Pittsburgh Steelers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pittsburgh Steelers |
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| Basic info | |||||||||||||
| Established | July 8, 1933 | ||||||||||||
| Colors | Black, gold |
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| Mascot | Steely McBeam | ||||||||||||
| Personnel | |||||||||||||
| Owner(s) | Rooney Family | ||||||||||||
| President | Art Rooney II | ||||||||||||
| General manager | Omar Khan | ||||||||||||
| Head coach | Mike Tomlin | ||||||||||||
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| Team history | |||||||||||||
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| Home fields | |||||||||||||
Temporary stadiums
1943 due to loss of players during World War II (temporary merger with Philadelphia Eagles):
1944 due to loss of players during World War II (temporary merger with Chicago Cardinals):
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| League / conference affiliations | |||||||||||||
National Football League (1933–present)
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| Championships | |||||||||||||
League championships: 6
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Conference championships: 8
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Division championships: 24
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| Playoff appearances (34) | |||||||||||||
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The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the National Football League (NFL) as part of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The Steelers started in 1933, making them the seventh-oldest team in the NFL and the oldest in the AFC.
Before the modern NFL era, the Steelers were not very successful. But after the merger, they became one of the most successful teams. They are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins, with six titles! They have also played in more conference championship games than any other NFL team. The Steelers have won eight AFC championships. They are tied for the second-most Super Bowl appearances with eight.
The Steelers began as the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 8, 1933. They were owned by Art Rooney. The team got its first name from the city's baseball team. People sometimes called the football team the Rooneymen. The Rooney family has owned the team ever since it started. Today, Art Rooney II, Art Rooney's grandson, helps run the team.
The Steelers have a huge fanbase called Steeler Nation. They play their home games at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. This stadium was built in 2001 and was first called Heinz Field. It replaced Three Rivers Stadium, where the Steelers played for 31 years. Before that, they played at Pitt Stadium and Forbes Field.
Contents
History of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Early Years and World War II
The Pittsburgh Steelers played their first game as the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 20, 1933. They lost to the New York Giants. In the 1930s, the Pirates never finished with a winning record. In 1938, they signed Byron White, who later became a Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. He had the biggest contract in NFL history at the time. Before the 1940 season, the Pirates changed their name to the Steelers.
During World War II, many players left to serve in the military. Because of this, the Steelers had to combine with other teams. In 1943, they joined with the Philadelphia Eagles to form the "Phil-Pitt Eagles," also known as the "Steagles". This team had a record of 5 wins, 4 losses, and 1 tie. In 1944, they merged with the Chicago Cardinals. This team was called Card-Pitt and lost all 10 of its games. This was the only time the team had a winless season.
The Steelers made the playoffs for the first time in 1947. They tied for first place in their division with the Philadelphia Eagles. They played a tie-breaking game, but the Steelers lost 21–0. This was their only playoff game before the NFL merger.
In 1970, the Steelers moved into Three Rivers Stadium. This was also the year of the AFL–NFL merger. The Steelers were one of three older NFL teams to join the new American Football Conference. This helped balance the number of teams in the new league.
The Chuck Noll Era: A Dynasty Begins
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The Steelers' luck changed when they hired coach Chuck Noll in 1969. Noll was amazing at picking new players in the NFL Draft. He chose future Hall of Famers like "Mean" Joe Greene in 1969, Terry Bradshaw and Mel Blount in 1970, Jack Ham in 1971, and Franco Harris in 1972.
In 1974, Noll did something incredible. He drafted five future Hall of Famers in one year: Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, Donnie Shell, and Mike Webster. No other team has ever drafted so many Hall of Famers in a single year!
These players created an amazing team that made the playoffs eight times. They became the only team in NFL history to win four Super Bowls in just six years. This was a true football dynasty.
After the 1970s, many of these great players retired. The Steelers had some tough seasons in the mid-1980s. But they still made the playoffs in 1989. Chuck Noll's career record with the Steelers was 209 wins, 156 losses, and 1 tie.
The Bill Cowher Era: Continued Success
In 1992, Chuck Noll retired. Bill Cowher, who grew up near Pittsburgh, became the new coach. Cowher led the Steelers to the playoffs in his first six seasons. This was a rare achievement for a coach.
