The1996 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 64th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of theNational Football League.

This was Bill Cowher's fifth season as head coach of the Steelers, which resulted in yet another trip to the playoffs for the team, as Pittsburgh won the AFC Central championship for the fourth time under Cowher.

The team's 10–6 record was not enough to earn the Steelers a first-round bye. In their first playoff game, a rematch of the previous year's AFC Championship Game, the Steelers defeated theIndianapolis Colts, 42–14. The following their season would come to a halt as the Steelers lost to theNew England Patriots, 28–3.

This would be the final season that the team wore block numerals, the next year they would switch to rounded numerals where it has remained ever since.

Notable additions include Jerome Bettis, Earl Holmes and Carlos Emmons.

Week	Date	Opponent	Game Site	Kickoff(ET)	TV	Result	Record
1	July 27	vs.San Diego Chargers	Tokyo Dome(Tokyo, Japan)	10:00 p.m.	ESPN	L 20–10	0–1
2	August 3	St. Louis Rams	Three Rivers Stadium	6:00 p.m.	WPXI	W 16–10	1–1
3	August 11	atGreen Bay Packers	Lambeau Field	8:00 p.m.	TNT	L 24–17	1–2
4	August 17	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Three Rivers Stadium	6:00 p.m.	WPXI	W 13–3	2–2
5	August 23	atPhiladelphia Eagles	Veterans Stadium	7:30 p.m.	WPXI	L 20–19	2–3

atAlltel Stadium,Jacksonville, Florida

• Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 70,210
• Referee:Bob McElwee
• TV announcers: (NBC)Marv Albert (play by play),Sam Wyche (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• Jacksonville – Jackson 38 pass fromBrunell (Hollis kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 48
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 29
• Jacksonville –McCardell 15 pass fromBrunell (Hollis kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 23
• Jacksonville – FG Hollis 52
• Jacksonville –J. Stewart 1 run (Hollis kick)

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
• Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C) (Partly Sunny)
• Game attendance: 57,241
• Referee:Gerry Austin
• TV announcers: (NBC)Marv Albert (play by play),Sam Wyche (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh –Woodson 43 interception return (Johnson kick)
• Baltimore –Testaverde 6 run (Stover kick)
• Pittsburgh –Bettis 1 run (Johnson kick)
• Baltimore –Alexander 17 pass fromTestaverde (Stover kick)
• Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 5 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Hastings 20 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)
• Baltimore – FGStover 29
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 35

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 9:00 pm EDT
• Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C) (Cloudy)
• Game attendance: 59,002
• Referee:Larry Nemmers
• TV announcers: (ABC)Al Michaels (play by play),Frank Gifford &Dan Dierdorf (color commentators)

Scoring drives:

• Buffalo – FGChristie 31
• Pittsburgh –Bettis 1 run (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 30
• Pittsburgh –Bettis 43 run (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Lake 47 interception return (Johnson kick)
• Buffalo – FGChristie 45

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
• Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C) (Mostly Sunny)
• Game attendance: 58,608
• Referee:Tom White
• TV announcers: (NBC)Don Criqui (play by play),Beasley Reece (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh –Stewart 16 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 33
• Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 62 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 36
• Houston – Davis 4 pass from Chandler (Del Greco kick)
• Houston – Lewis 36 interception return (Del Greco kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGN. Johnson 36
• Pittsburgh – Perry 13 interception return (Johnson kick)
• Houston – Safety, Edge ran out of end zone

atArrowhead Stadium,Kansas City, Missouri

• Game time: 9:00 pm EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 79,189
• Referee: Howard Roe
• TV announcers: (ABC)Al Michaels (play by play),Frank Gifford &Dan Dierdorf (color commentators)

Scoring drives:

• Kansas City –Allen 6 run (Stoyanovich kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 21
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 32
• Pittsburgh –Bettis 5 run (Bruener pass fromTomczak)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 43

