1970 Pittsburgh Steelers season

The 1970 Pittsburgh Steelers improved from a league-worst 1–13 record the previous year, finishing with a 5–9 record and third place in the newly formed AFC Central. It was the NFL's weakest division that season, as the Steelers finished three games behind the division-winning Cincinnati Bengals--a team that was only in its third year of existence that season.

Offseason

Changes that occurred the year before continued for 1970.

As a result of the NFL-AFL merger being finalized for the 1970 season, three teams from the "old" NFL were moved to the newly formed AFC alongside the former AFL teams. The Steelers agreed to be one of them after their archrivals, the Cleveland Browns, volunteered to join the AFL franchises in the AFC. The Browns mainly joined because of the possibility of an intrastate rivalry with the AFL's Cincinnati Bengals (now known as the Battle of Ohio), largely due to the animosity at the time between Browns owner Art Modell and Bengals owner & coach Paul Brown, who was fired from the Browns by Modell after the 1962 season. The Steelers joined the AFC in order to keep the Browns-Steelers rivalry alive on a regular basis, due to the proximity of the cities of Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

Another change came in the draft. For the first time since 1956, the Steelers owned the number one selection in the draft after winning a coin toss with the Chicago Bears for the top pick, as the two teams had identical 1–13 records in 1969. (The Steelers would have won the tiebreaker under the modern NFL tiebreaker rules anyway, since the Bears' one win was against the Steelers in week 8 of that season.) Despite having selected Butler, Pennsylvania native Terry Hanratty the year before, the Steelers went with the consensus number one pick and selected Louisiana Tech quarterback Terry Bradshaw with the top pick. Later in the draft, the Steelers would select Southern University cornerback Mel Blount with their third round pick. Both Bradshaw and Blount would be key members of the Steelers' Super Bowl teams, and are now members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The final change for 1970 was planned years in advance, even if the Steelers didn't get the number one pick or if they had decided to stay with the "old" NFL teams to form the NFC: their home venue. The Steelers moved into the brand-new Three Rivers Stadium at the start of the season, the latest of the so-called "cookie-cutter" stadiums to open at the time. The Steelers lost to the Houston Oilers 19–7 in the first football game in the stadium, which had just opened that summer for the National League's Pittsburgh Pirates.

The opening of Three Rivers ended their relatively brief stay at Pitt Stadium, where they had only been playing at on a full-time basis for six years. Before that, the Steelers played most of their home games at Forbes Field, with occasional games being played at Pitt Stadium to take advantage of the larger capacity. The Steelers later returned the favor to the University of Pittsburgh in 2000 when the Pitt Panthers football team moved into Three Rivers for one season as an interim home before Heinz Field was ready in 2001. Pitt would also play their Backyard Brawl games against West Virginia in years Pitt hosted the game during the existence of Three Rivers.

WTAE-TV sportscaster Myron Cope joined the Steelers radio network as color commentator for the 1970 season. Cope remained a fixture of the Steelers radio network through the 2004 season and became beloved by fans due to his enthusiasm and catchphrases behind the announcing booth. In 1975, Cope invented the Terrible Towel, originally conceived as a gimmick in the Steelers playoff game against Baltimore and now a staple among Steelers fans.

Regular season

Schedule

Game summaries

Week 1 (Sunday September 20, 1970): Houston Oilers

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 45,538
• Referee: Walt Fitzgerald
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Houston – LeVias 22 pass from Johnson (Gerela kick) HOU 7–0
• Houston – LeVias 10 pass from Johnson (Gerela kick) HOU 14–0
• Houston – Safety, Bradshaw forced out of end zone by Pritchard HOU 16–0
• Houston – FG Gerela 8 HOU 19–0
• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 15 pass from Hanratty (Mingo kick) HOU 19–7

Steelers play first regular season game at new stadium. Terry Bradshaw makes NFL debut a bad one going 4 for 16 for 40 yds. Terry Bradshaw would also be caught for safeties in his first three games.

