American Football Database
Advertisement
1979 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head Coach Chuck Noll
General Manager Dick Haley
Home Field Three Rivers Stadium
Results
Record 12–4
Place 1st AFC Central
Playoff Finish Won Divisional Playoffs (Dolphins) 34–14
Won AFC Championship (Oilers) 27–13
Won Super Bowl XIV (Rams) 31–19
Pro Bowlers
Team MVP John Stallworth
Timeline
Previous season Next season
1978 1980

The 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers season saw the Steelers successfully defend their Super Bowl Championship from the previous year as they achieved a 12–4 record and went on to defeat the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV.

With the win, and the Pittsburgh Pirates win in the 1979 World Series, Pittsburgh would be the last city to claim Super Bowl and World Series wins in the same year until the New York Mets won the 1986 World Series in 7 games over the Boston Red Sox, and the New York Giants won Super Bowl XXI 39–20 over the Denver Broncos.

Personnel[]

Staff[]

1979 Pittsburgh Steelers staff
Front office
  • Chairman of the Board – Arthur J. Rooney
  • President – Daniel M. Rooney
  • Vice President – John R. McGinley
  • Vice President – Arthur J. Rooney, Jr.
  • Public Relations Director – Ed Kiely
  • Traveling Secretary – James A. Boston
  • Publicity Director – Joe Gordon
  • Controller – Dennis P. Thimons
  • Assistant Controller – James S. Maund
  • Director of Ticket Sales – Geraldine Glenn
  • Director of Player Personnel – Dick Haley
  • Assistant Director of Player Personnel – Bill Nunn
  • Director of Professional Scouting – V. Timothy Rooney
  • Talent Scout – West Coast – Bob Schmitz
  • Pro Talent Scout – Tom Modrak
  • College Talent Scout – Joe Krupa

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches


Strength and conditioning

  • Strength – Louis Riecke
  • Flexibility – Paul Uram
  • Physician, M.D. – Dr. David S. Huber
  • Physician, M.D. – Dr. Anthony P. Yates
  • Physician, Orthopedic – Dr. Paul Steele
  • Dentist – Dr. George P. Boucek
  • Trainer – Ralph Berlin
  • Assistant Trainer – Robert Milie
  • Equipment Manager – Anthony Parisi
  • Field Manager – Jack Hart
  • Film Director – Bob McCartney
  • Photographer – Harry Homa

[1]

Roster[]

1979 Pittsburgh Steelers roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad [2] [3] [4]


Rookies in italics
46 Active, 6 Inactive, 0 Practice squad

Regular season[]

Schedule[]

Week Date Kickoff (ET) TV Opponent Result Record Game Site
1 Mon. Sep. 3 9:00 pm ABC at New England Patriots W 16–13 OT 1–0 Schaefer Stadium
2 Sun. Sep. 9 1:00 pm NBC Houston Oilers W 38–7 2–0 Three Rivers Stadium
3 Sun. Sep. 16 4:00 pm NBC at St. Louis Cardinals W 24–21 3–0 Busch Memorial Stadium
4 Sun. Sep. 23 1:00 pm NBC Baltimore Colts W 17–13 4–0 Three Rivers Stadium
5 Sun. Sep. 30 1:00 pm NBC at Philadelphia Eagles L 17–14 4–1 Veterans Stadium
6 Sun. Oct. 7 4:00 pm NBC at Cleveland Browns W 51–35 5–1 Cleveland Municipal Stadium
7 Sun. Oct. 14 1:00 pm NBC at Cincinnati Bengals L 34–10 5–2 Riverfront Stadium
8 Mon. Oct. 22 9:00 pm ABC Denver Broncos W 42–7 6–2 Three Rivers Stadium
9 Sun. Oct. 28 1:00 pm CBS Dallas Cowboys W 14–3 7–2 Three Rivers Stadium
10 Sun. Nov. 4 1:00 pm CBS Washington Redskins W 38–7 8–2 Three Rivers Stadium
11 Sun. Nov. 11 1:00 pm NBC at Kansas City Chiefs W 30–3 9–2 Arrowhead Stadium
12 Sun. Nov. 18 4:00 pm NBC at San Diego Chargers L 35–7 9–3 San Diego Stadium
13 Sun. Nov. 25 1:00 pm NBC Cleveland Browns W 33–30 OT 10–3 Three Rivers Stadium
14 Sun. Dec. 2 1:00 pm NBC Cincinnati Bengals W 37–17 11–3 Three Rivers Stadium
15 Mon. Dec. 10 9:00 pm ABC at Houston Oilers L 20–17 11–4 Astrodome
16 Sun. Dec. 16 1:00 pm NBC Buffalo Bills W 28–0 12–4 Three Rivers Stadium

Game summaries[]

Week 1: at New England Patriots[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 6 0 7

16

Patriots 0 3 3 7

13

at Schaefer Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Week 2: vs. Houston Oilers[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Oilers 0 0 0 7

7

Steelers 7 3 14 14

38

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Week 3: at St. Louis Cardinals[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 7 0 0 17

24

Cardinals 9 6 6 0

21

at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri

Week 4: vs. Baltimore Colts[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Colts 10 0 3 0

13

Steelers 7 3 0 7

17

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: Sunday, September 23
  • Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
  • Game weather: 54 F, wind 10 mph
  • Game attendance: 49,483
  • Referee: Gordon McCarter
  • TV announcers (NBC): Sam Nover (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)
  • Box Score

Week 5: at Philadelphia Eagles[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 7 0 7

