The Pittsburgh Steelers have played 92 NFL seasons, their 93rd starting in just a few months. There have been highs, lows, and everything in between. In a new series we’ll use to pass the time of the offseason, I’m ranking all of them. From the worst season in franchise history to the best, which means picking which of the six Super Bowl winners came out on top. Not an easy task.
We’ll break this series down into parts (roughly) 10 at a time, working from worst to best, with one small caveat. I won’t include the team’s two merger years, 1943 and 1944, when Pittsburgh combined with the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Cardinals due to a player shortage resulting from WWII. Since these were merger years where Pittsburgh wasn’t entirely its own entity, they fall into a separate category. We will rank the other 90.
Part One – Worst Of The Worst
Part Two – Not The Worst, Far From Best
Part Three – Total Stagnation
Part Four – Learn To Love .500
Part Five – Signs Of Life
Part Six – Are We There Yet?
Part Seven – The For Real Teams
Ranking Every Steelers Season (No. 20-11)
20. 2011 season (12-4 record, Wild Card loss)
A promising season that ended in infamous heartbreak. An elite defense that finished with the NFL’s No. 1 unit, allowing just 14.1 points per game and 23 total touchdowns (one of which came on a fumble return and wasn’t allowed by the Steelers’ defense, Pittsburgh bounced back after getting rocked 35-7 in the season opener. Sitting 2-2 a month in, Pittsburgh reeled off four straight wins to get hot.
The defense was stifling and didn’t allow more than 20 points in the regular season after Week One. They pitched two shutouts, 24-0 over the Seattle Seahawks and 27-0 versus the St. Louis Rams, the latter making for the last time the Steelers have recorded a shutout. Sitting at 7-3 at the bye, Pittsburgh kept things rolling by winning five of its final six. The only blip was a 20-3 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers. QB Ben Roethlisberger labored through an ankle sprain while Candlestick Park struggled to keep the lights on, delaying the game’s start.
But by year’s end, Pittsburgh came out smelling like a rose. Defensively, anyway. The top unit in every major category, the group looked playoff-ready. The only downside was finishing second in the division, losing the AFC North tiebreaker to the Baltimore Ravens.
That put Pittsburgh on the road for the Wild Card round. Still touchdown favorites over the 8-8 Denver Broncos led by Tim Tebow, the Steelers were expected to fly in and roll. Instead, the Broncos used a 20-point second-quarter outburst to take a commanding halftime lead. Pittsburgh stormed back as Roethlisberger found WR Jerricho Cotchery for a 31-yard score to tie things at 23 late in the fourth quarter.
Heading into overtime, the game ended in instant classic fashion. Tebow found the late WR Demaryius Thomas for an 80-yard score, outrunning CB Ike Taylor into the end zone to steal the game away. Despite completing less than half his passes, Tebow finished with 316 passing yards and three total scores (two passing, one rushing). Denver would be blown out by New England the following week, but Pittsburgh was sent on a long flight home.
While the defense was excellent, the offense was less so, just 21st in scoring. Roethlisberger had an underwhelming 21/14 touchdown-to-interception mark, though Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown finished as 1,000-yard receivers. RB Rashard Mendenhall led the team in rushing. Defensively, James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley each picked up nine sacks, though only Harrison was rewarded with a Pro Bowl. The defense was fundamental and consistent, but had just 35 sacks and 11 interceptions, atypical of a No. 1 group. Strong safety Troy Polamalu made his fourth and final first-team All-Pro.
Notable: Of the seven seasons in which Pittsburgh finished with the No. 1 defense, the Steelers’ 11 picks in 2011 are by far their fewest. The next-closest is the 14 the team recorded in 1946, a year in which the team played just 11 games.