His teams reached the AFC Championship Game three times. In 1995, they made it to Super Bowl XXX. However, they lost to the Dallas Cowboys. Ten years later, Cowher led the Steelers to their fifth Super Bowl win in Super Bowl XL. They beat the Seattle Seahawks. This made the Steelers the third team to win five Super Bowls. They were also the first team to win the Super Bowl as a sixth-seeded playoff team.
Cowher coached for 15 seasons. His teams made the playoffs in 10 of those seasons. They played in six AFC Championship Games and two Super Bowls, winning one. His overall record was 161 wins, 99 losses, and 1 tie.
The Mike Tomlin Era: A New Generation of Wins
On January 7, 2007, Bill Cowher stepped down. Mike Tomlin became the new head coach. Tomlin was the first African-American head coach in the Steelers' history. In his first year, he led the team to a 10–6 record and won the AFC North title.
The next year, Tomlin led the Steelers to a 12–4 record and another division title. They won their playoff games and reached the Super Bowl. On February 1, 2009, Tomlin led the Steelers to win Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals. At 36 years old, he became the youngest head coach to ever win the Super Bowl. He was also only the second African-American coach to win it.
In 2010, Tomlin led the team to another Super Bowl, Super Bowl XLV. This made him the only coach to reach the Super Bowl twice before turning 40. However, the Steelers lost to the Green Bay Packers.
Tomlin has led the Steelers to the playoffs many times. He is the first Pittsburgh coach to never have a losing season. From 2013 to 2017, the team had amazing performances from the "Killer B's": Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger, and Le'Veon Bell. Kicker Chris Boswell was sometimes included too.
After the 2021 season, longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger retired. The team drafted Kenny Pickett in 2022. In 2024, the Steelers traded Pickett and signed Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
Steelers' Success Since the Merger
Since the NFL merger in 1970, the Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the best records in the league. They have won the most regular-season games and the most playoff games. They have also won the most division titles and played in the most conference championship games. The Steelers have won six of their eight Super Bowl appearances. They are the only NFL team that hasn't had a season with 12 or more losses since 1978.
Who Owns the Steelers?
Since 2008, the Rooney family has brought in other investors for the team. They did this to follow NFL ownership rules. The Rooney family still controls the team.
Some of the investors have included:
- Other members of the Rooney family.
- The Robert A. Paul family.
- Former Steelers wide receiver and Hall of Famer John Stallworth.
- Legendary Pictures CEO Thomas Tull.
- GTCR chairman Bruce V. Rauner.
- The Peter Varischetti family.
- Paul Evanson, former chairman of Allegheny Energy.
- Russ and Scott Swank.
Interestingly, three people who were minority investors in the Steelers later became main owners of other NFL teams. These include Jimmy Haslam (Cleveland Browns), David Tepper (Carolina Panthers), and Josh Harris (Washington Commanders).
Team Colors and Logo
The Steelers have always used black and gold as their team colors. The only exception was in 1943 when they merged with the Philadelphia Eagles and wore green and white. Black and gold are also the colors of Pittsburgh's official city flag. Other major Pittsburgh sports teams, like the Pirates (baseball) and Penguins (hockey), also use black and gold.
The Steelers' logo was created in 1962. It is based on the "Steelmark" logo, which was designed by a steel company. The logo has the word "Steelers" surrounded by three diamond shapes called astroids. These shapes originally meant "Steel lightens your work, brightens your leisure, and widens your world." Later, the colors of the shapes came to represent what is used to make steel: yellow for coal, red for iron ore, and blue for scrap steel.
The Steelers are the only NFL team that puts its logo on only one side of the helmet (the right side). This started as a test, but it became so popular that they kept it that way.
Uniforms
The Steelers' current uniform design was introduced in 1968. They wear gold pants with either black or white jerseys. In 1997, they updated the numbers on the jerseys to match the font on the helmets. They also added a Steelers logo to the left side of the jersey.
The team has also used special alternate uniforms. For their 75th anniversary in 2007, they wore black jerseys with gold lettering and white pants. These uniforms looked like the ones from the 1960s. They were so popular that the team kept them as a third option.
In 2012, for their 80th anniversary, the Steelers wore new alternate uniforms. These had yellow jerseys with black horizontal lines, like a bumblebee. They were nicknamed the "bumblebee jerseys" and were used until 2016.
