The Pittsburgh Steelers have performed 92 NFL seasons, their 93rd beginning in only a few months. There have been highs, lows, and the whole lot in between. In a brand new collection we’ll use to move the time of the offseason, I’m rating all of them. From the worst season in franchise historical past to the most effective, which implies choosing which of the six Tremendous Bowl winners got here out on high. Not a simple process.
We’ll break this collection down into components (roughly) 10 at a time, working from worst to greatest, with one small caveat. I received’t be together with the crew’s two merger years, 1943 and 1944, when Pittsburgh mixed with the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Cardinals as a consequence of a participant scarcity ensuing from WWII. Since these had been merger years the place Pittsburgh wasn’t completely its personal entity, they fall right into a separate class. We’ll rank the opposite 90.
Half One – Worst Of The Worst
Half Two – Not The Worst, Far From Greatest
Half Three – Complete Stagnation
Half 4 – Study To Love .500
Half 5 – Indicators Of Life
Rating Each Steelers Season (No. 40-31)
40. 2018 season (9-6-1 document)
Starting the listing with a memorable one. The final of the ‘Killer B’s’ period that had already begun falling aside, Antonio Brown performed his ultimate downs with Pittsburgh. The Steelers offense completed a powerful sixth whereas its protection was the ache level, rating sixteenth in scoring.
The yr started on a clumsy be aware, blowing a 21-7 Week One lead in opposition to the Cleveland Browns to finish in a tie. Six turnovers was an enormous motive for the letdown. After a gradual 1-2-1 begin, Pittsburgh rattled off six-straight wins to push to 7-2-1 midseason.
The Steelers proceeded to lose the subsequent three together with an upset loss to the then 3-10 Raiders, a recurring theme throughout this century. Pittsburgh received two of its ultimate three video games however fell wanting the Wild Card spherical, shedding to the New Orleans Saints 31-28 in Week 16. It was a sport that featured questionable penalties in opposition to CB Joe Haden.
Ben Roethlisberger led the NFL in passing yards, completions, makes an attempt and likewise interceptions. He threw 675 instances for over 5,100 yards and 16 picks. WRs JuJu Smith-Schuster and Antonio Brown benefitted, every posting 1,200-yard seasons. Brown led the NFL with 15 touchdowns whereas Smith-Schuster caught a 97-yard rating. RB James Conner led the crew in dashing however completed simply shy of 1,000.
Kicker Chris Boswell had a down yr, battled damage and was practically minimize mid-season. With 51 sacks, the protection obtained strain, however the secondary was a large number. Pittsburgh picked off solely eight passes and the protection allowed 24-plus factors in seven video games, tied for second-most since 1990. Loads of Steelers made the Professional Bowl from Brown and Smith-Schuster to LT Alejandro Villanueva to a younger T.J. Watt, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient to vault the crew into the postseason.
Notable: Pittsburgh registered 54 whole touchdowns in 2018, probably the most by the franchise in a single season.
39. 1980 season (9-7 document)
A 3rd-place end within the ‘ol AFC Central, spoiling a 2-0 begin to the season. Pittsburgh even moved to 4-1 after Week 5, however misplaced three consecutive contests to even the document at 4-4. The streaky Steelers continued, successful the subsequent three earlier than splitting the ultimate 4 to complete 9-7. Beating the Chicago Bears 38-3 in Week 4 was the spotlight of the yr whereas a 6-0 loss to the Houston Oilers was bitter. Ditto with the common season finale, falling to the San Diego Chargers 26-17.
QB Terry Bradshaw completed the yr with 24 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. RB Franco Harris’ streak of six-straight seasons of 1,000-yards was snapped, ending with simply 789 yards in 13 video games. WR Theo Bell, not Lynn Swann or John Stallworth (who missed a lot of the yr with damage), led the crew in receiving with 748 yards on a depraved 25.8 yards per catch. He had simply 29 receptions. Jim Smith led the crew with 9 touchdowns.
Although the determine is unofficial, the Steelers’ protection is credited for a lowly 18 sacks. The secondary was nonetheless ball-hawking, Donnie Shell choosing off seven, Mike Wagner six and Mel Blount 4.
Notable: QB Terry Bradshaw punted 5 instances this season with a protracted of 44 yards, making him one in every of 10 quarterbacks to punt at the least 5 instances in a season since 1975. Kordell Stewart is on that listing, however he did so in 2004 with the Baltimore Ravens. Listed below are some clips.
38. 1962 season (9-5 document)
The very best document on this listing to this point. It didn’t end in a postseason bid, the construction was much less forgiving again then, and Pittsburgh didn’t get off to a scorching begin. The Steelers started 3-4 earlier than discovering their groove, struggling by way of a horrible 45-7 opening loss to the Detroit Lions and being swept by the Cleveland Browns all through the season. Neither sport was shut, 41-14 and 35-14 finals.