19. 2020 season (12-4 record, Wild Card loss)
Similar to what’s said about 2011 can apply to 2020. On the surface, it doesn’t feel like a top-20 season in team history. But an 11-0 start is historic no matter how you slice it. In a weird COVID year that would take twists and turns no one could anticipate, Pittsburgh battled the adversity as well as anyone. Playing in an empty Giants’ stadium to begin the season, the Steelers shut down RB Saquon Barkley to win 26-16.
Even with a surprise Week Four bye and several instances of the Steelers’ schedule being pushed around to accommodate COVID outbreaks in opposing locker rooms, Pittsburgh kept winning. Rookie WR Chase Claypool scored four times in a shootout victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Steelers blew out the Cleveland Browns 38-7 the following week. Tennessee, Baltimore, and Dallas all offered scares the next three weeks, but the Steelers came out on top in one-possession contests.
It wasn’t until early December that Pittsburgh suffered its first loss. Days after playing a Wednesday game against Baltimore and shoehorning a Monday 5 PM kickoff against the then-called Washington Football Team, the Steelers fell 23-17. That began a three-game skid temporarily halted by a 28-24 victory over the Philip Rivers-manned Indianapolis Colts. But Pittsburgh limped to the finish line as losers of four of its final five, making the AFC North crown a little less sweet to wear.
Heavy home favorites for the Wild Card game against the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh should’ve cruised. Especially knowing the Browns were hit by COVID, losing head coach Kevin Stefanski, who was forced to watch the game from his basement at home. Instead, the game was a disaster from literally the first snap. Center Maurkice Pouncey hiked the ball over QB Ben Roethlisberger’s head on the first play, ending in a Cleveland touchdown. The Browns shocked everyone by dominating the first half to a 28-0 first quarter lead and a 35-10 halftime advantage. Pittsburgh got it as close as 35-23, but Cleveland held off a historic comeback attempt, winning 48-37—a shocker in many ways.
Roethlisberger finished the year with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. RB James Conner rumbled for 721 across 13 games. Receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, and Claypool made up a strong trio. The defense finished No. 3 league-wide, with T.J. Watt named All-Pro after leading the league with 15 sacks. He was runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. In his first full year with the team, FS Minkah Fitzpatrick was named All-Pro.
Notable: The Wednesday game Pittsburgh played against Washington was the franchise’s first since 1936. All-time, the Steelers are 5-7 playing on Hump Day.
18. 2017 season (13-3 record, Divisional loss)
It was another bitter no-playoff-win campaign. Only the fourth time in history that Pittsburgh finished with 13 wins, it’s the only such one without a playoff win to show for it. Still, the team finished with a plus-98 point differential and began with a 2-0 start. An ugly overtime loss to the Chicago Bears handed the Steelers their first loss (and a National Anthem controversy). Still, Pittsburgh righted the ship with a win over the Baltimore Ravens the following week.
The Steelers dominated the AFC North all season, a perfect 6-0, including a 39-38 thriller over the Ravens late in the season. In non-divisional action, Pittsburgh routed the Houston Texans 34-6 on Christmas Day, CB Mike Hilton picking up three sacks.
Of course, the year was headlined by LB Ryan Shazier’s career-ending spinal injury that had long-term impacts on the team.
From Week Six on, Pittsburgh only lost once. The “Jesse James caught it” game against the New England Patriots. That painful memory aside, the Steelers ended the season 13-3 and the No. 2 seed in the AFC. Yet again, being touchdown favorites meant nothing once the Divisional Round kicked off versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. Early turnovers hurt Pittsburgh while QB Blake Bortles and RB Leonard Fournette could do little wrong. By game’s end, the Jaguars came away with the 45-42 win, a WR JuJu Smith-Schuster touchdown with one second left making the game look closer than it was.
On paper, Pittsburgh finished the regular season with a top-ten offense and defense. Roethlisberger was named to the Pro Bowl while RB Le’Veon Bell led the NFL in rushing attempts and had nearly 2,000-yards from scrimmage. WR Antonio Brown was unstoppable with a 1,500-yard season, including 213 yards in that one-point win over Baltimore.