In 2016, the Steelers introduced black "Color Rush" uniforms. These were based on uniforms from 1946 to 1965, but with black pants. In 2018, they unveiled another alternate uniform that looked like the ones worn by the "Steel Curtain" teams of the 1970s.
Team Rivals
The Pittsburgh Steelers have three main rivals in their division: the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and Cincinnati Bengals. They also have rivalries with other teams from past playoff games, such as the Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, and Tennessee Titans.
Divisional Rivals
Cleveland Browns
The Steelers and Cleveland Browns have been rivals since 1950. The Steelers have a strong lead in the series, especially since the Browns returned to the NFL in 1999. They have met three times in the playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens
The rivalry with the Baltimore Ravens is very intense. Both teams are known for their strong defenses. The Steelers lead the all-time series. They have met four times in the playoffs, with the Steelers winning three of those games.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Steelers' rivalry with the Cincinnati Bengals started in 1970. One famous game was a playoff game in 2005, where the Steelers came back to win after the Bengals' quarterback was injured. This made the rivalry even more intense. The Steelers lead the all-time series and have won both playoff games against the Bengals.
Conference Rivals
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots became a big rival after they beat the Steelers in the 2001 AFC Championship Game. The Patriots have generally had the upper hand in this rivalry, especially in the playoffs. The Patriots have won four of their five playoff meetings.
Tennessee Titans
The Steelers also have a rivalry with the Tennessee Titans (formerly the Houston Oilers). They were division rivals for 32 seasons. The Steelers dominated the rivalry when the team was in Houston. However, since the team moved to Tennessee in 1997, the Titans have won more games.
Denver Broncos
The rivalry with the Denver Broncos dates back to 1970. They have played many memorable games, including several in the playoffs. The Broncos have met the Steelers eight times in the playoffs, more than any other team. The Broncos lead the all-time series, including a 5–3 record in playoff games.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Steelers' rivalry with the Raiders was very heated in the 1970s. Their first playoff win in team history was against the Raiders in 1972. This game featured the famous "Immaculate Reception" play. The two teams played in three straight AFC Championship games from 1974 to 1976. While the rivalry has cooled, they still have notable matchups. The Raiders currently lead the all-time series.
Inter-Conference Rivals
Dallas Cowboys
The Steelers have a historic rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys. These two teams have met three times in the Super Bowl, which is a record. The Steelers won the first two Super Bowl meetings in 1976 and 1979. The Cowboys won the third Super Bowl meeting in 1996. The Cowboys currently lead the all-time series.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles and Steelers are both from Pennsylvania and started playing in 1933. They were once in the same division. Now, they play each other only once every four years. The Eagles lead the all-time series.
Team Culture
Steely McBeam: The Mascot
Before the 2007 season, the Steelers introduced their official mascot, Steely McBeam. His name was chosen from over 70,000 suggestions from fans. "Steel" represents Pittsburgh's history in the steel industry. "Mc" is for the Rooney family's Irish background. "Beam" refers to steel beams. Steely McBeam is at all home games and helps with the team's charity events.
Steeler Nation: The Fanbase
The Steelers have a huge and loyal fanbase that has spread far beyond Pittsburgh. In 2008, ESPN.com called Steelers fans the best in the NFL. They have sold out every home game since the 1972 season. Many fans live in other cities because people moved away from Pittsburgh when the steel industry declined.
Steelers fans often gather in unofficial fan clubs at bars on game days. These "Steeler bars" are found in many cities, even those with their own NFL teams.
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The Terrible Towel is a famous fan symbol. It was created by broadcaster Myron Cope in 1975. The money from Terrible Towel sales goes to the Allegheny Valley School. This school helps people with intellectual and physical disabilities. Since 1996, the Terrible Towel has raised over $2.5 million for the school.
Team Songs
The Steelers don't have an official fight song. However, "Here We Go Steelers" and the "Steelers Polka" are popular fan songs from the 1970s. Since 1994, "Here We Go" by Roger Wood has been a fan favorite. Since 2002, the song "Renegade" by Styx is played at home games to get the crowd excited. The song "Black and Yellow" by Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa is also a regular part of the Steelers' home game experience.
Cheerleaders
The Steelers were the first NFL team to have a cheerleading squad, called the Steelerettes. They cheered from 1961 to 1969. They are the only cheerleaders the team has ever had.