14

Eagles 0 7 10 0

17

at Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Date: Sunday, September 30
  • Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
  • Game weather: 68 F, wind 12 mph
  • Game attendance: 70,352
  • Referee: Cal Lepore
  • TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones (play by play), Len Dawson (color commentator)
  • Box Score

Week 6: at Cleveland Browns[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 21 9 7 14

51

Browns 0 14 7 14

35

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: Sunday, October 7
  • Game time: 4:00 pm EDT
  • Game weather: 48 F, wind 17 mph
  • Game attendance: 81,260
  • Referee: Jim Tunney
  • TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)
  • Box Score

Week 7: at Cincinnati Bengals[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 3 0 0 7

10

Bengals 7 20 0 7

34

at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Date: Sunday, October 14
  • Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
  • Game weather: 40 F, wind 7 mph
  • Game attendance: 52,381
  • Referee: Ben Dreith
  • TV announcers (NBC): Sam Nover (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)
  • Box Score

Week 8: vs. Denver Broncos[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 7 0 0 0

7

Steelers 7 21 0 14

42

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Week 9: vs. Dallas Cowboys[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Cowboys 0 3 0 0

3

Steelers 0 7 7 0

14

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Week 10: vs. Washington Redskins[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Redskins 0 7 0 0

7

Steelers 7 17 7 7

38

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Week 11: at Kansas City Chiefs[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 10 10 0 10

30

Chiefs 0 0 3 0

3

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

  • Date: Sunday, November 11
  • Game time: 1:00 pm EST
  • Game weather: 34 F, wind 15 mph
  • Game attendance: 70,132
  • Referee: Fred Wyant
  • TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)
  • Box Score

Week 12: at San Diego Chargers[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 0 7 0

7

Chargers 7 14 7 7

35

at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California

Week 13: vs. Cleveland Browns[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Browns 10 10 7 3

30

Steelers 3 10 0 17

33

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: Sunday, November 25
  • Game time: 1:00 pm EST
  • Game weather: 49 F, wind 6 mph
  • Game attendance: 48,773
  • Referee: Ben Dreith
  • TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones (play by play), Len Dawson (color commentator)
  • Box Score

Week 14: vs. Cincinnati Bengals[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Bengals 0 10 7 0

17

Steelers 10 14 10 3

37

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: Sunday, December 2
  • Game time: 1:00 pm EST
  • Game weather: 28 F, wind 12 mph
  • Game attendance: 46,251
  • Referee: Jim Tunney
  • TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)
  • Box Score

Week 15: at Houston Oilers[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 0 3 14

17

Oilers 0 7 3 10

20

at Astrodome, Houston, Texas

Week 16: vs. Buffalo Bills[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Bills 0 0 0 0

0

Steelers 7 7 7 7

28

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: Sunday, December 16
  • Game time: 1:00 pm EST
  • Game weather: 38 F, wind 13 mph
  • Game attendance: 48,002
  • Referee: Fred Silva
  • TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)
  • Box Score

Standings[]

Template:1979 AFC Central standings

Postseason[]

Schedule[]

Week Date Kickoff (ET) TV Opponent Result Game Site
Divisional Sun. Dec. 30 12:30 pm NBC Miami Dolphins W 34–14 Three Rivers Stadium
Conference Sun. Jan. 6 1:00 pm NBC Houston Oilers W 27–13 Three Rivers Stadium
Super Bowl XIV Sun. Jan. 20 6:15 pm CBS vs. Los Angeles Rams W 31–19 Rose Bowl

Game summaries[]

AFC Divisional Playoff: vs. Miami Dolphins[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Dolphins 0 0 7 7

14

Steelers 20 0 7 7

34

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: Sunday, December 30
  • Game time: 12:30 pm EST
  • Game attendance: 50,214
  • Referee: Cal Lepore
  • TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)
  • Box Score

AFC Championship: vs. Houston Oilers[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Oilers 7 3 0 3

13

Steelers 3 14 0 10

27

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: Sunday, January 6
  • Game time: 1:00 pm EST
  • Game weather: 18 F, wind 18 mph
  • Game attendance: 50,475
  • Referee: Jim Tunney
  • TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentators)
  • Box Score

Super Bowl XIV: vs. Los Angeles Rams[]

1 2 3 4 Total
Rams 7 6 6 0

19

Steelers 3 7 7 14

31

at Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California

Statistics[]

Passing[]

Player Comp Att Yards TD INT
Terry Bradshaw 259 472 3,724 26 25

Rushing[]

Player Att Yards TD
Franco Harris 267 1,186 11
Sidney Thornton 118 585 6
Rocky Bleier 92 434 4
Terry Bradshaw 21 83
Lynn Swann 1 9

Receiving[]

Player Rec Yards TD
John Stallworth 70 1,183 8
Lynn Swann 41 808 5
Bennie Cunningham 36 512 4
Franco Harris 36 291 1
Rocky Bleier 31 277
Sidney Thornton 16 231 4

[5]

Honors and awards[]

References[]

  1. 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
  2. 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
  3. 1980 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
  4. "http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/1979_roster.htm".
  5. Pro-Football-Reference.com

External links[]

AFC East Central West East Central West NFC
Baltimore Cincinnati Denver Dallas Chicago Atlanta
Buffalo Cleveland Kansas City NY Giants Detroit Los Angeles
Miami Houston Oakland Philadelphia Green Bay New Orleans
New England Pittsburgh San Diego St. Louis Minnesota San Francisco
NY Jets Seattle Washington Tampa Bay
1979 NFL DraftNFL PlayoffsPro BowlSuper Bowl XIV
Advertisement