1978 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Encyclopedia
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. 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.
The Steelers entered the season as defending champions of the AFC
Central Division, coming off a 9–5 record in . Despite winning their division, the previous season was a difficult one for the team (both on and off the field) which culminated in a division round playoff loss to the Denver Broncos
on Christmas Eve.
The team began the 1978 season with seven straight victories, before losing to the Houston Oilers in prime time
on Monday Night Football
. They finished the season with a league-best 14–2 record, including a 5-game winning streak to close the season. This record assured them they would play at home
throughout the . It was also the best record compiled in the team's history (since surpassed only by a 15–1 mark in ).
Additionally, several rules were changed to help open up the offense, particularly the passing game. One rule which prohibited defenders from contacting receivers more than five yards from the line of scrimmage, came to be known as the "Mel Blount rule" after the Steelers notably physical cornerback
. Another rule allowed offensive linemen to use their hands in blocking
.
The rule changes upset coach Noll, who years later said of the teams who supported the changes,
In the end, though, the Steelers were one of the quickest teams to adjust to the new rules; the team's offense benefited more from the changes than the defense was hampered by them. The rule changes catalyzed the team's transition from a power running game to more of an air attack.
, who had served as the team's defensive coordinator
since . Carson interviewed for the head coach
ing vacancy at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina
., and was also a candidate for the St. Louis Cardinals
top coaching job. When he didn't land either of those positions he decided to take a job as the defensive backs coach of the Los Angeles Rams
. Defensive line coach George Perles
added the defensive coordinator role to his responsibility with the line.
Offensive line coach Dan Radakovich, who had served in that capacity with the Steelers since , resigned to take a position as the defensive coordinator
of the San Francisco 49ers
. Radakovich was credited with turning the Pittsburgh Steelers line into one of the league's best. Rollie Dotsch
was hired to replace Radakovich. Dotsch had recently been let go along with the rest of the Detroit Lions
coaching staff. He had coached the Lions linebacker
s the previous season
.
In the team's final coaching change of the offseason, Dick Walker
was hired to coach the defensive backs. Walker had previously served in a similar role with the New England Patriots
.
Several of these moves were made in the name of eliminating "distractions". Ernie Holmes, Jimmy Allen and Glen Edwards had all had contract disputes which saw them leave the team for brief periods during the previous season. Holmes, Edwards and Frank Lewis had all lost their starting jobs. None of the moves brought the Steelers a player who had a significant impact on the team in 1978.
The Frank Lewis trade was a complete flop for the Steelers. Paul Seymour failed his physical when the Steelers learned he'd had surgery on both arches within the past five months. His rehabilitation from the surgery was not complete and he was unable to run. Seymour was returned to the Bills who released him, and the two teams failed to work out any other compensation for Lewis. Lewis was the Steelers first round draft choice in 1971
, but was unlikely to have made the Steelers roster anyway due to the ascendancy of John Stallworth
opposite Lynn Swann
and the training camp performance of the younger Jim Smith
and Randy Reutershan. Lewis did have some football left in him; he made the 1982 Pro Bowl
for the Bills.
The Jim Clack trade also netted the Steelers nothing when John Hicks was injured in the pre-season and placed on the injured reserve list. Meanwhile, both Clack and Ernie Pough made the Giant's 45-man roster, Clack as a starter on the offensive line.
In addition to the players traded away and cut, J. T. Thomas
was lost for the season to a blood disorder known as Boeck's Sarcoidosis
. Thomas had been the team's starting left cornerback (opposite Mel Blount) and his loss coupled with the Jimmy Allen trade left the team thin at the cornerback position.
. The Steelers selected fourteen players. They also traded their selection in the fifth round (pick 128 overall) to the Green Bay Packers
for defensive tackle Dave Pureifory
(Pureifory was later traded during training camp to the New England Patriots
for their sixth-round selection in the 1979 draft
). Coming out of the draft it appeared that the team had addressed perceived needs at punter, defensive back, defensive line and running back.
Notes:
reporter John Clayton
.
Clayton was not the paper's regular Steelers beat writer
at the time, but was just filling in that day. While the practice in which the violation occurred was closed to the media by head coach Chuck Noll, Clayton uncovered the story in interviews with players whom he found wearing pads in the locker room. Clayton contacted the league office for clarification on the rule, which stated that teams must have "no contact work or use of pads (except helmets) in an off-season training camp."
The story caused an uproar among the team's local fanbase, with most of the vitriol directed at Clayton for reporting the story, rather than at Noll and the team for breaking the rule. This sentiment was stoked by Noll's angry reaction to the story, in which he referred to the reporting as "espionage
." Even some members of the local media spoke of Clayton as a traitor to the Steeler cause.
The precedent for punishment of such a rule violation was set by an earlier incident for which the Green Bay Packers
were stripped of a fourth-round draft pick. The Packers were able to argue at that time that they were unaware of the rule they broke. The Steelers had no such defense, since the team's president, Dan Rooney
, was instrumental in negotiations to get the "no pads" rule included in the collective bargaining agreement with the league's players.
NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle
eventually stripped the Steelers of their third-round selection in the 1979 draft
for the transgression. Interestingly, Pittsburgh-area native and future Hall of Famer
Joe Montana
was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
just six spots after where the Steelers would have selected with the forfeited pick.
and Shouldergate behind them, the Steelers had a very productive training camp in 1978. All-Pro
defensive end
Joe Greene
noted the renewed focus, saying
The Steelers exhibition schedule did not start off smoothly, despite coming away with a 22–10 victory against the Baltimore Colts
. Starting quarterback Terry Bradshaw
suffered a broken nose on a scramble
in the first quarter of the game. In addition, the kicking game was unimpressive and the team committed a considerable number of penalties
including three personal fouls.
The second pre-season game against the Atlanta Falcons
was the Steelers' lone home exhibition contest. The defense led the way, as they had so many times in the team's back-to-back championship seasons in and . The defensive strength was illustrated in the first quarter when a blocked punt gave the Falcons the ball on the Steelers three yard line. After failing to gain yardage on two running plays, the Falcons' third-down pass was intercepted by Donnie Shell
(one of five Steelers interceptions on the evening). The Falcons' offense was held scoreless, their only points in the 13–7 loss came off a fumble recovery.
The next game, against the New York Giants
, was a completely different story. The game seemed to be over almost before it started when the Giants scored on a 78-yard touchdown pass in just the second play of the evening. The Giants went on to control the game en route to a 13–6 victory over the listless and mistake-prone Steelers. Coach Noll said of the opening score, "We didn't recover, and that's not a good sign. They outdid us all down the line. They hit harder."
In the fourth and final pre-season game, the Steelers' defense once again played well, but the offense was the weak link in a 16–13 loss to the Dallas Cowboys
(in what would turn out to be a preview of the Super Bowl XIII
matchup). The Steelers had difficulty running the ball, with six players combining for just 101 yards on 29 rushing attempts. Despite the offensive sluggishness, the Steelers led 13–3 after three quarters. Unfortunately, the defense was worn out (they faced a staggering 82 plays in the game) and they gave up two touchdown passes to Roger Staubach
in the fourth quarter. The lack of offensive rhythm led Terry Bradshaw
to comment, "I feel terrible. I'm concerned. It's easy to say that it'll come. But I don't want to go into the Buffalo game worried about the offense. ... If you looked at this, you'd have to say we have a lot of work to do."
At the end of the preseason, the Steelers were listed by oddsmakers at Harrah's casino
in Las Vegas as 5–1 to win the American Football Conference
(AFC). The favorites were the Oakland Raiders
at 7–5, followed by the New England Patriots
at 3–1 and then the Steelers and Baltimore Colts
at 5–1.
Week 1: at Buffalo Bills
The Steelers came into the season opener as heavy favorites over the Buffalo Bills
. The Steel Curtain
defense was dominant early, holding the Bills to just 59 total yards and only six first downs in first three quarters of play. New defensive coordinator George Perles
employed the blitz
to a much greater degree than the team had in the past. Bills quarterback
Joe Ferguson
, who was coming off a knee injury suffered in the pre-season, struggled with just three completions and 20 yards on ten passing attempts before being pulled from the game.
