The1987 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 55th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of theNational Football League. The team improved from a 6–10 record from 1986 and finishing 8–7 record and fail to reach the playoffs for a third straight season. Noll was renowned as a stoic character, but in complete contrast was his reaction toJerry Glanville, the head coach of the Oilers. After the Steelers second meeting, Noll in the postgame handshake grabbed Glanville and told him he'd better watch out or he'd get jumped on. This was in reaction to Glanville's earlier comments on how the Oilers field was the 'house of pain' and his prediction that his players would intentionally hurt the Steelers.

1987 would also mark a "bridging the eras" moment in Steelers history, as 1987 would mark the final seasons ofHall of FamersJohn Stallworth andDonnie Shell while also being the rookie season of another future Hall of Famer,Rod Woodson. Alongside fellow Hall of FamerMike Webster (who would return for 1988), Stallworth and Shell were two of the final three players on the roster that had been part of all fourSuper Bowl-winning teams of the 1970s, while Woodson alongside fellow rookieGreg Lloyd (who would miss the 1987 season due to injuries) would be key members of the Steelers return to prominence in the 1990s.

The Steelers 1987 draft class, while not on the same level as their famous1974 draft class, would turn out to be one of their better draft classes and by far their best in the 1980s.

Although the Steelers wanted to draft Rod Woodson to help rebuild their secondary, the team expected Woodson to be drafted before their turn at tenth overall. Head coachChuck Noll instructed defensive coordinatorTony Dungy not to bother with a scouting report on Woodson due to his expected unavailability. However, the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to draft Woodson after theCleveland Browns traded for theSan Diego Chargers' fifth overall pick and subsequently used selection to draft linebackerMike Junkin, who was eventually a bust.^[1] TheSt. Louis Cardinals draftedKelly Stouffer (sixth overall) who ultimately never played for the Cardinals due to a contract dispute. TheBuffalo Bills were the last likely team to draft Woodson, but instead used the eighth overall pick to draft linebackerShane Conlan.^[2][3]

After the team lucked out on drafting Woodson, the team would get a solid starter (and eventual team Rookie of the Year) in fellow cornerDelton Hall, who would get more playing time than Woodson in 1987 due to the latter holding out for a bigger contract into the season. In addition to Woodson and Lloyd, the team also drafted future Pro BowlersThomas Everett andHardy Nickerson, as well as fullbackMerril Hoge, who would be a solid starter for several seasons and later gained fame as an analyst forESPN. On the undrafted front, the team signedDwight Stone, who would last 14 years in the NFL including eight in Pittsburgh.

After the league decided to use replacement players during theNFLPA strike, the following team was assembled:

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
• Game weather: 76 °F (24 °C) (Drizzle)
• Game attendance: 55,735
• Referee:Gordon McCarter
• TV announcers: (CBS)Jim Lampley (play by play),Ken Stabler (color commentator)
• Pittsburgh –Hall 50 fumble return (Anderson kick)
• San Francisco – FG Wersching 43
• Pittsburgh –Gothard 2 pass fromMalone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 50
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 41
• San Francisco – Frank 1 pass fromMontana (Wersching kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 44
• Pittsburgh –Abercrombie 28 run (Anderson kick)
• San Francisco –Rice 3 pass fromMontana (Wersching kick)

atCleveland Municipal Stadium,Cleveland, Ohio

• Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 79,543
• Referee:Gene Barth
• TV announcers: (NBC)Marv Albert (play by play),Joe Namath (color commentator)
• Cleveland – FG Jaeger 29
• Cleveland – Mack 1 run (Jaeger kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 27
• PIttsburgh –Shell 19 fumble return (Anderson kick)
• Cleveland – McNeil 11 pass from Kosar (Jaeger kick)
• Cleveland – FG Jaeger 23
• Cleveland – Matthews 26 interception return (Jaeger kick)
• Cleveland – Weathers 37 pass from Kosar (Jaeger kick)

Cancelled due toplayer's strike.

atAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium,Atlanta, Georgia

• Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 16,667
• Referee:Red Cashion
• TV announcers: (NBC)Mel Proctor (play by play),Reggie Rucker (color commentator)

This game was played with replacement players.

• Atlanta – FG Davis 27
• Pittsburgh –Jackson 1 run (Trout kick)
• Pittsburgh –Hairston 5 pass fromBono (Trout kick)
• Atlanta – Safety,Bono penalized for intentional grounding in end zone
• Pittsburgh –Bono 1 run (Trout kick)
• Pittsburgh –Clinkscales 11 pass fromCollier (Trout kick)
• Atlanta – Barney 19 pass from Van Raaphorst (Davis kick)

atAnaheim Stadium,Anaheim, California

• Game time: 4:00 PM EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 20,219
• Referee: Bob Frederic
• TV announcers: (NBC)Fred Roggin (play by play),Dave Lapham (color commentator)

This game was played with replacement players.

• Los Angeles Rams – Jackson recovered blocked punt in end zone (Lansford kick)
• Pittsburgh –Alston 22 pass fromBono (Trout kick)
• Pittsburgh –Carter 10 pass fromBono (Trout kick)
• Los Angeles Rams – White 2 run (Lansford kick)
• Los Angeles Rams – McDonald 1 pass from Dils (Lansford kick)
• Los Angeles Rams – Moore 11 pass from Dils (Lansford kick)
• Los Angeles Rams – FG Lansford 29
• Pittsburgh –Alston 42 pass fromCollier (Trout kick)

This game was played with replacement players.

