In contrast with their status as a perennial losing franchise in the pre-merger NFL, where they were the oldest team never to have won a league championship, the Steelers of the post-merger (modern) era are among the most successful NFL franchises, especially during their dynasty in the 1970s.[2][3][4] The team is tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl titles, with six, and holds the NFL record with 16 conference championship game appearances and 11 hosted. The Steelers have also won eight AFC championships, tied with the Denver Broncos and trailing only the Patriots’ record 12. They are also tied with the Broncos, the Dallas Cowboys, and the San Francisco 49ers for the second-most Super Bowl appearances, with eight.
The Steelers, whose history may be traced to a regional pro team that was established in the early 1920s, joined the NFL as the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 8, 1933. The team was owned by Art Rooney and took its original name from the baseball team of the same name, as was common practice for NFL teams at the time.[1] To distinguish them from the baseball team, local media took to calling the football team the Rooneymen, an unofficial nickname that persisted for decades after the team had adopted its current nickname. The ownership of the Steelers has remained within the Rooney family since the organization's founding.[5] Art Rooney's son, Dan Rooney, owned the team from 1988 until his death in 2017. Much control of the franchise has been given to Dan Rooney's son, Art Rooney II.
Art Rooney, a Pittsburgh native and accomplished multi-sport athlete, developed a passion for football that led him to found the semi-professional Hope-Harvey Football Club as a teenager, widely considered the precursor to the Steelers.[7][8][9]
In May 1933, Rooney was awarded an NFL franchise for a $2,500 fee, establishing the Pittsburgh Professional Football Club (later renamed the Steelers), which began play that season as the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field.[10][11]
The Steelers first took to the field as the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 20, 1933, losing 23–2 to the New York Giants.[1] Through the 1930s, the Pirates never finished higher than second place in their division, or with a record better than .500 (1936).[12] Pittsburgh did make history in 1938 by signing Byron White, a future Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, to what was at the time the biggest contract in NFL history, but he played only one year with the Pirates before signing with the Detroit Lions.[1][13] Prior to the 1940 season, the Pirates renamed themselves the Steelers.[14]
During World War II, the Steelers experienced player shortages. They twice merged with other NFL franchises to field a team. During the 1943 season, they merged with the Philadelphia Eagles forming the "Phil-Pitt Eagles" and were known as the "Steagles". This team went 5–4–1.[15] In 1944, they merged with the Chicago Cardinals and were known as Card-Pitt (or, mockingly, as the "Carpets").[1] This team finished 0–10, marking the only winless team in franchise history.[16]
The Steelers made the playoffs for the first time in 1947, tying for first place in the division at 8–4 with the Philadelphia Eagles. This forced a tie-breaking playoff game at Forbes Field, which the Steelers lost 21–0.[17] That would be Pittsburgh's only playoff game in the pre-merger era; they did qualify for a "Playoff Bowl" in 1962 as the second-best team in their conference, but this was not considered an official playoff.[18]
In 1970, the year they moved into Three Rivers Stadium and the year of the AFL–NFL merger, the Pittsburgh Steelers were one of three old-guard NFL teams to switch to the newly formed American Football Conference (the others being the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Colts), in order to equalize the number of teams in the two conferences of the newly merged league.[19] The Steelers also received a $3 million ($Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "[". million today) relocation fee, which was a windfall for them; for years they rarely had enough to build a true contending team.[20]
The Steelers' history of bad luck changed with the hiring of coach Chuck Noll from the NFL champion Baltimore Colts for the 1969 season.[21] Noll's most remarkable talent was in his draft selections, taking Hall of Famers "Mean" Joe Greene in 1969, Terry Bradshaw and Mel Blount in 1970, Jack Ham in 1971, Franco Harris in 1972,[22] and finally, in 1974, pulling off the incredible feat of selecting four Hall of Famers in one draft year: Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster.[23] The Pittsburgh Steelers' 1974 draft was their best ever; no other team has ever drafted four future Hall of Famers in one year, and only very few (including the 1970 Steelers) have drafted two or more in one year.[24]
A pivotal moment in franchise history came during the 1972 season with the “Immaculate Reception,” when Franco Harris caught a deflected pass and returned it for a game-winning touchdown against the Oakland Raiders in the playoffs—securing the Steelers’ first postseason victory ever and signaling the beginning of their rise to prominence. The play is often cited as one of the greatest in NFL history.[25]
At the core of the Steelers’ dominance was the famed “Steel Curtain” defense, anchored by Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Ernie Holmes, and Dwight White along the defensive line, with linebackers Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, and Andy Russell providing elite support. Known for its physicality, discipline, and relentless pass rush, the Steel Curtain became one of the most feared defensive units in NFL history, consistently ranking among the league’s best and helping define the team’s identity throughout the 1970s.[26][27]
The players drafted in the early 1970s formed the base of an NFL dynasty, making the playoffs in eight seasons and becoming the only team in NFL history to win four Super Bowls in six years, as well as the first to win more than two; , capturing championships in Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, and XIV.[28] They also enjoyed a regular-season streak of 49 consecutive wins (1971–1979) against teams that would finish with a losing record that year.
