List of Pittsburgh Steelers seasons

Last updated

The Pittsburgh Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in 1933, the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC; seven franchises in the National Football Conference (NFC) have longer tenures in the NFL. The team struggled to be competitive in its early history, posting winning records in just 8 of its first 39 seasons. Since the AFL–NFL merger in 1970, however, it has appeared in eight Super Bowls and one of only two teams, along with the New England Patriots, to have won the Super Bowl six times. The six championships place the Steelers fourth in the league in terms of total championships (including those prior to the first Super Bowl), trailing only the Green Bay Packers (13 championships), the Chicago Bears (9) and the New York Giants (8). [1] The club's 16 AFC Championship Game appearances are the most all-time and behind only the 49ers (17) for total conference championship game appearances. In addition, they have hosted the second-most conference championship games (11) than any franchise in either conference, and are tied for second with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos with eight Super Bowl appearances; the Patriots currently hold the record of eleven appearances, as of 2021.

From 1974 to 1979 the franchise became the first NFL franchise to win four Super Bowl titles in six seasons, a feat which is yet to be matched. In 2005, the Steelers became the first #6 seed to advance to a conference championship game, and go on to win the Super Bowl, since the playoff field was expanded to 12 teams in 1990. The Steelers are 6–2 in the Super Bowl, winning Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, XIV, XL and XLIII while losing Super Bowls XXX and XLV.

As of the 2022 season, the Steelers franchise is tied for third with the Giants all-time in playoff appearances, with 33. The Steelers have the most playoff appearances among active AFC franchises, as well as the most since the official start of the NFL-AFL merger in 1970. The Cowboys (35) and Packers (35) are the only teams to have more playoff appearances. Coincidentally, these are also the only two teams to beat Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.

