Pittsburgh Steelers 40th US football season
The1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 40th in theNational Football League .
Pittsburgh finished with an 11–3 record in1972 , their first winning season in 9 years (1963), and won their first-everAFC Central Division title. It was theSteelers' third-ever postseason appearance, first inten seasons (thePlayoff Bowl for third place in the league), and only its second playoff game since1947 . This season is famous for theImmaculate Reception , where the Steelers beat theOakland Raiders 13–7 in theplayoffs on a last second touchdown by rookie running backFranco Harris . But the momentum would not be enough to beat the Dolphins in the AFC Championship despite a strong season.
The rebuilding of the franchise that began in1969 with the hiring of head coachChuck Noll finally came to fruition in his fourth year. After winning only once in that first season, the Steelers then showed steady improvement. They broke through in 1972 and made the playoffs for the first time since 1947; their three losses were by a combined eleven points. The division title was the first in team history, as was the appearance in theAFC Championship game which they lost to the undefeatedMiami Dolphins 21–17. It was the first of eight consecutive playoff appearances for the Steelers that led to fourSuper Bowl championships.
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(February 2011 )
•Lionel Taylor - Receiver Coach
•Charlie Sumner - Linebacker Coach
• - Quarterback Coach
•Dick Hoak – Defensive backfield coach
•Bud Carson – Defensive backfield coach
•Bob Fry – Offensive line coach
•Lou Riecke - Strength Coach
•George Perles – Defensive line coach
Week 1: vs. Oakland Raiders [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total Raiders 0 7 0 21 28 •Steelers 14 3 10 7 34
Scoring summary 1 PIT Henry Davis 5-yard blocked punt return (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 7–0 1 PIT Terry Bradshaw 20-yard run (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 14–0 2 PIT Roy Gerela 48-yard field goal PIT 17–0 2 OAK Raymond Chester 26-yard pass fromGeorge Blanda (George Blanda kick)PIT 17–7 3 PIT Roy Gerela 8-yard field goal PIT 20–7 3 PIT Terry Bradshaw 2-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 27–7 4 OAK Mike Siani 24-yard pass fromDaryle Lamonica (George Blanda kick)PIT 27–14 4 PIT Ron Shanklin 57-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 34–14 4 OAK Don Highsmith 1-yard run (George Blanda kick)PIT 34–21 4 OAK Mike Siani 70-yard pass from Daryle Lamonica (George Blanda kick) PIT 34–28
The Steelers were able to start off against the Raiders at home scoring 17 unanswered points (2TDs/PATs and a FG) and eventually ended up defeating the team by 6 for a 34–28 victory and a 1–0 start.
Week 2: at Cincinnati Bengals [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 0 10 0 0 10 •Bengals 3 0 6 6 15
Scoring summary 1 CIN Horst Muhlmann 41-yard field goalCIN 3–0 2 PIT Terry Bradshaw 12-yard run (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 7–3 2 PIT Roy Gerela 17-yard field goal PIT 10–3 3 CIN Horst Muhlmann 32-yard field goal PIT 10–6 3 CIN Horst Muhlmann 20-yard field goal PIT 10–9 4 CIN Horst Muhlmann 32-yard field goal CIN 12–10 4 CIN Horst Muhlmann 34-yard field goal CIN 15–10
Week 3: at St. Louis Cardinals [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total •Steelers 3 12 0 10 25 Cardinals 0 6 6 7 19
Scoring summary 1 PIT Roy Gerela 17-yard field goalPIT 3–0 2 PIT Roy Gerela 20-yard field goal PIT 6–0 2 STL Jim Bakken 19-yard field goalPIT 6–3 2 PIT Terry Bradshaw 1-yard run (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 13–3 2 PIT Safety,Donny Anderson tackled byRalph Anderson in end zone PIT 15–3 2 STL Jim Bakken 44-yard field goal PIT 15–6 3 STL Donny Anderson 8-yard run (kick failed) PIT 15–12 3 PIT Roy Gerela 15-yard field goal PIT 18–12 4 STL Norm Thompson 8-yard blocked punt return (Jim Bakken kick)STL 19–18 4 PIT Frank Lewis 38-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 25–19
Week 4: at Dallas Cowboys [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 6 7 0 0 13 •Cowboys 3 7 7 0 17
Scoring summary 1 PIT Roy Gerela 39-yard field goalPIT 3–0 1 DAL Toni Fritsch 40-yard field goalTied 3–3 1 PIT Roy Gerela 39-yard field goal PIT 6–3 2 PIT Mel Blount 35-yard fumble return (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 13–3 2 DAL Calvin Hill 1-yard run (Toni Fritsch kick)PIT 13–10 3 DAL Ron Sellers 55-yard pass from Calvin Hill (Toni Fritsch kick)DAL 17–13
Week 5: vs. Houston Oilers [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total Oilers 7 0 0 0 7 •Steelers 0 10 7 7 24