Facilities
Stadiums
In 2001, the Steelers moved into Heinz Field, which is now called Acrisure Stadium. Before that, they played at several other stadiums. From 1933 to 1963, they shared Forbes Field with the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. They also started playing some games at Pitt Stadium in 1958. From 1964 to 1969, they played only at Pitt Stadium. Then, in 1970, they moved to Three Rivers Stadium.
Training Camp
The Steelers hold their training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. This location is known for being a great place for training camp. The team's main offices and practice facilities are at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex in Pittsburgh. This modern facility was built in 2000.
Championships and Awards
Super Bowl Championships
The Steelers have won six Super Bowls!
| Season | Coach | Super Bowl | Location | Opponent | Score | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Chuck Noll | IX | Tulane Stadium (New Orleans) | Minnesota Vikings | 16–6 | 10–3–1 |
| 1975 | X | Orange Bowl (Miami) | Dallas Cowboys | 21–17 | 12–2 | |
| 1978 | XIII | Dallas Cowboys | 35–31 | 14–2 | ||
| 1979 | XIV | Rose Bowl (Pasadena) | Los Angeles Rams | 31–19 | 12–4 | |
| 2005 | Bill Cowher | XL | Ford Field (Detroit) | Seattle Seahawks | 21–10 | 11–5 |
| 2008 | Mike Tomlin | XLIII | Raymond James Stadium (Tampa) | Arizona Cardinals | 27–23 | 13–3 |
| Total Super Bowls won: | 6 | |||||
AFC Championships
The Steelers have won eight AFC Championships!
| Season | Coach | Location | Opponent | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Chuck Noll | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (Oakland) | Oakland Raiders | 24–13 | |
| 1975 | Three Rivers Stadium (Pittsburgh) | Oakland Raiders | 16–10 | ||
| 1978 | Houston Oilers | 34–5 | |||
| 1979 | Houston Oilers | 27–13 | |||
| 1995 | Bill Cowher | Indianapolis Colts | 20–16 | ||
| 2005 | Invesco Field at Mile High (Denver) | Denver Broncos | 34–17 | ||
| 2008 | Mike Tomlin | Heinz Field (Pittsburgh) | Baltimore Ravens | 23–14 | |
| 2010 | New York Jets | 24–19 | |||
| Total AFC Championships won: | 8 | ||||
Division Championships
The Steelers have won their division 24 times!
| Year | Coach | Record | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Chuck Noll | 11–3 | |
| 1974 | 10–3–1 | ||
| 1975 | 12–2 | ||
| 1976 | 10–4 | ||
| 1977 | 9–5 | ||
| 1978 | 14–2 | ||
| 1979 | 12–4 | ||
| 1983 | 10–6 | ||
| 1984 | 9–7 | ||
| 1992 | Bill Cowher | 11–5 | |
| 1994 | 12–4 | ||
| 1995 | 11–5 | ||
| 1996 | 10–6 | ||
| 1997 | 11–5 | ||
| 2001 | 13–3 | ||
| 2002 | 10–5–1 | ||
| 2004 | 15–1 | ||
| 2007 | Mike Tomlin | 10–6 | |
| 2008 | 12–4 | ||
| 2010 | 12–4 | ||
| 2014 | 11–5 | ||
| 2016 | 11–5 | ||
| 2017 | 13–3 | ||
| 2020 | 12–4 | ||
| Total Division Championships won: | 24 | ||
Civil Rights Advocacy
The Steelers and the Rooney family have always supported equal opportunities for minorities and women. They were the first NFL team to hire an African-American assistant coach in 1957. They were also the first to start an African-American quarterback in 1973. In 1975, Franco Harris became the first African-American Super Bowl MVP. The Steelers were also the first to hire an African-American coordinator in 1984.
The team's owner, Dan Rooney, helped create the "Rooney Rule" in the early 2000s. This rule says that NFL teams must interview at least one minority candidate for head coach jobs. The Steelers were also the first to hire a female full-time athletic trainer in 2002.
