting four future Hall of Fame players. Middle linebacker Jack Lambert, center Mike Webster, receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. They also signed safety Donnie Shell, another future Hall of Famer, as a free agent.

Pittsburgh had another successful regular season winning ten games, losing three with one tie. But now it was time to see if all those draft picks from the last six years would pay off. In the playoff game, Pittsburgh had no trouble with the Buffalo Bills, cruising to a 32–14 win.

They would travel to Oakland to face the Raiders in the AFC Championship. The two teams met in week three, and Oakland shut the Steelers out 17–0. But the results were different today. The game was a back-and-forth affair until late in the fourth quarter when Franco Harris ran 21 yards for a touchdown to give the Steelers a 24–13 victory. Now the Steelers would travel to New Orleans to face the Vikings in the Superbowl.

It was a hard-hitting defensive battle, and the Steelers came out on top 16–6. It took 42 years, but the Pittsburgh Steelers were finally World Champions. Franco Harris, Joe Greene, LC Greenwood, Andy Russell, Jack Ham, and Roy Gerela made the Pro Bowl. Greenwood, Ham, and Greene made All-Pro. Greene also won the defensive player of the Year, while Jack Lambert won Rookie of the Year.

1975 - Still on Top

1975 would prove to be the Steelers’ best team to date. They breezed through the regular season with a 12–2 record, blowing out several of their opponents. They beat the Chargers 37–0, the Browns 42–6, the Bears 34–3, and the Chiefs 28–3.

They had no trouble with the Colts in the playoffs, winning 28–10. For the fourth year in a row, the Steelers and Raiders would do battle in the postseason. It was another hard-hitting defensive game, and Pittsburgh came out on top 16–10. In the Superbowl against the Dallas Cowboys, they were behind 10–7 in the fourth quarter but came back to win 21–17 for their second Vince Lombardi trophy in a row.

Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, free safety Glen Edwards, strong safety Mike Wagner, cornerback Mel Blount, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, Andy Russell, Joe Greene, and LC Greenwood made the Pro Bowl. Ham, Blount, and Greenwood made All-Pro. Blount won the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

The 1976 Steelers shocked everyone, especially themselves, by starting out the season with one win and four losses. But they made up for it by having perhaps the best ten-game win streak in NFL history. During one three-game stretch, they outscored their opponents 95–0; during another three-game stretch, they outscored their opponents 70–3.

They also pitched five shutouts during the season. They easily defeated the Colts in the playoffs 40–14 but lost Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier to injuries. They would face the Raiders in the AFC Championship for the third year in a row. The Raiders ended the Steelers ‘ ten-game-win streak with a 24–7 victory.

There would be no three-peat for Pittsburgh. Franco Harris, Glen Edwards, LC Greenwood, Jack Lambert, Mike Wagner, Jack Ham, Mel Blount, Joe Greene, and cornerback JT Thomas made the Pro Bowl. Ham and Lambert made All-Pro. Lambert also won the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Getting Back To The Super Bowl

An opening day 27–0 rout over the 49ers gave Steelers fans reason to believe their team was back and better than ever. But a 16–7 loss at home to the Raiders the following week brought them back down to earth. The rest of the season was up and down, and their 9–5 record was good enough for the division title.

In the playoffs, Pittsburgh traveled to Denver to meet the 12–2 Broncos. Denver had beaten Pittsburgh in week eight 21–7, and the playoff game was no different as the Broncos won again 34–21. Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Jack Ham, Joe Greene, and Jack Lambert made the Pro Bowl. Greene, Harris, and Ham made All-Pro.

After a two-year absence from the Superbowl, there were those who thought the Steelers dynasty was over. They were sadly mistaken! Pittsburgh finished the 1978 regular season with fourteen wins and only two losses, their best record in team history.

In the playoffs, they avenged their 1977 playoff loss to Denver, beating them 33–10. Next up was the Earl Campbell-led Houston Oilers in the AFC Championship. The two teams had split their regular season games, but this one was over right from the start, as the “Steel Curtain Defense” held Campbell to 62 yds rushing on 22 carries and destroyed the Oilers 34–5. The Steelers would play the Cowboys in the Superbowl for the second time in the last four years.

Whoever won would be the first team to win three Superbowls. In one of the best Superbowls ever played, the Steelers came out on top 35–31. Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, Joe Greene, LC Greenwood, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Mel Blount, Donnie Shell, and Mike Webster made the Pro Bowl. Ham, Webster, Swann, and Bradshaw made All-Pro. Bradshaw also won the NFL MVP award.

1979 was an up-and-down season for the Steelers. There were times when they looked like the defending NFL Champions they were, and other times when it looked like age might be catching up with them. In a week two game with the Oilers, they held Earl Campbell to just 38 yds rushing and cruised to a 38–7 win.

But then, in a week seven game against the lowly Bengals, they lost 34–10. The following week they beat the Broncos 42–7. Two weeks later, they beat up the Redskins 38–7, and the week after that, they thrashed the Chiefs 30–3. But the next week, they got a beat down by the Chargers 35–7. In the final week of the regular season, they shut out the Bills 28–0. Now it was on to the playoffs to face the Miami Dolphins, but which Steelers team would show up?

The Steelers who got crushed by the Chargers and a 4–12 Bengals team, or the Steelers who beat up on solid teams like the Oilers, Broncos, and Redskins?It didn’t take long to get the answer as Pittsburgh took a commanding 20–0 lead into the locker room at halftime and then cruised to a 34–14 win. Next was a rematch with the Oilers.

The Steel Curtain defense once again held Earl Campbell in check, allowing him only 15 yds rushing. The Steelers won 27–13 and were on their way back to the Superbowl, where they would take on the LA Rams. Pittsburgh was the heavy favorite for obvious reasons. # 1 — They were the defending Superbowl Champions, and #2 They had a 14–4 record, while the Rams had an 11–7 record. The Rams gave Pittsburgh all they could handle, leading 19–17 after three full quarters of play.

But Pittsburgh came back in the fourth quarter, as they always seemed to do, and won their fourth Superbowl 31–19. Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw, John Stallworth, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, Mel Blount, Donnie Shell, Mike Webster, Joe Greene, and LC Greenwood made the Pro Bowl. Stallworth, Webster, Ham, Lambert, and Shell made All-Pro. Lambert also won the Defensive Player of the Year award.

The bottom line. Regular season record 99–44–1. Postseason record 14–4. Division titles — seven. AFC titles — four. Superbowl titles — four.

As a Dallas Cowboys fan since 1969, it was hard to admit the Steelers were the better team. I tried to find reasons to rank the Cowboys ahead of Pittsburgh. Dallas won more games in the 1970s than anyone else, including Pittsburgh.

Dallas appeared in more postseason games than anyone else, including Pittsburgh. Dallas won more Conference titles than anyone else, including the Steelers. Dallas never had a losing season in the 1970s, while Pittsburgh had two. But the teams played each other five times during the 1970s, and the Steelers won four of those games, and two of those games were the Superbowl.

The Steelers won four Superbowls during the 1970s, and Dallas won two. There’s no way around that fact, so yes, as much as it pains me, I have to say it. The Steelers were the best team of the 1970s!

Please Share This Post If You Enjoyed

Mark Morthier is the host of Yesterday’s Sports, a podcast dedicated to reliving memorable sports moments from his childhood days and beyond. He grew up in New Jersey just across from New York City, so many of his episodes revolve around the great sport’s teams of the 70s for the New York area.

He is also an author of No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training (Second Edition): A Guide for People with Limited Time and Running Wild: (Growing Up in the 1970s)