Meanwhile the Steelers scored two second quarter touchdowns, the first coming on a throw from Terry Bradshaw
to John Stallworth
. Stallworth caught three passes of twenty yards or longer in the Steelers first two possessions. The Steelers second score came on a one yard plunge by Franco Harris
. When the Steelers scored again on a Sidney Thornton
rush at the start of the first quarter to go up 21–0, the game appeared to be all but over.
However, Bill Munson
came into the game in relief of Ferguson and sparked the Bills to two quick scores that brought the Bills to within 11 points. The Steelers put the game away with a 73-yard drive capped by Bradshaw's second touchdown of the game.
Week 2: vs. Seattle Seahawks
This game marked the second ever meeting between the Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks
, who were playing in just their third NFL season. The Seahawks entered the game hoping to stop the Steelers running game – while that effort was largely successful the Steelers and quarterback Terry Bradshaw
won with the passing game. After a scoreless first quarter, the Steelers took a 14–0 lead which they wouldn't relinquish on a pair of Bradshaw touchdown passes. Linebacker Jack Lambert led the Steelers defense with an interception, a fumble recovery and five solo tackles.
The first quarter saw Bradshaw injure his throwing hand when he jammed his index finger on a helmet. However, he played through the soreness and threw the two second-quarter scoring passes to Lynn Swann
and Sidney Thornton
. The Seahawks scored on a David Sims
rushing touchdown to stay within one score at halftime. The Seahawks caught the Steelers off guard with a successful onside kick
following the Sims score, however the subsequent drive ended in a missed field goal. In the third quarter, the Seahawks narrowed the lead to just four points off an Effren Herrera field goal.
At the start of the fourth quarter Franco Harris
, who was hampered in the game by a bruised thigh, was stopped less than a yard short of the goalline on a third down play. Coach Chuck Noll
initially sent the field-goal team on, but after a timeout he reconsidered and sent the offense back out. Harris ran behind the right guard
and pushed the ball across the plane of the goalline before being pushed back. The play was ruled a touchdown, though the Seahawks disputed the call.
The win gave the Steelers a 2–0 record – a mark they had achieved only once since .
Week 3: at Cincinnati Bengals
The Steelers entered the third week 2–0 and favored to win, though one sportswriter called the Steelers "convincing but not overpowering," and noted that they had not beaten the point spread in either of their first two games.
The Bengals came into the game without their starting quarterback, Ken Anderson who was nursing a broken finger. Steelers running back Franco Harris
busted through the Bengals 3–4 defense for a 37-yard gain on the game's first offensive play. Five plays later, Rocky Bleier scored on a 5-yard run and the Steelers never looked back. The Steelers didn't punt for the first time until the end of the third quarter and they dominated statistically. Center Mike Webster noted, "From the first play on, everything worked."
The Steelers players were beginning to feel that the team might be once again approaching the level of the Super Bowl teams. Bleier said after the game, "At some point, I don't know when, people are going to start saying, 'Hey, it's the Steelers again.'" When asked about his performance through the first three games, Bradshaw admitted he was playing the best football of his life, saying, "Yes and I don't know why, but I don't even want to find out. Whatever it is, maybe, it'll last all year. Maybe it will be one of those dream years people have been wantin' me to have." Linebacker Jack Lambert stated, "We're playing well and we've got a good attitude. Last year was no good. This is good."
As is his wont, Coach Noll tried to tamp down expectations, saying "We're happy to be there. We'll take any kind of crumbs we can get." But even he had to admit that, "It was a good day for us." He added, "Our football team is functioning with a pretty good concept of what it's all about, what it takes. Things aren't out of perspective at all."
The 28–3 final was the Steelers largest ever margin over the Bengals, eclipsing the 27–3 win from . The 3–0 start to the season was only the third in the franchise's history and they stood tied atop the AFC North
division with the Cleveland Browns
.
Week 4: vs. Cleveland Browns
The Steelers went on to win the game in overtime; controversy developed when officials ruled that Steelers kick returner
Larry Anderson had not fumble
d the kickoff. Anderson caught Don Cockroft
's kick at Pittsburgh's 11-yard line, but was tripped up by teammate Rick Moser
at the 21. As Anderson went down the ball slipped from his hands and was recovered by Browns player Ricky Feacher
. Officials ruled that Anderson was down by contact and Pittsburgh retained possession. Pittsburgh would score on that drive and win the game 15–9. Later that week league officials indicated that, in their view, the officiating crew should have ruled it a fumble.
Week 5: at New York Jets
The win brought the Steelers to 5–0 which was the best start to a season in the franchise's history.
Week 6: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week 7: at Cleveland Browns
Week 9: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 10: vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 12: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 13: at San Francisco 49ers
Week 15: vs. Baltimore Colts
Week 16: at Denver Broncos
AFC Divisional Playoff: vs. Denver Broncos
AFC Championship: vs. Houston Oilers
Super Bowl XIII
(a full quarter of the 40-player AFC
squad). Among the Pro Bowlers were three offensive and two defensive starters. Eight Steeler performers were recognized as All-NFL
by various publications and four others made All-Conference
squads.
Pro Bowl
The following players were selected to represent the AFC in the Pro Bowl. The team was selected on the basis of ballots submitted by each of the conference's 14 head coaches as well as a consensus of voting by each team's players.
Starters:
Reserves:
Mike Wagner
was originally announced as the reserve safety, but an error in the tabulation of the ballots was uncovered and Donnie Shell was named to the team instead.
All-Pro
The following players were named to All-NFL or All-Conference squads
designated by one or more of several publications and groups who identified the players judged to be the top performers of the 1978 season
.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
season was the franchise
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
's 46th season in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). The season concluded with the team winning Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
to become the first franchise in the NFL to win three Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
titles. The championship run was led by quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
and the team's vaunted Steel Curtain
Steel Curtain
The Steel Curtain was the nickname given to the front four of the famous defensive line of the American football team Pittsburgh Steelers during their 1970s dynasty years. This defense was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won 4 Super Bowls...
defense. 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
1979 Pro Bowl
The 1979 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 29, 1979 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The final Score was NFC 13, AFC 7. Ahmad Rashad of the Minnesota Vikings was the game's MVP. As of 2011, this was the last Pro Bowl to be played on a Monday, and the last one to be...
team, and four were judged as first-team All-Pros
1978 All-Pro Team
The following is a list of players that were named to the Associated Press All-Pro Team, the Newspaper Enterprise Association All-Pro team and the Pro Football Writers Association and Pro Football Weekly All-Pro teams in 1978. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the AP and NEA teams...
by the AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. Head coach Chuck Noll
Chuck Noll
Charles Henry "Chuck" Noll is a former professional American football player and coach, and a member of the Sid Gillman coaching tree. He served most notably as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League from 1969 to 1991...
returned for his tenth season—moving him ahead of Walt Kiesling
Walt Kiesling
Walter Andrew Kiesling was an American football player and coach.-Playing career:A native of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Kiesling played both offensive and defensive line at the University of St. Thomas...
as the longest tenured head coach in the team's history to that point.
The Steelers entered the season as defending champions of the AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
Central Division, coming off a 9–5 record in . Despite winning their division, the previous season was a difficult one for the team (both on and off the field) which culminated in a division round playoff loss to the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on Christmas Eve.
The team began the 1978 season with seven straight victories, before losing to the Houston Oilers in prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
. They finished the season with a league-best 14–2 record, including a 5-game winning streak to close the season. This record assured them they would play at home
Home (sports)
In sports, home is a term referring to both the city and stadium, arena, or field where an athletic team plays games at their venue, whilst when the team plays elsewhere then they are considered the away team. The home term can refer to either the sponsoring institution or the place where it is...
throughout the . It was also the best record compiled in the team's history (since surpassed only by a 15–1 mark in ).