Defensively, DL Cam Heyward posted a career-high 12 sacks. A rookie T.J. Watt finished third on the team with seven, playing even more once James Harrison forced his way off the roster midseason. The secondary didn’t give up bad numbers, but punched above their weight and was a downfall. Pittsburgh also struggled to find a plan to replace Shazier, who played at an elite level before his injury.
Notable: RB Le’Veon Bell set a team position record with 85 receptions, breaking his previous mark of 83 set in 2014.
17. 1973 season (10-4 record, Divisional Loss)
A 10-4 record and sparkling plus-137 point differential, eighth-best in franchise history and No. 1 among ten-win Steelers’ teams. Pittsburgh started red-hot, winning its first four, including back-to-back blowouts against the Cleveland Browns (33-6) and Houston Oilers (36-7). The defense was stifling, allowing only 44 points over the first four months and forcing 17 turnovers.
The team’s first loss came against Cincinnati, but a four-game winning streak followed, putting Pittsburgh 8-1 by mid-November. A three-game losing skid threatened to spoil the great beginning. Still, the Steelers rallied by winning their final two, again blowing out the Oilers (making for a combined season series score of 69-14) and dominating the San Francisco 49ers in the regular season finale. The defense again did its thing, forcing 15 combined takeaways across those two contests. The unit finished with an NFL-best 55 of them, still the most in Steelers’ history. It remains a top-20 mark in league history, too.
The good times halted in the playoffs. After a bye, Pittsburgh travelled to face the John Madden-led Oakland Raiders in the Divisional Round. The game was rarely close. The Raiders scored first and didn’t look back, leading 10-7 at the half and routing the Steelers over the final 30 minutes. A 46-year-old George Blanda nailed several field goals while the Raiders racked up 232 yards on the ground. That was more than Pittsburgh’s total output while QB Terry Bradshaw threw three picks, including a pick-six.
Throughout the regular season, Joe Gilliam, Terry Hanratty, and Terry Bradshaw all started. Bradshaw got the majority of the reps, finishing with ten touchdowns and 15 picks. RB Franco Harris edged out Preston Pearson as the team’s leading rusher. WR Ron Shanklin led the league at 23.7 yards per reception for the only Pro Bowl of his career.
Defensively, S Mike Wagner led the NFL with eight interceptions. DT Joe Greene was one of five Steelers’ defenders to make the Pro Bowl, but was the only one to be named All-Pro. The defense’s 37 interceptions are the most in a season, a mark that’ll likely never be broken again.
Pittsburgh ended the year with the No. 4 offense and No. 8 defense.
The season is a forgotten one. The year after the Immaculate Reception. The year before the first Super Bowl. A strong regular season with a quick ending.
Notable: Three Steelers’ running backs rushed for 450-plus yards in 1973: Franco Harris, Preston Pearson, and Frenchy Fuqua. It’s one of two seasons the team has achieved that. The second came in 1987 (Frank Pollard, Walter Abercrombie, and Earnest Jackson). It’s happened in two other seasons involving a quarterback, Cliff Stoudt in 1983 and Kordell Stewart in 2001.
16. 1992 season (11-5 record, Divisional Loss)
Bill Cowher’s first season taking over for Chuck Noll was largely a success, but it ended without a playoff win. In typical Steelers’ form, the defense was excellent and finished the year No. 2; a great coaching staff made up of Cowher, DC Dom Capers, and assistants Dick LeBeau and Marvin Lewis. The offense lagged behind at No. 15.
Cowher’s tenure started on a strong note with a 3-0 start, including a 29-24 win over the Houston Oilers in the season opener. The defense forced seven turnovers against the New York Jets the following week.
After back-to-back losses, the Steelers figured things out in a 20-0 shutout versus the Cincinnati Bengals. Pittsburgh outgained Cincinnati 424-118 with QB Neil O’Donnell, RB Barry Foster, and WR Dwight Stone having big days.