Players of Note
Retired Uniform Numbers
The Steelers have a tradition of not retiring jersey numbers. However, they have officially retired two numbers:
- 32 for Franco Harris
- 70 for Ernie Stautner
Even though other numbers are not officially retired, some have not been used since the players who wore them left the team. These include:
- 1 Gary Anderson
- 7 Ben Roethlisberger
- 12 Terry Bradshaw
- 36 Jerome Bettis
- 43 Troy Polamalu
- 47 Mel Blount
- 52 Mike Webster
- 58 Jack Lambert
- 59 Jack Ham
- 63 Dermontti Dawson
- 86 Hines Ward
Pro Football Hall of Famers
The Steelers have many players and coaches in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They have the third-most "primary" inductees, meaning players who spent most of their careers with the Steelers. They are also the only team with three owners in the Hall of Fame.
| Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Famers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | |||||
| No. | Name | Inducted | Position(s) | Years w/ Steelers | Ref. |
| 36 | Jerome Bettis | 2015 | RB | 1996–2005 | |
| 47 | Mel Blount | 1989 | CB | 1970–1983 | |
| 12 | Terry Bradshaw | 1989 | QB | 1970–1983 | |
| 80 | Jack Butler | 2012 | CB | 1951–1959 | |
| 63 | Dermontti Dawson | 2012 | C | 1988–2000 | |
| 35 | Bill Dudley | 1966 | RB | 1942, 1945–1946 | |
| 66 | Alan Faneca | 2021 | G | 1998–2007 | |
| 75 | Joe Greene | 1987 | DT | 1969–1981 | |
| 59 | Jack Ham | 1988 | LB | 1971–1982 | |
| 32 | Franco Harris | 1990 | RB | 1972–1983 | |
| 35 | John Henry Johnson | 1987 | RB | 1960–1965 | |
| 35 | Walt Kiesling | 1966 | G | 1937–1944 | |
| 58 | Jack Lambert | 1990 | LB | 1974–1984 | |
| 43 | Troy Polamalu | 2020 | S | 2003–2014 | |
| 31 | Donnie Shell | 2020 | S | 1974–1987 | |
| 82 | John Stallworth | 2002 | WR | 1974–1987 | |
| 70 | Ernie Stautner | 1969 | DT | 1950–1963 | |
| 88 | Lynn Swann | 2001 | WR | 1974–1982 | |
| 52 | Mike Webster | 1997 | C | 1974–1988 | |
| 26 | Rod Woodson | 2009 | CB | 1987–1996 | |
| 91 | Kevin Greene | 2016 | LB | 1993–1995 | |
| Coaches and Contributors | |||||
| Name | Inducted | Position(s) | Years w/ Steelers | Ref. | |
| Bill Cowher | 2020 | Head coach | 1992–2006 | ||
| Chuck Noll | 1993 | Head coach | 1969–1991 | ||
| Bill Nunn | 2021 | Scout Assistant Director Player Personnel Senior Scout |
1968–2014 | ||
| Art Rooney | 1964 | Founder, Owner | 1933–1988 | ||
| Dan Rooney | 2000 | Executive, Owner | 1975–2017 | ||
Super Bowl MVPs
Six Steelers players have been named Super Bowl MVP!
| Super Bowl MVP winners | ||
|---|---|---|
| Super Bowl | Player | Position |
| IX | Franco Harris | RB |
| X | Lynn Swann | WR |
| XIII | Terry Bradshaw | QB |
| XIV | ||
| XL | Hines Ward | WR |
| XLIII | Santonio Holmes | WR |
Coaches
The Steelers have had 16 head coaches in their history. They have had fewer coaches than most NFL teams. Chuck Noll coached the Steelers for the longest time, 23 years. The current coach, Mike Tomlin, was hired in 2007.
Media
The Steelers' games are broadcast on radio stations across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and West Virginia. Tunch Ilkin is the announcer. Craig Wolfley is the sideline reporter. Myron Cope, who was the color analyst for many years and created the "Terrible Towel", retired in 2004.
Pre-season games are shown on local TV channels like KDKA-TV. Bob Pompeani and former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch announce these games. Regular season games are shown on CBS, Fox, ESPN, and NBC, depending on the schedule. The Steelers also have a radio contract to broadcast their games in Mexico.
Steelers in Broadcasting
Many former Steelers players and coaches have become well-known sportscasters. Myron Cope was a famous Steelers radio commentator for 35 seasons.
Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research
The Steelers helped start the Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research in 2016. They donated $1 million to it. This foundation focuses on learning more about brain injuries and concussions in sports. It also aims to educate people about these issues.
Images for kids
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President Obama poses with the Steelers in 2009. Left to right: Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Obama, and Dan Rooney.
