1982 Pittsburgh Steelers season

Steelers 50th Anniversary Logo

The 1982 Pittsburgh Steelers saw the team return to the playoffs after a two-year hiatus. This was also the Steelers 50th Anniversary season. Although the season was shortened as a result of the 1982 strike, the Steelers finished a strong 6–3 record, good enough for fourth in the AFC as a whole. Although division standings were thrown out as a result of the strike, the Steelers unofficially finished second in the AFC Central, one game behind defending AFC Champion Cincinnati.

The 1982 season is best remembered as the final seasons for Hall of Famers Lynn Swann and Jack Ham and the "unofficial" final season of fellow Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw, who would miss much of the 1983 season due to injuries before retiring. On the flip side, it would also be the first year of future Hall of Fame placekicker Gary Anderson and the first year of the team using a 3-4 defense, a style still used by the team as of 2011.

The Steelers would lose in the first round of the playoffs to the San Diego Chargers, in what would be the last home playoff game for the Steelers for the next ten years.

Offseason

The 1982 offseason was the start of a slow transition period for the team, as the defensive line was hit with key retirements in "Mean Joe" Greene and L. C. Greenwood. Partially due to the team losing two key players and partially due to the need to go up against a more wide-open NFL, head coach Chuck Noll switched from the traditional 4–3 defensive alignment (four lineman & three linebackers) to the 3–4 (three lineman & four linebackers). The Steelers would more than make a good transition to the 3–4, as many teams have since tried to copy the Steelers success with the 3–4 alignment, especially since 2001, when the Steelers were the only team in the NFL with the alignment but led the league in defense.

1982 did see the Steelers sign a rookie placekicker from Syracuse named Gary Anderson, claiming him off waivers from Buffalo just before the start of the season. Anderson would stay in Pittsburgh for the next 13 season and play an additional 10 with four other teams to become the Steelers' all-time leading scorer. He retired after the 2004 season as the NFL's all-time leading scorer, a record since surpassed by Morten Andersen.

Regular season

Schedule

Game summaries

Week 1 (Monday September 13, 1982): at Dallas Cowboys

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

• Game time: 9:00 pm EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 63,431
• Referee: Pat Haggerty
• TV announcers: (ABC) Frank Gifford (play by play), Don Meredith & Howard Cosell (color commentators)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 8 pass from Bradshaw (kick failed) 6–0
• Dallas – Pearson 4 pass from D. White (Septien kick) 7–6
• PIttsburgh – Smith 7 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick) 13–7
• Dallas – Cosbie 12 pass from D. White (Septien kick) 13–14
• Pittsburgh – Pollard 1 run (Anderson kick) 20–14
• Pittsburgh – Smith 15 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick) 27–14
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 26 30–14
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 43 33–14
• Dallas – T. Hill 45 pass from D. White (Septien kick )33–21
• Dallas – DuPree 5 pass from D. White (Septien kick) 33–28
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 40 36–28

Week 2 (Sunday September 19, 1982): vs. Cincinnati Bengals

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 59,973
• Referee: Jim Tunney
• TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 15 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Cincinnati – FG Breech 50
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 25
• Cincinnati – Johnson 1 run (Breech kick)
• Pittsburgh – Cunningham 2 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Cincinnati – Johnson 9 run (Breech kick)
• Cincinnati – FG Breech 31
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 42
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 2 pass from Bradshaw

Week 3 (Sunday September 26, 1982): vs. New York Giants

Cancelled due to player's strike

Week 4 (Sunday October 3, 1982): at Denver Broncos

Cancelled due to player's strike

Week 5 (Monday October 11, 1982): vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Cancelled due to player's strike

