The1978 Pittsburgh Steelers season was thefranchise's 46th season in theNational Football League (NFL). The season concluded with the team winningSuper Bowl XIII to become the first franchise in the NFL to win threeSuper Bowl titles.^[1] The championship run was led byquarterbackTerry Bradshaw and the team's vauntedSteel Curtain defense. This team is regarded as one of the greatest defensive teams of all time and one of the greatest teams in NFL history. Bradshaw put together the best year of his career to that point, becoming only the second Steeler to win theNFL MVP award. Ten Steelers players were named to thePro Bowl team, and four were judged as first-teamAll-Pros by the AP. Head coachChuck Noll returned for his tenth season—moving him ahead ofWalt Kiesling as the longest tenured head coach in theteam's history to that point.^[2]

The Steelers entered the season as defending champions of theAFCCentral Division, coming off a 9–5 record in1977.^[3] Their two losses were by a combined 10 points. Despite winning their division, the previous season was a difficult one for the team (both on and off the field) which culminated in adivision round playoff loss to theDenver Broncos on Christmas Eve.

The team began the 1978 season with seven straight victories, a franchise-best start to a season that stood for42 years, before losing to theHouston Oilers in prime time onMonday Night Football. They finished the season with a league-best 14–2 record, including a 5-game winning streak to close the season. This record assured them they would play athome throughout the1978 playoffs. It was also the best record compiled in the team's history (since surpassed only by a 15–1 mark in2004).^[4]

The 1978 Steelers team was rated the thirty-fifth best team in the history of the NFL (to September 2015) byFiveThirtyEight, a polling aggregation and statistical service. The rating is based upon FiveThirtyEight's proprietaryElo rating system algorithm. Only two Steelers teams were rated higher: the1975 team at twelfth and the2005 team one slot ahead of the 1978 team at thirty-fourth.^[5]

In 2007, the 1978 Steelers were ranked as the 3rd greatest Super Bowl champions on theNFL Network's documentary seriesAmerica's Game: The Super Bowl Champions, with team commentary fromRocky Bleier,Mel Blount,Randy Grossman andJoe Greene, and narrated byBruce Willis. They also were #3 on the 100 greatest teams of all time presented by the NFL on its 100th anniversary.^[6][7] For that, commentary was provided by actorJon Hamm, radio personalityJon Hein, and playersTony Dungy,Franco Harris,Ed "Too Tall" Jones andLynn Swann.

The NFL instituted several major changes for the 1978 season. Chief among these were the extension of the regular season and playoff expansion. The regular season was extended from 14 to 16 games, with an offsetting decrease in the number of preseason games from six to four. Two playoff slots were added expanding the field from eight teams to ten, with each conference adding a secondwild card entrant.^[11]

Additionally, several rules were changed to help open up the offense, particularly the passing game.^[12] One rule which prohibited defenders from contacting receivers more than five yards from the line of scrimmage, came to be known as the "Mel Blount rule" after the Steelers notably physicalcornerback.^[13] Another rule allowedoffensive linemen to use their hands inblocking.^[14]

The rule changes upset coach Noll, who years later said of the teams who supported the changes,

They ganged up on us the way they legislated the rules. People were trying to win a championship through legislation. I don't think you do that. ... But whatever the rules are, you have to adjust to them and play with them. ... When they changed the rules Terry (Bradshaw) took advantage and his passing game blossomed. And all that happened to Mel (Blount) is that he got more interceptions.^[15]

In the end, though, the Steelers were one of the quickest teams to adjust to the new rules; the team's offense benefited more from the changes than the defense was hampered by them. The rule changes catalyzed the team's transition from a power running game to more of an air attack.^[16]

The Steelers coaching staff went through a number of changes after the 1977 season. Principle among these was the loss of Chuck Noll's top assistant,Bud Carson, who had served as the team'sdefensive coordinator since1973.^[17] Carson interviewed for thehead coaching vacancy at his alma mater, theUniversity of North Carolina.,^[18] and was also a candidate for theSt. Louis Cardinals top coaching job. When he didn't land either of those positions (the Tar Heels hiredDick Crum, and the Cardinals lured legendaryOklahoma Sooners coachBud Wilkinson out of retirement after 14 seasons as an analyst for ABC college football broadcasts) he decided to take a job as thedefensive backs coach of theLos Angeles Rams (Carson was hired byGeorge Allen, who was fired after two exhibition games; defensive coordinatorRay Malavasi was named Allen's successor).^[17]Defensive line coachGeorge Perles added the defensive coordinator role to his responsibility with the line.^[19]

