1973 Pittsburgh Steelers season

Offseason

NFL draft

Personnel

Staff

• President – Arthur J. Rooney
• Vice president – John R. McGinley
• Vice president – Daniel M. Rooney
• Vice president – Arthur J. Rooney, Jr.
• Public relations director – Ed Kiely
• Traveling secretary – James A. Boston
• Controller – Robert P. Quinn
• Publicity director – Joe Gordon
• Ticket manager – Joseph H. Carr
• Director of player personnel – Dick Haley
• Assistant director of player personnel – Bill Nunn
• Director of professional scouting – V. Timothy Rooney
• Head coach – Chuck Noll
• Offensive line – Bob Fry
• Offensive backfield – Dick Hoak
• Quarterbacks – Babe Parilli
• Receivers – Lionel Taylor
• Defensive coordinator – Bud Carson
• Defensive line – George Perles
• Defensive assistant – Woody Widenhofer
• Strength – Louis Riecke
• Flexibility – Paul Uram
• Team physician, orthopedic – Dr. John Best
• Team Physician, M.D. – Dr. David S. Huber
• Team dentist – Dr. Robert Gray
• Trainer – Ralph Berlin
• Assistant trainer – Robert Milie
• Equipment manager – Anthony Parisi
• Field manager – Jack Hart

Roster

Regular season

Schedule

• played at Pittsburgh because of World Series at Shea Stadium

Game summaries

Week 1

;Lions

• Greg Landry 11/27, 219 Yds, TD, 3 INT 8 Rush, 65 Yds
• Ron Jessie 3 Rec, 131 Yds, TD ;Steelers
• Terry Bradshaw 15/23, 124 Yds, 2 TD, INT
• John Fuqua 26 Rush, 100 Yds
• Barry Pearson 6 Rec, 58 Yds

Week 2

;Browns

• Mike Phipps 15/29, 157 Yds, 3 INT
• Leroy Kelly 13 Rush, 39 Yds
• Frank Pitts 2 Rec, 33 Yds ;Steelers
• Terry Bradshaw 5/14, 140 Yds, TD, INT
• John Fuqua 16 Rush, 80 Yds
• Frank Lewis 3 Rec, 92 Yds, 2 TD

Week 3

;Steelers

• Terry Bradshaw 9/17, 159 Yds, TD, 2 INT
• John Fuqua 13 Rush, 48 Yds
• Frank Lewis 1 Rec, 44 Yds ;Oilers
• Dan Pastorini 14/25, 87 Yds, TD, 2 INT
• Bob Gresham 14 Rush, 41 Yds
• Billy Parks 7 Rec, 80 Yds

Week 4

;Chargers

• Dan Fouts 11/21, 174 Yds, TD, INT
• Cid Edwards 13 Rush, 94 Yds
• Clint Jones 2 Rec, 51 Yds ;Steelers
• Terry Bradshaw 7/16, 99 Yds, TD, INT
• Preston Pearson 6 Rush, 64 Yds
• Frank Lewis 4 Rec, 61 Yds

Johnny Unitas playing for San Diego is knocked out of the game after completing only 3 of 15 passes for 24 yards and three interceptions.

Week 5

;Steelers

• Terry Bradshaw 9/14, 106 Yds, INT
• Preston Pearson 12 Rush, 39 Yds, TD
• Ron Shanklin 1 Rec, 67 Yds ;Bengals
• Ken Anderson 9/21, 78 Yds
• Boobie Clark 28 Rush, 112 Yds, TD
• Isaac Curtis 3 Rec, 46 Yds

Week 6

;Jets

• Bill Demory 6/15, 84 Yds, TD, 3 INT
• John Riggins 15 Rush, 42 Yds, TD
• Rich Caster 1 Rec, 28 Yds, TD ;Steelers
• Terry Bradshaw 8/18, 119 Yds, INT
• Franco Harris 25 Rush, 102 Yds, TD
• Ron Shanklin 3 Rec, 68 Yds, TD

Week 7 vs Bengals

;Bengals

• Ken Anderson 20/38, 230 Yds, TD, 3 INT
• Boobie Clark 15 Rush, 60 Yds 10 Rec, 68 Yds ;Steelers
• Terry Hanratty 4/7, 127 Yds, TD, INT
• Franco Harris 21 Rush, 43 Yds
• Ron Shanklin 3 Rec, 104 Yds, TD

Week 8 vs Washington Redskins

;Redskins

• Billy Kilmer 9/22, 76 Yds, TD, 2 INT
• Charley Harraway 13 Rush, 63 Yds
• Jerry Smith 4 Rec, 34 Yds ;Steelers
• Joe Gilliam 3/10, 71 Yds, TD, 2 INT
• Franco Harris 25 Rush, 90 Yds
• Barry Pearson 2 Rec, 57 Yds, TD

