1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season

Last updated

1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Owner Art Rooney
General manager Daniel M. Rooney
Head coach Chuck Noll
Home field Three Rivers Stadium
Results
Record12–2
Division place1st AFC Central
Playoff finishWon Divisional Playoffs
(vs. Colts) 28–10
Won AFC Championship
(vs. Raiders) 16–10
Won Super Bowl X
(vs. Cowboys) 21–17
Pro Bowlers
AP All-Pros
7
  • Mel Blount (1st team)
  • L. C. Greenwood (1st team)
  • Jack Ham (1st team)
  • Franco Harris (2nd team)
  • Joe Greene (2nd team)
  • Jack Lambert (2nd team)
  • Lynn Swann (2nd team)
Team MVP Mel Blount
Team ROY John Banaszak

The 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 43rd in the National Football League (NFL). The Steelers were defending champions for the first time in their forty-year history and repeated as league champions. The team was led by a dominating defense and a quick offense, and won Super Bowl X over the Dallas Cowboys, 21–17. The 1975 Steelers had one of the greatest defensive teams of all time. The team posted their best defensive numbers since 1946, and scored more points than any other Steelers team, later surpassed by two points in 2010.

Contents

In 2007, the 1975 Steelers were ranked as the seventh greatest Super Bowl champions on the NFL Network's documentary series America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions , with team commentary from Lynn Swann, Dwight White, and Mike Wagner, and narrated by Bruce Willis. More than a decade later, the team ranked #10 on the 100 greatest teams of all time presented by the NFL on its 100th anniversary. [1] [2] The 1975 Steelers' +211 point differential stands as the best in franchise history. They won by at least 21 points six times, with their season superlative 37–0 shutout at San Diego in the opener on September 21. [3] [4]

Offseason

NFL Draft

1975 Pittsburgh Steelers draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
126 Dave Brown  *  CB Michigan played one season for Steelers; selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the expansion draft
251 Bob Barber   DE Grambling playing for Packers; 1976-79
378 Walter White   TE Maryland Traded to Chiefs
4104Harold Evans  LB Houston
5130Brent Sexton DB Elon
6156 Marvin Crenshaw   T Nebraska
7180Wayne Mattingly T Colorado
8208Al Humphrey DE Tulsa
9234Bruce Reimer  RB North Dakota State
10260Archie Grey  WR Wyoming
11286Randy Little TE West Liberty
12312Greg Murphy DE Penn State
13337Bob Gaddis WR Mississippi Valley State played mostly in CFL
14364Mike Collier RB Morgan State played one season for Steelers
15390Marty Smith  DT Louisville
16415Miller Bassler TEHouston
17442Stan Hegener  G Nebraska

Personnel

Staff

1975 Pittsburgh Steelers staff
Front office
  • Chairman of the board – Arthur J. Rooney
  • President – Daniel M. Rooney
  • Vice president – John R. McGinley
  • Vice president – Arthur J. Rooney, Jr.
  • Public relations director – Ed Kiely
  • Traveling secretary – James A. Boston
  • Publicity director – Joe Gordon
  • Controller – Robert P. Quinn
  • Accountant – Dennis P. Thimons
  • Ticket manager – Joseph H. Carr
  • Director of player personnel – Dick Haley
  • Assistant director of player personnel – Bill Nunn
  • Director of professional scouting – V. Timothy Rooney

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches


Strength and conditioning

  • Strength – Louis Riecke
  • Flexibility – Paul Uram
  • Team physician, orthopedic – Dr. John Best
  • Team Physician, M.D. – Dr. David S. Huber
  • Team dentist – Dr. George P. Boucek
  • Trainer – Ralph Berlin
  • Assistant trainer – Robert Milie
  • Equipment manager – Anthony Parisi
  • Field manager – Jack Hart
  • Film director – Bob McCartney
  • Photographer – Harry Homa

[5]

Roster

1975 Pittsburgh Steelers final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad [6] [7] [8]
Rookies in italics
43 active, 1 inactive

Preseason

During the preseason, the Steelers acquired undrafted free-agent, John Banaszak. The Defensive tackle from Eastern Michigan played in three games and later became the 1975 Team ROY (Rookie of the Year).

