Pittsburgh Steelers
On the 20th of September 1933, the Pittsburgh Pirates lost their first game 23 to 2 against the New York Giants. Art Rooney owned the team that year and chose a name borrowed from the local baseball club. Local newspapers called them the Rooneymen to distinguish the football squad from the baseball team. The franchise struggled through the 1930s without ever finishing higher than second place in its division. They never posted a winning record until 1936. In 1938, the team signed Byron White for what was then the largest contract in NFL history. White played only one season before joining the Detroit Lions. During World War II, player shortages forced two mergers with other franchises. The 1943 Phil-Pitt Eagles finished 5, 4, 1 while wearing green and white uniforms. The 1944 Card-Pitt team went winless at 0, 10. This remains the only winless season in franchise history. The team changed its name to Steelers before the 1940 season began.
Chuck Noll arrived as head coach for the 1969 season after leading the Baltimore Colts to an NFL championship. He built a dynasty by drafting Hall of Famers over five consecutive years. Mean Joe Greene joined in 1969 followed by Terry Bradshaw and Mel Blount in 1970. Jack Ham came aboard in 1971 and Franco Harris in 1972. The 1974 draft class stands alone in league history with four future Hall of Famers selected: Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster. No other team has ever drafted four Hall of Famers in a single year. These players formed the core of an NFL dynasty that won four Super Bowls in six years. They became the first team to win more than two Super Bowls. Their regular-season streak of 49 consecutive wins against losing teams ran from 1971 through 1979. Key retirements ended the era starting with Joe Greene after 1981. The team missed the playoffs entirely in 1985, 1986, and 1988. Chuck Noll finished his career with a record of 209, 156, 1.
Bill Cowher took over as head coach on the 7th of January 1992 following Chuck Noll's retirement. He led the Steelers to the playoffs in each of his first six seasons. This feat had only been accomplished by Paul Brown of the Cleveland Browns. Cowher guided the team to three AFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl appearance after the 1995 season. They lost Super Bowl XXX to the Dallas Cowboys despite beating the Indianapolis Colts in the conference title game. Ten years later, Cowher secured the franchise's fifth Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks. That win made them the third team to reach five titles and the first sixth-seeded playoff team to win since the league expanded to twelve teams. Cowher coached through the 2006 season which ended with an 8, 8 record. His overall record reached 149, 90, 1 in regular play and 161, 99, 1 including postseason games. Mike Tomlin became head coach on the 22nd of January 2007 as the first African-American to hold the position. He won a division title in his first year with a 10, 6 record. Tomlin led the team to two Super Bowls before age 40. He defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27, 23 in Super Bowl XLIII on the 1st of February 2009. At 36, he was the youngest head coach ever to win the championship.
Art Rooney founded the organization in 1933 and retained control until his death in 1988. Dan Rooney took over ownership from 1988 until his passing in 2017. Art Rooney II now holds most of the franchise's controlling interest. Since 2008, the family brought in investors to comply with NFL regulations regarding gambling interests. Timothy and Patrick Rooney pursued racetrack operations that violated league policy after 2006. The current investor group includes members like the Robert A. Paul family and the McGinley family. Former players such as John Stallworth serve on boards alongside business leaders. Minority investors include David Tepper who bought the Carolina Panthers and Jimmy Haslam who purchased the Cleveland Browns. Josh Harris acquired the Washington Commanders while holding Steelers stock. These partnerships allowed the Rooneys to maintain majority control while expanding financial resources for the franchise.
The franchise played at Forbes Field from 1933 through 1963 sharing space with the Pittsburgh Pirates. They split home games at Pitt Stadium starting in 1958 before moving exclusively there from 1964 to 1969. Three Rivers Stadium hosted the team for 31 seasons beginning in 1970. Heinz Field opened in 2001 replacing the older venue. Acrisure Stadium became the new name in February 2022 after Heinz declined a renewal deal. Training camp takes place east of the city at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. Peter King described the setting as looking out over rolling hills of the Laurel Highlands. The headquarters sit at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sportsplex constructed in 2000. During the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, practices moved back to Heinz Field. The facility combines medical expertise with hosting the University of Pittsburgh Panthers football team. Historical sites included Art Rooney Field on Duquesne University campus until the late 1990s. Season scrimmages occurred at South Park during the 1970s and 1980s.
Steeler Nation represents one of the largest fanbases in professional sports history. ESPN ranked their supporters as the best in the NFL in August 2008 citing an unbelievable sellout streak of 299 consecutive games. The team has sold out every home game since the 1972 season. Myron Cope conceived the Terrible Towel tradition in 1975 for use by fans. Rights to the towel belong to the Allegheny Valley School which cares for over 900 people with disabilities. Proceeds from sales have raised more than $2.5 million since 1996. Steely McBeam serves as the official mascot introduced before the 2007 season. His name came from a pool of 70,000 suggestions submitted by fans. Diane Roles won the contest with a name representing steel heritage and Irish roots. The Steelers were the first NFL team to field a cheerleading squad known as the Steelerettes from 1961 to 1969. They pioneered hiring an African-American assistant coach on the 29th of September 1957 with Lowell Perry. Joe Gilliam became the first African-American quarterback started by any team on the 3rd of December 1973. Franco Harris earned the first Super Bowl MVP title for an African-American player on the 12th of January 1975.
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Common questions
When did the Pittsburgh Steelers change their name from the Pirates to the Steelers?
The team changed its name to Steelers before the 1940 season began. Local newspapers had previously called them the Rooneymen to distinguish the football squad from the baseball team.
Who was the first African-American assistant coach hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers and when did it happen?
The Pittsburgh Steelers pioneered hiring an African-American assistant coach on the 29th of September 1957 with Lowell Perry. Joe Gilliam became the first African-American quarterback started by any team on the 3rd of December 1973.
Which year did the Pittsburgh Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals?
Mike Tomlin led the team to defeat the Arizona Cardinals 27, 23 in Super Bowl XLIII on the 1st of February 2009. At 36, he was the youngest head coach ever to win the championship.
What is the current home stadium of the Pittsburgh Steelers and when did they move there?
Acrisure Stadium became the new name in February 2022 after Heinz declined a renewal deal. The franchise played at Forbes Field from 1933 through 1963 before moving to Three Rivers Stadium in 1970.
How many consecutive seasons has the Pittsburgh Steelers sold out every home game since 1972?
The team has sold out every home game since the 1972 season. ESPN ranked their supporters as the best in the NFL in August 2008 citing an unbelievable sellout streak of 299 consecutive games.