League rule changes
The NFL instituted several major changes for the 1978 season. Chief among these were the extension of the regular season and playoff expansion. The regular season was extended from 14 to 16 games, with an offsetting decrease in the number of preseason games from six to four. Two playoff slots were added expanding the field from eight teams to ten, with each conference adding a second wild card entrant.Additionally, several rules were changed to help open up the offense, particularly the passing game. One rule which prohibited defenders from contacting receivers more than five yards from the line of scrimmage, came to be known as the "Mel Blount rule" after the Steelers notably physical cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
. Another rule allowed offensive linemen to use their hands in blocking
Blocking (American football)
In American football, blocking is a legal move occurring when one player obstructs another player's path with his body. The purpose of blocking is to prevent defensive players tackling the ball carrier, or to protect the quarterback while attempting to pass or hand-off the ball...
.
The rule changes upset coach Noll, who years later said of the teams who supported the changes,
In the end, though, the Steelers were one of the quickest teams to adjust to the new rules; the team's offense benefited more from the changes than the defense was hampered by them. The rule changes catalyzed the team's transition from a power running game to more of an air attack.
Coaching staff changes
The Steelers coaching staff went through a number of changes after the 1977 season. Principle among these was the loss of Chuck Noll's top assistant, Bud CarsonBud Carson
Leon H. "Bud" Carson was an American football coach best known for his role on the Pittsburgh Steelers' championship teams of the 1970s.-Player:Carson played defensive back for North Carolina from 1949 to 1951, then entered the Marines.-Georgia Tech:...
, who had served as the team's defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
since . Carson interviewed for the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
ing vacancy at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
., and was also a candidate for the St. Louis Cardinals
1978 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season
-Schedule:-Standings:-References:**...
top coaching job. When he didn't land either of those positions he decided to take a job as the defensive backs coach of the Los Angeles Rams
1978 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1978 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 41st year with the National Football League and the 33rd season in Los Angeles.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-NFC Divisional Playoff:*Los Angeles Rams 34, Minnesota Vikings 10...
. Defensive line coach George Perles
George Perles
George J. Perles is a former American football player and coach. He was a defensive line coach, defensive coordinator, and assistant head coach for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972–1981 and the head coach at Michigan State University from 1983–1994...
added the defensive coordinator role to his responsibility with the line.
Offensive line coach Dan Radakovich, who had served in that capacity with the Steelers since , resigned to take a position as the defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
of the San Francisco 49ers
1978 San Francisco 49ers season
The 1978 San Francisco 49ers season was their 29th season in the National Football League. The team began the season hoping to improve upon their previous output of 5-9, however, they instead started the season 0-4 for the second straight year, and this season also featured a nine game losing...
. Radakovich was credited with turning the Pittsburgh Steelers line into one of the league's best. Rollie Dotsch
Rollie Dotsch
Rollie Dotsch was a football coach who served primarily in an assistant capacity before becoming the first coach of the United States Football League's Birmingham Stallions on September 2, 1982....
was hired to replace Radakovich. Dotsch had recently been let go along with the rest of the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
coaching staff. He had coached the Lions linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
s the previous season
1977 Detroit Lions season
The 1977 Detroit Lions season was their 48th in the league. The team matched their previous season's output of 6-8. The team missed the playoffs for the seventh straight season.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:...
.
In the team's final coaching change of the offseason, Dick Walker
Dick Walker (football coach)
Richard "Dick" Walker is an American football coach and former player. He was worked as an assistant coach in the National Football League, college and high school levels....
was hired to coach the defensive backs. Walker had previously served in a similar role with the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
.
Roster moves
Several players who played significant roles in the Steelers recent success would not return for 1978. Among the departed were:- defensive tackle Ernie HolmesErnie HolmesEarnest Lee "Ernie" Holmes, also nicknamed "Fats" was an American football player who was most famous for his years with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972-77. He was part of the famous Steel Curtain and played at defensive lineman. His fellow linemen during this period were Joe Greene, Dwight...
(traded to the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
for 10th and 11th round picks in the 1978 draft1978 NFL DraftThe 1978 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 2–3, 1978...
) - guardGuard (American football)In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
Jim ClackJim ClackJames Thomas Clack was an American football guard in the National Football League. He played for 11 seasons between 1971 and 1981. He died of heart failure in 2006, after a four-year battle with cancer....
(traded to the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
along with wide receiver Ernie Pough in exchange for offensive lineman John HicksJohn Hicks (American football)John Charles Hicks Jr. is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He is best remembered for being the last lineman to be runner-up in the vote for the Heisman Trophy.-College career:...
) - wide receiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Frank Lewis (traded to the Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for tight end Paul SeymourPaul Seymour (American football)Paul Christopher Seymour is a former professional American football player. He played five seasons for the Buffalo Bills.A 6'5", 250 lbs...
) - running backRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Reggie HarrisonReggie HarrisonThe former Reggie Harrison was a professional American football running back for four seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers and St. Louis Cardinals...
(cut) - safety Jimmy AllenJimmy AllenJames Allen is a former American football player who was drafted in the 4th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1974 NFL Draft. A 1970 graduate of Los Angeles High School, Allen played college football at Pierce College and UCLA. Allen was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in their...
(traded to the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
for a 4th round selection in the 1979 draft1979 NFL DraftThe 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1979...
) - safety Glen EdwardsGlen Edwards (American football)Glen Edwards played safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1971 to 1977, and for the San Diego Chargers from 1978 to 1981. Edwards is a Gibbs High School alumnus....
(traded to the San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for a 1979 6th rounder).
Several of these moves were made in the name of eliminating "distractions". Ernie Holmes, Jimmy Allen and Glen Edwards had all had contract disputes which saw them leave the team for brief periods during the previous season. Holmes, Edwards and Frank Lewis had all lost their starting jobs. None of the moves brought the Steelers a player who had a significant impact on the team in 1978.
The Frank Lewis trade was a complete flop for the Steelers. Paul Seymour failed his physical when the Steelers learned he'd had surgery on both arches within the past five months. His rehabilitation from the surgery was not complete and he was unable to run. Seymour was returned to the Bills who released him, and the two teams failed to work out any other compensation for Lewis. Lewis was the Steelers first round draft choice in 1971
1971 NFL Draft
The 1971 National Football League Draft was held on January 28–29, 1971.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
, but was unlikely to have made the Steelers roster anyway due to the ascendancy of John Stallworth
John Stallworth
Johnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,...
opposite Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
and the training camp performance of the younger Jim Smith
Jim Smith (American football)
Jim Smith is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for six seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League before starring on the Birmingham Stallions of the rival United States Football League...
and Randy Reutershan. Lewis did have some football left in him; he made the 1982 Pro Bowl
1982 Pro Bowl
The 1982 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 31, 1982 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 16, NFC 13. Kellen Winslow of the San Diego Chargers and Lee Roy Selmon of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the game's MVPs. The referee was Red Cashion....
for the Bills.
The Jim Clack trade also netted the Steelers nothing when John Hicks was injured in the pre-season and placed on the injured reserve list. Meanwhile, both Clack and Ernie Pough made the Giant's 45-man roster, Clack as a starter on the offensive line.
In addition to the players traded away and cut, J. T. Thomas
J. T. Thomas (defensive back)
James Thomas Jr. is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers 24th overall in the 1973 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State....
was lost for the season to a blood disorder known as Boeck's Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis , also called sarcoid, Besnier-Boeck disease or Besnier-Boeck-Schaumann disease, is a disease in which abnormal collections of chronic inflammatory cells form as nodules in multiple organs. The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown...
. Thomas had been the team's starting left cornerback (opposite Mel Blount) and his loss coupled with the Jimmy Allen trade left the team thin at the cornerback position.
Draft
The 1978 NFL Draft was held on May 2–3, in the ballroom of the Roosevelt Hotel in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The Steelers selected fourteen players. They also traded their selection in the fifth round (pick 128 overall) to the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
for defensive tackle Dave Pureifory
Dave Pureifory
Dave Pureifory was a professional American football defensive lineman for three teams in an eleven-year career in the National Football League.-Early life:...