Every little thing else was gravy. A 39-31 shootout win over the Minnesota Vikings and sweeps of the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles. Within the finale in opposition to Washington, the Steelers’ protection compelled 5 turnovers.
The offense completed sixth of 14 groups with RB John Henry Johnson turning into the crew’s first 1,000-yard rusher. In his ultimate NFL season, Corridor of Fame QB Bobby Layne didn’t submit nice numbers (9 TDs, 17 INTs) however might nonetheless make performs, most frequently discovering WR Buddy Dial. Dial completed with practically 1,000-yards receiving and 6 scores.
Defensively, Pittsburgh was stout. Ernie Stautner and Gene “Huge Daddy” Lipscomb bolstered the line of defense, combining to document 15 sacks. Within the secondary, Clendon Thomas picked off seven passes.
Regardless of the sparkly document, the Steelers nonetheless completed the yr with a clearly unfavorable minus-51 level differential. Pittsburgh completed three video games again of the New York Giants within the NFL East division, who went on to lose to the Packers within the NFL Championship Sport 4 years earlier than the primary Tremendous Bowl.
Notable: 1962 marked the primary time Pittsburgh had received 9 video games in a single season. To place that in perspective, it could be as if the Steelers didn’t have a nine-win season from the 2025 by way of 2051 seasons.
37. 1963 season (7-4-3 document)
Leaping from 1962 to 1963. As bizarre a document as Pittsburgh will ever have with three ties, probably the most the franchise has ever had in a single season. Since 1960, the Steelers are one in every of 5 groups to play to a few attracts (the newest being the 1970 San Diego Chargers). The primary tie got here within the season opener, 21-21 to the Philadelphia Eagles. Pittsburgh rattled off 31-0 and 23-10 wins over the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
The offense hummed all yr, scoring 20-plus factors in 10 of 14 video games.
Wins had been laborious to come back by down the stretch. Again-to-back ties in opposition to the Chicago Bears and Eagles (which means the seasons collection was 0-0-2, how quirky) earlier than choosing up a win over the Dallas Cowboys. The season led to a troublesome loss to the New York Giants.
QB Ed Brown threw 21 touchdowns to twenty interceptions whereas John Henry Johnson and Dick Hoak had been the crew’s high rushers. WR Buddy Dial continued his spectacular streak, ending with 1,295 yards and 9 touchdowns whereas main the league in yards per reception (21.6) for the second time in his profession.
Clendon Thomas continued gobbling up passes, choosing off eight whereas making the Professional Bowl and second-team All-Professional. Thomas and Corridor of Famer Jack Butler are the one Steelers to document 7-plus picks in consecutive seasons. Pittsburgh completed the yr with a plus-26 level differential however completed fourth in a aggressive East Division.
Notable: DL Ernie Stautner served as a player-coach. At age 38 in his ultimate NFL season, he appeared in 14 video games and recorded three sacks whereas working because the Steelers’ line of defense coach.
36. 2023 season (10-7 document, Wild Card loss)
The latest season to this point and the primary 10-win marketing campaign on the listing. Pittsburgh sat at 7-4 and appeared poised to cruise into the playoffs till a three-game shedding streak on brief weeks immediately collapsed the Steelers to 7-7. Beginning three quarterbacks that yr, Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph, the crew discovered traction with Rudolph. He led an offensive outburst in a primetime win over the Cincinnati Bengals and shortly related with George Pickens.
Pittsburgh obtained a number of layers of assist wanted to make the playoffs. A blizzard delayed the Wild Card sport by a day, and as soon as the sport kicked off, Buffalo dispatched Pittsburgh to finish its season.
Regardless of the 10-7 document, the Steelers completed the yr with a minus-20 level differential and third within the AFC North. A uncommon Week One residence sport was an enormous disappointment, the San Francisco 49ers blowing the Steelers out 30-7. Weeks later, the Houston Texans carved them up 30-6. Two uncompetitive losses the Steelers hadn’t usually skilled.
The season’s most memorable second got here with the firing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada. No fanbase has hated a coach like him to the purpose it turned one thing of a cultural motion, “Hearth Canada” indicators exhibiting up in all places from School Gameday to nation’s capital. It was the primary mid-season teaching change Pittsburgh had made since World Struggle II. The offense obtained higher after his dismissal nevertheless it remained removed from even good. Pittsburgh completed the yr fifth league-wide with 89 punts.