Pittsburgh rolled along throughout the season with convincing wins over the Kansas City Chiefs (27-3), Indianapolis Colts (30-14), and a rematch versus the Bengals (21-9). Two tough NFC losses to the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings dampened the season, but Foster ran for 103 yards and scored in a 23-13 finale win over the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh ended the year taking the AFC Central crown.
The Buffalo Bills came into Pittsburgh and gave the Steelers a rude awakening. A 24-3 Divisional Round thumping, O’Donnell threw two picks and was sacked seven times. Foster made plays on the ground, but it wasn’t enough during the Bills’ four-straight Super Bowl appearances (and four straight Super Bowl losses).
Bubby Brister and O’Donnell saw starting action, the latter seeing the majority of the time. O’Donnell was clearly the better passer and posted a 9-3 record. Brister went 2-2. But the strength of the offense was its run game, RB Barry Foster leading the NFL with 390 carries and 1,690-yards. Both remain Steelers’ records. He was named All-Pro and finished second on the MVP ballot.
Forgotten receiver Jeff Graham led the Steelers with 711 receiving yards. There were more standouts defensively. CB Rod Woodson had an incredible year, recording six sacks, four interceptions, and four forced fumbles while adding a punt return touchdown on top for good measure. EDGE Greg Lloyd finished with 6.5 sacks while S Darren Perry led the team with six picks.
Notable: Digging into Foster’s record-carry year, he had 20-plus attempts in all but two games. He registered 30-plus in four games while no other Steeler had more than 35 carries on the season.
15. 1997 season (11-5 Record, Divisional Win, AFC Championship Loss)
Finally, a year with a playoff victory and a title game appearance. Now, the team’s plus-65 point differential is the lowest of any title game/Super Bowl-appearing season, and it’s one reason why it’s *only* 15th on this list.
Getting dog-walked by the Dallas Cowboys 37-7 in the opener skewed the differential, and Pittsburgh didn’t even reach positives until after Week 8. But the Steelers scored a dominant win over their own midseason, blowing out the Baltimore Ravens 37-0 on a November Sunday night. RB Jerome Bettis rushed for 100 yards while the Ravens turned the ball over seven times, four interceptions and three lost fumbles. Three weeks later, Bettis put the team on his back with a 36-carry, 142-yard, and three-touchdown day, finishing with the game-winning overtime touchdown. Two weeks later, Pittsburgh scored another overtime win, knocking off the New England Patriots 24-21.
Playing backups, the year ended in a loss to the Tennessee Oilers. Pittsburgh still captured the AFC Central crown.
It wasn’t easy, but the Steelers eked out a 7-6 Divisional Round win over the New England Patriots. Pittsburgh’s only points came via a first-quarter 40-yard touchdown run by Kordell Stewart, while the defense held firm against quarterback Drew Bledsoe. A sack/forced fumble by current Pats’ head coach Mike Vrabel, recovered by Jason Gildon, sealed the victory.
Pittsburgh hosted the AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos, but came up just shy. Battling in the first half, both defenses anchored in over the final 30 minutes. A fourth-quarter touchdown pulled the Steelers within three, but they got no closer.
Stewart finished the year near the peak of his performance. He had 32 total touchdowns, including 11 rushing. That tied Barry Sanders and Marcus Allen for the third-most that year. Bettis had a heavy 375-carry workload to nearly finish with 1,700-yards and nine total scores. WR Yancey Thigpen had one of the most underrated seasons in team history, posting a 79-1398-7 line and Pro Bowl berth.
Defensively, DB Carnell Lake and LB Levon Kirkland were All-Pros. Lake again put up crazy numbers rarely seen from a defensive back, posting six sacks and three interceptions. Darren Perry and Donnell Woolford led the team with four picks each. Even K Norm Johnson had a terrific campaign.
