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1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season

NFL team season

Field	Value
team	Pittsburgh Steelers
year	1981
record	8–8
division_place	2nd AFC Central
coach	Chuck Noll
general manager	Dick Haley
owner	Art Rooney
stadium	Three Rivers Stadium
playoffs	Did not qualify
pro bowlers	CB Mel Blount
LB Jack Lambert
S Donnie Shell
C Mike Webster
AP All-pros	Mel Blount (1st team)
Jack Lambert (1st team)
Mike Webster (1st team)
Donnie Shell (2nd team)
MVP	Jack Lambert
shortnavlink	Steelers seasons

LB Jack Lambert S Donnie Shell C Mike Webster | AP All-pros = Mel Blount (1st team) Jack Lambert (1st team) Mike Webster (1st team) Donnie Shell (2nd team)

The 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 49th in the National Football League. After enduring an injury plagued 9–7 season the previous year and missing the playoffs for the first time since 1971, the Steelers had hoped that the 1980 season was just a small hiatus from contending for championships. However, while the Steelers had flashes of their former glory years after starting the season with 2 unimpressive losses, the 1981 season would end in an 8–8 record and eventually prove the end of the Steelers great dynasty of the 1970s. The Steelers had a chance to make the playoffs with an 8–5 start to the year but lost all of their last three games to miss the playoffs after Terry Bradshaw broke his hand early in the 14th game of the season versus the Raiders.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1981 NFL draft

Undrafted free agents

Player	Position	College
Nelson Bolden	Running back	Findlay
Charles Bruton	Safety	SMU
Plummer Bullock	Defensive end	Virginia Union
Tony Carifa	Safety	Ohio
Ray Cockrell	Tight end	Baylor
Larry Coffey	Running back	West Virginia Wesleyan
Willie Collier	Wide receiver	Pittsburgh
James Cowins	Wide receiver	Oklahoma State
Joe Cugliari	Defensive tackle	Indiana (Pa.)
Dean Cvitkovic	Linebacker	Morehead State
Bill Danenhauer	Center	Nebraska-Omaha
Mike Dombrowski	Tight end	Pittsburgh
Bill Dudash	Defensive tackle	Kent State
Steve Fedell	Linebacker	Pittsburgh
Jeff Finn	Tight end	Nebraska
Artrell Hawkins	Wide receiver	Pittsburgh
Curtis Henderson	Wide receiver	Morgan State
Ricky Isaac	Defensive end	Northeast Louisiana
Dana Noel	Safety	Minnesota
Rudy Phillips	Guard	North Texas State
Alvis Prince	Defensive tackle	Prairie View A&M
Robby Robson	Running back	Youngstown State
David Trout	Kicker	Pittsburgh

Staff

Chairman of the board – Arthur J. Rooney
President – Daniel M. Rooney
Vice president – John R. McGinley
Vice president – Arthur J. Rooney, Jr.
Controller – Dennis P. Thimons
Traveling secretary – James A. Boston
Public relations director – Ed Kiely
Publicity director – Joe Gordon
Assistant publicity director – John Evenson
Director of ticket sales – Geraldine Glenn
Director of player personnel – Dick Haley
Assistant director of player personnel – William Nunn, Jr.
Talent scout – West Coast – Bob Schmitz
Pro talent scout – Tom Modrak
College talent scout – Joe Krupa
Head coach – Chuck Noll
Assistant head coach – George Perles
Offensive line – Rollie Dotsch
Offensive backfield – Dick Hoak
Receivers – Tom Moore
Defensive coordinator – Woody Widenhofer
Defensive assistant – Tony Dungy
Defensive backfield – Dick Walker
Paul Uram
Physician, M.D. – Dr. David S. Huber
Physician, M.D. – Dr. Anthony P. Yates
Physician, orthopedic – Dr. Paul Steele
Neurological surgery consultant – Dr. Joseph C. Maroon
Dentist – Dr. George P. Boucek
Ophthalmologist – Dr. Phillip Buzzelli
Trainer – Ralph Berlin
Assistant trainer – Gary Stragar
Equipment manager – Anthony Parisi
Field manager – Rodgers Freyvogel
Film director – Bob McCartney
Photographers – Harry Homa, Bill Amatucci