Offensively, quarterback Terry Bradshaw evolved into a premier deep passer, connecting with receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth for numerous big plays, while Franco Harris anchored a powerful running game behind a dominant offensive line led by Mike Webster. The team’s balanced attack, combined with its elite defense, made Pittsburgh nearly unbeatable at its peak.[29]
Following their championship run, the Steelers remained competitive but began to decline as injuries and aging took their toll. The Steelers suffered a rash of injuries in the 1980 season and missed the playoffs with a 9–7 record.[30] The 1981 season was no better, with an 8–8 showing.[31] The team was then hit with the retirements of all their key players from the Super Bowl years. "Mean" Joe Greene retired after the 1981 season, Lynn Swann and Jack Ham after 1982's playoff berth, Terry Bradshaw and Mel Blount after 1983's divisional championship, and Jack Lambert after 1984's AFC Championship Game appearance.[32]
After those retirements, the franchise skidded to its first losing seasons since 1971. Though still competitive, the Steelers would not finish above .500 in 1985, 1986, and 1988. In 1987, the year of the players' strike, the Steelers finished with a record of 8–7, but missed the playoffs.[33] In 1989, they would reach the second round of the playoffs on the strength of Merrill Hoge and Rod Woodson before narrowly missing the playoffs in each of the next two seasons, Noll's last seasons.[34]
Chuck Noll retired following the 1991 season, finishing his tenure with a 209–156–1 record.[35] He is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, credited with transforming the Steelers from one of the league’s worst franchises into a model organization and establishing a legacy of stability, toughness, and championship success.[36]
Throughout Cowher’s tenure, the team was anchored by key players on both sides of the ball, including Hall of Fame defensive back Rod Woodson and, later, power running back Jerome Bettis, whose bruising running style became the focal point of Pittsburgh’s offense.[41] A major turning point came in 2004 with the drafting of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who quickly emerged as the franchise’s long-term leader and helped usher in a new era of success.[42] Cowher ultimately delivered the franchise's record-tying fifth Super Bowl win in Super Bowl XL over the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks ten years later.[43] With that victory, the Steelers became the third team to win five Super Bowls, and the first sixth-seeded playoff team to reach and win the Super Bowl since the NFL expanded to a 12-team post-season tournament in 1990. He coached through the 2006 season which ended with an 8–8 record, just short of the playoffs. Overall Cowher's teams reached the playoffs 10 of 15 seasons with six AFC Championship Games, two Super Bowl berths and a championship.
Cowher's career record with Pittsburgh was 149–90–1 in the regular season and 161–99–1 overall, including playoff games.[44]
On January 7, 2007, Cowher resigned from coaching the Steelers, citing a need to spend more time with his family. He did not use the term "retire", leaving open a possible return to the NFL as coach of another team.[45] A three-man committee consisting of Art Rooney II, Dan Rooney, and Kevin Colbert was set up to conduct interviews for the head coaching vacancy.[46] On January 22, 2007, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin was announced as Cowher's successor as head coach.[47] Tomlin became the first African-American to be named head coach of the team in its 75-year history.[48]
Tomlin inherited a team rich in talent, including stars such as safety Troy Polamalu, linebacker James Harrison, and wide receiver Hines Ward, who had been central figures in the Steelers’ Super Bowl XL championship.[49] In his first season, he led the Steelers to a 10–6 record and AFC North title.[50] The team fell to the Jacksonville Jaguars 31–29 in the Wild Card Round to end the season.[51] The following year, he led the Steelers to a 12–4 mark and a division title.[52] With wins over the San Diego Chargers in the Divisional Round and the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship,[53][54] Tomlin became the third consecutive Steelers Head Coach to go to the Super Bowl, equaling the Dallas Cowboys (Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer) in this achievement.