Key to color-coding of list of seasons table
NFL champions (1920–1969) Super Bowl champions (1966–present)Conference championsDivision championsWild Card berth One-game playoff berth
Season Team League ConferenceDivision Regular season Postseason resultsAwardsHead coaches
FinishWLTPct [1]
Pittsburgh Pirates
1933 1933 NFLEast5th362.364 Forrest Douds
1934 1934 NFLEast5th2100.167 Luby DiMeolo
1935 1935 NFLEast3rd480.333 Joe Bach
1936 1936 NFLEast2nd660.500
1937 1937 NFLEast3rd470.364 Johnny Blood
1938 1938 NFLEast5th290.182
1939 1939 NFLEast4th [T] 191.136Johnny Blood (0–3)
Walt Kiesling (1–6–1)
Pittsburgh Steelers
1940 1940 NFLEast4th272.273Walt Kiesling
1941 1941 NFLEast5th191.136Walt Kiesling (1–2–1)
Aldo Donelli (0–5)
Bert Bell (0–2)
1942 1942 NFLEast2nd740.636Walt Kiesling
Steagles [2]
1943 1943 NFLEast3rd541.550 Greasy Neale &
Walt Kiesling
Card-Pitt [3]
1944 1944 NFLEast5th0100.000 Phil Handler &
Walt Kiesling
Pittsburgh Steelers
1945 1945 NFLEast5th280.200 Jim Leonard
1946 1946 NFLEast3rd [T] 551.500 Bill Dudley (MVP) Jock Sutherland
1947 1947 NFLEast2nd840.667Lost Divisional Playoff (Eagles) 0–21
1948 1948 NFLEast3rd [T] 480.333 John Michelosen
1949 1949 NFLEast2nd651.542
1950 1950 NFLAmerican3rd [T] 660.500
1951 1951 NFLAmerican4th471.375
1952 1952 NFLAmerican4th570.417Joe Bach
1953 1953 NFLEastern4th660.500
1954 1954 NFLEastern4th570.417Walt Kiesling
1955 1955 NFLEastern6th480.346
1956 1956 NFLEastern4th [T] 570.417
1957 1957 NFLEastern3rd660.500 Buddy Parker
1958 1958 NFLEastern3rd741.625
1959 1959 NFLEastern4th651.542
1960 1960 NFLEastern5th561.458
1961 1961 NFLEastern5th680.429
1962 1962 NFLEastern2nd950.643
1963 1963 NFLEastern4th743.607
1964 1964 NFLEastern6th590.357
1965 1965 NFLEastern7th2120.143 Mike Nixon
1966 1966 NFLEastern6th581.393 Bill Austin
1967 1967 NFLEasternCentury4th491.321
1968 1968 NFLEasternCentury4th2111.179
1969 1969 NFLEasternCentury4th1130.071 Joe Greene (DROY) Chuck Noll
1970 1970 NFLAFCCentral3rd590.357
1971 1971 NFLAFCCentral2nd680.429
1972 1972 NFLAFCCentral1st1130.786Won Divisional Playoffs (Raiders) 13–7
Lost AFC Championship (Dolphins) 17–21
Chuck Noll (AFC COY)
Franco Harris (OROY, AFC OROY)
Joe Greene (DPOY)
1973 1973 NFLAFCCentral2nd1040.714Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Raiders) 14–33
1974 1974 NFLAFCCentral1st1031.750Won Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 32–14
Won AFC Championship (at Raiders) 24–13
Won Super Bowl IX (1) (vs. Vikings) 16–6
Jack Lambert (DROY)
Joe Greene (DPOY)
Franco Harris (SB MVP)
1975 1975 NFLAFCCentral1st1220.857Won Divisional Playoffs (Colts) 28–10
Won AFC Championship (Raiders) 16–10
Won Super Bowl X (2) (vs. Cowboys) 21–17
Mel Blount (DPOY)
Lynn Swann (SB MVP)
1976 1976 NFLAFCCentral1st1040.714Won Divisional Playoffs (at Colts) 40–14
Lost AFC Championship (at Raiders) 7–24
Jack Lambert (DPOY, AFC DPOY)
1977 1977 NFLAFCCentral1st950.643Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Broncos) 21–34
1978 1978 NFLAFCCentral1st1420.875Won Divisional Playoffs (Broncos) 33–10
Won AFC Championship (Oilers) 34–5
Won Super Bowl XIII (3) (vs. Cowboys) 35–31
Terry Bradshaw (MVP, SB MVP, BBA)
1979 1979 NFLAFCCentral1st1240.750Won Divisional Playoffs (Dolphins) 34–14
Won AFC Championship (Oilers) 27–13
Won Super Bowl XIV (4) (vs. Rams) 31–19
Jack Lambert (AFC DPOY)
Terry Bradshaw (SB MVP)
1980 1980 NFLAFCCentral3rd970.563
1981 1981 NFLAFCCentral2nd880.500
1982 1982 NFLAFCCentral4th [T] [3] 630.667Lost First Round Playoffs (Chargers) 28–31
1983 1983 NFLAFCCentral1st1060.625Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Raiders) 10–38
1984 1984 NFLAFCCentral1st970.563Won Divisional Playoffs (at Broncos) 24–17
Lost AFC Championship (at Dolphins) 28–45
Louis Lipps (OROY)
John Stallworth (CBPOY)
1985 1985 NFLAFCCentral3rd790.438
1986 1986 NFLAFCCentral3rd6100.375
1987 1987 NFLAFCCentral3rd870.533
1988 1988 NFLAFCCentral4th5110.313
1989 1989 NFLAFCCentral3rd970.563Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Oilers) 26–23 (OT)
Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Broncos) 23–24
Chuck Noll (MFC COY)
1990 1990 NFLAFCCentral3rd970.563
1991 1991 NFLAFCCentral2nd790.438
1992 1992 NFLAFCCentral1st1150.688Lost Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 3–24 Bill Cowher (NFL COY)
Barry Foster (AFC OPOY)
Bill Cowher
1993 1993 NFLAFCCentral2nd970.563Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Chiefs) 24–27 (OT) Rod Woodson (DPOY)
1994 1994 NFLAFCCentral1st1240.750Won Divisional Playoffs (Browns) 29–9
Lost AFC Championship (Chargers) 13–17
Greg Lloyd (AFC DPOY)
