The1970 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 38th in theNational Football League. They improved from a league-worst 1–13 record the previous year, finishing with a 5–9 record and third place in the newly formedAFC Central. The Steelers began the decade in a new conference and a new stadium with a new quarterback. After nearly 40 years in the NFL they shifted to the AFC, to complete the merger between the NFL and AFL. It was theNFL’s weakest division that season, as the Steelers finished three games behind the first placeCincinnati Bengals — a team that was only in its third year of existence.

Coach Chuck Noll's reshaping of the squad fromthe previous season continued for 1970.

Undoubtedly the greatest change that took place was Chuck Noll's trade of the team's lone superstar, Roy Jefferson. Although Jefferson was among the league leaders in receiving in 1968 and 1969, despite playing with mediocre quarterbacks for the worst team in football, he was sent packing after being publicly vocal in criticizing team management.^[1] The trade sent Jefferson to Baltimore, where he earned a Super Bowl ring. Years later, Jefferson pinpointed what he had done to get traded.

"I was [in Baltimore] to make a statement. I wanted to show Pittsburgh they'd made a mistake in getting rid of me. I mean, I wasn't a “yes” man for coach Chuck Noll. If you cursed me, I cursed you back. I messed over the curfew rules a lot and, in training camp, I'd park my car in the coaches' spaces."^[2]

Hence, 1970 brought change with Ron Shanklin emerging as a steady receiver for the next few years untilJohn Stallworth andLynn Swann joined the team in 1974.^[3][4]

As a result of theNFL-AFL merger being finalized for the1970 season, three teams from the "old" NFL were moved to the newly formedAFC alongside the formerAFL teams. The Steelers agreed to be one of them after their archrivals, theCleveland 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'sCincinnati Bengals (now known as theBattle of Ohio), largely due to the animosity at the time between Browns ownerArt Modell and Bengals owner and coachPaul Brown, who was fired from the Browns by Modell after the 1962 season. The Steelers joined the AFC in order to keep theBrowns-Steelers rivalry alive on a regular basis, due to the proximity of the cities ofPittsburgh andCleveland.

Another change came inthe draft. For the first time since1956, the Steelers owned the number one selection in the draft after winning a coin toss with theChicago Bears for the top pick, as the two teams had identical 1–13 records in1969. (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.)

In the 1970 NFL Draft, only twoHall of Famers were selected in all seventeen Rounds and 442 Picks. These were 1st Round, 1st Pick selectionTerry Bradshaw, and 3rd Round, 53rd PickMel Blount. Both were part of the 1970s Steeler Dynasty, and both inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989. In his 14-year professional career, Bradshaw got off on a bumpy start from 1970 to 1975, and threw a career-high 24 interceptions and only 6 touchdown passes in 1970. In wasn't until 1976 that Bradshaw's career began to peak. Blount's career was an overall consistent one. In 1975, he intercepted 11 passes for 121 yards.

In 1966, the NFL agreed on a merger with the rivalAFL (American Football League). In 1970, the merger became final, as a result of the merger, the AFC (American Football Conference) featuring all the AFL teams and the NFC (National Football Conference) featuring all the "old" NFL teams. Two teams from the NFL were asked to join the AFL in the AFC,the Baltimore Colts, andthe Cleveland Browns (the Browns owner,Art Modell asked the NFL Commissioner,Pete Rozelle if he could join to play the Cincinnati Bengals in theBattle of Ohio). Upon hearing this,Art Rooney (Steelers Owner) asked Rozelle if he could join to keep theSteelers-Browns rivalry alive. So, the Steelers would begin playing in the AFC and would leave the Eagles rivalry and many others they had had playing the NFC teams. Also, the Steelers moved into the then state-of-the-art,Three Rivers Stadium and leftPitt Stadium. The new Three Rivers was one of the many "cookie-cutter" stadiums across the league and became an icon to Pittsburgh.

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

WTAE-TV sportscasterMyron Cope joined the Steelers radio network as color commentator for the 1970 season. Cope remained a fixture of the Steelers radio network through the2004 season and became beloved by fans due to his enthusiasm and catchphrases behind the announcing booth. In1975, Cope invented theTerrible Towel, originally conceived as a gimmick in the Steelers playoff game againstBaltimore and now a staple among Steelers fans.

Scoring drives:

• Houston –LeVias 22 pass fromJohnson (Gerela kick) HOU 7–0
• Houston –LeVias 10 pass fromJohnson (Gerela kick) HOU 14–0
• Houston – Safety,Bradshaw forced out of end zone byPritchard HOU 16–0
• Houston – FGGerela 8 HOU 19–0
• Pittsburgh –Shanklin 15 pass fromHanratty (Mingo kick) HOU 19–7

The Steelers played their first regular season game at the brand new Three Rivers Stadium. Terry Bradshaw made his NFL debut, but struggled, going 4 for 16 for 40 yds. Bradshaw was also sacked for a safety, the first of three consecutive games in which this would happen. With the loss, the Steelers dropped to 0-1.