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
• Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C) (Partly Sunny)
• Game attendance: 58,875
• Referee:Gary Lane
• TV announcers: (NBC)Charlie Jones (play by play),Randy Cross (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 33
• Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 19
• Pittsburgh –Stewart 32 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 22
• Pittsburgh –Woodson 42 fumble return (Johnson kick)
• Cincinnati – Pickens 3 pass from Blake (Pelfrey kick)

atAstrodome,Houston, Texas

• Game time: 4:00 pm EDT
• Game weather: Dome
• Game attendance: 50,337
• Referee:Red Cashion
• TV announcers: (NBC)Don Criqui (play by play),Beasley Reece (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• Houston – FGDel Greco 22
• Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 70 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 26
• Houston – FGDel Greco 32
• Houston – FGDel Greco 48
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 29
• Houston – W. Davis 34 pass from Chandler (Del Greco kick)
• Houston –George 2 run (Del Greco kick)

atGeorgia Dome,Atlanta, Georgia

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather: Dome
• Game attendance: 58,760
• Referee:Ron Blum
• TV announcers: (NBC)Dan Hicks (play by play),Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 27
• Atlanta – Tobeck 1 pass fromHebert (Andersen kick)
• Atlanta – FGAndersen 41
• Pittsburgh –Hastings 112 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Bettis 1 run (Johnson kick)
• Atlanta – Emanuel 4 pass fromHebert (Andersen kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 20

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather: 38 °F (3 °C) (Partly Sunny)
• Game attendance: 58,148
• Referee:Jerry Markbreit
• TV announcers: (FOX)Joe Buck (play by play),Bill Maas (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh –Bettis 3 run (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Bettis 50 run (Johnson kick)
• Saint louis – FGLohmiller 25
• Pittsburgh –Stewart 7 run (Johnson kick)
• Saint louis – FGLohmiller 27
• Pittsburgh-Pegram 91 kickoff return (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Stewart 2 run (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Pegram 17 run (Johnson kick)

atCinergy Field,Cincinnati, Ohio

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 57,265
• Referee:Mike Carey
• TV announcers: (NBC)Don Criqui (play by play),Beasley Reece (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 32
• Pittsburgh- FGJohnson 46
• Pittsburgh –Bettis 6 run (Johnson kick)
• Cincinnati – Carter 1 run (Pelfrey kick)
• Pittsburgh –Stewart 1 run (Johnson kick)
• Cincinnati – Dunn 90 kickoff return (Pelfrey kick)
• Pittsburgh –Bettis 1 run (Johnson kick)
• Cincinnati – Bieniemy 33 run (Pelfrey kick)
• Cincinnati – Carter 12 pass from Blake (Pelfrey kick)
• Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 34

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C) (Cloudy)
• Game attendance: 58,879
• Referee:Bernie Kukar
• TV announcers: (NBC)Jim Lampley (play by play),Bob Golic (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh –Thigpen 12 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Bettis 3 run (Johnson kick)
• Jacksonville – FG Hollis 40
• Pittsburgh –Lake 85 fumble return (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Thigpen 28 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)

atPro Player Stadium,Miami, Florida

• Game time: 9:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 73,849
• Referee:Walt Coleman
• TV announcers: (ABC)Al Michaels (play by play),Frank Gifford &Dan Dierdorf (color commentators)

Scoring drives:

• Miami – McDuffie 2 pass fromMarino (Nedney kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 47
• Miami – Jackson 61 interception return (Nedney kick)
• Pittsburgh- Lester 5 run (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Stewart 5 run (Johnson kick)
• Miami – FGNedney 41
• Pittsburgh – Mills 20 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)

atMemorial Stadium,Baltimore, Maryland

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 51,882
• Referee:Red Cashion
• TV announcers: (NBC)Jim Lampley (play by play),Bob Golic (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• Baltimore –Ogden 1 pass fromTestaverde (Stover kick)
• Pittsburgh –Hastings 30 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh- FGJohnson 22
• Baltimore –Alexander 24 pass from Testaverd (Stover kick)
• Baltimore – Byner 7 run (Stover kick)
• Baltimore – FGStover 40
• Pittsburgh –Hastings 5 pass from Tomzak (Johnson kick)
• Baltimore – Green 3 pass fromTestaverde (Stover kick)