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 PM EST
• Game weather: 49 °F (9 °C) (Mostly Cloudy)
• Game attendance: 53,692
• Referee:Fred Wyant
• TV announcers: (NBC)Don Criqui (play by play),Bob Trumpy (color commentator)
• Cincinnati – Kinnebrew 2 run (Breech kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 45
• Cincinnati – Martin 41 pass fromEsiason (Breech kick)
• Pittsburgh –Hall 25 run with lateral afterHinkle interception (Anderson kick)
• Cincinnati – Jennings 9 pass fromEsiason (kick failed)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 21
• Pittsburgh –Stallworth 12 pass fromMalone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 20

atJoe Robbie Stadium,Miami, Florida

• Game time: 1:00 PM EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 52,578
• Referee:Bob McElwee
• TV announcers: (NBC)Sam Nover (play by play),Michael Jackson (color commentator)
• Pittsburgh –Lockett 10 pass fromMalone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Shell 50 interception return (Anderson kick)
• Miami – Hardy 2 pass fromMarino (Reveiz kick)
• Pittsburgh –Pollard 1 run (Anderson kick)
• Miami – Clayton 41 pass fromMarino (Reveiz kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 43
• Miami – Duper 50 pass fromMarino (Reveiz kick)
• Miami – Clayton 33 pass fromMarino (Reveiz kick)
• Miami – Stradford 5 run (Reveiz kick)

atArrowhead Stadium,Kansas City, Missouri

• Game time: 1:00 PM EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 45,249
• Referee:Jim Tunney
• TV announcers: (NBC)Tom Hammond (play by play),Michael Jackson (color commentator)
• Kansas City – Maas 6 fumble return (Lowery kick)
• Pittsburgh –Carter 4 pass fromMalone (Anderson kick)
• Kansas City – FG Lowery 41
• Pittsburgh –Carter 26 pass fromMalone (Anderson kick)
• Kansas City – FG Lowery 27
• Kansas City – FG Lowery 38
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 44

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 PM EST
• Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C) (Partly Cloudy)
• Game attendance: 56,177
• Referee:Jerry Seeman
• TV announcers: (NBC)Marv Albert (play by play),Joe Namath (color commentator)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 22
• Houston – FG Zendejas 34
• Houston – Duncan 14 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)
• Houston – D. Hill 42 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)
• Houston – FG Zendejas 20
• Houston – FG Zendejas 40

atRiverfront Stadium,Cincinnati, Ohio

• Game time: 1:00 PM EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 59,910
• Referee:Fred Silva
• TV announcers: (NBC)Mel Proctor (play by play),Sam Rutigliano (color commentator)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 43
• Cincinnati – FG Breech 35
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 52
• Pittsburgh –Woodson 45 interception return (Anderson kick)
• Cincinnati – FG Breech 38
• Cincinnati – FG Breech 41
• Pittsburgh –Thompson 14 pass fromMalone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 46
• CIncinnati – Kinnebrew 2 run (Breech kick)
• Pittsburgh –Malone 42 run (Anderson kick)

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 PM EST
• Game weather: 48 °F (9 °C) (Overcast)
• Game attendance: 47,896
• Referee:Fred Wyant
• TV announcers: (CBS)Tim Brant (play by play),Hank Stram (color commentator)
• New Orleans – FG Andersen 25
• Pittsburgh – Woodruff 33 interception return (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Abercrombie 5 run (Anderson kick)
• New Orleans – Mayes 5 run (Andersen kick)
• New Orleans – Martin 19 pass from Hebert (Andersen kick)
• New Orleans – FG Andersen 32
• Pittsburgh – Safety, Hansen ran out of end zone

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 PM EST
• Game weather: 32 °F (0 °C) (Overcast)
• Game attendance: 48,881
• Referee:Gordon McCarter
• TV announcers: (NBC)Tom Hammond (play by play),Michael Jackson (color commentator)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 37
• Seattle – FG Johnson 33
• Seattle – Largent 12 pass from Krieg (pass failed)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 24
• Pittsburgh –Pollard 11 run (Anderson kick)

atJack Murphy Stadium,San Diego, California

• Game time: 4:00 PM EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 51,605
• Referee:Jim Tunney
• TV announcers: (NBC)Don Criqui (play by play),Bob Trumpy (color commentator)
• San Diego – Brandon recovered blocked punt in end zone (Abbott kick)
• San Diego – Safety, Ehin tackledMalone in end zone
• Pittsburgh –Pollard 8 run (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Malone 7 run (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 43
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 33
• San Diego – James 15 pass from Fouts (Abbott kick)

atAstrodome,Houston, Texas

• Game time: 1:00 PM EST
• Game weather: Dome
• Game attendance: 36,683
• Referee:Tom Dooley
• TV announcers: (NBC)Tom Hammond (play by play),Sam Rutigliano (color commentator)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 25
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 35
• Houston – Hill 52 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)
• Houston – FG Zendejas 34
• Pittsburgh –Malone 1 run (Anderson kick)
• Houston – Pinkett 5 run (Zendejas kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 20
• Houston – Hill 30 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 12:30 PM EST
• Game weather: 35 °F (2 °C) (Overcast)
• Game attendance: 56,394
• Referee:Dick Hantak
• TV announcers: (NBC)Don Criqui (play by play),Bob Trumpy (color commentator)
• Cleveland – FG Bahr 31
• Cleveland – Tennell 2 pass from Kosar (kick failed)
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 39
• Cleveland – FG Bahr 30
• Pittsburgh – FGAnderson 27
• Cleveland – Byner 2 run (Bahr kick)
• Pittsburgh –Gowdy 45 interception return (Anderson kick)

• 1987 Pittsburgh Steelers season at Profootballreference.com
• 1987 Pittsburgh Steelers season statistics at jt-sw.com

• Pittsburgh Steelers seasons
• 1987 NFL season by team
• 1987 in sports in Pennsylvania

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from August 2023
• Pages using NFL final roster with unknown parameters