Offensive line coachDan Radakovich, who had served in that capacity with the Steelers since1974, resigned to take a position as thedefensive coordinator of theSan Francisco 49ers.^[20][21] Radakovich was credited with turning the Pittsburgh Steelers line into one of the league's best.^[22]Rollie Dotsch was hired to replace Radakovich. Dotsch had recently been let go along with the rest of theDetroit Lions coaching staff.^[23] He had coached the Lionslinebackers theprevious season.^[24]

In the team's final coaching change of the offseason,Dick Walker was hired to coach the defensive backs.^[25] Walker had previously served in a similar role with theNew England Patriots.^[19]

Several players who played significant roles in the Steelers recent success would not return for 1978. Among the departed were:

• defensive tackleErnie Holmes (traded to theTampa Bay Buccaneers for 10th and 11th round picks in the1978 draft)^[26]
• guardJim Clack (traded to theNew York Giants along with wide receiverErnie Pough in exchange for offensive linemanJohn Hicks)^[27]
• wide receiverFrank Lewis (traded to theBuffalo Bills for tight endPaul Seymour)^[28]
• running backReggie Harrison (cut)^[29]
• safetyJimmy Allen (traded to theDetroit Lions for a fourth-round selection in the1979 draft)^[30][31]
• safetyGlen Edwards (traded to theSan Diego Chargers for a 1979 6th rounder).^[31][32]

Several of these moves were made in the name of eliminating "distractions". Ernie Holmes, Jimmy Allen and Glen Edwards had all had contract disputes which saw them leave the team for brief periods during the previous season.^[33] Holmes, Edwards and Frank Lewis had all lost their starting jobs.^[34] None of the moves brought the Steelers a player who had a significant impact on the team in 1978.

The Frank Lewis trade was a complete flop for the Steelers. Paul Seymour failed his physical when the Steelers learned he'd had surgery on both arches within the past five months. His rehabilitation from the surgery was not complete and he was unable to run.^[35] Seymour was returned to the Bills who released him, and the two teams failed to work out any other compensation for Lewis.^[28] Lewis was the Steelers first round draft choice in1971, but was unlikely to have made the Steelers roster anyway due to the ascendancy ofJohn Stallworth oppositeLynn Swann and the training camp performance of the youngerJim Smith andRandy Reutershan.^[34][36] Lewis did have some football left in him; he made the1982 Pro Bowl for the Bills.^[37]

The Jim Clack trade also netted the Steelers nothing when John Hicks was injured in the pre-season and placed on the injured reserve list. Meanwhile, both Clack and Ernie Pough made the Giant's 45-man roster, Clack as a starter on the offensive line, where he would be directly involved with that season'sMiracle at the Meadowlands between the Giants andPhiladelphia Eagles.^[38] Longtime Steelers beat writerEd Bouchette called the Lewis and Clack trades Chuck Noll's "two worst trades in his 23 seasons with the Steelers."^[39]

In addition to the players traded away and cut,J. T. Thomas was lost for the season to a blood disorder known asBoeck's Sarcoidosis.^[40] Thomas had been the team's starting left cornerback (oppositeMel Blount) and his loss coupled with the Jimmy Allen trade left the team thin at the cornerback position.^[25]

Finally, longtime punterBobby Walden retired, leavingRocky Bleier as the last player on the roster who was with the team prior to the arrival of Noll in 1969. Walden, who had turned 40 in the offseason and was the team's oldest player, was replaced byCraig Colquitt, who like Walden would go on to a successful tenure with the team.

The 1978 NFL Draft was held on May 2–3, in the ballroom of theRoosevelt Hotel in New York City.^[41] The Steelers selected fourteen players.^[42] They also traded their selection in the fifth round (pick 128 overall) to theGreen Bay Packers fordefensive tackleDave Pureifory^[43] (Pureifory was later traded during training camp to theNew England Patriots for their sixth-round selection in the1979 draft).^[44] Coming out of the draft it appeared that the team had addressed perceived needs at punter, defensive back, defensive line and running back.^[43]

Notes:

^a pick fromSt. Louis Cardinals forMarv Kellum^[45][46]

^b pick fromTampa Bay Buccaneers forErnie Holmes^[26][46]

The 1978 season began with some controversy, when players were caught wearing shoulder pads in off-season drills in violation of league rules. The infraction occurred during a late May rookie camp and was uncovered and reported byPittsburgh Press reporterJohn Clayton.^[47]

Clayton was not the paper's regular Steelersbeat writer at the time, but was just filling in that day.^[49] While the practice in which the violation occurred was closed to the media by head coach Chuck Noll, Clayton uncovered the story in interviews with players whom he found wearing pads in the locker room.^[47] Clayton contacted the league office for clarification on the rule, which stated that teams must have "no contact work or use of pads (except helmets) in an off-season training camp."^[47][49]