Notable: Lake finished his Steelers’ career with 21.5 sacks. That’s easily the most by a defensive back in franchise history. The next-closest name is Deshea Townsend’s 15.5.
14. 2016 season (11-5 Record, Wild Card win, Divisional win, AFC Championship loss)
So close. So far. The last season in which Pittsburgh won a playoff game, the year ended like so many others have: falling to the New England Patriots one game away from the Super Bowl.
The Steelers opened the year with a big-time win against the Washington Redskins, 38-16. QB Ben Roethlisberger threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns while RB DeAngelo Williams raced for 143 yards and two touchdowns.
Pittsburgh started the season 4-1 with clear-cut victories over the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets (and an ugly 34-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles sandwiched in between). A four-game losing streak threatened to erase all of that, finishing with a heartbreaker against the Dallas Cowboys. After Roethlisberger hit WR Antonio Brown on a fake spike touchdown, the defense promptly allowed Ezekiel Elliott to find a crease for the game-winning score.
Sitting at 4-5 after Week Ten, Pittsburgh didn’t lose the rest of the regular season. Multi-score wins over the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts, last-second thrillers like Browns’ “Immaculate Extension” against the Baltimore Ravens. Even the backups notched a win, QB Landry Jones beating the Browns 27-24 in overtime to cement Cleveland’s 1-15 season.
Pittsburgh ended the season atop the division, though there was no playoff bye. Dispatching the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card round, Brown had a pair of 50-plus touchdowns before the first quarter ended. QB Matt Moore was destroyed by Bud Dupree. By the game’s end, Pittsburgh came out 30-12 victors.
Six Chris Boswell field goals got the job done to beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round. The defense stopped a game-tying two-point try to preserve the late lead while Roethlisberger found Brown on third down to kneel out the game’s final seconds.
Hitting the road to Foxborough, the AFC Title game wasn’t close. Tom Brady and company rolled the Steelers 36-17, a game that didn’t even feel that close. Brady could do no wrong while an injured Bell bowed out in the early minutes.
On the year, Pittsburgh had a matching No. 10 scoring offense and defense. Roethlisberger threw for nearly 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns to make the Pro Bowl. Despite playing in only 12 games, Le’Veon Bell still registered almost 1,900-yards from scrimmage. Brown went off for a big year to be named first-team All-Pro. TE Ladarius Green made plays but also missed most of the season due to his concussion history, lasting just one year with the team.
The defense wasn’t as standout-ish and lost DL Cam Heyward mid-way through the year. However, LB Ryan Shazier picked off three passes with three forced fumbles and began emerging as a top-tier defender.
Notable: Twelve different Steelers caught a touchdown pass in 2016, the most in franchise history. The only other year the team reached double-digits was the following year, 2017, when ten did so.
13. 1994 season (12-4 record, Divisional Win, AFC Championship Loss)
An average offense was boosted by a stout defense. After getting rolled by the Dallas Cowboys in Week One, Pittsburgh found footing with consecutive wins in Weeks Two and Three. Still, the Steelers sat at just 3-2 at the Week Five bye. The team got going on the other side. Not every game was pretty, but often ended in a win, beating the Cincinnati Bengals (14-10) and New York Giants (10-6) by four while kicking overtime game-winning field goals against the Houston Oilers (12-9) and Miami Dolphins (16-13).
Pittsburgh won seven straight before a shootout loss in the finale, 37-34 against the San Diego Chargers. That didn’t prevent Pittsburgh from taking the AFC Central and earning a first-round bye. An often-forgotten playoff game, the Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns (coached by Bill Belichick) 29-9 in the Divisional. The defense held the Browns to less than 200 yards of total offense. QB Vinny Testaverde barely completed one-third of his passes, threw two picks, and was tackled for a late-game safety. Pittsburgh’s offense came alive with 424 total yards, RB Barry Foster rushing for 133 yards, and WR Ernie Mills leading with 117 receiving yards.