Steelers’ quarterbacks completed with simply 13 mixed touchdowns. Regardless of the struggles, WR George Pickens completed with over 1,100 yards and led the NFL in yards per catch. Defensively, EDGE T.J. Watt notched 19 sacks and completed second in DPOY behind the Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett. The d-line was a sore spot after Cam Heyward tore his groin within the season opener. He returned midseason however performed far lower than one hundred pc.
Notable: For the primary time since 2003, Pittsburgh misplaced three video games by 17-plus factors.
35. 2024 season (10-7 document, Wild Card loss)
Essentially the most, most up-to-date season to this point, final yr’s journey was stuffed with highs and lows. A brand-new quarterback room, Russell Wilson was poised to start out the yr earlier than recurring calf accidents (after pushing a sled in the course of the camp conditioning take a look at) knocked him out the primary six weeks. Justin Fields took over and confirmed enchancment from his time in Chicago, main Pittsburgh to a 4-2 document. A stout protection additionally led the best way, permitting solely 26 factors over the primary three video games.
Mike Tomlin made the controversial choice to pivot to Wilson mid-year. Initially, it labored. Wilson and the offense hit its peak throughout his first few begins, beating up on each New York groups earlier than flourishing in a 44-38 shootout win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Wilson fired 4 touchdowns.
Sitting at 10-3 and becoming a member of the dialog of Tremendous Bowl contenders, Pittsburgh completed on a historic collapse. Together with the Wild Card sport, it was a streak of five-straight losses. 5 video games below 18 factors, one thing the franchise hadn’t executed since Chuck Noll’s first season in 1969. No facet of the ball performed effectively. The offense couldn’t rating. The protection appeared drained. Chris Boswell apart, particular groups wasn’t practically as robust.
T.J. Watt completed with simply 11.5 sacks. Minkah Fitzpatrick had only one interception. Boswell was basically the crew’s MVP, main the NFL in area targets and scoring to develop into the primary first-team All-Professional in Steelers’ kicker historical past.
Pittsburgh’s yr got here to a merciful finish by the hands of the rival Baltimore Ravens. RB Derrick Henry and firm ran everywhere in the Steelers to the tune of 299 yards. Henry and the Ravens’ floor sport set playoff information in opposition to Pittsburgh. The ultimate was 28-14 however the sport wasn’t even that shut.
Notable: Pittsburgh turned the primary 10-win crew to finish a season on a four-game common season shedding streak for the reason that 1986 New York Jets.
34. 1982 season (6-3 document, Wild Card Loss)
Solely 9 video games? Welcome to the strikes of the Eighties. The longest work stoppage in NFL historical past, the common season completed at simply 9 video games. It makes this squad an uncommon one to rank.
Pittsburgh started 2-0 earlier than the strike shut down the NFL from mid-September till late-November. The crew returned with a 24-0 win over the Houston Oilers to maneuver to 3-0 earlier than being shut out by the Seattle Seahawks 16-0 the next week. The Steelers bounced again with a convincing 21-point win over the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs earlier than the offensive struggles popped again up the subsequent two video games. Shut out by the Buffalo Payments one week, held to 9 factors in opposition to the Cleveland Browns the subsequent.
The offense obtained out of the rut with an identical 37-point showings the ultimate two video games of the season, beating up on the New England Patriots and Browns to finish the latter’s sweep.
Within the Wild Card, Pittsburgh hosted the San Diego Chargers. The Steelers appear poised to win, taking a 28-17 fourth quarter lead. However TE Kellen Winslow Sr. discovered the top zone twice and the Chargers got here out on high, 31-28.
The Steelers completed the yr with a top-10 offense and top-five protection. In his ultimate season because the crew’s full-starter, Terry Bradshaw led the NFL with 17 touchdowns. This was the primary season sacks had been formally tracked by the NFL, with NT Gary Dunn and DE Tom Beasley tying for the league-lead with six every. Defensive backs Donnie Shell and Dwayne Woodruff tied the lead with 5 picks. It’s price questioning how a lot all of them would’ve had if a whole 16-game season been performed.
Notable: Backup QB Cliff Stoudt threw zero touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Since 1980, he’s one in every of 18 QBs to throw zero touchdowns and at the least 5 picks in a single season. The worst offense is the Eagles’ Bobby Hoying, who threw zero touchdowns and 9 interceptions in 1998.
33. 1993 season (9-7 document, Wild Card loss)
A barely above-average yr throughout. Pittsburgh had the No. 13 offense, No. 8 protection and completed two video games above .500 to squeak into the playoffs. The Steelers started the yr 0-2, together with a 27-0 blowout loss to the St. Louis Rams. However Pittsburgh received huge in its subsequent 4 video games with wins over the Cincinnati Bengals (34-7) and Atlanta Falcons (45-17) probably the most notable.