On February 1, 2009, Tomlin led the Steelers to their second Super Bowl of this decade, and went on to win 27–23 against the Arizona Cardinals.[55] The win was highlighted by key contributions from the team’s veteran core, including Harrison’s iconic 100-yard interception return for a touchdown, and Ben Roethlisberger’s game-winning drive, capped by a toe-tap touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes.[56][57] At age 36, he was the youngest head coach to ever win the Super Bowl, and he is only the second African-American coach to ever win the Super Bowl (Tony Dungy was the first).[58] In their title defense, the Steelers went 9–7 and missed the postseason in the 2009 season.[59]
In the 2010 season, Tomlin led the team to a 12–4 record and an AFC North title.[60] The team defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round and the New York Jets in the AFC Championship.[61][62] Tomlin became the only coach to reach the Super Bowl twice before the age of 40 as he took the team to Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011. However, the Steelers were defeated by the Green Bay Packers, 31–25.[63]
In the 2011 season, the Steelers made the postseason with a 12–4 record. They lost in overtime to the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card Round.[64] The Steelers recorded their 400th victory in Week 8 of the 2012 season after defeating the Washington Redskins.[65] Overall, the Steelers went 8–8 and missed the postseason in 2012.[66] In the 2013 season, the Steelers went 8–8 and missed the postseason.[67]
In the 2014 season, the Steelers won the AFC North with a 11–5 record.[68] They lost 30–17 to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round.[69] The Steelers finished with a 10–6 record and made the playoffs in the 2015 season.[70] They defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card Round and lost to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round.[71][72] In the 2016 season, the Steelers won the AFC North with a 11–5 record.[73] They defeated the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card Round and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round before falling to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship.[74][75][76]Script error: No such module "Multiple image".
The 2013–17 seasons were noted for record performances from the "Killer B's". This trio consisted of Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger and Le'Veon Bell.[77] Occasionally, the "Killer B's" has also included kicker Chris Boswell due to his ability to hit game-winning field goals.[78]
In the 2017 season, the Steelers won the AFC North with a 13–3 mark.[79] Their postseason was short lived with a 45–42 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.[80] Despite a 9–6–1 record in the 2018 season, the Steelers missed the playoffs.[81] The Steelers went 8–8 and missed the postseason in the 2019 season.[82] The 2020 season saw the Steelers have franchise-best 11–0 start.[83] However, the team faded at the end of the season to finish 12–4.[84] The team lost in the Wild Card Round to the Cleveland Browns 48–37.[85] The 2021 season saw the team go 9–7–1 and make the postseason.[86] The Steelers lost 42–21 to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card Round.[87] Longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season.[88]
During this period and into the late 2010s and early 2020s, the Steelers’ identity continued to be defined by elite defensive play. Anchored by All-Pro defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and star edge rusher T.J. Watt, the unit remained one of the league’s most formidable. Watt, the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, emerged as one of the premier pass rushers of his generation,[89] while Heyward provided consistent leadership and dominance along the defensive line. Alongside key contributors such as Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Steelers’ defense helped keep the team competitive even as the roster underwent significant changes following the decline of the “Killer B’s” era.
Prior to the 2022 season, the team drafted Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett with their first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.[90] Pickett started 12 games as the Steelers went 9–8 and missed the postseason in the 2022 season.[91] In the 2023 season, the team finished 10–7 and third in the AFC North.[92] They made the playoffs and were defeated by the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round 31–17.[93] Prior to the 2024 season, the Steelers traded Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles.[94] The team traded for Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears and signed Russell Wilson, who was released from the Denver Broncos.[95][96] Prior to the 2025 season, the team signed four-time MVPAaron Rodgers.[97]
After the 2025 season, Tomlin stepped down as the Steelers head coach.[98] He concluded his 19-year tenure with a 193–114–2 regular-season record and an 8–12 playoff mark. Notably, none of his teams finished with a losing record.[99]
Mike McCarthy years (2026–present)
On January 26, 2026, the Steelers hired veteran NFL coach Mike McCarthy as their new head coach. This marked only the fourth head coaching hire for the franchise since 1969, underscoring the organization’s longstanding stability. McCarthy was reunited with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, with whom he previously won Super Bowl XLV—ironically defeating the Steelers in their most recent Super Bowl appearance.[100][101][102]
Since 2008, the Rooney family has brought in several investors for the team while retaining control of the team itself. This came about so that the team could comply with NFL ownership regulations.[103]Dan Rooney, and his son, Art Rooney II, president of the franchise, wanted to stay involved with the franchise, while two of the brothers – Timothy and Patrick – wanted to further pursue racetracks that they own in Florida and New York.[104] Since 2006, many of the racetracks have added video slot machines, causing them to violate "NFL policy that prohibits involvement with racetrack and gambling interests".[105]
Upon Dan Rooney's death in 2017, he and Art Rooney II retained control of the team with the league-minimum 30%, the following made up the other investors at the time:
Several other members of the Rooney family, including Art Rooney Jr., John Rooney, and the McGinley family, who are cousins to the Rooneys.