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultVenue
1August 1 College All-Stars W 21–14 Soldier Field
2August 9 Philadelphia Eagles L 14–17 Three Rivers Stadium
3August 17 Oakland Raiders L 21–24 Memorial Stadium
4August 22at Baltimore Colts W 31–10 Memorial Stadium
5August 30 New York Giants L 7–24 Palmer Stadium
6September 6 New Orleans Saints W 24–13 Three Rivers Stadium
7September 13at Dallas Cowboys L 16–17 Texas Stadium

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultVenue
1September 21at San Diego Chargers W 37–0 San Diego Stadium
2September 28 Buffalo Bills L 21–30 Three Rivers Stadium
3October 5at Cleveland Browns W 42–6 Cleveland Municipal Stadium
4October 12 Denver Broncos W 20–9 Three Rivers Stadium
5October 19 Chicago Bears W 34–3 Three Rivers Stadium
6October 26at Green Bay Packers W 16–13 County Stadium
7November 2at Cincinnati Bengals W 30–24 Riverfront Stadium
8November 9 Houston Oilers W 24–17 Three Rivers Stadium
9November 16 Kansas City Chiefs W 28–3 Three Rivers Stadium
10November 24at Houston Oilers W 32–9 Houston Astrodome
11November 30at New York Jets W 20–7 Shea Stadium
12December 7 Cleveland Browns W 31–17 Three Rivers Stadium
13December 13 Cincinnati Bengals W 35–14 Three Rivers Stadium
14December 20at Los Angeles Rams L 3–10 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Game summaries

Week 1

1234Total
Steelers101031437
Chargers00000

In the Week 1 game, the Steelers opened the season as defending champions, and crushed the Chargers, 37-0, in San Diego. [3] [4] (1-0)

Week 2

1234Total
Bills01013730
Steelers0071421

In Week 2, the Steelers, coming off a crushing defeat of the Chargers in Week 1, came to play revenge eager Buffalo in Pittsburgh. The Bills had been beaten the previous year by the Steelers in the playoffs, 32-14. Chuck Noll had warned the team the previous week that the team did not play very well, however, the players ignored him and were beaten by future Hall of Fame RB O.J. Simpson, 30-21. He rushed for 227 yards, including an 88-yard touchdown run in the 3rd quarter. (1-1)

Week 3

1234Total
Steelers72101442
Browns00066

In this Week 3 matchup, the Steelers would be hosted by the Cleveland Browns. These two teams had already been established as one of the league's best rivalries by this time, and Joe Greene's infamous kicking of the Browns lineman Bob McKay only fueled the rivalry. The fight that broke out afterwards caught it on fire. Greene was later fined $500 while the Steelers beat the Browns, 42-6. (2-1) This was the first of eleven consecutive victories for the Steelers.

Week 4

1234Total
Broncos36009
Steelers7100320
  • Date: October 12
  • Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m., EST
  • Game attendance: 49,164
  • Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C) (Mostly Cloudy)
  • Referee: Dick Jorgensen
  • Television network: NBC

In Week 4, the Steelers beat the Denver Broncos in Three Rivers, 20-9. (3-1)

Week 5

1234Total
Bears03003
Steelers010101434
  • Date: October 19
  • Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m., EST
  • Game attendance: 47,579
  • Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C) (Cloudy)
  • Referee: Norm Schachter
  • Television network: CBS

In Week 5, the Steelers crushed Chicago, 34-3. Three weeks after the Steelers were beaten by Buffalo, the team was 4-1, and had allowed only 18 points during the last three weeks while scoring 96. (4-1)

Week 6

1234Total
Steelers3100316
Packers067013

In Week 5, the Packers would host the Steelers in Milwaukee, however, the tense battle ended in Pittsburgh's favor, 16-13. (5-1)

Week 7

1234Total
Steelers01013730
Bengals3002124

In Week 7, the Steelers played the Bengals in Riverfront Stadium and won the game, 30–24. (6–1)

Week 8

1234Total
Oilers073717
Steelers1070724
  • Date: November 9
  • Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m., EST
  • Game attendance: 49,460
  • Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C) (Sunny)
  • Referee: Jim Tunney
  • Television network: NBC

In this heated Week 8 battle, the Steelers would play host to the Houston Oilers. Pittsburgh sealed the win with a 4th quarter touchdown pass from #12 Terry Bradshaw to #82 John Stallworth that placed them at the top of the division. (7-1)

Week 9

1234Total
Chiefs03003
Steelers0714728
  • Date: November 16
  • Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m., EST
  • Game attendance: 48,803
  • Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C) (Partly Cloudy)
  • Referee: Bernie Ulman
  • Television network: NBC

In Week 9, the Steelers beat the Chiefs, 28-3. (8-1)

Week 10

1234Total
Steelers21331432
Oilers03069

In Week 10, the Steelers defeated the Oilers again, this time in Houston 32-9, and secured a playoff spot. (9-1)

Week 11

1234Total
Steelers01010020
Jets00077

In Week 11, the Steelers beat the Jets 20-7. (10-1)

Week 12

1234Total
Browns3140017
Steelers7314731
  • Date: December 7
  • Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m., EST
  • Game attendance: 47,962
  • Game weather: 38 °F (3 °C) (Sunny), Wind 11 mph (18 km/h)
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
  • Television network: NBC