(Pureifory was later traded during training camp to the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
for their sixth-round selection in the 1979 draft
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1979...
). Coming out of the draft it appeared that the team had addressed perceived needs at punter, defensive back, defensive line and running back.
| Round | Pick # | Player | Position | College | Tenure w/ Steelers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ron Johnson Ron Johnson (cornerback) A seven-year veteran of the National Football League, Ron Johnson performed as a cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers; Ron played all seven of his NFL seasons in a Pittsburgh uniform.-Biography:... |
Defensive back Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of... |
Eastern Michigan Eastern Michigan University Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School... |
1978– | |
| 2 | Willie Fry | Defensive end Defensive end Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years... |
Notre Dame 1977 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team The 1977 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1977 college football season. The Irish, coached by Dan Devine, ended the season with 11 wins and one loss, winning the national championship... |
— | |
| 3 | Craig Colquitt Craig Colquitt Joseph Craig Colquitt is a retired American football punter who spent seven seasons in the National Football League with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts . He was a member of two Super Bowl Champions with the Steelers in 1978 and 1979. He is the father of two current NFL punters,... |
Punter | Tennessee University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States... |
1978– | |
| 4 | Larry Anderson | Defensive back Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of... |
Louisiana Tech Louisiana Tech University Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings... |
1978– | |
| 6 | Randy Reutershan | Wide receiver Wide receiver A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible... |
Pitt University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of... |
1978 | |
| 7 | Mark Dufresne | Tight end Tight end The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be... |
Nebraska University of Nebraska–Lincoln The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska... |
— | |
| 8 | Rick Moser Rick Moser Richard Avery Moser is an actor and a former American football running back who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL... |
Running back Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
Rhode Island University of Rhode Island The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West... |
1978–, , | |
| 8 | Andre Keys | Wide receiver Wide receiver A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible... |
Cal Poly California Polytechnic State University California Polytechnic State University, or Cal Poly, is a public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, United States. The university is one of two polytechnic campuses in the 23-member California State University system.... |
— | |
| 9 | Lance Reynolds | Offensive tackle | BYU Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... |
— | |
| 10 | Doug Becker | Linebacker Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... |
Notre Dame 1977 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team The 1977 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1977 college football season. The Irish, coached by Dan Devine, ended the season with 11 wins and one loss, winning the national championship... |
— | |
| 10 | Tom Jurich Tom Jurich Tom Jurich is the Director of Athletics for the University of Louisville. He was hired on October 21, 1997 after holding the same positions at Colorado State University and Northern Arizona University. On March 9, 1999, he signed a contract to stay the Director of Athletics until 2012, an... |
Placekicker Placekicker Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points... |
Northern Arizona Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University is a public university located in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and has 39 satellite campuses in the state of Arizona. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees.As of... |
— | |
| 11 | Nat Terry | Defensive back Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of... |
Florida State Florida State University The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation... |
1978 | |
| 11 | Tom Brzoza | Center Center (American football) Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense... |
Pitt University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of... |
— | |
| 12 | Brad Carr | Linebacker Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... |
Maryland University of Maryland When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:... |
— |
Notes:
- pick from St. Louis Cardinals1977 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) seasonThe 1977 St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 56th year with the National Football League and the 17th season in St. Louis.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-Roster:-References:**...
for Marv KellumMarv KellumMarv Kellum is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for four seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers, He was a member of the Steelers first 2 World Championships, Super Bowls IX & X, and St. Louis Cardinals. Marv recovered a fumble on the opening kick-off of the second... - pick from Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Ernie HolmesErnie HolmesEarnest Lee "Ernie" Holmes, also nicknamed "Fats" was an American football player who was most famous for his years with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972-77. He was part of the famous Steel Curtain and played at defensive lineman. His fellow linemen during this period were Joe Greene, Dwight...
"Shouldergate"
The 1978 season began with some controversy, when players were caught wearing shoulder pads in off-season drills in violation of league rules. The infraction occurred during a late May rookie camp and was uncovered and reported by Pittsburgh PressPittsburgh Press
The Pittsburgh Press is an online newspaper in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, currently owned and operated by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Historically, it was a major afternoon paper...
reporter John Clayton
John Clayton (sportscaster)
John Travis Clayton is a National Football League writer and reporter for ESPN. He is also a senior writer for ESPN.com.-Early career:...
.
Clayton was not the paper's regular Steelers beat writer
Beat reporting
Beat reporting, also known as specialized reporting, is a genre of journalism that can be described as the craft of in-depth reporting on a particular issue, sector, organization or institution over time. Beat reporters build up a base of knowledge on and gain familiarity with the topic, allowing...
at the time, but was just filling in that day. While the practice in which the violation occurred was closed to the media by head coach Chuck Noll, Clayton uncovered the story in interviews with players whom he found wearing pads in the locker room. Clayton contacted the league office for clarification on the rule, which stated that teams must have "no contact work or use of pads (except helmets) in an off-season training camp."
The story caused an uproar among the team's local fanbase, with most of the vitriol directed at Clayton for reporting the story, rather than at Noll and the team for breaking the rule. This sentiment was stoked by Noll's angry reaction to the story, in which he referred to the reporting as "espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
." Even some members of the local media spoke of Clayton as a traitor to the Steeler cause.
The precedent for punishment of such a rule violation was set by an earlier incident for which the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
were stripped of a fourth-round draft pick. The Packers were able to argue at that time that they were unaware of the rule they broke. The Steelers had no such defense, since the team's president, Dan Rooney
Dan Rooney
Daniel Milton "Dan" Rooney is the United States Ambassador to Ireland. He is chairman emeritus of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team in the National Football League , which was founded by his father, Art Rooney. Rooney was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000 for his contributions...
, was instrumental in negotiations to get the "no pads" rule included in the collective bargaining agreement with the league's players.
NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle
Pete Rozelle
Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from January 1960 to November 1989, when he retired from office. Rozelle is credited with making the NFL into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world....
eventually stripped the Steelers of their third-round selection in the 1979 draft
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1979...
for the transgression. Interestingly, Pittsburgh-area native and future Hall of Famer
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
just six spots after where the Steelers would have selected with the forfeited pick.
Training camp
After putting the distractions of the 1977 season1977 Pittsburgh Steelers season
- Schedule :- Week 1 : vs. San Francisco 49ers :at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Game time: 9:00 pm EDT* Game weather:* Game attendance: 48,046* Referee: Bernie Ulman...
and Shouldergate behind them, the Steelers had a very productive training camp in 1978. All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Joe Greene
Joe Greene (American football)
Charles Edward Greene, known as “Mean Joe” Greene, is a former all-pro American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. Throughout the early 1970s he was the one of most dominant defensive players in the National Football League...
noted the renewed focus, saying
Pre-season
| Week | Date | Kickoff (EDT Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... ) |
TV | Opponent | Result | Record | Game Site | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saturday, August 5, 1978 | 6:00 pm | WIIC-TV WPXI WPXI, channel 11, is the NBC-affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter located on the north side of Pittsburgh. Owned by Cox Enterprises, the station has studios in the... |
at Baltimore Colts 1978 Baltimore Colts season The 1978 Baltimore Colts season was the 26th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1978 season with a record of 5 wins and 11 losses, and finished tied for fourth in the AFC East division with the Buffalo Bills... |
W 22–10 | 1–0 | Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Baltimore) Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road... |
|
| 2 | Saturday, August 12, 1978 | 8:00 pm | WIIC-TV WPXI WPXI, channel 11, is the NBC-affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter located on the north side of Pittsburgh. Owned by Cox Enterprises, the station has studios in the... |
Atlanta Falcons 1978 Atlanta Falcons season The 1978 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcon's 13th season. It was the first postseason appearance in franchise history.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-NFC Wild Card Game:... |
W 22–10 | 2–0 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
|
| 3 | Saturday, August 19, 1978 | 8:00 pm | WIIC-TV WPXI WPXI, channel 11, is the NBC-affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter located on the north side of Pittsburgh. Owned by Cox Enterprises, the station has studios in the... |
at New York Giants 1978 New York Giants season The 1978 New York Giants season was the 54th season for the club in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Regular season:The Miracle at the Meadowlands is the term used by sportscasters and Philadelphia Eagles fans for a fumble recovery by cornerback Herman Edwards that he returned for a... |
L 13–6 | 2–1 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
|
| 4 | Saturday, August 26, 1978 | 9:00 pm | WIIC-TV WPXI WPXI, channel 11, is the NBC-affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter located on the north side of Pittsburgh. Owned by Cox Enterprises, the station has studios in the... |
at Dallas Cowboys 1978 Dallas Cowboys season The 1978 Dallas Cowboys season was their 19th in the NFL. For the third consecutive season, the Cowboys finished in first place in the NFC East. The Cowboys scored 384 points, which ranked first in the NFC, while the defense only gave up 208 points. Twice, the Cowboys appeared on Monday Night... |
L 16–13 | 2–2 | Texas Stadium Texas Stadium Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675... |
The Steelers exhibition schedule did not start off smoothly, despite coming away with a 22–10 victory against the Baltimore Colts
1978 Baltimore Colts season
The 1978 Baltimore Colts season was the 26th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1978 season with a record of 5 wins and 11 losses, and finished tied for fourth in the AFC East division with the Buffalo Bills...