Roster

Preseason

Schedule

year=1981	border=2}}"	Week	Pittsburgh Steelers	year=1981	border=2}}"
at [Cleveland Browns](1981-cleveland-browns-season)	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	7:30 p.m.	WPXI	W 34–31	1–0
at [Philadelphia Eagles](1981-philadelphia-eagles-season)	Veterans Stadium	6:00 p.m.	WPXI	L 36–20	1–1
at [Dallas Cowboys](1981-dallas-cowboys-season)	Texas Stadium	9:00 p.m.	NBC	L 24–14	1–2
[New York Giants](1981-new-york-giants-season)	Three Rivers Stadium	6:00 p.m.	WPXI	W 31–6	2–2

Regular season

Schedule

Pittsburgh Steelers	year=1981	border=2}}"	Week	Pittsburgh Steelers	year=1981	border=2}}"
September 6	[Kansas City Chiefs](1981-kansas-city-chiefs-season)	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 p.m.	NBC	L 37–33	0–1
	at [Miami Dolphins](1981-miami-dolphins-season)	Miami Orange Bowl	8:30 p.m.	ABC	L 30–10	0–2
September 20	[New York Jets](1981-new-york-jets-season)	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 p.m.	NBC	W 38–10	1–2
September 27	[New England Patriots](1981-new-england-patriots-season)	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 p.m.	NBC	W 27–21 (OT)	2–2
October 4	at [New Orleans Saints](1981-new-orleans-saints-season)	Louisiana Superdome	2:00 p.m.	NBC	W 20–6	3–2
October 11	[Cleveland Browns](1981-cleveland-browns-season)	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 p.m.	NBC	W 13–7	4–2
October 18	at [Cincinnati Bengals](1981-cincinnati-bengals-season)	Riverfront Stadium	1:00 p.m.	NBC	L 34–7	4–3
	[Houston Oilers](1981-houston-oilers-season)	Three Rivers Stadium	9:00 p.m.	ABC	W 26–13	5–3
November 1	[San Francisco 49ers](1981-san-francisco-49ers-season)	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 p.m.	CBS	L 17–14	5–4
November 8	at [Seattle Seahawks](1981-seattle-seahawks-season)	Kingdome	4:00 p.m.	NBC	L 24–21	5–5
November 15	at [Atlanta Falcons](1981-atlanta-falcons-season)	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	1:00 p.m.	NBC	W 34–20	6–5
November 22	at [Cleveland Browns](1981-cleveland-browns-season)	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	1:00 p.m.	NBC	W 32–10	7–5
November 29	[Los Angeles Rams](1981-los-angeles-rams-season)	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 p.m.	CBS	W 24–0	8–5
	at [Oakland Raiders](1981-oakland-raiders-season)	Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum	9:00 p.m.	ABC	L 30–27	8–6
December 13	[Cincinnati Bengals](1981-cincinnati-bengals-season)	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 p.m.	NBC	L 17–10	8–7
December 20	at [Houston Oilers](1981-houston-oilers-season)	Astrodome	4:00 p.m.	NBC	L 21–20	8–8

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1 (Sunday, September 6, 1981): vs. [[1981 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
Game weather: 67 °F, wind 5 mph
Game attendance: 53,305
Referee: Jim Tunney
TV announcers: (NBC) Bob Costas (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – Swann 18 pass from Bradshaw (kick failed)
Kansas City – Marshall 48 pass from Kenney (Lowery kick)
Kansas City – FG Lowery 35
Pittsburgh – Harris 7 run (kick failed)
Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Trout kick)
Kansas City – FG Lowery 40
Kansas City – Carson 53 pass from Kenney (Lowery kick)
Pittsburgh – Hawthorne 1 run (Trout kick)
Kansas City – FG Lowery 42
Kansas City – McKnight 3 run (Lowery kick)
Pittsburgh – Smith 41 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Kansas City – Howard 65 fumble return (Lowery kick)

Week 2 (Thursday, September 10, 1981): at [[1981 Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]]

at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida

Game time: 8:30 pm EDT
Game weather: 81 °F, wind 10 mph
Game attendance: 74,190
Referee: Red Cashion
TV announcers: (ABC) Frank Gifford (play by play), Fran Tarkenton & Howard Cosell (color commentators)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – FG Trout 23
Miami – Woodley 1 run (kick failed)
Miami – Franklin 1 run (von Schamann kick)
Pittsburgh – Smith 32 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Miami – Nathan 13 pass from Woodley (von Schamann kick)
Miami – Vigorito 87 punt return (von Schamann kick)
Miami – FG von Schamann 32