The Robert A. Paul family of Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, which is primarily involved with Pittsburgh-based Ampco Pittsburgh Corporation as well as Morton's Restaurant Group, Urban Active Fitness, Meyer Products and Harley Marine Services. Additionally, family members serve on numerous boards, including Cornell University, UPMC, University of Pittsburgh, the American Red Cross, Harvard Medical School and the Loomis Chaffee School.[106]
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Through the end of the 2025 season, the Steelers have an all-time record of 727–622–22 (.530), including playoffs. In recent decades, the Steelers have remained consistently competitive, qualifying for the playoffs seven times in the past ten seasons while capturing four division titles.
The Pittsburgh Steelers hold an all-time regular-season record of 691–592–22 (.529) and a playoff record of 36–30 (.545). Overall, the franchise has reached the postseason 36 times, won 25 division titles, appeared in 16 AFC Championship Games, and captured six Super Bowl titles in eight appearances. They are also notable for their long-term consistency, as they have not recorded a season with 12 or more losses since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978.[111][112]
Since the AFL–NFL merger in 1970, the Steelers have been widely regarded as one of the league’s most successful and stable franchises. They rank among the top teams in total regular-season victories, playoff wins, division titles, and conference championship appearances during this era. The Steelers are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins with six championships. They have also produced numerous Pro Bowl, All-Pro, and Hall of Fame players.[113][114][115]
Civil rights advocacy
The franchise, along with the Rooney family have for generations been strong advocates for equality of opportunity for both minorities and women. Among these achievements of the Steelers was the first to hire an African-American assistant coach (September 29, 1957, with Lowell Perry), the first to start an African-American quarterback (December 3, 1973, with Joe Gilliam),Template:Efn the first team to boast of an African-American Super Bowl MVP (January 12, 1975, with Franco Harris), the first to hire an African-American Coordinator (September 2, 1984, with Tony Dungy), the first owner to push for passage of an "equal opportunity" mandating that at least one minority candidate is given an interview in all head coach hiring decisions throughout the league (the Rooney Rule in the early 2000s), and the first to hire a female as full-time athletic trainer (Ariko Iso on July 24, 2002).[116]
The Steelers were a part of the NFL Eastern Division from 1933 to 1943 and were briefly in the Western Division in 1944, before returning to the Eastern Division until 1949. The team was then in the American Conference from 1950 to 1952, and the Eastern Conference from 1953 to 1966. They were then placed in the Century Division of the Eastern Conference in 1967. When the league reformed into the NFC and AFC in 1970, the Steelers were placed in the AFC Central until 2001 when they were realigned into the AFC North Division.
The Steelers have used black and gold as their colors since the club's inception, the lone exception being the 1943 season when they merged with the Philadelphia Eagles and formed the "Steagles"; the team's colors at that time were green and white as a result of wearing Eagles uniforms. Originally, the team wore solid gold-colored helmets and black jerseys. The Steelers' black and gold colors are now shared by all major professional teams in the city, including the Pittsburgh Pirates in baseball and the Pittsburgh Penguins in ice hockey. The shade of gold differs slightly among teams: the Penguins have previously used "Vegas Gold", a color similar to metallic gold, and the Pirates' gold is a darker mustard yellow-gold, while the Steelers "gold" is more of a bright canary yellow. Black and gold are also the colors of the city's official flag.
The Steelers logo was introduced in 1962 and is based on the "Steelmark", originally designed by Pittsburgh's U.S. Steel and now owned by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). In fact, it was Cleveland-based Republic Steel that suggested the Steelers adopt the industry logo. It consists of the word "Steelers" surrounded by three astroids (hypocycloids of four cusps). The original meanings behind the astroids were, "Steel lightens your work, brightens your leisure, and widens your world." Later, the colors came to represent the ingredients used in the steel-making process: yellow for coal, red for iron ore, and blue for scrap steel.[117] While the formal Steelmark logo contains only the word "Steel", the team was given permission to add "ers" in 1963 after a petition to AISI.