The story caused an uproar among the team's local fanbase, with most of the vitriol directed at Clayton for reporting the story, rather than at Noll and the team for breaking the rule.^[49][50] This sentiment was stoked by Noll's angry reaction to the story, in which he referred to the reporting as "espionage."^[48] Even some members of the local media spoke of Clayton as a traitor to the Steeler cause.^[51]

The precedent for punishment of such a rule violation was set by an earlier incident for which theGreen Bay Packers were stripped of a fourth-round draft pick. The Packers were able to argue at that time that they were unaware of the rule they broke. The Steelers had no such defense, since the team's president,Dan Rooney, was instrumental in negotiations to get the "no pads" rule included in the collective bargaining agreement with the league's players.^[52]

NFL commissionerPete Rozelle eventually stripped the Steelers of their third-round selection in the1979 draft for the transgression.^[53]

After putting the distractions of the1977 season and Shouldergate behind them, the Steelers had a very productive training camp in 1978.All-Prodefensive endJoe Greene noted the renewed focus, saying

The biggest difference in this camp compared to last year is that this camp is about football, not gossip. Everything that's happening in this camp is about football. That's not saying we’re going to go out there and kick butts, but that's saying we’re going to be going about our business, what we’re being paid for.^[54]

The Steelers exhibition schedule did not start off smoothly, despite coming away with a 22–10 victory against theBaltimore Colts. Starting quarterbackTerry Bradshaw suffered a broken nose on ascramble in the first quarter of the game. In addition, the kicking game was unimpressive and the team committed a considerable number ofpenalties including three personal fouls.^[55]

The second pre-season game against theAtlanta Falcons was the Steelers' lone home exhibition contest. The defense led the way, as they had so many times in the team's back-to-back championship seasons in1974 and1975. The defensive strength was illustrated in the first quarter when a blocked punt gave the Falcons the ball on the Steelers three-yard line. After failing to gain yardage on two running plays, the Falcons' third-down pass was intercepted byDonnie Shell (one of five Steelers interceptions on the evening). The Falcons' offense was held scoreless, their only points in the 13–7 loss came off a fumble recovery.^[56]

The next game, against theNew York Giants, was a completely different story. The game seemed to be over almost before it started when the Giants scored on a 78-yard touchdown pass in just the second play of the evening. The Giants went on to control the game en route to a 13–6 victory over the listless and mistake-prone Steelers. Coach Noll said of the opening score, "We didn't recover, and that's not a good sign. They outdid us all down the line. They hit harder."^[57]

In the fourth and final pre-season game, the Steelers' defense once again played well, but the offense was the weak link in a 16–13 loss to theDallas Cowboys (in what would turn out to be a preview of theSuper Bowl XIII matchup). The Steelers had difficulty running the ball, with six players combining for just 101 yards on 29 rushing attempts. Despite the offensive sluggishness, the Steelers led 13–3 after three quarters. Unfortunately, the defense was worn out (they faced a staggering 82 plays in the game) and they gave up two touchdown passes toRoger Staubach in the fourth quarter. The lack of offensive rhythm ledTerry Bradshaw to comment, "I feel terrible. I'm concerned. It's easy to say that it'll come. But I don't want to go into theBuffalo game worried about the offense. ... If you looked at this, you'd have to say we have a lot of work to do."^[58]

At the end of the preseason, the Steelers were listed byoddsmakers atHarrah's casino in Las Vegas as 5–1 to win theAmerican Football Conference (AFC). The favorites were theOakland Raiders at 7–5, followed by theNew England Patriots at 3–1 and then the Steelers andBaltimore Colts at 5–1.^[59]

The Steelers came into the season opener as heavy favorites over theBuffalo Bills, who were 2–12 in 1976 and 3-11 in 1977. TheSteel Curtain defense was dominant early, holding the Bills to just 59 total yards and only six first downs in first three quarters of play. New defensive coordinatorGeorge Perles employed theblitz to a much greater degree than the team had in the past.^[61] BillsquarterbackJoe Ferguson, who was coming off a knee injury suffered in the exhibition season, struggled with just three completions and 20 yards on ten passing attempts before being pulled from the game.^[62]

Meanwhile, the Steelers scored two second-quarter touchdowns, the first coming on a throw fromTerry Bradshaw toJohn Stallworth. Stallworth caught three passes of twenty yards or longer in the Steelers first two possessions.^[62] The Steelers second score came on a one-yard plunge byFranco Harris. When the Steelers scored again on aSidney Thornton rush at the start of the fourth quarter to go up 21–0, the game appeared to be all but over.^[62]