Week 2 (Sunday September 27, 1970): Denver Broncos

at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 50,705
• Referee: Jack Vest
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Denver – Crenshaw 1 run (Howfield kick) DEN 7–0
• Pittsburgh – Hoak 4 run (Mingo kick) T 7–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Mingo 9 PIT 10–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Mingo 13 PIT 13–7
• Denver – Safety, Washington tackled Bradshaw in end zone PIT 13–9
• Denver – Van Heusen 38 pass from Tensi (Howfield kick)DEN 16–13

Week 3 (Saturday October 3, 1970): Cleveland Browns

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 84,349
• Referee: George Rennix
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Cleveland – Safety, Bradshaw tackled in end zone by Snidow CLE 2–0
• Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 22 run (Mingo kick) PIT 7–2
• Cleveland – Morrison 53 pass from Phipps (kick failed)CLE 8–7
• Cleveland – Barnes 38 pass interception return (Cockroft kick) CLE 15–7

Week 4 (Sunday October 11, 1970): Buffalo Bills

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 42,140
• Referee: Bernie Ulman
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Mingo 28 PIT 3–0
• Buffalo – FG Guthrie 52 T 3–3
• Pittsburgh – Smith 6 pass from Hanratty (Mingo kick) PIT 10–3
• Buffalo – Simpson 4 run (Guthrie kick) T 10–10
• Pittsburgh – FG Mingo 49 PIT 13–10
• Pittsburgh – Pearson 2 run (Mingo kick) PIT 20–10
• Pittsburgh – FG Mingo 43 PIT 23–10

Week 5 (Sunday October 18, 1970): Houston Oilers

at the Houston Astrodome, Houston, Texas

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 42,799
• Referee: Bob Finley
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Houston – FG Gerela 34 HOU 3–0
• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 67 pass from Bradshaw (Mingo kick) PIT 7–3

Week 6 (Sunday October 25, 1970): Oakland Raiders

at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 54,423
• Referee: Norm Schachter
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Oakland – Chester 37 pass from Lamonica (Blanda kick) OAK 7–0
• Pittsburgh – Pearson 2 run (Mingo kick) T 7–7
• Oakland – Wells 44 pass from Blanda (Blanda kick) OAK 14–7
• Oakland – FG Blanda 27 OAK 17–7
• Oakland – Chester 19 pass from Blanda (Blanda kick) OAK 24–7
• Pittsburgh – Hughes 12 pass from Bradshaw (Mingo kick) OAK 24–14
• Oakland – Chester 43 pass from Blanda (Blanda kick) OAK 31–14

Week 7 (Monday November 2, 1970): Cincinnati Bengals

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 38,968
• Referee: Fred Swearingen
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Cincinnati – Crabtree 2 pass from Carter (Muhlmann kick) CIN 7–0
• Pittsburgh – Hughes 27 pass from Hoak (Mingo kick) T 7–7
• Cincinnati – FG Muhlmann 43 CIN 10–7
• Pittsburgh – Hughes 72 pass from Hanratty (Mingo kick) PIT 14–10
• Pittsburgh – Bankston 2 run (Mingo kick)PIT 21–10
• First Monday night football game played at Three Rivers Stadium.

Week 8 (Sunday November 8, 1970): New York Jets

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 50,028
• Referee: Walt Fitzgerald
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• New York Jets – FG Turner 17 NYJ 3–0
• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 1 run (Mingo kick) PIT 7–3
• Pittsburgh – Bankston 12 run (Mingo kick) PIT 14–3
• New York Jets – Mercein 15 pass from Woodall (Turner kick) PIT 14–10
• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 6 pass from Hanratty (Mingo kick) PIT 21–10
• New York Jets – Nock 1 run (Turner kick) PIT 21–17