The Steelers are the only NFL team that puts its logo on only one side of the helmet (the right side). Longtime field and equipment manager Jack Hart was instructed to do this by Art Rooney as a test to see how the logo appeared on the gold helmets; however, its popularity led the team to leave it that way permanently.[118] A year after introducing the logo, they switched to black helmets to make it stand out more.
The Steelers, along with the New York Giants, are one of only two teams in the National Football League to have the players' uniform numbers on both the front and back of the helmets.
The current uniform designs were introduced in 1968. The design consists of gold pants and either black jerseys or white jerseys, except for the 1970 and 1971 seasons when the Steelers wore white pants with their white jerseys. In 1997, the team switched to rounded numbers on the jersey to match the number font (Futura Condensed) on the helmets, and a Steelers logo was added to the left side of the jersey.
The 2007–2011 third uniform, consisting of a black jersey with gold lettering, white pants with black and gold stripes, and a gold helmet were first used during the Steelers' 75th anniversary season in 2007. They were meant to evoke the memory of the 1963–1964 era uniforms. The uniforms were so popular among fans that the Steelers' organization decided to keep them and use them as a third option during home games only.
In 2012, the Steelers introduced a new third uniform, consisting of a yellow jersey with black horizontal lines (making a bumble bee like pattern) with black lettering and black numbers placed inside a white box, to represent the jerseys worn by the Steelers in their 1934 season. The rest of the uniform consists of beige pants, yellow with black horizontal striped socks, and the Steelers regular black helmet. The uniforms were used for the Steelers' 80th anniversary season. Much like the previous alternate these jerseys were so popular that they were used up through the 2016 season. The jerseys were nicknamed the "bumblebee jerseys" due to looking like the pattern of a bumblebee. The jerseys were retired after the 2016 season.[119]
Also in 2016, the Steelers introduced its alternate black Color Rush uniforms. These were based on the uniforms they wore from 1946 to 1965, but with black pants in place of either gold or white pants.
In 2018, the Steelers unveiled a third uniform based on those worn from 1968 to 1997, coinciding with the Steel Curtain teams of the 1970s. It is similar to the current uniforms but without the Steelers logo on the left chest and use block lettering and numbers in place of Futura Condensed.[120]
Prior to the 2025 season, the Steelers brought back their 1933 gold throwback uniforms, including a gold alternate helmet similar to the previous one they wore with the 1960s throwback uniforms in the late 2000s.[121]
In 1979, the team owners were approached by then-Iowa Hawkeyes Head Coach Hayden Fry about designing his fading college team's uniforms in the image of the Steelers.[122] Three days later, the owners sent Fry the reproduction jerseys (home and away versions) of then quarterback Terry Bradshaw. Today, the Hawkeyes still retain the 1979 Steelers uniforms as their home, and away colors.
The Steelers–Ravens rivalry is widely regarded as one of the NFL’s most intense, defined by physical defense and frequent playoff implications. Since the Ravens’ founding in 1996, the two teams have consistently competed for division titles, including multiple postseason meetings and the 2008 AFC Championship Game victory by Pittsburgh. The Steelers hold the edge in the all-time series with a 38-27 record, including a 3-2 record in the postseason.[126][127] Since 2020, the Steelers are 10-3 against the Ravens.
Cleveland Browns
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The Steelers–Browns rivalry dates to 1950 and is one of the oldest in the NFL. While Cleveland dominated early, Pittsburgh has largely controlled the series since the 1970s, particularly following the Browns' return in 1999. The teams have met three times in the postseason, with the Steelers winning two.[128] The Steelers are 83-65-1 against the Browns all-time.