Hosting the Chargers in the Championship Game at Three Rivers, the Steelers came up short. Tony Martin caught a long touchdown pass from QB Stan Humphries to put San Diego ahead in the fourth quarter. On paper, Pittsburgh looked better—more yards, more first downs, and the same number of turnovers. But eight penalties hurt them, and a 4th and goal throw from Neil O’Donnell on the Chargers’ three fell incomplete to end the game.
O’Donnell finished the regular season with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Bam Morris and Barry Foster were key cogs in the running game, combining for over 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns. TE Eric Green made the Pro Bowl as the Steelers’ top receiver, averaging a healthy 13.4-yards per catch.
Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene each had double-digit sacks and led the NFL in key categories: Green with his 14 sacks, Lloyd with his five forced fumbles. Darren Perry picked off seven passes, Rod Woodson did it all (four interceptions, three forced fumbles, three sacks), and the defense allowed only 23 touchdowns all season long.
Notable: From 1992-1997, Darren Perry ranked second in the NFL with 30 interceptions, only trailing Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams’ 32. Despite that, Perry never even made a Pro Bowl.
12. 2001 season (13-3 record, Divisional win, AFC Championship loss)
Truly one of the top regular seasons Pittsburgh has ever had. A 13-win campaign. A plus-140 point differential that ranks seventh all-time and is second-best of any non-dynasty era squad. The opener was the lowest point, suffering a 21-3 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars out of the gate. The Steelers won their next five, an offense that could score, and a defense that stifled. From Weeks Three through Ten (Week Two was cancelled due to 9/11), Pittsburgh didn’t give up more than 17 points in a contest.
After a November loss to Baltimore, Pittsburgh beat the Cleveland Browns in a field goal fest to win 15-12 in overtime. That started a seven-game winning streak with the same hallmarks as the first. Offense and defense felt well-balanced and complementary. The Detroit Lions ran through the buzz saw, falling 47-14 at Heinz Field two days before Christmas. QB Kordell Stewart totaled four touchdowns, three passing and one rushing.
Pittsburgh fell in overtime to the Cincinnati Bengals but completed the sweep of the Browns in the finale, winning 28-7. It was the R.J. Bowers game, a backup seeing significant action and scoring his first – and only – rushing touchdown.
Facing the Ravens in the Divisional Round, the Steelers handled business. A pair of Amos Zereoue touchdowns helped put Pittsburgh ahead 20-3 at the half, while a 32-yard touchdown by Plaxico Burress sealed things in the fourth quarter.
Then, there were the Patriots. Pittsburgh hosted the AFC Championship Game and was a big-time favorite. But Drew Bledsoe and Tom Brady helped vault New England ahead. The win was driven by the Pats’ special teams. Troy Brown started the scoring with a 55-yard punt return, taking advantage of a Troy Edwards penalty that forced a re-kick. New England ran back a blocked kick for a touchdown in the third quarter.
Pittsburgh fought hard and narrowed the gap to 21-17. But the Steelers couldn’t get over the hump and fell 24-17. Four turnovers and sloppy special teams are no recipe for punching a Super Bowl ticket.
In the year, Stewart had a career season and finished fourth in MVP voting. He threw for over 3,100 yards while rushing for 537 more and five scores. Jerome Bettis led the way with a 1,000-yard campaign as the team notched 17 total rushing scores. Receivers Plaxico Burress and Hines Ward became the first Steelers’ pairing to have 1,000 yards in the same year. Kicker Kris Brown led the league in field goal attempts. Defensively, EDGE Jason Gildon was named All-Pro after a 12-sack year. CB Chad Scott picked off five passes.
The offense finished seventh in scoring while the defense placed even better, taking home third.
Notable: QB Tommy Maddox threw a touchdown in the finale against the Browns, his first since 1993 while a member of the Denver Broncos.