Week 9 (Sunday November 15, 1970): Kansas City Chiefs

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 50,081
• Referee: John McDonough
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Kansas City – FG Stenerud 32 KC 3–0
• Kansas City – Cannon 20 pass from Dawson (Stenerud kick) KC 10–0
• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 2 run (Mingo kick) KC 10–7
• Kansas City – Cannon 8 pass from Dawson (Stenerud kick) KC 17–7
• Kansas City – Taylor 42 pass from Dawson (Stenerud kick) KC 24–7
• Pittsburgh – Staggers 7 pass from Bradshaw (Mingo kick) KC 24–14
• Kansas City – Holmes 2 run (Stenerud kick) KC 31–14

Week 10 (Sunday November 22, 1970): Cincinnati Bengals

at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 59,276
• Referee: Jack Reader
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Cincinnati – FG Muhlmann 17 CIN 3–0
• Cincinnati – FG Muhlmann 13 CIN 6–0
• Cincinnati – Carter 5 run (Muhlmann kick) CIN 13–0
• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 1 run (Mingo kick) CIN 13–7
• Cincinnati – Robinson 15 run (Muhlmann kick) CIN 20–7
• Cincinnati – Trumpy 53 pass from Carter (Muhlmann kick) CIN 27–7
• Cincinnati – Crabtree 10 pass from Carter (Muhlmann kick) CIN 34–7

Week 11 (Sunday November 29, 1970): Cleveland Browns

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 50,214
• Referee: Ben Dreith
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 8 pass from Hanratty (Watson kick) PIT 7–0
• Cleveland – FG Cockroft 16 PIT 7–3
• Cleveland – FG Cockroft 38 PIT 7–6
• Pittsburgh – Beatty 30 interception return (Watson kick) PIT 14–6
• Cleveland – FG Cockroft 46 PIT 14–9
• Pittsburgh -Shanklin 81 pass from Bradshaw (Watson kick) PIT 21–9
• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 57 pass from Bradshaw (Watson kick) PIT 28–9

Week 12 (Sunday December 6, 1970): Green Bay Packers

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 46,418
• Referee: Norm Schachter
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Green Bay – Krause 100 kickoff return (kick failed) GB 6–0
• Pittsburgh – FG Watson 15 GB 6–3
• Pittsburgh – Smith 87 pass from Bradshaw (kick failed) PIT 9–6
• Green Bay – McGeorge 13 pass from Starr (Livingston kick) GB 13–9
• Pittsburgh – FG Watson 45 GB 13–12
• Green Bay – Hilton 65 pass from Starr (Livingston kick) GB 20–12

Week 13 (Sunday December 13, 1970): Atlanta Falcons

at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 54,162
• Referee: Jack Vest
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Atlanta – Malone 5 pass from Johnson (Vinyard kick) ATL 7–0
• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 10 run (kick failed) ATL 7–6
• Pittsburgh – FG Watson 21 PIT 9–7
• Atlanta – FG Vinyard 35 ATL 10–9
• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 1 run (Watson kick) PIT 16–10
• Atlanta – FG Vinyard 17 PIT 16–13
• Atlanta – Mitchell 12 run (Vinyard kick)ATL 20–16
• Atlanta – Flatley 18 pass from Johnson (Vinyard kick) ATL 27–16

Week 14 (Sunday December 20, 1970): Philadelphia Eagles

at Franklin Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 55,252
• Referee: Bob Finley
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 72 run (Watson kick) PIT 7–0
• Philadelphia – Hawkins 21 pass from Snead (kick failed) PIT 7–6
• Philadelphia – Dirks recovered blocked kick in end zone (Moseley kick) PIT 13–7
• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 85 run (Watson kick) PIT 14–13
• Philadelphia – Ballman 19 pass from Snead (Moseley kick)PHI 20–14
• Pittsburgh – FG Watson 21 PHI 20–17
• Pittsburgh – FG Watson 17 T 20–20
• Pittsburgh – FG Watson 18 PIT 23–20
• Philadelphia – Watkins 1 run (Moseley kick) PHI 27–23

Standings

References