Cincinnati Bengals
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The Steelers’ rivalry with the Bengals began following the 1970 AFL–NFL merger and has been marked by physical play and heated matchups. Notable games include the 2005 AFC Wild Card victory by Pittsburgh en route to a Super Bowl XL title and a contentious 2015 playoff meeting, remembered for Vontaze Burfict’s controversial late hit on Antonio Brown. The Steelers lead the all-time series 72-41.[129]
Conference rivals
New England Patriots
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The Steelers’ rivalry with the Patriots developed in the 2000s through multiple postseason matchups. New England defeated Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game in 2001, 2004, and 2016, lead by the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick dynasty, often serving as a major obstacle during Steelers playoff runs. The teams have remained competitive in regular-season play.[130]
Tennessee Titans
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Former division rivals as the Houston/Tennessee Oilers, the Steelers and Titans developed a competitive rivalry built on close games and postseason meetings. Though no longer in the same division, the matchup retains historical significance.[131]
Denver Broncos
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The Steelers and Broncos have met multiple times in the postseason, including AFC Championship Games in 1997 and 2005. The rivalry has featured notable moments across several decades, with Denver holding an edge in playoff meetings.[132]
Las Vegas Raiders
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One of the NFL’s most historic rivalries, the Steelers and Raiders were central to the league’s landscape in the 1970s. The rivalry includes the famous "Immaculate Reception" in 1972 and multiple AFC Championship Game matchups. While less prominent in recent years, it remains a defining part of both franchises’ histories.[133]
Interconference
Dallas Cowboys
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The Steelers and Cowboys share one of the NFL’s most prominent interconference rivalries, highlighted by their three Super Bowl matchups, the most of any two teams in league history. Pittsburgh won Super Bowls X and XIII, while Dallas won Super Bowl XXX. Many of these games featured future Hall of Fame players.[134]
Philadelphia Eagles
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The Steelers and Eagles have competed since 1933 in what is often referred to as the "Battle of Pennsylvania." Though initially frequent opponents, the teams now meet only periodically due to conference alignment. The Eagles lead the all-time series.[135]
Culture
Mascot
File:SteelyMcBeam.jpgSteely McBeam signing autographs for fans at Steelers training camp on August 2, 2007
Prior to the 2007 season, the Steelers introduced Steely McBeam as their official mascot.[136] As part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of the team, his name was selected from a pool of 70,000 suggestions submitted by fans of the team.[136] Diane Roles of Middlesex Township, submitted the winning name which was "meant to represent steel for Pittsburgh's industrial heritage, "Mc" for the Rooney family's Irish roots, and Beam for the steel beams produced in Pittsburgh, as well as for Jim Beam, her husband's favorite alcoholic beverage."[137] Steely McBeam is visible at all home games and participates in the team's charitable programs and other club-sponsored events.[136] Steely's autograph is known to be drawn with an oversized S, and the L is drawn to look like a beam of steel.[136]
Fanbase
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The Steelers have a tradition of having a large fanbase, which has spread from Pittsburgh. In August 2008, ESPN.com ranked the Steelers' fans as the best in the NFL, citing their "unbelievable" sellout streak of 299 consecutive games.[6][138] The team gained a large fan base nationally based on its success in the 1970s, but many consider the collapse of the city's steel industry at the end of the 1970s dynasty into the 1980s (and the resulting diaspora) to be a large catalyst for the size of the fan base in other cities.[139] The Steelers have sold out every home game since the 1972 season.[140]
The Pittsburgh Steelers have numerous unofficial fan clubs in many cities throughout the country, that typically meet in bars or taverns on game days. This phenomenon is known to occur for other NFL teams as well, but "Steeler bars" are more visible than most, including representative establishments even in cities that field their own NFL teams.