However, Seahawks castoffBill Munson came into the game in relief of Ferguson and sparked the Bills, playing their first game under new coachChuck Knox, to two quick scores that brought the Bills to within 11 points. The Steelers put the game away with a 73-yard drive capped by Bradshaw's second touchdown of the game.^[62]

This game marked the second ever meeting between the Steelers and theSeattle Seahawks, who were playing in just their third NFL season. The Seahawks entered the game hoping to stop the Steelers running game – while that effort was largely successful the Steelers and quarterbackTerry Bradshaw won with the passing game.^[65] After a scoreless first quarter, the Steelers took a 14–0 lead which they wouldn't relinquish on a pair of Bradshaw touchdown passes.^[63] LinebackerJack Lambert led the Steelers defense with an interception, a fumble recovery and five solo tackles.^[63]

The first quarter saw Bradshaw injure his throwing hand when he jammed his index finger on a helmet.^[65] However, he played through the soreness and threw the two second-quarter scoring passes toLynn Swann andSidney Thornton. The Seahawks scored on aDavid Sims rushing touchdown to stay within one score at halftime. The Seahawks caught the Steelers off guard with a successfulonside kick following the Sims score, however the subsequent drive ended in a missed field goal.^[63] In the third quarter, the Seahawks narrowed the lead to just four points off anEffren Herrera field goal.^[63]

At the start of the fourth quarterFranco Harris, who was hampered in the game by a bruised thigh, was stopped less than a yard short of the goal line on a third down play. CoachChuck Noll initially sent the field-goal team on, but after a timeout he reconsidered and sent the offense back out. Harris ran behind the rightguard and pushed the ball across the plane of the goalline before being pushed back. The play was ruled a touchdown, though the Seahawks disputed the call.^[65]

The win gave the Steelers a 2–0 record – a mark they had achieved only once since1956.^[63]

The Steelers entered the third week 2–0 and favored to win, though one sportswriter called the Steelers "convincing but not overpowering", and noted that they had not beaten thepoint spread in either of their first two games.^[67]

The Bengals came into the game without their starting quarterback,Ken Anderson who was nursing a broken finger.^[68] Steelers running backFranco Harris busted through the Bengals3–4 defense for a 37-yard gain on the game's first offensive play. Five plays later,Rocky Bleier scored on a 5-yard run and the Steelers never looked back.^[68] The Steelers didn't punt for the first time until the end of the third quarter and they dominated statistically.^[69] Center Mike Webster noted, "From the first play on, everything worked."^[68]

The Steelers players were beginning to feel that the team might be once again approaching the level of the Super Bowl teams. Bleier said after the game, "At some point, I don't know when, people are going to start saying, 'Hey, it's the Steelers again.'"^[69] When asked about his performance through the first three games, Bradshaw admitted he was playing the best football of his life, saying, "Yes and I don't know why, but I don't even want to find out. Whatever it is, maybe, it'll last all year. Maybe it will be one of those dream years people have been wantin' me to have."^[68] LinebackerJack Lambert stated, "We're playing well and we've got a good attitude. Last year was no good. This is good."

Coach Noll tried to tamp down expectations, saying "We're happy to be there. We'll take any kind of crumbs we can get."^[68] But even he had to admit that, "It was a good day for us."^[68] He added, "Our football team is functioning with a pretty good concept of what it's all about, what it takes. Things aren't out of perspective at all."^[70]

The 28–3 final was the Steelers largest ever margin over the Bengals, eclipsing the27–3 win from1974.^[68] The 3–0 start to the season was only the third in the franchise's history and they stood tied atop theAFC Central division with theCleveland Browns.^[69]

The Steelers and Browns came into their week four matchup tied atop the AFC Central standings, but Cleveland was without their four-time Pro Bowl running backGreg Pruitt who had been hospitalized by a leg contusion. The Browns had never previously won in the two teams' eight previous meetings in Three Rivers Stadium. Coach Noll predicted, however, that the Browns would remain competitive without Pruitt, going so far as to say that the game "is their Super Bowl."^[74]

The Browns contained the Steelers offense all game, and after four quarters the game was tied at 9 with neither team managing to score a touchdown in regulation. The Browns had two apparent scores nullified by penalty: a 61-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter was called back when it was ruled that Browns quarterbackBrian Sipe had crossed the line of scrimmage prior to releasing the ball and later a 17-yard pass was nullified by a holding penalty.^[75] AHail Mary attempt by the Browns on the final play of the fourth quarter was intercepted by Steelers defensive backTony Dungy.^[76]