Week 3 (Sunday, September 20, 1981): vs. [[1981 New York Jets season|New York Jets]]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
Game weather: 59 °F, wind 17 mph
Game attendance: 52,973
Referee: Gordon McCarter
TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – Davis 9 run (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Trout 25
Pittsburgh – Pollard 23 run (Trout kick)
New York Jets – FG Leahy 47
Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 1 run (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – Pollard 1 run (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – Thornton 1 run (Trout kick)
New York Jets – McNeil 17 pass from Ryan (Leahy kick)

Week 4 (Sunday, September 27, 1981): vs. [[1981 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
Game weather: 68 °F, wind 17 mph
Game attendance: 53,344
Referee: Gene Barth
TV announcers: (NBC) Bob Costas (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – Cunningham 1 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
New England – Cavanaugh 1 run (Smith kick)
Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Trout kick)
New England – Collins 10 run (Smith kick)
New England – Morgan 12 pass from Cavanaugh (Smith kick)
Pittsburgh – Swann 24 pass from Bradshaw

Week 5 (Sunday, October 4, 1981): at [[New Orleans Saints]]

at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game time: 2:00 pm EDT
Game weather: Dome
Game attendance: 64,578
Referee: Jerry Seeman
TV announcers: (NBC) Sam Nover (play by play), Harmon Wages (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – Swann 16 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Trout 25
New Orleans – FG Ricardo 26
Pittsburgh – FG Trout 43
New Orleans – FG Ricardo 33
Pittsburgh – Stallworth 47 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)

Week 6 (Sunday, October 11, 1981): vs. [[1981 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
Game weather: 51 °F, wind 6 mph
Game attendance: 53,255
Referee: Ben Dreith
TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – Stallworth 9 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Trout 19
Cleveland – Newsome 29 pass from Sipe (Bahr kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Trout 23

Week 7 (Sunday, October 18, 1981): at [[1981 Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati Bengals]]

at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
Game weather: 57 °F, wind 20 mph
Game attendance: 57,090
Referee: Jerry Markbreit
TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

Cincinnati – FG Breech 27
Cincinnati – Johnson 3 run (Breech kick)
Cincinnati – FG Breech 23
Cincinnati – Verser 73 pass from Ken Anderson (Breech kick)
Cincinnati – Alexander 3 run (Breech kick)
Cincinnati – Johnson 5 pass from Ken Anderson (Breech kick)
Pittsburgh – Smith 17 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)

Week 8 (Monday, October 26, 1981): vs. [[1981 Houston Oilers season|Houston Oilers]]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game time: 9:00 pm EST
Game weather: 53 °F, wind 10 mph
Game attendance: 52,732
Referee: Fred Silva
TV announcers: (ABC) Frank Gifford (play by play), Don Meredith & Fran Tarkenton (color commentators)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – FG Trout 19
Pittsburgh – Smith 46 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Houston – FG Fritsch 34
Pittsburgh – FG Trout 19
Houston – Casper 52 pass from Stabler (Fritsch kick)
Houston – FG Fritsch 44
Pittsburgh – Stallworth 6 pass from Bradshaw (kick failed)
Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Trout kick)

Week 9 (Sunday, November 1, 1981): vs. [[1981 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game time: 1:00 pm EST
Game weather: 50 °F, wind 8 mph
Game attendance: 52,878
Referee: Bob Frederic
TV announcers: (CBS) Vin Scully (play by play), Hank Stram (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

San Francisco – Young 5 pass from Montana (Wersching kick)
San Francisco – FG Wersching 45
Pittsburgh – Blount 50 interception return (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – Smith 22 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
San Francisco – Easley 1 run (Wersching kick)

Week 10 (Sunday, November 8, 1981): at [[1981 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]]

at The Kingdome, Seattle, Washington

Game time: 4:00 pm EST
Game weather: Dome
Game attendance: 59,058
Referee: Dick Jorgensen
TV announcers: (NBC) Jay Randolph (play by play), Rocky Bleier (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – Harris 6 run (Trout kick)
Seattle – FG Herrera 37
Pittsburgh – Malone 90 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – Thornton 4 run (Trout kick)
Seattle – Doornink 44 pass from Zorn (Herrera kick)
Seattle – T. Brown 1 run (Herrera kick)
Seattle – T. Brown 1 run (Herrera kick)