The Steelers have no official fight song, but many fan versions of "Steelers Polka" (a parody of "Pennsylvania Polka") by ethnic singer Jimmy Pol, both originating in the 1970s, have been recorded. Since 1994, the song "Here We Go" by local singer Roger Wood has been popular among fans.[142] Since 2002, the 1979 Styx song "Renegade" is played near the end of the third quarter or the start of the fourth quarter at the start of a defensive stand to rally the crowd, featuring a compilation of recent Steelers defensive highlights. Another song from hometown rapper Wiz Khalifa, "Black and Yellow", which is an ode to growing up in Pittsburgh, is also a standard part of the Steelers home game experience.[143]
Cheerleaders
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The Steelers were the first NFL team to have a cheerleading squad. Known as the Steelerettes, their run lasted only from 1961 to 1969.[144]
Basketball
During the offseason, the Steelers have long participated in charity basketball games throughout Western Pennsylvania and neighboring areas. The games usually feature six active players as well as their player-coach playing against a group of local civic leaders.[145] The players, whose participants aren't announced until the day of the game, sign free autographs for fans during halftime.[146]
Facilities
Stadiums
File:Heinz Field02.jpgHeinz Field before a Pittsburgh Steelers-New England Patriots game, September 2005
In 2001, the Steelers moved into what is now known as Acrisure Stadium, ushering in a new era for the franchise after decades in multipurpose venues.[147] Since their founding in 1933, the team has played in several homes across Pittsburgh.[148] For 31 seasons, the Steelers shared Forbes Field with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1933 to 1963, before gradually transitioning to Pitt Stadium at the University of Pittsburgh, where they played full-time from 1964 to 1969. In 1970, the Steelers relocated to Three Rivers Stadium on the city’s North Shore, a multipurpose facility shared with the Pirates that became the backdrop for the franchise’s dynasty of the 1970s, including four Super Bowl championships. The team remained there until the opening of Heinz Field in 2001, a football-specific stadium designed to better suit Pittsburgh’s identity and game-day atmosphere. Located along the Ohio River, the stadium offers views of the Pittsburgh skyline and features an open end that often brings swirling winds into play, making kicking and passing more challenging and contributing to a distinct home-field advantage.[149] The stadium features rows of iconic yellow seats, reflecting the Steelers’ signature gold color and team identity.[150] The venue has hosted numerous memorable moments, including multiple AFC Championship Games and iconic playoff contests during the Ben Roethlisberger era. In February 2022, after Heinz declined to sign a new deal after naming rights expired, the Steelers signed a deal with Acrisure and renamed the stadium to Acrisure Stadium.[151]
The Steelers hold training camp east of the city at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.[152] The site is one of the most storied in the league with Peter King of SI.com describing it as: "... I love the place. It's the perfect training-camp setting, looking out over the rolling hills of the Laurel Highlands in west-central Pennsylvania, an hour east of Pittsburgh. On a misty or foggy morning, standing atop the hill at the college, you feel like you're in Scotland. Classic, wonderful slice of American culture. If you can visit one training camp, this is the one to see."[153]
In 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Steelers held their training camp at Heinz Field. They returned to Saint Vincent College for the 2022 season.[155]
Historical facilities
The Rooney family has long had a close relationship with Duquesne University in the city and from the teams founding in the 1930s to the late 1990s used Art Rooney Field and other facilities on campus as either its primary or secondary in-season training site as well as Greenlee Field during the 1930s.[156]
The Steelers retired Stautner's #70 in 1964 before creating a 50-year tradition of not retiring numbers. The team retired Greene's #75 in 2014 and left the possibility open that they would retire other players' jersey numbers at later dates. However, several numbers have not been reissued since the retirement of the players who wore them, including:[164]
Numbers 1 (by Anthony Wright in the 1999 preseason), 47 (by five players from 1985 through 2006), and 59 (by Todd Seabaugh in 1984) were issued for a time before being taken out of circulation. Number 31 was initially taken out of circulation in honor of Donnie Shell, but was reissued with Shell's blessing in 2001 to Mike Logan, who grew up in suburban McKeesport and had idolized Shell when he was younger.[165] After Logan retired in 2006, 31 returned to regular circulation, likely due to 36 being removed for Bettis as well as 47 being removed due to some controversy involving the number being issued multiple times following Blount's retirement. Notably, numbers 80 (Jack Butler), 82 (John Stallworth), 83 (Louis Lipps & Heath Miller), 84 (Antonio Brown), and 88 (Lynn Swann) remain in circulation despite the NFL relaxing uniform numbering rules and more numbers being available for receivers.
Pro Football Hall of Famers
"Primary" inductees
The Steelers boast the third most "primary" inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, i.e. inductees that spent most or all of their NFL careers in Pittsburgh. They also can claim the most honorees of any franchise founded on or after 1933 and the only franchise with three members of ownership in the Hall of Fame.[166]
The following Steelers were named to NFL All-Decade Teams (and 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams, selected in 1994 and 2019, respectively). Only those who spent time with Pittsburgh during the respective decades are listed.
