To get us through this quiet, uneventful time in the NFL calendar before Steelers training camp begins, this series will take a look at some Steelers’ all-time rookie season records. This installment: touchdowns (regular season).
This rookie record happens to be shared by three men of steel, each of whom finished their rookie seasons with 11 touchdowns. The first to set the mark was Franco Harris, a rookie from Penn State in 1972. You may have heard of him.
Harris topped the previous record of nine set by Willie Asbury in 1966. Many former Steelers, including Mean Joe Greene, attributed Harris’s arrival in Pittsburgh to the beginning of the ‘70s dynasty run. Greene was quoted as saying that the Steelers were “the armpit of the NFL” prior to Harris.
Harris didn’t score his first touchdown of his rookie season until Week 5 against the Houston Oilers. But once he found the end zone, he didn’t stop, recording 10 touchdowns in his final eight games. Of course, the regular season was only 14 games.
Harris’ mark stood alone for over a decade until the Steelers selected a young receiver out of Southern Miss in the first round of the 1984 draft named Louis Lipps. Lipps burst onto the scene with a dynamic rookie campaign that included nine receiving touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, and one 76-yard punt return to match Harris’ 11.
The Steelers were in a bit of a rebuild under coach Chuck Noll following the four Super Bowls in the ‘70s. Lipps was a shining star in the dark days of ‘80s Steelers football. In his first game on Sept. 2, 1984, Lipps introduced himself to the league by hauling in six catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns against the Chiefs. His rookie campaign earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl and the AP Rookie of the Year Award.
Harris and Lipps would share the record for another 36 years until 2020. In the second round of the draft, the Steelers selected a big wide receiver out of Notre Dame by the name of Chase Claypool.
Claypool looked the part of an emerging superstar in his rookie campaign. Big, fast, and productive, he announced his arrival in the NFL early in the season. In his second game, he showed promise by recording 88 yards and a touchdown against Denver. Then, in his fourth game, he went crazy with seven catches for 110 yards and three touchdowns and added a fourth touchdown on the ground against the Eagles.
His rookie season had fans believing Claypool was the next great receiver for the franchise. He set a then-rookie record with 62 receptions, topping Troy Edwards’ previous record of 61 and recording 873 yards. He also tied Harris and Lipps with 11 total touchdowns, nine through the air and two on the ground. His performance would earn him a spot on the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie Team.
The Claypool buzz would be short-lived, however. The following season, in 2021, he would have two touchdowns, and in 2022, the team would trade him to the Chicago Bears midseason. Claypool struggled to find consistency, and there were issues with maturity, Yet his rookie season remains tied atop the Steelers record book with his 11 touchdowns, tying him with Harris and Lipps.
These three men occupy the top spot for rookie touchdowns. Here is the rest of the top 10 Steelers in the category:
| Franco Harris | 11 | 1972 |
| Chase Claypool | 11 | 2020 |
| Louis Lipps | 11 | 1984 |
| Najee Harris | 10 | 2021 |
| Willie Asbury | 9 | 1966 |
| Le’Veon Bell | 8 | 2013 |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | 8 | 2017 |
| Martavis Bryant | 8 | 2014 |
| Jerry Shipkey | 8 | 1948 |
| Bam Morris | 7 | 1994 |