11. 1972 season (11-3 record, Divisional Win, AFC Championship loss)
And you know exactly how the playoff win happened. The Immaculate Reception. Nothing else needs to be said.
The rest of the year was memorable, too. A plus-168 point differential ranks third in team history. In a moment of foreshadowing, Pittsburgh began the year with a six-point win over the Oakland Raiders.
Overall, Pittsburgh started slow and sat at 2-2 before catching fire. It began with a 24-7 win over the Houston Oilers and didn’t stop from there. Everything came easy. The New England Patriots were dismantled 33-3. The Buffalo Bills (38-21) and Cincinnati Bengals (40-17) were the next victims.
From mid-October on, the Steelers lost just one regular-season game. The Cleveland Browns scored a narrow 26-24 November win. Pittsburgh got revenge weeks later, shutting them out 30-0 in the rematch. The year ended with a quirky 24-2 win over the San Diego Chargers.
Divisional Weekend against the Raiders. The Immaculate Reception is the marquee moment. But it’s not the only one. The defense played a great game to hold the Raiders’ No. 3 offense in check, forcing four turnovers. QB Terry Bradshaw made a great play to avoid a sack, run around, and deliver a downfield throw even if it didn’t hit its intended target.
Harris’ catch-and-run changed the Steelers’ culture and history. Unfortunately, the hype of the play, win, and season ended the following weekend. Only the undefeated Miami Dolphins could spoil the party. Pittsburgh held a 7-0 lead after the first quarter, but Miami pulled ahead after halftime. Both teams completed just ten passes apiece, but the Dolphins ended just ahead, 21-17. It was the closest of the team’s three playoff wins en route to the Super Bowl and the second-tightest Miami played all year, highlighting how good of a team Pittsburgh had.
Bradshaw started all 14 games, finishing with a 1:1 TD to INT ratio. Rookie Franco Harris posted a 1,000-yard season and ten touchdowns while Bradshaw contributed seven ground scores. With John Stallworth and Lynn Swann still in college, WR Ron Shanklin led the group with 669 yards and three scores. Speedy wideout Frank Lewis also made plays.
Defensively, DL Joe Greene and Dwight White made the Pro Bowl. They combined for 21 sacks. LB Andy Russell also received a Pro Bowl nod, while Jack Ham picked off an absurd seven interceptions. That contributed to the 28 Pittsburgh had, the fifth-most by the franchise since the merger. Pittsburgh won by an average of 12 points per game, which was the third-best in a season.
The only thing missing was a Super Bowl. That would have to wait. But it was close.
Notable: Founded in 1933, the 1972 season marked the Steelers’ first-ever playoff win.
Ranking Steelers’ Seasons (Recap)
90. 1941
89. 1965
88. 1934
87. 1939
86. 1969
85. 1940
84. 1945
83. 1968
82. 1938
81. 1988
80. 1933
79. 1955
78. 1935
77. 1967
76. 1964
75. 2003
74. 1951
73. 1937
72. 1948
71. 1936
70. 1970
69. 1986
68. 1991
67. 1966
66. 1999
65. 1954
64. 1956
63. 1960
62. 1950
61. 2022
60. 1998
59. 1971
58. 1952
57. 2013
56. 1957
55. 2012
54. 1953
53. 2019
52. 1985
51. 1987
50. 1961
49. 1959
48. 2006
47. 1981
46. 2000
45. 1946
44. 1949
43. 1990
42. 2009
41. 2021
40. 2018
39. 1980
38. 1962
37. 1963
36. 2023
35. 2024
34. 1982
33. 1993
32. 1958
31. 2007
30. 1989
29. 1977
28. 1947
27. 1984
26. 2014
25. 1942
24. 2015
23. 2022
22.1983
21. 1996
20. 2011
19. 2020
18. 2017
17. 1973
16. 1992
15. 1997
14. 2016
13. 1994
12. 2001
11. 1972