Joe Gilliam makes Monday Night Football debut

Week 9 at Raiders

;Steelers

• Terry Hanratty 6/19, 86 Yds, TD, INT
• Franco Harris 20 Rush, 77 Yds, TD
• Ron Shanklin 2 Rec, 41 Yds, TD ;Raiders
• Daryle Lamonica 13/31, 236 Yds, TD, 4 INT
• Charlie Smith 13 Rush, 74 Yds
• Fred Biletnikoff 4 Rec, 105 Yds, TD

Week 10 vs Broncos

Week 11

Game summary

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 9 pass from Gilliam (Gerela kick) – Steelers 7–0
• Cleveland – Phipps 1 run (Cockroft kick) – Tie 7–7
• Cleveland – Pruitt 15 pass from Phipps (Cockroft kick) – Browns 14-7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 24 – Browns 14-10
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 14 – Browns 14-13
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 20 – Steelers 16–14
• Cleveland – Pruitt 19 run (Cockroft kick) – Browns 21–16

Week 12 (Monday December 3, 1973): at [[Miami Dolphins]]

Game summary

Scoring drives:

• Miami – Anderson 27 interception return (Yepremian kick) – Dolphins 7–0
• Miami – FG Yepremian 28 – Dolphins 10–0
• Miami – FG Yepremian 46 – Dolphins 13–0
• Miami – Mandich 2 pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) – Dolphins 20–0
• Miami – Anderson 38 interception return (Yepremian kick) – Dolphins 27–0
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 37 – Dolphins 27–3
• Miami – FG Yepremian 14 – Dolphins 30–3
• Pittsburgh – P. Pearson 5 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) – Dolphins 30–10
• Pittsburgh – Harris 21 run (Gerela kick) – Dolphins 30–17
• Pittsburgh – B. Pearson 17 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) – Dolphins 30–24
• Pittsburgh – Safety, White tackled Griese in end zone – Dolphins 30–26

Week 13

Game summary

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 49 – Steelers 3–0
• Houston – Alston 11 pass from Pastorini (Butler kick) – Oilers 7–3
• Pittsburgh – B. Pearson 15 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) – Steelers 10–7
• Pittsburgh – Steve Davis 3 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) – Steelers 17–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 31 – Steelers 20–7
• Pittsburgh – Ham recovered fumble in end zone (Gerela kick) – Steelers 27–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 20 – Steelers 30–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 42 – Steelers 33–7

Week 14

Game summary

John Brodie's number 12 was retired prior to game.

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – Rowser 71 interception return (Gerela kick) – Steelers 7–0
• San Francisco – Hall recovered blocked punt in end zone (Gossett kick) – Tie 7–7
• Pittsburgh – P. Pearson 1 run (Gerela kick) – Steelers 14–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 27 – Steelers 17–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 27 – Steelers 20–7
• Pittsburgh – Lewis 50 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) – Steelers 27–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 35 – Steelers 30–7
• Pittsburgh – Steve Davis 1 run (Gerela kick) – Steelers 37–7
• San Francisco – Atkins 3 run (Gossett kick) – Steelers 37–14

Standings

Postseason

AFC Divisional: @ Oakland Raiders

• References: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197312220rai.htm

Scoring Drives

• Oakland – Hubbard 1 run (Blanda kick) – Raiders 7–0
• Oakland – FG Blanda 25 – Raiders 10–0
• Pittsburgh – B. Pearson 4 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) – Raiders 10–7
• Oakland – FG Blanda 31 – Raiders 13–7
• Oakland – FG Blanda 22 – Raiders 16–7
• Oakland – Brown 54 interception return (Blanda kick) – Raiders 23–7
• Oakland – FG Blanda 10 – Raiders 26–7
• Pittsburgh – Lewis 26 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) – Raiders 26–14
• Oakland – Hubbard 1 run (Blanda kick) – Raiders 33–14

References

References

1. [http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Articles/11_3222_Shutdown!_The_greatest_pass_defenses_in_history.html Cold Hard Football Facts: Shutdown! The greatest pass defenses in history]
2. [https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/joe-starkey/2017/12/30/steelers-2017-season-antonio-brown-injury-james-harrison-patriots-al-riveron/stories/201712300031 Starkey, Joe. "The wildest Steelers season there ever was," ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', Saturday, December 30, 2017.] Retrieved December 8, 2020
3. "1973 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide".
4. "1974 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide".
5. "About Three Bricks Shy... and the Load Filled Up".
6. "1973 Pittsburgh Steelers".