1995 1995 NFLAFCCentral1st1150.688Won Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 40–21
Won AFC Championship (Colts) 20–16
Lost Super Bowl XXX (vs. Cowboys) 17–27
1996 1996 NFLAFCCentral1st1060.625Won Wild Card Playoffs (Colts) 42–14
Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Patriots) 3–28
Jerome Bettis (CBPOY)
1997 1997 NFLAFCCentral1st1150.688Won Divisional Playoffs (Patriots) 7–6
Lost AFC Championship (Broncos) 21–24
1998 1998 NFLAFCCentral3rd790.438
1999 1999 NFLAFCCentral4th6100.375
2000 2000 NFLAFCCentral3rd970.563
2001 2001 NFLAFCCentral1st1330.813Won Divisional Playoffs (Ravens) 27–10
Lost AFC Championship (Patriots) 17–24
Kendrell Bell (DROY)
2002 2002 NFLAFCNorth1st1051.656Won Wild Card Playoffs (Browns) 36–33
Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Titans) 31–34 (OT)
Tommy Maddox (CBPOY)
2003 2003 NFLAFCNorth3rd6100.375
2004 2004 NFLAFCNorth1st1510.938Won Divisional Playoffs (Jets) 20–17 (OT)
Lost AFC Championship (Patriots) 27–41
Bill Cowher (TSN COY)
Ben Roethlisberger (OROY)
2005 2005 NFLAFCNorth2nd1150.688Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Bengals) 31–17
Won Divisional Playoffs (at Colts) 21–18
Won AFC Championship (at Broncos) 34–17
Won Super Bowl XL (5) (vs. Seahawks) 21–10
Hines Ward (SB MVP)
2006 2006 NFLAFCNorth3rd880.500
2007 2007 NFLAFCNorth1st1060.625Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Jaguars) 29–31 Mike Tomlin
2008 2008 NFLAFCNorth1st1240.750Won Divisional Playoffs (Chargers) 35–24
Won AFC Championship (Ravens) 23–14
Won Super Bowl XLIII (6) (vs. Cardinals) 27–23
James Harrison (DPOY) [4]
Santonio Holmes (SB MVP)
Mike Tomlin (Motorola NFL COY) [5]
2009 2009 NFLAFCNorth3rd970.563
2010 2010 NFLAFCNorth1st1240.750Won Divisional Playoffs (Ravens) 31–24
Won AFC Championship (Jets) 24–19
Lost Super Bowl XLV (vs. Packers) 25–31
Troy Polamalu (DPOY)
2011 2011 NFLAFCNorth2nd1240.750Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Broncos) 23–29 (OT)
2012 2012 NFLAFCNorth3rd880.500
2013 2013 NFLAFCNorth2nd880.500
2014 2014 NFLAFCNorth1st1150.688Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Ravens) 17–30
2015 2015 NFLAFCNorth2nd1060.625Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Bengals) 18–16
Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Broncos) 16–23
2016 2016 NFLAFCNorth1st1150.688Won Wild Card Playoffs (Dolphins) 30–12
Won Divisional Playoffs (at Chiefs) 18–16
Lost AFC Championship (at Patriots) 17–36
2017 2017 NFLAFCNorth1st1330.813Lost Divisional Playoffs (Jaguars) 42–45
2018 2018 NFLAFCNorth2nd961.594
2019 2019 NFLAFCNorth2nd880.500
2020 2020 NFLAFCNorth1st1240.750Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Browns) 37–48
2021 2021 NFLAFCNorth2nd971.559Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Chiefs) 21–42 T. J. Watt (DPOY)
2022 2022 NFLAFCNorth3rd980.529
2023 2023 NFLAFCNorth3rd1070.588Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Bills) 17–31 Cameron Heyward (WP MOY)
Totals
6 Super Bowl Championships
8 AFC Conference Championships
24 Division titles
Regular season: 67157822.537 19332023, regular season only
Playoff: 3628.563 19332023, playoffs only
Overall: 70760622.538 19332023, regular season and playoff games

Notes:

The Finish, Wins, Losses, Ties and Pct columns include only regular season results. Postseason results are shown only within the "Playoffs" column. Regular and postseason records are combined only at the bottom of the table.
T Tied for this position with at least one other team
1 For the purposes of calculating winning percentage ties count as ½ win and ½ loss
2 The Playoff Bowl (a.k.a. Bert Bell Benefit Bowl) is regarded as an unofficial post-season exhibition for third place
3 Ranked by conference rather than division (strike shortened season).

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References

"Pittsburgh Steelers Franchise Encyclopedia". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved April 8, 2010.

  1. "NFL Record and Fact Book – Team Records: Championships". NFL.com . 2007. Retrieved April 8, 2010.
  2. "1943 Phi/Pit Eagles/Steelers". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved April 8, 2010.
  3. "1944 Chi/Pit Cards/Steelers". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved April 8, 2010.
  4. "Harrison has death grip on defensive award". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 5, 2009. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
  5. NFL (January 29, 2009). "Steelers' Tomlin voted 2008 Motorola Coach of the Year". Archived from the original on February 1, 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2009.