Bold indicates those elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 2007, in celebration of the franchise's 75th season, the team announced an updated All-Time team of the 33 best players who have ever played for the Steelers.[209] This team supplanted the previous All-Time team of 24 players named as part of the 50th anniversary commemoration in 1982.[210]
A "Legends team" consisting of the club's best pre-1970s players was released concurrently with the latest All-Time team.[211]
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Dapper Dan Sportsman of the Year
The regional Dapper Dan Charities has since 1939 named the "Sportsman of the Year" in the Pittsburgh region. 19 Steelers have won the award in 23 events:[212]
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The Steelers have had 17 coaches through their history.[228] They have cycled through the fewest head coaches in the modern NFL history.[229] Their first coach was Forrest Douds, who coached them to a 3–6–2 record in 1933. Chuck Noll had the longest term as head coach with the Steelers; he is one of only four coaches to coach a single NFL team for 23 years.[1] Noll is widely credited with building the franchise's dynasty of the 1970s, winning four Super Bowls and leading the team with 209 all-time victories.[230] Since Noll’s hiring in 1969, the Steelers have had remarkable continuity at the position, employing only four head coaches: Noll, Bill Cowher (1992–2006), Mike Tomlin (2007–2025), and Mike McCarthy, who was hired prior to the 2026 season.[231] Both Cowher and Tomlin continued the team’s tradition of success, each leading the Steelers to a Super Bowl victory during their respective tenures.
Preseason games not shown on one of the national broadcasters are seen on CBSO&OKDKA-TV, channel 2; independent sister station WPKD-TV, channel 19; and AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. KDKA-TV's Bob Pompeani and former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch do the announcing for the pre-season games, as well as the two hosting the pre-game program Steelers Kickoff during the regular season prior to the national airing of The NFL Today. Pompeani and former Steelers linemanChris Hoke also host the Xfinity Xtra Point following the game on days when CBS does not have that week's NFL doubleheader. When CBS has a week's doubleheader, the show airs on WPKD-TV. Coach Mike Tomlin's weekly press conference is shown live on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. Both Batch and Hoke replaced former Steelers lineman Edmund Nelson, who retired from broadcasting in 2015.[234]
Thursday Night Football broadcasts are shown locally on Fox affiliate WPGH-TV, channel 53 (along with home games with NFC opponents and some flexed interconference games), while ESPN Monday Night Football broadcasts are shown locally on WTAE-TV, channel 4. (WTAE-TV is owned by the Hearst Corporation, which owns a 20% stake in ESPN.) By virtue of being members of the AFC, most of the Steelers' games air on CBS and KDKA. NBC Sunday Night Football games are carried by WPXI, channel 11, in the market.
The Steelers hold a national contract with Grupo Imagen for radio rights to their games in Mexico; Imagen broadcasts the Steelers on their stations in 17 Mexican cities.
Figures with broadcasting résumés
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The Steelers franchise has a rich history of producing well-known sportscasters over the years. The most famous of these is probably Myron Cope, who served as a Steelers radio color commentator for 35 seasons (1970–2004).[235]
Several former Steelers players have gone on to careers in media after completing their playing careers.
Newspaper
The Steelers Digest is the only official newspaper for the Pittsburgh Steelers.[236] It has been published for 22 years and is currently published by Dolphin/Curtis Publishing in Miami, Florida, which also handles several other publications. The newspaper is very widely acknowledged by Steelers fans. Issues are mailed out to paying subscribers weekly through the season after every regular-season game and continue through playoffs as long as the Steelers do. After a Super Bowl victory, a bonus issue is published, which is followed by a draft preview, draft recap, and training camp edition every other month, then leading into the pre-season. There are typically 24 issues of the paper within a publishing year. The newspaper is listed on the official Steelers.com page.
Usage in popular culture
The Steelers' success over several decades has permeated film and literature. The Steelers are portrayed in the following big-budget Hollywood films:
The Dark Knight Rises in 2012 features several Steelers players as the fictional Gotham Rogues, which was filmed in Heinz Field[246][247]
Mad Men's April 14, 2013, episode has Don Draper, Pete Campbell and Roger Sterling meeting with two HJ Heinz executives. The executives are told that not only would the ad firm have given them tickets to the Steelers' November 19, 1967, game at the Giants, the firm would have worked it so that the Steelers would have won (they lost 20–28).
Concussion in 2015 features players from the team suffering from CTE.[248]
In the summer of 2019, the Kennywood theme park located near Pittsburgh, opened a new land themed to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Steelers Country, featuring a major record-breaking coaster, the Steel Curtain.[250] The land, in addition to this ride, features a Steelers-themed experience, and an 'End Zone Restaurant'.
The Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research
The Steelers helped launch the Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research in November 2016 by donating $1 million.[251] The Foundation, started by Steelers president Art Rooney II, focuses on education and research regarding brain injuries and sports-related concussions.[252]
In June 2017, the Steelers announced an inaugural charity walk to raise money for the foundation.[253]
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