. Starting quarterback Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
suffered a broken nose on a scramble
Quarterback scramble
A quarterback scramble or scramble is an impromptu maneuver or run in American football and Canadian football by a quarterback. If a quarterback is under pressure by an opposing team's defense, he may run forward, backward, or laterally in an attempt to avoid being tackled behind the line of...
in the first quarter of the game. In addition, the kicking game was unimpressive and the team committed a considerable number of penalties
Penalty (American football)
In American football and Canadian football, a penalty is a sanction called against a team for a violation of the rules, called a foul. Officials initially signal penalties by tossing a bright yellow or orange colored "penalty flag" onto the field toward or at the spot of a foul...
including three personal fouls.
The second pre-season game against the Atlanta Falcons
1978 Atlanta Falcons season
The 1978 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcon's 13th season. It was the first postseason appearance in franchise history.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-NFC Wild Card Game:...
was the Steelers' lone home exhibition contest. The defense led the way, as they had so many times in the team's back-to-back championship seasons in and . The defensive strength was illustrated in the first quarter when a blocked punt gave the Falcons the ball on the Steelers three yard line. After failing to gain yardage on two running plays, the Falcons' third-down pass was intercepted by Donnie Shell
Donnie Shell
Donnie Shell is a former American Football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League between 1974 and 1987. Shell was a member of the Steelers famed Steel Curtain defense in the 1970s.Shell retired as the NFL strong safety career leader in interceptions with 51...
(one of five Steelers interceptions on the evening). The Falcons' offense was held scoreless, their only points in the 13–7 loss came off a fumble recovery.
The next game, against the New York Giants
1978 New York Giants season
The 1978 New York Giants season was the 54th season for the club in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Regular season:The Miracle at the Meadowlands is the term used by sportscasters and Philadelphia Eagles fans for a fumble recovery by cornerback Herman Edwards that he returned for a...
, was a completely different story. The game seemed to be over almost before it started when the Giants scored on a 78-yard touchdown pass in just the second play of the evening. The Giants went on to control the game en route to a 13–6 victory over the listless and mistake-prone Steelers. Coach Noll said of the opening score, "We didn't recover, and that's not a good sign. They outdid us all down the line. They hit harder."
In the fourth and final pre-season game, the Steelers' defense once again played well, but the offense was the weak link in a 16–13 loss to the Dallas Cowboys
1978 Dallas Cowboys season
The 1978 Dallas Cowboys season was their 19th in the NFL. For the third consecutive season, the Cowboys finished in first place in the NFC East. The Cowboys scored 384 points, which ranked first in the NFC, while the defense only gave up 208 points. Twice, the Cowboys appeared on Monday Night...
(in what would turn out to be a preview of the Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
matchup). The Steelers had difficulty running the ball, with six players combining for just 101 yards on 29 rushing attempts. Despite the offensive sluggishness, the Steelers led 13–3 after three quarters. Unfortunately, the defense was worn out (they faced a staggering 82 plays in the game) and they gave up two touchdown passes to Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach
Roger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...
in the fourth quarter. The lack of offensive rhythm led Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
to comment, "I feel terrible. I'm concerned. It's easy to say that it'll come. But I don't want to go into the Buffalo game worried about the offense. ... If you looked at this, you'd have to say we have a lot of work to do."
At the end of the preseason, the Steelers were listed by oddsmakers at Harrah's casino
Harrah's Las Vegas
Harrah's Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The property is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp.. Harrah's has over 1,200 slot machines....
in Las Vegas as 5–1 to win the American Football Conference
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
(AFC). The favorites were the Oakland Raiders
1978 Oakland Raiders season
The 1978 Oakland Raiders season was the team’s 19th season. Jack Tatum made a hit against New England Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley in a pre-season game. The hit paralyzed Stingley from the chest down.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:...
at 7–5, followed by the New England Patriots
1978 New England Patriots season
The New England Patriots finished the National Football League's 1978 season with a record of eleven wins and five losses, and finished tied for first in the AFC East division.-Staff:-Regular season:...
at 3–1 and then the Steelers and Baltimore Colts
1978 Baltimore Colts season
The 1978 Baltimore Colts season was the 26th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1978 season with a record of 5 wins and 11 losses, and finished tied for fourth in the AFC East division with the Buffalo Bills...
at 5–1.
Schedule
| Week | Date | Kickoff (ET Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... ) |
TV | Opponent | Result | Record | Game Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunday, September 3 | 1:00 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
at Buffalo Bills 1978 Buffalo Bills season The 1978 Buffalo Bills season was the 19th season for the club and its ninth in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:- Standings :-Passing:Note: Comp = Completions; ATT = Attempts; TD = Touchdowns; INT = Interceptions... |
W 28–17 | 1–0 | Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
| 2 | Sunday, September 10 | 1:00 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
Seattle Seahawks 1978 Seattle Seahawks season The 1978 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's third season with the National Football League.-1978 NFL draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-Standings:-External links:* *... |
W 21–10 | 2–0 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
| 3 | Sunday, September 17 | 1:00 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
at Cincinnati Bengals 1978 Cincinnati Bengals season QB Ken Anderson missed the first four games with a broken bone in his right hand, and Homer Rice replaced Bill Johnson as head coach after the Bengals started 0–5. The team dipped to marks of 0–8 and 1–12 before rebounding under Rice to win the last three games... |
W 28–3 | 3–0 | Riverfront Stadium |
| 4 | Sunday, September 24 | 1:00 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
Cleveland Browns 1978 Cleveland Browns season The 1978 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 29th season with the National Football League.-NFL Draft:The following were selected in the 1978 NFL Draft.-Schedule:-Roster:-References:... |
W 15–9 (OT) | 4–0 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
| 5 | Sunday, October 1 | 1:00 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
at New York Jets 1978 New York Jets season The 1978 New York Jets season was the 19th season for the team and the 9th in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 3–11 record from 1977 under head coach Walt Michaels. The Jets finished the season with a record of 8–8.This was the first season for a new... |
W 28–17 | 5–0 | Shea Stadium Shea Stadium William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008... |
| 6 | Sunday, October 8 | 1:00 pm | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
Atlanta Falcons 1978 Atlanta Falcons season The 1978 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcon's 13th season. It was the first postseason appearance in franchise history.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-NFC Wild Card Game:... |
W 31–7 | 6–0 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
| 7 | Sunday, October 15 | 1:00 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
at Cleveland Browns 1978 Cleveland Browns season The 1978 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 29th season with the National Football League.-NFL Draft:The following were selected in the 1978 NFL Draft.-Schedule:-Roster:-References:... |
W 34–14 | 7–0 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium Cleveland Stadium Cleveland Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in Cleveland, Ohio. In its final years, the stadium seated 74,438, for baseball and 81,000, for football. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadiums, built to accommodate both baseball and football... |
| 8 | Monday, October 23 | 9:00 pm | ABC Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
Houston Oilers 1978 Houston Oilers season The 1978 season was the Houston Oilers 19th season and their ninth in the NFL. The franchise scored 283 points while the defense gave up 298 points. Their record of 10 wins and 6 losses resulted in a second place finish in the AFC Central Division. The Oilers appeared twice on Monday Night Football... |
L 24–17 | 7–1 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
| 9 | Sunday, October 29 | 1:00 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