In another defeat of Cleveland in Week 13, 31-17, the Steelers continued their winning streak to 10. (11-1)

Week 13

1234Total
Bengals070714
Steelers1477735
  • Date: Saturday, December 13
  • Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 12:30 p.m., EST
  • Game attendance: 48,889
  • Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C), (Sunny) wind 8 mph (13 km/h)
  • Referee: Ben Dreith
  • Television network: NBC

In Week 13, the Steelers finished the sweep of the division by beating the Bengals again, 35-14. (12-1)

Week 14

1234Total
Steelers30003
Rams030710

In the meaningless Week 14 game, the Steelers were beaten by Los Angeles, 10-3. (12-2)

Standings

AFC Central
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
Pittsburgh Steelers (1)1220.8576–010–1373162L1
Cincinnati Bengals (4)1130.7863–38–3340246W1
Houston Oilers 1040.7142–47–4293226W3
Cleveland Browns 3110.2141–52–8218372L1

Stats

Quarter-by-quarter

Quarter-by-quarter
1234OTT
Steelers63118811110373
Opponents96223680162

Postseason

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultVenue
Divisional December 27 Baltimore Colts W 28–10 Three Rivers Stadium
AFC Championship January 4 Oakland Raiders W 16–10 Three Rivers Stadium
Super Bowl X January 18 Dallas Cowboys W 21–17 Miami Orange Bowl

Game summaries

Divisional

1234Total
Colts073010
Steelers7071428
  • Franco Harris gained 152 yds rushing, one yard less than the Baltimore Colts offense. Andy Russell set a record for longest playoff fumble return.

AFC Championship

1234Total
Raiders0001010
Steelers0301316
  • Date: January 4
  • Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 50,609
  • Game weather: 16 °F (−9 °C) (Blowing Snow)
  • Referee: Ben Dreith
  • TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy, Al DeRogatis, and Don Meredith

Pittsburgh won the game, despite giving up eight turnovers. [9]

Super Bowl

1234Total
Cowboys730717
Steelers7001421
  • Lynn Swann earned the MVP award catching 4 receptions for 161 yards.
  • The Pittsburgh Steelers won their 2nd of their 6 Super Bowl championships.

Awards, honors, and records

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl IX</span> 1975 Edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl IX was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Minnesota Vikings to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1974 season. The game was played on January 12, 1975, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Steelers defeated the Vikings by the score of 16–6 to win their first Super Bowl championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl X</span> 1976 Edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl X was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1975 season. The Steelers defeated the Cowboys by the score of 21–17 to win their second consecutive Super Bowl. They were the third team to win back-to-back Super Bowls. It was also the first Super Bowl in which both participating teams had previously won a Super Bowl, as the Steelers were the defending champions and the Cowboys had won Super Bowl VI.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XIII</span> 1979 Edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1978 season. The Steelers defeated the Cowboys by the score of 35–31. The game was played on January 21, 1979, at the Miami Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, the fifth and last time that the Super Bowl was played in that stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XIV</span> 1980 Edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XIV was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Los Angeles Rams and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1979 season. The Steelers defeated the Rams by the score of 31–19, becoming the first team to win four Super Bowls. The game was played on January 20, 1980, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and was attended by a Super Bowl record 103,985 spectators. It was also the first Super Bowl where the game was played in the home market of one of the participants, as Pasadena is 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Downtown Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXIX</span> 1995 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion San Diego Chargers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1994 season. The 49ers defeated the Chargers by the score of 49–26, becoming the first team to win five Super Bowl championships. The game was played on January 29, 1995, at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXX</span> 1996 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXX was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1995 season. The Cowboys defeated the Steelers by the score of 27–17, winning their fifth Super Bowl in team history. The game was played on January 28, 1996, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, the first time the Super Bowl was played in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XLIII</span> 2009 National Football League championship game

Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champions Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champions Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2008 season. The Steelers defeated the Cardinals by the score of 27–23. The game was played on February 1, 2009, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

William Stanley Humphries is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers. He played high school football at Southwood High School and college football at Northeast Louisiana. He was selected by the Redskins in the sixth round of the 1988 NFL Draft.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are an American football franchise representing Pittsburgh. They are the seventh-oldest club in the National Football League (NFL), which they joined in 1933. The only surviving NFL teams with a longer history are the Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, and Washington Commanders. The Philadelphia Eagles joined the league concurrently with the Steelers in 1933.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epic in Miami</span> American football playoff game in 1982

The Epic in Miami was the National Football League AFC divisional playoff game between the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins that took place on January 2, 1982 in the Miami Orange Bowl. The game, won by the Chargers in overtime, 41–38, is one of the most famous in National Football League lore because of the enormity of scoring, the conditions on the field, the performances of players on both teams, and the numerous records that were set.