Week 6 (Sunday October 17, 1982): at Washington Redskins

Cancelled due to player's strike

Week 7 (Sunday October 24, 1982): vs. Cleveland Browns

Postponed due to player's strike

Week 8 (Sunday October 31, 1982): at Cincinnati Bengals

Cancelled due to player's strike

Week 9 (Sunday November 7, 1982): vs. Houston Oilers

Cancelled due to player's strike

Week 10 (Sunday November 14, 1982): vs. New York Jets

Cancelled due to player's strike

Week 11 (Sunday November 21, 1982): at Houston Oilers

at Astrodome, Houston, Texas

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather: Dome
• Game attendance: 42,338
• Referee: Dick Jorgensen
• TV announcers: (NBC) Jay Randolph (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 48
• Pittsburgh – Hawthorne 17 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Houston – FG Kempf 31
• Houston – Casper 9 pass from Nielsen (Kempf kick)
• Pittsburgh – Cunningham 17 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Smith 27 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)

Week 12 (Sunday November 28, 1982): at Seattle Seahawks

at The Kingdome, Seattle, Washington

• Game time: 4:00 pm EST
• Game weather: Dome
• Game attendance: 55,553
• Referee: Fred Silva
• TV announcers: (NBC) Charlie Jones (play by play), Len Dawson (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Seattle – FG N. Johnson 35
• Seattle – FG N. Johnson 48
• Seattle – FG N. Johnson 29
• Seattle – Johns 11 pass from Zorn (N. Johnson kick)

Week 13 (Sunday December 5, 1982): vs. Kansas City Chiefs

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 52,090
• Referee: Red Cashion
• TV announcers: (NBC) Jay Randolph (play by play), Bob Griese (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 3 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 74 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Hawthorne 5 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Kansas City – B. Jackson 1 run (Lowery kick)
• Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Anderson kick)
• Kansas City – Scott 3 pass from Fuller (Lowery kick)
• Pittsburgh – Thornton 2 run (Anderson kick)

Week 14 (Sunday December 12, 1982): at Buffalo Bills

at Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 58,391
• Referee: Pat Haggerty
• TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Buffalo – Leaks 1 run (Herrera kick)
• Buffalo – FG Herrera 34
• Buffalo – FG Herrera 19

Week 15 (Sunday December 19, 1982): at Cleveland Browns

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 67,139
• Referee: Jerry Markbreit
• TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Cleveland – FG Bahr 44
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 6 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Cleveland – Davis 1 run (Bahr kick)
• Pittsburgh – Safety, Cox ran out of end zone

Week 16 (Sunday December 26, 1982): vs. New England Patriots

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 50,515
• Referee: Tom Dooley
• TV announcers: (NBC) Bob Costas (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 21
• Pittsburgh – Pollard 1 run (Anderson kick)
• PIttsburgh – Stallworth 9 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 25
• New England – Dawson 23 pass from Cavanaugh (J. Smith kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 44
• New England – Morgan 75 pass from Cavanaugh (J. Smith kick)
• Pittsburgh – Hawthorne 46 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Abercrombie 1 run (Anderson kick)

Week 17 (Sunday January 2, 1983): vs. Cleveland Browns

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 53,312
• Referee: Ben Dreith
• TV announcers: (NBC) Bob Costas (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Pinney 3 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Cleveland – Feacher 1 pass from McDonald (Bahr kick)
• Pittsburgh – Rodgers 18 blocked punt return (run failed)
• Pittsburgh – Harris 6 run (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Smith 38 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Cleveland – Logan 8 pass from McDonald (Bahr kick)
• Cleveland – Feacher 12 pass from McDonald (Bahr kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 34
• Pittsburgh – Abercrombie 1 run (Anderson kick)

Standings

^[1]

Postseason

Game summary

Super Bowl Tournament: Round 1 (Sunday January 9, 1983): vs. San Diego Chargers

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 12:30 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 53,546
• Referee: Bob Frederic
• TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Ruff fumble recovery in end zone (Anderson kick)
• San Diego – FG Benirschke 25
• Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 1 run (Anderson kick)
• San Diego – Brooks 18 run (Benirschke kick)
• San Diego – Sievers 10 pass from Fouts (Benirschke kick)
• Pittsburgh – Cunningham 2 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 14 pass from Bradshaw (Anderson kick)
• San Diego – Winslow 8 pass from Fouts (Benirschke kick)
• San Diego – Winslow 12 pass from Fouts (Benirschke kick)

References