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather: 40 °F (4 °C) (Partly Sunny)
• Game attendance: 56,368
• Referee:Gerry Austin
• TV announcers: (NBC)Tom Hammond (play by play),Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 49
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 39
• Pittsburgh –Hastings 11 pass from Tomzak (Johnson kick)
• San Diego – FG Carney 25
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 21

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather: 38 °F (3 °C) (Partly Sunny)
• Game attendance: 59,823
• Referee:Bob McElwee
• TV announcers: (FOX)Pat Summerall (play by play),John Madden (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• San Francisco –Rice 4 pass fromS. Young (Wilkins kick)
• San Francisco – Safety, B. Young sackedTomczak in end zone
• San Francisco –Rice 4 pass fromS. Young (Wilkins kick)
• San Francisco – Owens 20 pass fromS. Young (kick failed)
• Pittsburgh –Bettis 1 run (C. Johnson pass fromTomczak)
• San Francisco – FG Wilkins 22
• Pittsburgh –Stewart 42 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)

atEricsson Stadium,Charlotte, North Carolina

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 72,217
• Referee:Dick Hantak
• TV announcers: (NBC)Don Criqui (play by play),Beasley Reece (color commentator)

Scoring drives:

• Carolina – Walls 9 pass fromCollins (Kasay kick)
• Carolina – Safety,Tomczak intentional grounding in end zone
• Pittsburgh –Hastings 6 pass fromTomczak (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Stewart 80 run (Johnson kick)
• Carolina – FGKasay 35
• Carolina – FGKasay 30
• Carolina – FGKasay 29

atThree Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 12:30 pm EST
• Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C) (Partly Cloudy)
• Game attendance: 58,078
• Referee:Ed Hochuli
• TV announcers: (NBC)Dick Enberg (play by play),Phil Simms &Paul Maguire (color commentators)

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 29
• Pittsburgh –Stewart 1 run (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 50
• Indianapolis – Daniel 59 interception return (Blanchard kick)
• Indianapolis – Bailey 9 pass from Harbaugh (Blanchard kick)
• Pittsburgh –Bettis 1 run (Farquhar pass fromStewart)
• Pittsburgh-Bettis 1 run (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Witman 31 run (Johnson kick)
• Pittsburgh –Stewart 3 run (Johnson kick)

atFoxboro Stadium,Foxborough, Massachusetts

• Game time: 12:30 pm EST
• Game weather: 40 °F (4 °C) (Fog)
• Game attendance: 60,188
• Referee:Bernie Kukar
• TV announcers: (NBC)Marv Albert (play by play),Sam Wyche &Randy Cross (color commentators)

Scoring drives:

• New England –Martin 2 run (Vinatieri kick)
• New England – Byars 34 pass fromBledsoe (Vinatieri kick)
• New England –Martin 78 run (Vinatieri kick)
• Pittsburgh – FGJohnson 29
• New England –Martin 23 run (Vinatieri kick)

• No. 26Rod Woodson-Cornerback
• No. 36Jerome Bettis-Running Back
• No. 37Carnell Lake-Safety
• No. 63Dermontti Dawson-Center
• No. 94Chad Brown-Outside Linebacker
• No. 99Levon Kirkland-Inside Linebacker

• 1996 Pittsburgh Steelers season at Pro Football Reference
• 1996 Pittsburgh Steelers season statistics at jt-sw.com

• Pittsburgh Steelers seasons
• 1996 NFL season by team
• AFC Central championship seasons
• 1996 in sports in Pennsylvania

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