1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season

Offseason

NFL draft

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Personnel

Staff

• 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 – Robert P. Quinn
• Accountant – Dennis P. Thimons
• 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 backfield – Dick Hoak
• Offensive line – Dan Radakovich
• Receivers – Lionel Taylor
• Defensive coordinator – Bud Carson
• Defensive line – George Perles
• Linebackers – Woody Widenhofer
• Strength – Louis Riecke
• Flexibility – Paul Uram
• Team physician, orthopedic – John Best
• Team physician – David S. Huber
• Team dentist – 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

Roster

Preseason

During the preseason, the Steelers acquired undrafted free-agent, John Banaszak. The defensive tackle from Eastern Michigan played in three games and later became the 1975 Team ROY (Rookie of the Year).

Schedule

Regular season

Schedule

Game summaries

Week 1

In the Week 1 game, the Steelers opened the season as defending champions, and crushed the Chargers, 37-0, in San Diego. (1-0)

Week 2

In Week 2, the Steelers, coming off a crushing defeat of the Chargers in Week 1, came to play revenge eager Buffalo in Pittsburgh. The Bills had been beaten the previous year by the Steelers in the playoffs, 32-14. Chuck Noll had warned the team the previous week that the team did not play very well, however, the players ignored him and were beaten by future Hall of Fame RB O.J. Simpson, 30-21. He rushed for 227 yards, including an 88-yard touchdown run in the 3rd quarter. (1-1)

Week 3

In this Week 3 matchup, the Steelers would be hosted by the Cleveland Browns. These two teams had already been established as one of the league's best rivalries by this time, and Joe Greene's infamous kicking of the Browns lineman Bob McKay only fueled the rivalry. The fight that broke out afterwards caught it on fire. Greene was later fined $500 while the Steelers beat the Browns, 42-6. (2-1) This was the first of eleven consecutive victories for the Steelers.

Week 4

In Week 4, the Steelers beat the Denver Broncos in Three Rivers, 20-9. (3-1)

Week 5

In Week 5, the Steelers crushed Chicago, 34-3. Three weeks after the Steelers were beaten by Buffalo, the team was 4-1, and had allowed only 18 points during the last three weeks while scoring 96. (4-1)

Week 6

In Week 5, the Packers would host the Steelers in Milwaukee, however, the tense battle ended in Pittsburgh's favor, 16-13. (5-1)

Week 7

In Week 7, the Steelers played the Bengals in Riverfront Stadium and won the game, 30–24. (6–1)

Week 8

In this heated Week 8 battle, the Steelers would play host to the Houston Oilers. Pittsburgh sealed the win with a 4th quarter touchdown pass from #12 Terry Bradshaw to #82 John Stallworth that placed them at the top of the division. (7-1)

Week 9

In Week 9, the Steelers beat the Chiefs, 28-3. (8-1)

Week 10

In Week 10, the Steelers defeated the Oilers again, this time in Houston 32-9, and secured a playoff spot. (9-1)

Week 11

In Week 11, the Steelers beat the Jets 20-7. (10-1)

Week 12

In another defeat of Cleveland in Week 13, 31-17, the Steelers continued their winning streak to 10. (11-1)

Week 13

In Week 13, the Steelers finished the sweep of the division by beating the Bengals again, 35-14. (12-1)

Week 14

In the meaningless Week 14 game, the Steelers were beaten by Los Angeles, 10-3. (12-2)

Standings

Stats

Quarter-by-quarter

Postseason

Schedule

Main article: 1975–76 NFL playoffs

Game summaries

Divisional

• Franco Harris gained 152 yds rushing, one yard less than the Baltimore Colts offense. Andy Russell set a record for longest playoff fumble return.

AFC Championship

Pittsburgh won the game, despite giving up eight turnovers.

Super Bowl

• Lynn Swann earned the MVP award catching 4 receptions for 161 yards.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers won their 2nd of their 6 Super Bowl championships.

Awards, honors, and records

• Mel Blount, National Football League Defensive Player of the Year Award
• Lynn Swann, Super Bowl Most Valuable Player

References

References

1. "NFL Top 100 Teams". Pro Football Reference.
2. "100 Greatest Teams: Numbers 100-1 SUPERCUT". NFL.com.
3. Stellino, Vito. (September 22, 1975). "Steelers now taking care of business, 37-0". Pittsburgh Gazette.
4. Musick, Phil. (September 22, 1975). "Steelers throw switch on Chargers". Pittsburgh Press.
5. "1975 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide".
6. "1975 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide".
7. "1976 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide".
8. "1975 Pittsburgh Steelers".
9. "Number three". PittsburghSteelers.com.
10. "1975 Awards Voting".