This article details the history of the Baltimore Ravens, a professional American football team which plays in the National Football League. The Ravens were formed to fill in the void left by Baltimore's previous team, the Colts, who had controversially moved to Indianapolis. Ironically, the Ravens' formation necessitated the relocation of the Cleveland Browns' players and personnel, leaving Cleveland without a team until the Browns resumed operations as an expansion team three years later. Since then the Ravens have usually featured a strong defense and have won two Super Bowl championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Chargers</span> American football team history

The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating back to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now known as the Los Angeles Chargers.

The 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 42nd in the National Football League (NFL). They improved to a 10–3–1 regular-season record, won the AFC Central division title, sending them to the playoffs for the third consecutive season, and won a Super Bowl championship, the first league title in Steelers' history. This was the first of six consecutive AFC Central division titles for the Steelers, and the first of four Super Bowl championships in the same time period.

The 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 44th in the National Football League. The team attempted to win their third consecutive Super Bowl championship, but ultimately lost to their bitter rivals, the Oakland Raiders, in the AFC Championship Game. Despite failing to reach the Super Bowl, the 1976 Steelers are fondly remembered as one of the franchise's most dominant teams, thanks to a record-setting defense and running game. The Steelers' strong defense finished the season with just 9.9 points allowed per game, the fewest in the NFL, and a franchise record that still stands.

The 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League (NFL). The season concluded with the team winning Super Bowl XIII to become the first franchise in the NFL to win three Super Bowl titles. The championship run was led by quarterback Terry Bradshaw and the team's vaunted Steel Curtain defense. This team is regarded as one of the greatest defensive teams of all time and one of the greatest teams in NFL history. Bradshaw put together the best year of his career to that point, becoming only the second Steeler to win the NFL MVP award. Ten Steelers players were named to the Pro Bowl team, and four were judged as first-team All-Pros by the AP. Head coach Chuck Noll returned for his tenth season—moving him ahead of Walt Kiesling as the longest tenured head coach in the team's history to that point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1982 Pittsburgh Steelers season</span> Pittsburgh Steelers 50th US football season

The 1982 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 50th in the National Football League. The Steelers returned to the playoffs after missing the playoffs for two years. This was also the Steelers 50th Anniversary season. Although the season was shortened as a result of the 1982 strike, the Steelers finished a strong 6–3 record, good enough for fourth in the AFC as a whole. Although division standings were thrown out as a result of the strike, the Steelers unofficially finished second in the AFC Central, one game behind defending AFC Champion Cincinnati.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1995 AFC Championship Game</span> 1995 NFL playoff sporting event

The 1995 AFC Championship Game was the championship game for the American Football Conference (AFC) for the 1995 season. The game was played on January 14, 1996, at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who hosted the Indianapolis Colts for the chance to play the winner of the National Football Conference (NFC) in Super Bowl XXX in Tempe, Arizona.

The Raiders–Steelers rivalry is an NFL rivalry between the Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers. Both teams compete in the American Football Conference (AFC). The historically bitter rivalry started with the Steelers' first playoff win over the Raiders by way of Franco Harris' Immaculate Reception on December 23, 1972. The two teams met in the playoffs for five consecutive seasons (1972–76), an NFL record that has yet to be matched. The series was regarded as one of the fiercest rivalries in the history of professional sports, especially in the 1970s. Las Vegas is one of four AFC teams with a winning overall record against Pittsburgh. CBS Sports ranked this rivalry as the best NFL rivalry of the 1970s.

The 1975 AFC Championship Game was the sixth title game of the American Football Conference (AFC). Played on January 4, 1976, the game was hosted by the AFC Central champion and defending AFC and Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers who, in a rematch of the 1974 title game, played the AFC West champion Oakland Raiders at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Along with the 1975 NFC Championship Game played on the same day, this game constituted the penultimate round of the 1975-76 NFL playoffs which had followed the 1975 regular season of the National Football League (NFL).

The Broncos–Steelers rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers. The rivalry stemmed from the eight playoff matchups between the two teams, some of which featured upset victories. Of the eight meetings, six resulted in the winner eventually advancing to the Super Bowl.

References

  1. "NFL Top 100 Teams". Pro Football Reference.
  2. "100 Greatest Teams: Numbers 100-1 SUPERCUT". NFL.com.
  3. 1 2 Stellino, Vito (September 22, 1975). "Steelers now taking care of business, 37-0". Pittsburgh Gazette. p. 16.
  4. 1 2 Musick, Phil (September 22, 1975). "Steelers throw switch on Chargers". Pittsburgh Press. p. 25.
  5. 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
  6. 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
  7. 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
  8. "1975 Pittsburgh Steelers". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  9. "Number three". Three Rivers top Greatest Play and Game. PittsburghSteelers.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2008.