Pittsburgh traded mini successful and shedding streaks the remainder of the season, beating the Cleveland Browns 16-9 within the common season finale. Past the high-scoring blowout wins, the largest victory Pittsburgh scored on the season got here in a 23-0 shutout of Jim Kelly’s Buffalo Payments later within the yr. Buffalo completed the yr 12-4.
The Steelers hit the highway to tackle Joe Montana’s Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the Wild Card sport. The Steelers blew a 17-7 halftime lead and the sport went into time beyond regulation. Chiefs’ kicker Nick Lowery hit from 32 yards out to present Kansas Metropolis the win and ship Pittsburgh packing. QB Neil O’Donnell’s three touchdowns weren’t sufficient.
On the season, operating backs Leroy Thompson and Barry Foster topped the 700-yard mark. Tight finish Eric Inexperienced broke out to perform because the Steelers’ main receiver and made the Professional Bowl.
In his first yr with Pittsburgh, Kevin Greene made a direct influence with 12.5 sacks. However Greg Lloyd was named All-Professional regardless of having solely 5, filling up the stat sheet elsewhere with 4 interceptions. Rod Woodson was named DPOY due to his eight picks, pair of sacks and all-around stellar play. Kicker Gary Anderson made the Professional Bowl. Nonetheless, the Steelers couldn’t flip this into playoff success.
Notable: In a one-year trial run, the NFL performed its 16-game season over 18 weeks, giving every crew two byes. Pittsburgh’s got here in Weeks 5 and 9, successful each video games after the bye. The league opted to scrap the thought and return to the 17-week, one-bye format in 1994.
32. 1958 season (7-4-1 document)
An above-average offense and protection, the Steelers obtained the season began off on the unsuitable foot. A forty five-12 loss to the Cleveland Browns particularly damage. Bottoming out to 1-4, Pittsburgh recovered and didn’t lose in November or December. The Steelers received 5 straight, tied the Washington Redskins and beat the Chicago Cardinals within the finale (forcing seven turnovers within the win).
QB Bobby Layne went 7-2-1 as starter with backup and future Earl Morrall shedding each of his begins. RB Tom Tracy completed because the Steelers’ main rusher whereas WR Jimmy Orr led the NFL with 27.6 yards per reception. It’s the second-highest mark of any NFL season chief.
Defensively, Jack Butler intercepted 9 passes and made one other All-Professional squad, giving him 19 interceptions throughout the ’57 and ’58 campaigns. It’s a mark no Steeler could ever surpass. Kicker Tom Miner made precisely half his fields targets, 14-of-28, and led the league in makes and makes an attempt. Pittsburgh completed third within the NFL East behind the 9-3 New York Giants and 9-3 Cleveland Browns.
Notable: From 1933-1971, Pittsburgh had only a pair of single-season, five-game successful streaks. First in 1947 and once more in 1958. In the course of the 70s dynasty run alone, it occurred six instances.
31. 2007 season (10-6 document, Wild Card loss)
Ending this version on Mike Tomlin’s first season, the shock rent to switch Invoice Cowher. It was good season and progress after an 8-8 Tremendous Bowl hangover in 2006, and Pittsburgh received the AFC North. Tomlin’s tenure began scorching, successful the primary three video games all by double-digits and transferring to 7-2 by the mid-way level. The Steelers limped to the end line, dropping three of the ultimate 4 video games. RB Willie Parker broke his leg in opposition to the St. Louis Rams in Week 16, the lone victory the Steelers notched over the ultimate 4 video games.
Within the Wild Card spherical, Pittsburgh hosted and misplaced to the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-29. QB David Garrard broke some hearts that day (or at the least, mine) and Ok Josh Scobee hit the game-winning area objective with lower than a minute remaining.
On the yr, QB Ben Roethlisberger bounced again and made the Professional Bowl with 32 touchdowns. Regardless of the damage, Parker completed with 1,300 yards however ’07 was his final influence yr. Pittsburgh didn’t have a 1,000-yard receiver however Santonio Holmes led the NFL in yards per catch. Defensively, OLB James Harrison broke out for 8.5 sacks and had a legendary single-game efficiency. In a 38-7 Monday evening beatdown of the Baltimore Ravens, a sport that honored the seventy fifth Anniversary Group, Harrison recorded 10 tackles (three for a loss), 3.5 sacks, three compelled fumbles (together with one in opposition to Ed Reed on a punt return), and an interception. It was an all-timer.
SS Troy Polamalu performed in simply 11 video games and didn’t intercept a move.
As a crew, Pittsburgh completed with the No. 9 offense and No. 2 protection. However ultimately, there was no postseason victory to hold their hat on.
Notable: In Tomlin’s first yr, Pittsburgh didn’t make a single 50-yard area objective. In 2024, Tomlin’s most up-to-date yr, the Steelers made 13.
Rating 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