Week 6: vs. New England Patriots [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total Patriots 0 0 3 0 3 •Steelers 10 7 13 3 33
Scoring summary 1 PIT Roy Gerela 19-yard field goalPIT 3–0 1 PIT Jack Ham 32-yard interception return (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 10–0 2 PIT Ron Shanklin 30-yard pass fromTerry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 17–0 3 PIT Roy Gerela 22-yard field goal PIT 20–0 3 NE Charlie Gogolak 16-yard field goalPIT 20–3 3 PIT Steve Davis 28-yard run (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 27–3 3 PIT Roy Gerela 35-yard field goal PIT 30–3 4 PIT Roy Gerela 33-yard field goal PIT 33–3
Week 7: at Buffalo Bills [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total •Steelers 0 17 7 14 38 Bills 0 0 7 14 21
Scoring summary 2 PIT Franco Harris 2-yard run (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 7–0 2 PIT Terry Bradshaw 2-yard run (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 14–0 2 PIT Roy Gerela 29-yard field goal PIT 17–0 3 BUF O.J. Simpson 94-yard run (John Leypoldt kick)PIT 17–7 3 PIT Franco Harris 18-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 24–7 4 BUF Bob Chandler 11-yard pass fromDennis Shaw (John Leypoldt kick)PIT 24–14 4 PIT Franco Harris 17-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 31–14 4 BUF Bob Chandler 4-yard pass from Dennis Shaw (John Leypoldt kick) PIT 31–21 4 PIT John Fuqua 4-yard run (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 38–21
Week 8: vs. Cincinnati Bengals [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total Bengals 0 0 14 3 17 •Steelers 10 16 7 7 40
Scoring summary 1 PIT John Fuqua 7-yard run (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 7–0 1 PIT Roy Gerela 15-yard field goal PIT 10–0 2 PIT Roy Gerela 22-yard field goal PIT 13–0 2 PIT Frank Lewis 28-yard pass fromTerry Bradshaw (kick failed)PIT 19–0 2 PIT Larry Brown 13-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 26–0 3 CIN Virgil Carter 1-yard run (Horst Muhlmann kick)PIT 26–7 3 PIT Frank Lewis 34-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 33–7 3 CIN Chip Myers 2-yard pass from Virgil Carter (Horst Muhlmann kick)PIT 33–14 4 PIT Franco Harris 2-yard run (Roy Gerela kick)PIT 40–14 4 CIN Horst Muhlmann 37-yard field goal PIT 40–17
Week 9: vs. Kansas City Chiefs [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total Chiefs 0 7 0 0 7 • Steelers 0 0 3 13 16
Scoring drives:
Kansas City –Kearney 65 interception return (Stenerud kick) – Chiefs 7–0 Pittsburgh – FGGerela 25 – Chiefs 7–3 Pittsburgh – FGGerela 10 – Chiefs 7–6 Pittsburgh – FGGerela 49 – Steelers 9–7 Pittsburgh –Harris 7 run (Gerela kick) – Steelers 16–7
Week 10: Cleveland Browns [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 3 7 7 7 24 • Browns 10 10 3 3 26
Scoring drives:
Week 11: vs. Minnesota Vikings [ edit ] Week 12: vs. Cleveland Browns [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total Browns 0 0 0 0 0 • Steelers 3 7 7 13 30
Date: Sunday, December 3Location: Three Rivers Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. localGame attendance: 50,350Game weather: 44 F, wind 14 mphReferee: Tommy Bell Franco Harris breaks Jim Brown's record for consecutive 100 yd games.
Scoring drives:
Week 13: at Houston Oilers [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total • Steelers 3 0 6 0 9 Oilers 0 3 0 0 3
Date: Sunday, December 10Location: Houston Astrodome Game start: 1:00 p.m. localGame attendance: 36,528Referee: John McDonoughScoring drives:
Pittsburgh – FGGerela 24 – Steelers 3–0 Houston – FGButler 34 – Tie 3–3 Pittsburgh – FGGerela 39 – Steelers 6–3 Pittsburgh – FGGerela 13 – Steelers 9–3 Steelers clinch their 1st playoff berth.
Week 14: San Diego Chargers [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total • Steelers 7 7 3 7 24 Chargers 2 0 0 0 2
The Pittsburgh Steelers clinched their first AFC Central Division title. The day before the game Frank Sinatra is inducted intoFranco's Italian Army .
Scoring drives:
AFC Divisional: vs. Oakland Raiders [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total Raiders 0 0 0 7 7 •Steelers 0 0 3 10 13
AFC Championship: vs. Miami Dolphins [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total • Dolphins 0 7 7 7 21 Steelers 7 0 3 7 17
Joe Tucker,Steelers Victory After Forty: The Inside Story of the Pittsburgh Steelers and How They Won the AFC Central Championship in 1972. New York: Exposition Press, 1973.
Formerly thePittsburgh Pirates (1933–1939)
Franchise Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Media Division championships (24) Conference championships (8) League championships (6) Retired numbers Hall of Fame members Current league affiliations
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