Kansas City Chiefs 1978 Kansas City Chiefs season The 1978 Kansas City Chiefs season began with the hiring of new head coach Marv Levy, formerly of the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes... |
W 27–24 | 8–1 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
| 10 | Sunday, November 5 | 1:00 pm | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
New Orleans Saints 1978 New Orleans Saints season The 1978 New Orleans Saints season was the Saints 12th season.-Offseason:* On August 5, the NFL played its first game in Mexico City. The New Orleans Saints beat the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 14-7.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-References:... |
W 20–14 | 9–1 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
| 11 | Sunday, November 12 | 9:00 pm | ABC Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
at Los Angeles Rams 1978 Los Angeles Rams season The 1978 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 41st year with the National Football League and the 33rd season in Los Angeles.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-NFC Divisional Playoff:*Los Angeles Rams 34, Minnesota Vikings 10... |
L 10–7 | 9–2 | L.A. Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team... |
| 12 | Sunday, November 19 | 4:00 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
Cincinnati Bengals 1978 Cincinnati Bengals season QB Ken Anderson missed the first four games with a broken bone in his right hand, and Homer Rice replaced Bill Johnson as head coach after the Bengals started 0–5. The team dipped to marks of 0–8 and 1–12 before rebounding under Rice to win the last three games... |
W 7–6 | 10–2 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
| 13 | Monday, November 27 | 9:00 pm | ABC Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
at San Francisco 49ers 1978 San Francisco 49ers season The 1978 San Francisco 49ers season was their 29th season in the National Football League. The team began the season hoping to improve upon their previous output of 5-9, however, they instead started the season 0-4 for the second straight year, and this season also featured a nine game losing... |
W 24–7 | 11–2 | Candlestick Park |
| 14 | Sunday, December 3 | 4:00 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
at Houston Oilers 1978 Houston Oilers season The 1978 season was the Houston Oilers 19th season and their ninth in the NFL. The franchise scored 283 points while the defense gave up 298 points. Their record of 10 wins and 6 losses resulted in a second place finish in the AFC Central Division. The Oilers appeared twice on Monday Night Football... |
W 13–3 | 12–2 | Astrodome Reliant Astrodome Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex... |
| 15 | Saturday, December 9 | 1:00 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
Baltimore Colts 1978 Baltimore Colts season The 1978 Baltimore Colts season was the 26th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1978 season with a record of 5 wins and 11 losses, and finished tied for fourth in the AFC East division with the Buffalo Bills... |
W 35–13 | 13–2 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
| 16 | Saturday, December 16 | 4:00 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
at Denver Broncos 1978 Denver Broncos season The 1978 Denver Broncos season was the team's 19th year in professional football and its 9th with the National Football League. The team finished first in the AFC West, and made the playoffs for the second straight season.-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:... |
W 21–17 | 14–2 | Mile High Stadium Mile High Stadium Mile High Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that stood in Denver, Colorado, from 1948 until 2001.It hosted the Denver Broncos, of the AFL and the NFL, from 1960-2000, the Colorado Rockies, of the National League, of the MLB, from 1993-1994, the Colorado Rapids, of MLS, from 1996-2001, the... |
Week 1: at Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
| Week One: Pittsburgh Steelers (0–0) at Buffalo Bills (0–0) – Game information |
|---|
The Steelers came into the season opener as heavy favorites over the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The Steel Curtain
Steel Curtain
The Steel Curtain was the nickname given to the front four of the famous defensive line of the American football team Pittsburgh Steelers during their 1970s dynasty years. This defense was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won 4 Super Bowls...
defense was dominant early, holding the Bills to just 59 total yards and only six first downs in first three quarters of play. New defensive coordinator George Perles
George Perles
George J. Perles is a former American football player and coach. He was a defensive line coach, defensive coordinator, and assistant head coach for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972–1981 and the head coach at Michigan State University from 1983–1994...
employed the blitz
Blitz (American football)
In American football or Canadian football, a blitz or red dog is when players on or behind the line of scrimmage during a play, are sent across the scrimmage line to the offensive side to try to tackle the quarterback or disrupt his pass attempt...
to a much greater degree than the team had in the past. Bills quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Joe Ferguson
Joe Ferguson
Joseph Carlton Ferguson, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the NFL. Ferguson played college football at the University of Arkansas, where he still holds the school's single game record for most completions and in that same season was named the Southwest Conference's Offensive...
, who was coming off a knee injury suffered in the pre-season, struggled with just three completions and 20 yards on ten passing attempts before being pulled from the game.
Meanwhile the Steelers scored two second quarter touchdowns, the first coming on a throw from Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
to John Stallworth
John Stallworth
Johnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,...
. Stallworth caught three passes of twenty yards or longer in the Steelers first two possessions. The Steelers second score came on a one yard plunge by Franco Harris
Franco Harris
Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall...
. When the Steelers scored again on a Sidney Thornton
Sidney Thornton
Sidney Thornton is a former American professional football player who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2nd round of the 1977 NFL Draft. A 5'11", . running back from Northwestern State University in Louisiana, Thornton played in 6 NFL seasons from 1977-1982 for the Steelers....
rush at the start of the first quarter to go up 21–0, the game appeared to be all but over.
However, Bill Munson
Bill Munson
William Alan Munson was a professional American football quarterback who played in 16 NFL seasons from 1964 through 1979 for five different teams. He was 6'2" and weighed 203 lbs. He was best known for his years as a starter for the Detroit Lions in the mid-1970s...
came into the game in relief of Ferguson and sparked the Bills to two quick scores that brought the Bills to within 11 points. The Steelers put the game away with a 73-yard drive capped by Bradshaw's second touchdown of the game.
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Week 2: vs. Seattle SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
| Week Two: Seattle Seahawks (0–1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1–0) – Game information |
|---|
This game marked the second ever meeting between the Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks
1978 Seattle Seahawks season
The 1978 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's third season with the National Football League.-1978 NFL draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-Standings:-External links:* *...
, who were playing in just their third NFL season. The Seahawks entered the game hoping to stop the Steelers running game – while that effort was largely successful the Steelers and quarterback Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
won with the passing game. After a scoreless first quarter, the Steelers took a 14–0 lead which they wouldn't relinquish on a pair of Bradshaw touchdown passes. Linebacker Jack Lambert led the Steelers defense with an interception, a fumble recovery and five solo tackles.
The first quarter saw Bradshaw injure his throwing hand when he jammed his index finger on a helmet. However, he played through the soreness and threw the two second-quarter scoring passes to Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
and Sidney Thornton
Sidney Thornton
Sidney Thornton is a former American professional football player who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2nd round of the 1977 NFL Draft. A 5'11", . running back from Northwestern State University in Louisiana, Thornton played in 6 NFL seasons from 1977-1982 for the Steelers....
. The Seahawks scored on a David Sims
David Sims
David Sims is a former professional American football player who played running back for three seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. He led the National Football League in touchdowns in 1978 with 15, but suffered a career-ended injury early the next season...
rushing touchdown to stay within one score at halftime. The Seahawks caught the Steelers off guard with a successful onside kick
Onside kick
In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...
following the Sims score, however the subsequent drive ended in a missed field goal. In the third quarter, the Seahawks narrowed the lead to just four points off an Effren Herrera field goal.
At the start of the fourth quarter Franco Harris
Franco Harris
Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall...
