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Pittsburg Steelers |
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The Pittsburgh Steelers were founded by Arthur J. Rooney on July 8, 1933. Now the sixth-oldest franchise in the NFL, Pittsburgh was known as the Pirates until 1940. In their first 40 years, the Steelers struggled. They didn't win a title of any kind until 1972, when they finally won the AFC Central. Two years later, after four decades of futility, Art Rooney and the Steelers took home the Vince Lombardi trophy as the winners of Super Bowl IX. In 1938, Rooney made Colorado All-America Byron "Whizzer" White the NFL's first "big money" player with a $15,800 contract. The 1942 Steelers, boosted by the league-leading rushing of rookie Bill Dudley, enjoyed their first winning season. With rosters depleted by World War II, Rooney merged the Steelers with the Eagles (Phil-Pitt) in 1943 and the Cardinals (Card-Pitt) in 1944. Coach Jock Sutherland led the Steelers to a first-place tie with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1947 but they lost their first post-season game ever, 21-0, to the Eagles. From 1957 to 1963, the Steelers, led by quarterback Bobby Layne, defensive tackle Ernie Stautner and running back John Henry Johnson, were legitimate division contenders. But the "dynasty years," which coincided with the team's move to the AFC at the time of AFL-NFL merger, were still a decade away. Pittsburgh's first Super Bowl win came a few years into one of the most incredible streaks in sports history. From 1972 to 1979, the Steelers made the playoffs eight consecutive years, won seven AFC Central titles and four AFC championships. The Steelers became the first team to win four Super Bowls and the only team to win back-to-back Super Bowls twice. The team of the decade of the 1970's became the first AFC team to win its division 10 times since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The list of Pittsburgh Steelers heroes of the 1970's is long, but it begins with coach Chuck Noll, who took control of the team in 1969. Players like defensive tackle Joe Greene, linebackers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert, quarterback Terry Bradshaw, cornerback Mel Blount and running back Franco Harris were the backbone of a team that many insist was the finest ever in pro football. All, including Noll, were elected to the Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Pittsburgh's success in the last two decades is the antithesis of their early years. In its first seven seasons, the Steelers won only 22 games. Rooney, seeking a way to make ends meet, often took his team from Forbes Field to such neutral cities as Johnston and Latrobe (Penn.), Youngstown (Ohio), Louisville and New Orleans to avoid competition with baseball and college football in Pittsburgh. Through it all, Rooney never wavered in his determination to make pro football successful in his city.
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<%rankingblog:1%> copyright 2000-2005
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