Week 11 (Sunday, November 15, 1981): at [[1981 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]]

at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

Game time: 1:00 pm EST
Game weather: 53 °F, wind 11 mph
Game attendance: 57,485
Referee: Pat Haggerty
TV announcers: (NBC) Bob Costas (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – Cunningham 18 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – Stallworth 6 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Atlanta – Jackson 35 pass from Bartkowski (Luckhurst kick)
Pittsburgh – Stallworth 19 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Atlanta – FG Luckhurst 43
Pittsburgh – Grossman 14 pass from Bradshaw (kick blocked)
Atlanta – Jenkins 30 pass from Bartkowski (Luckhurst kick)
Pittsburgh – Swann 22 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Atlanta – FG Luckhurst 22

Week 12 (Sunday, November 22, 1981): at [[1981 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]]

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game time: 1:00 pm EST
Game weather: 30 °F, wind 15 mph
Game attendance: 77,958
Referee: Gene Barth
TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

Cleveland – FG Bahr 33
Pittsburgh – Hawthorne 1 run (kick failed)
Pittsburgh – Thornton 3 run (kick failed)
Cleveland – Logan 13 pass from Sipe (Bahr kick)
Pittsburgh – Harris 2 run (kick failed)
Pittsburgh – Pinney 1 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – Moser 5 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)

Week 13 (Sunday, November 29, 1981): vs. [[1981 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game time: 1:00 pm EST
Game weather: 33 °F, wind 12 mph
Game attendance: 51,854
Referee: Tom Dooley
TV announcers: (CBS) Vin Scully (play by play), Hank Stram (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – Swann 9 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 1 run (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Trout 21

Week 14 (Monday, December 7, 1981): at [[1981 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]]

at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California

Game time: 9:00 pm EST
Game weather: 56 °F, wind 7 mph
Game attendance: 51,769
Referee: Jim Tunney
TV announcers: (ABC) Frank Gifford (play by play), Don Meredith & Howard Cosell (color commentators)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – Cunningham 5 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick)
Oakland – Ramsey 25 pass from Wilson (Bahr kick)
Pittsburgh – Smith 19 pass from Malone (Trout kick)
Oakland – Whittington 17 pass from Wilson (Bahr kick)
Pittsburgh – Malone 11 run (kick failed)
Oakland – Chandler 36 pass from Wilson (kick failed)
Oakland – Watts 53 punt return (Bahr kick)
Oakland – FG Bahr 29
Pittsburgh – Smith 17 pass from Malone (Trout kick)

Week 15 (Sunday, December 13, 1981): vs. [[1981 Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati Bengals]]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game time: 1:00 pm EST
Game weather: 27 °F, wind 5 mph
Game attendance: 50,623
Referee: Red Cashion
TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – FG Trout 48
Cincinnati – FG Breech 38
Cincinnati – Curtis 2 pass from Ken Anderson (Breech kick)
Cincinnati – Kreider 22 pass from Ken Anderson (Breech kick)
Pittsburgh – Harris 2 pass from Malone (Trout kick)

Week 16 (Sunday, December 20, 1981): at [[1981 Houston Oilers season|Houston Oilers]]

at Astrodome, Houston, Texas

Game time: 4:00 pm EST
Game weather: Dome
Game attendance: 41,056
Referee: Bob McElwee
TV announcers: (NBC) Phil Stone (play by play), Gene Washington (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

Pittsburgh – FG Trout 40
Houston – Casper 15 pass from Nielsen (Fritsch kick)
Houston – Casper 23 pass from Nielsen (Fritsch kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Trout 37
Pittsburgh – Thornton 17 run (Trout kick)
Pittsburgh – Malone 2 run (Trout kick)
Houston – Casper 16 pass from Nielsen (Fritsch kick)

Standings

References

Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide 1982

References

(December 8, 1981). "BRADSHAW HURT AS RAIDERS TRIUMPH (Published 1981)".
"1981 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide".
"1982 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide".
"1981 Pittsburgh Steelers".

Info: Wikipedia Source

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