Scoring drives:

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

With the loss, the Steelers fell to 0–2.

Scoring drives:

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

With the loss, the Steelers fell to 0–3.

Scoring drives:

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

The Steelers won their first game, improving to 1–3.

Scoring drives:

• Houston –Gerela 34-yard field goal – HOU 3–0
• Pittsburgh –Shanklin 67-yard pass fromBradshaw (Mingo kick) – PIT 7–3

With the win, the Steelers improved to 2–3 and split the regular season series with the Oilers.

Scoring drives:

• Oakland –Chester 37 pass fromLamonica (Blanda kick) OAK 7–0
• Pittsburgh –Pearson 2 run (Mingo kick) T 7–7
• Oakland –Wells 44 pass fromBlanda (Blanda kick) OAK 14–7
• Oakland – FGBlanda 27 OAK 17–7
• Oakland –Chester 19 pass fromBlanda (Blanda kick) OAK 24–7
• Pittsburgh –Hughes 12 pass fromBradshaw (Mingo kick) OAK 24–14
• Oakland –Chester 43 pass fromBlanda (Blanda kick) OAK 31–14

In the first of what would become many regular and postseason games between these two teams, the Steelers would lose their very first game to the Raiders as the team dropped to 2–4.

Scoring drives:

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

The Steelers won the very first game between them and the Bengals and the teams' record improved to 3–4.

Scoring drives:

• New York Jets – FGTurner 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 fromWoodall (Turner kick) PIT 14–10
• Pittsburgh –Fuqua 6 pass fromHanratty (Mingo kick) PIT 21–10
• New York Jets –Nock 1 run (Turner kick) PIT 21–17

With the win, the Steelers improved to 4–4.

Scoring drives:

• Kansas City – FGStenerud 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 fromBradshaw (Mingo kick) KC 24–14
• Kansas City –Holmes 2 run (Stenerud kick) KC 31–14

The game is infamously known for Dave Smith dropping the ball while attempting to score a touchdown. With the loss, the Steelers fell to 4–5.

Scoring drives:

• Cincinnati – FGMuhlmann 17 CIN 3–0
• Cincinnati – FGMuhlmann 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 fromCarter (Muhlmann kick) CIN 27–7
• Cincinnati –Crabtree 10 pass fromCarter (Muhlmann kick) CIN 34–7

In their first ever game in Cincinnati, the Steelers would lose it by 27 points as the team dropped to 4–6.

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh –Shanklin 8 pass fromHanratty (Watson kick) PIT 7–0
• Cleveland – FGCockroft 16 PIT 7–3
• Cleveland – FGCockroft 38 PIT 7–6
• Pittsburgh –Beatty 30 interception return (Watson kick) PIT 14–6
• Cleveland – FGCockroft 46 PIT 14–9
• Pittsburgh -Shanklin 81 pass fromBradshaw (Watson kick) PIT 21–9
• Pittsburgh –Fuqua 57 pass fromBradshaw (Watson kick) PIT 28–9

With the win, the Steelers improved to 5–6 and finished 3–3 in their division.

Scoring drives:

• Green Bay –Krause 100 kickoff return (kick failed) GB 6–0
• Pittsburgh – FGWatson 15 GB 6–3
• Pittsburgh –Smith 87 pass fromBradshaw (kick failed) PIT 9–6
• Green Bay –McGeorge 13 pass fromStarr (Livingston kick) GB 13–9
• Pittsburgh – FGWatson 45 GB 13–12
• Green Bay –Hilton 65 pass fromStarr (Livingston kick) GB 20–12

With the loss, the Steelers dropped to 5-7 on the year. This would be their last home loss to Green Bay until2025.

Scoring drives:

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

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh –Fuqua 72 run (Watson kick) PIT 7–0
• Philadelphia –Hawkins 21 pass fromSnead (kick failed) PIT 7–6
• Philadelphia –Dirks recovered blocked kick in end zone (Moseley kick) PHI 13–7
• Pittsburgh –Fuqua 85 run (Watson kick) PIT 14–13
• Philadelphia –Ballman 19 pass fromSnead (Moseley kick)PHI 20–14
• Pittsburgh – FGWatson 21 PHI 20–17
• Pittsburgh – FGWatson 17 T 20–20
• Philadelphia – FGMoseley 18 PHI 23–20
• Philadelphia –Watkins 1 run (Moseley kick) PHI 30–20

John Fuqua would run for 218 yards

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

• 1970 Pittsburgh Steelers season at Profootballreference.com
• 1970 Pittsburgh Steelers season statistics at jt-sw.com

• Pittsburgh Steelers seasons
• 1970 NFL season by team
• 1970 in sports in Pennsylvania
• 1970 in Pittsburgh

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