The Steelers won theovertime coin toss and chose to receive the kickoff.^[77] On the kickoff, SteelersreturnerLarry Anderson lost the ball as he was being tackled. While the Browns felt that Anderson had fumbled (and replays later showed that it probably was a fumble), the officials ruled that Anderson was down and the play had been whistled dead before he lost the ball. Steelers retained possession at their 21-yard line.^[78] A few plays later, the Steelers were forced into a fourth down situation just over mid-field with 1 yard to go. Coach Noll chose to go for the conversion, which was gained by a shortFranco Harris run. When asked about the decision Noll said, "It wasn't that much of a gamble, especially when the players had such a strong conviction of going for it – when you want something you try that much harder to attain your goal."^[73]

A few plays after the fourth-down conversion, a Steelerstrick play turned out to be the game's final decisive play. On the play, Terry Bradshaw handed off to running backRocky Bleier who gave the ball to wide receiverLynn Swann on an apparentreverse. Swann, however, pitched the ball back to quarterbackTerry Bradshaw who completed a 37-yard pass to tight endBennie Cunningham for the decisive touchdown.^[77] Coach Noll revealed after the game that theflea flicker was actually a part of the team's specific game-plan for the Browns saying, "It was called high school right. We resurrected it this week and worked on it Wednesday and Thursday in practice."^[73]

The win brought the Steelers to 5–0 which was the best start to a season in the franchise's history.^[81]

The game proceeded as scheduled despite the murders of San Francisco MayorGeorge Moscone and SupervisorHarvey Milk by former SupervisorDan White earlier in the day.Dianne Feinstein, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, became Mayor upon Moscone's death.

The Steelers defeated the 49ers 27–0 at Three Rivers Stadium onMonday Night Football to open the previous season.

Passing

Rushing

Receiving

Kicking

Punting

Kick Return

Punt Return

Defense & Fumbles

Scoring Summary

Team

Quarter-by-quarter

On a wet, slick, and slippery field, the Steelers dominated the Oilers by forcing 9 turnovers and only allowing 5 points. Pittsburgh took the early lead by driving 57 yards to score on running back Franco Harris' 7-yard touchdown run. Then, linebacker Jack Ham recovered a fumble at the Houston 17-yard line, which led to running back Rocky Bleier's 15-yard rushing touchdown.

In the second quarter, a 19-yard field goal by Oilers kicker Toni Fritsch cut the score 14–3, but then the Steelers scored 17 points during the last 48 seconds of the second quarter. First, Houston running back Ronnie Coleman lost a fumble, and moments later Pittsburgh wide receiver Lynn Swann caught a 29-yard touchdown reception. Then Johnnie Dirden fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which led to Steelers wide receiver John Stallworth's 17-yard reception. After the Oilers got the ball back, Coleman fumbled again, and Roy Gerela kicked a field goal to increase Pittsburgh's lead, 31–3. Houston would never pose a threat for the rest of the game as they turned over the ball 4 times in their 6 second-half possessions.

The Steelers won 35-31

Several Steelers players received individual honors in recognition of their play during the 1978 season. Terry Bradshaw swept the season's Most Valuable Player (MVP) recognition, earning both the regular season and Super Bowl honors as well as the team's internal MVP award. The team led the league with ten players selected to the1979 Pro Bowl (a full quarter of the 40-playerAFC squad).^[121] Among the Pro Bowlers were three offensive and two defensive starters. Eight Steeler performers were recognized asAll-NFL by various publications and four others madeAll-Conference squads.^[122]

The following players were selected to represent the AFC in the Pro Bowl.^[121] The team was selected on the basis of ballots submitted by each of the conference's 14 head coaches as well as a consensus of voting by each team's players.^[123]

¹Mike Wagner was originally announced as the reserve safety, but an error in the tabulation of the ballots was uncovered and Donnie Shell was named to the team instead.^[124]

The following players were named toAll-NFL or All-Conference squads designated by one or more of several publications and groups who identified the players judged to be the top performers of the1978 season.^[122]

• Terry Bradshaw, Steelers MVP (selected by a vote of the team's players)^[125]
• Bradshaw,Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award^[126]
• Bradshaw,Super Bowl MVP^[118]
• Bradshaw,Bert Bell Award^[127]
• Bradshaw led league in touchdown passes (28).^[128]
• Bradshaw tied withDan Fouts to lead league in yards per pass attempt (7.9 yds) .^[128]

• Fewest points scored against in league (195 points).^[129]
• Surrenderedzero first-quarter touchdowns in the regular season.^[16]

• History of the Pittsburgh Steelers
• List of Pittsburgh Steelers seasons
• List of Super Bowl champions