, who was hampered in the game by a bruised thigh, was stopped less than a yard short of the goalline on a third down play. Coach Chuck Noll
Chuck Noll
Charles Henry "Chuck" Noll is a former professional American football player and coach, and a member of the Sid Gillman coaching tree. He served most notably as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League from 1969 to 1991...
initially sent the field-goal team on, but after a timeout he reconsidered and sent the offense back out. Harris ran behind the right guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
and pushed the ball across the plane of the goalline before being pushed back. The play was ruled a touchdown, though the Seahawks disputed the call.
The win gave the Steelers a 2–0 record – a mark they had achieved only once since .
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Week 3: at Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
| Week Three: Pittsburgh Steelers (2–0) at Cincinnati Bengals (0–2) – Game information |
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The Steelers entered the third week 2–0 and favored to win, though one sportswriter called the Steelers "convincing but not overpowering," and noted that they had not beaten the point spread in either of their first two games.
The Bengals came into the game without their starting quarterback, Ken Anderson who was nursing a broken finger. Steelers running back Franco Harris
Franco Harris
Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall...
busted through the Bengals 3–4 defense for a 37-yard gain on the game's first offensive play. Five plays later, Rocky Bleier scored on a 5-yard run and the Steelers never looked back. The Steelers didn't punt for the first time until the end of the third quarter and they dominated statistically. Center Mike Webster noted, "From the first play on, everything worked."
The Steelers players were beginning to feel that the team might be once again approaching the level of the Super Bowl teams. Bleier said after the game, "At some point, I don't know when, people are going to start saying, 'Hey, it's the Steelers again.'" When asked about his performance through the first three games, Bradshaw admitted he was playing the best football of his life, saying, "Yes and I don't know why, but I don't even want to find out. Whatever it is, maybe, it'll last all year. Maybe it will be one of those dream years people have been wantin' me to have." Linebacker Jack Lambert stated, "We're playing well and we've got a good attitude. Last year was no good. This is good."
As is his wont, Coach Noll tried to tamp down expectations, saying "We're happy to be there. We'll take any kind of crumbs we can get." But even he had to admit that, "It was a good day for us." He added, "Our football team is functioning with a pretty good concept of what it's all about, what it takes. Things aren't out of perspective at all."
The 28–3 final was the Steelers largest ever margin over the Bengals, eclipsing the 27–3 win from . The 3–0 start to the season was only the third in the franchise's history and they stood tied atop the AFC North
AFC North
The American Football Conference North Division, or AFC North, is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created prior to the 1967 season as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions...
division with the Cleveland Browns
1978 Cleveland Browns season
The 1978 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 29th season with the National Football League.-NFL Draft:The following were selected in the 1978 NFL Draft.-Schedule:-Roster:-References:...
.
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Week 4: vs. Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
| Week Four: Cleveland Browns (3–0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (3–0) – Game information |
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The Steelers went on to win the game in overtime; controversy developed when officials ruled that Steelers kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
Larry Anderson had not fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
d the kickoff. Anderson caught Don Cockroft
Don Cockroft
Donald Lee Cockroft is a former American football punter and placekicker who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns...
's kick at Pittsburgh's 11-yard line, but was tripped up by teammate Rick Moser
Rick Moser
Richard Avery Moser is an actor and a former American football running back who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL...
at the 21. As Anderson went down the ball slipped from his hands and was recovered by Browns player Ricky Feacher
Ricky Feacher
Richard Feacher is a former professional American football wide receiver. Feacher played in nine National Football League seasons from 1976–1984, primarily for the Cleveland Browns....
. Officials ruled that Anderson was down by contact and Pittsburgh retained possession. Pittsburgh would score on that drive and win the game 15–9. Later that week league officials indicated that, in their view, the officiating crew should have ruled it a fumble.
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Week 5: at New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
| Week Five: Pittsburgh Steelers (4–0) at New York Jets (2–2) – Game information |
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The win brought the Steelers to 5–0 which was the best start to a season in the franchise's history.
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Week 6: vs. Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
| Week Six: Atlanta Falcons (2–3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (5–0) – Game information |
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Week 7: at Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
| Week Seven: Pittsburgh Steelers (6–0) at Cleveland Browns (4–2) – Game information |
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Week 8: vs. Houston Oilers
| Week Eight: Houston Oilers (4–3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (7–0) – Game information |
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Week 9: vs. Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
| Week Nine: Kansas City Chiefs (2–6) at Pittsburgh Steelers (7–1) – Game information |
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Week 10: vs. New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
| Week Ten: New Orleans Saints (5–4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (8–1) – Game information |
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Week 11: at Los Angeles Rams
| Week Eleven: Pittsburgh Steelers (9–1) at Los Angeles Rams (8–2) – Game information |
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Week 12: vs. Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
| Week Twelve: Cincinnati Bengals (1–10) at Pittsburgh Steelers (9–2) – Game information |
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Week 13: at San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
| Week Thirteen: Pittsburgh Steelers (10–2) at San Francisco 49ers (1–11) – Game information |
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Week 14: at Houston Oilers
| Week Fourteen: Pittsburgh Steelers (11–2) at Houston Oilers (9–4) – Game information |
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Week 15: vs. Baltimore ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
| Week Fifteen: Baltimore Colts (5–9) at Pittsburgh Steelers (12–2) – Game information |
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Week 16: at Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
| Week Sixteen: Pittsburgh Steelers (13–2) at Denver Broncos (10–5) – Game information |
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Schedule
| Week | Date | Kickoff (EST Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... ) |
TV | Opponent | Result | Game Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divisional | Saturday, December 30, 1978 | 12:30 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
Denver Broncos 1978 Denver Broncos season The 1978 Denver Broncos season was the team's 19th year in professional football and its 9th with the National Football League. The team finished first in the AFC West, and made the playoffs for the second straight season.-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:... |
W 33–10 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
| Conference | Sunday, January 7, 1979 | 1:00 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
Houston Oilers 1978 Houston Oilers season The 1978 season was the Houston Oilers 19th season and their ninth in the NFL. The franchise scored 283 points while the defense gave up 298 points. Their record of 10 wins and 6 losses resulted in a second place finish in the AFC Central Division. The Oilers appeared twice on Monday Night Football... |
W 34–5 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
| Super Bowl XIII | Sunday, January 21, 1979 | 4:15 pm | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
Dallas Cowboys 1978 Dallas Cowboys season The 1978 Dallas Cowboys season was their 19th in the NFL. For the third consecutive season, the Cowboys finished in first place in the NFC East. The Cowboys scored 384 points, which ranked first in the NFC, while the defense only gave up 208 points. Twice, the Cowboys appeared on Monday Night... |
W 35–31 | Miami Orange Bowl Miami Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team... |
AFC Divisional Playoff: vs. Denver Broncos1978 Denver Broncos seasonThe 1978 Denver Broncos season was the team's 19th year in professional football and its 9th with the National Football League. The team finished first in the AFC West, and made the playoffs for the second straight season.-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:...
| AFC Divisional Playoff: Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game information |
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AFC Championship: vs. Houston Oilers1978 Houston Oilers seasonThe 1978 season was the Houston Oilers 19th season and their ninth in the NFL. The franchise scored 283 points while the defense gave up 298 points. Their record of 10 wins and 6 losses resulted in a second place finish in the AFC Central Division. The Oilers appeared twice on Monday Night Football...
| AFC Championship: Houston Oilers at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game information |
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Super Bowl XIIISuper Bowl XIIISuper Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
: vs. Dallas Cowboys1978 Dallas Cowboys seasonThe 1978 Dallas Cowboys season was their 19th in the NFL. For the third consecutive season, the Cowboys finished in first place in the NFC East. The Cowboys scored 384 points, which ranked first in the NFC, while the defense only gave up 208 points. Twice, the Cowboys appeared on Monday Night...
| Super Bowl XIII: Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – Game information |
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Players
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Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
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Offensive Linemen
Steve Courson Stephen Paul "Steve" Courson was an American football guard for the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers.- Early years :... G Jon Kolb Jon Kolb is a former offensive lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he played for 13 seasons.-High school and Oklahoma State:... T/C Gerry Mullins -High school and college:Gerry Blaine Mullins was raised in Anaheim, California where he began his football career at Fremont Junior High School, and was mentored at Anaheim High School by the city's beloved head football coach Clare Van Hoorebeke . While playing at Anaheim High, he played against... G/T Ted Petersen Ted Petersen, also known as "Denunez" is a former professional American football player who played offensive lineman for nine seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cleveland Browns, and the Indianapolis Colts. Petersen is the athletic director at Kankakee Community College in Kankakee, Illinois.... T/C Ray Pinney Raymond Earl Pinney is a former NFL offensive tackle and guard who played seven seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was selected by the Steelers in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft. Was the Steelers Starting Right Tackle in Super Bowl XIII. He played in the USFL. Won the 1983 USFL... T/C/G Defensive Linemen
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Linebackers
Robin Cole Robin Cole is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for twelve seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was elected to the Pro Bowl in 1984... LB/DE Loren Toews Loren James Toews, born November 3, 1951 in Dinuba, California was a professional football player for the National Football League.Toews graduated from Del Mar High School in San Jose, California and later University of California, Berkeley where he received his degree in biological sciences... LB/DE Dennis Winston Dennis Edward Winston is a former professional American football linebacker in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints. He played college football at the University of Arkansas.... LB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
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Reserve Lists
Hall of Fame members in boldface Rookies in italics Sources: |
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Coaches
| Pittsburgh Steelers 1978 coaching staff | ||||||
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Front Office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special Teams Coaches
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Awards, honors, and records
Several Steelers players received individual honors in recognition of their play during the 1978 season. Terry Bradshaw swept the season's Most Valuable Player (MVP) recognition, earning both the regular season and Super Bowl honors as well as the team's internal MVP award. The team led the league with ten players selected to the 1979 Pro Bowl1979 Pro Bowl
The 1979 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 29, 1979 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The final Score was NFC 13, AFC 7. Ahmad Rashad of the Minnesota Vikings was the game's MVP. As of 2011, this was the last Pro Bowl to be played on a Monday, and the last one to be...
(a full quarter of the 40-player AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
squad). Among the Pro Bowlers were three offensive and two defensive starters. Eight Steeler performers were recognized as All-NFL
1978 All-Pro Team
The following is a list of players that were named to the Associated Press All-Pro Team, the Newspaper Enterprise Association All-Pro team and the Pro Football Writers Association and Pro Football Weekly All-Pro teams in 1978. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the AP and NEA teams...
by various publications and four others made All-Conference
1978 All-Pro Team
The following is a list of players that were named to the Associated Press All-Pro Team, the Newspaper Enterprise Association All-Pro team and the Pro Football Writers Association and Pro Football Weekly All-Pro teams in 1978. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the AP and NEA teams...
squads.
Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
Selections
The following players were selected to represent the AFC in the Pro Bowl. The team was selected on the basis of ballots submitted by each of the conference's 14 head coaches as well as a consensus of voting by each team's players.Starters:
- QB Terry BradshawTerry BradshawTerry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
(second Pro Bowl) - WR Lynn SwannLynn Swann-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
(third) - C Mike Webster (first)
- DE Joe GreeneJoe Greene (American football)Charles Edward Greene, known as “Mean Joe” Greene, is a former all-pro American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. Throughout the early 1970s he was the one of most dominant defensive players in the National Football League...
(ninth) - LB Jack Ham (sixth)
Reserves:
- RB Franco HarrisFranco HarrisFranco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall...
(seventh) - DE L. C. GreenwoodL. C. GreenwoodL.C. Henderson Greenwood is a former American football defensive end for the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers.-College career:...
(fifth) - LB Jack Lambert (fourth)
- S Donnie ShellDonnie ShellDonnie Shell is a former American Football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League between 1974 and 1987. Shell was a member of the Steelers famed Steel Curtain defense in the 1970s.Shell retired as the NFL strong safety career leader in interceptions with 51...
(first) - CB Mel Blount (third)
Mike Wagner
Mike Wagner
Michael Robert Wagner is a former American football player with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He won four Super Bowls as a safety on the famed Steel Curtain defense.-Playing career:...
was originally announced as the reserve safety, but an error in the tabulation of the ballots was uncovered and Donnie Shell was named to the team instead.
All-ProAll-ProAll-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
Selections
The following players were named to All-NFL or All-Conference squads1978 All-Pro Team
The following is a list of players that were named to the Associated Press All-Pro Team, the Newspaper Enterprise Association All-Pro team and the Pro Football Writers Association and Pro Football Weekly All-Pro teams in 1978. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the AP and NEA teams...
designated by one or more of several publications and groups who identified the players judged to be the top performers of the 1978 season
1978 NFL season
The 1978 NFL season was the 59th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded the regular season from a 14-game schedule to 16. Furthermore, the playoff format was expanded from 8 teams to 10 teams by adding another wild card from each conference...
.
| Position | Player | All-NFL | All-AFC | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterback | Terry Bradshaw Terry Bradshaw Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday... |
X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Running back | Franco Harris Franco Harris Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall... |
X | X | ||||||||
| Wide receiver | Lynn Swann Lynn Swann -Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He... |
X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Center | Mike Webster | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Tackle | Jon Kolb Jon Kolb Jon Kolb is a former offensive lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he played for 13 seasons.-High school and Oklahoma State:... |
X | X | ||||||||
| Defensive End | L. C. Greenwood L. C. Greenwood L.C. Henderson Greenwood is a former American football defensive end for the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers.-College career:... |
X | X | ||||||||
| Defensive Tackle | Joe Greene Joe Greene (American football) Charles Edward Greene, known as “Mean Joe” Greene, is a former all-pro American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. Throughout the early 1970s he was the one of most dominant defensive players in the National Football League... |
X | X | ||||||||
| Linebacker | Jack Ham | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Linebacker | Jack Lambert | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Safety | Donnie Shell Donnie Shell Donnie Shell is a former American Football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League between 1974 and 1987. Shell was a member of the Steelers famed Steel Curtain defense in the 1970s.Shell retired as the NFL strong safety career leader in interceptions with 51... |
X | X | ||||||||
| Safety | Mike Wagner Mike Wagner Michael Robert Wagner is a former American football player with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He won four Super Bowls as a safety on the famed Steel Curtain defense.-Playing career:... |
X | |||||||||
| Cornerback | Mel Blount | X | X | ||||||||
Individual honors and achievements
- Terry BradshawTerry BradshawTerry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
, Steelers MVP (selected by a vote of the team's players) - Bradshaw, Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award
- Bradshaw, Super Bowl MVP
- Bradshaw, Bert Bell AwardBert Bell AwardThe Bert Bell Award for the Professional American football Player of the Year is presented by the Maxwell Football Club. This award is named in honor of Bert Bell , Commissioner of the National Football League and founder of the Maxwell Club...
- Bradshaw led league in touchdown passes (28).
- Bradshaw tied with Dan FoutsDan FoutsDaniel Francis Fouts is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played his entire professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987...
to lead league in yards per pass attempt (7.9 yds) .
Team achievements/records
- Fewest points scored against in league (195 points).
- Surrendered zero first-quarter touchdowns in the regular season.
See also
- History of the Pittsburgh SteelersHistory of the Pittsburgh SteelersThis article details the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are an American football franchise representing Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are the seventh-oldest club in the National Football League , which they joined in...
- List of Pittsburgh Steelers seasons
- List of Super Bowl champions
External links
- Steelers' 1978 at NFL.com
- 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers season at Pro Football Reference
- 1978: A Look Back (from Steelers Digest), pg 1, pg 2, pg 3, pg 4, pg 5, pg 6, pg 7
- SI.com – Sports Illustrated Covers – October 9, 1978
- SI.com – Sports Illustrated Covers – January 15, 1979
- SI.com – Sports Illustrated Covers – January 29, 1979
- America's Game: 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers from NFL FilmsNFL FilmsNFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
(via HuluHuluHulu is a website and over-the-top subscription service offering ad-supported on-demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, webisodes and other new media, trailers, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage from NBC, Fox, ABC, and Obstacle on October 20th 2011 Nickelodeon and CBS and many other...
)