1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season

1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head coach	Chuck Noll
Owner	Art Rooney
Home field	Three Rivers Stadium
Results
Record	12–2
Division place	1st AFC Central
Playoff finish	Won Super Bowl X (Cowboys) 21–17
Pro Bowlers	11 CB Mel Blount QB Terry Bradshaw S Glen Edwards DT Joe Greene DE L. C. Greenwood LB Jack Ham RB Franco Harris LB Jack Lambert LB Andy Russell WR Lynn Swann S Mike Wagner
AP All-Pros	7 Mel Blount (1st team) L. C. Greenwood (1st team) Jack Ham (1st team) Franco Harris (2nd team) Joe Greene (2nd team) Jack Lambert (2nd team) Lynn Swann (2nd team)
Team MVP	Mel Blount
Timeline
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The 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 43rd in the National Football League.

The team entered the 1975 season defending their AFC Central and Super Bowl IX titles from the 1974 season. Throughout the 1975 season they not only improved on their 10–3–1 record from the previous year, but once again won the AFC Central Division Title and their second franchise championship, in Super Bowl X.

During the team's divisional round playoff game against the Baltimore Colts, sportscaster Myron Cope urged fans to bring yellow dish towels to the game with them in order to support the team. The gimmick, originally a one-shot deal, was a surprise hit, and a longtime Steeler tradition, the Terrible Towel, was invented.

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Game Site
1	Sunday September 21	at San Diego Chargers	W 37–0	San Diego Stadium
2	Sunday September 28	Buffalo Bills	L 30–21	Three Rivers Stadium
3	Sunday October 5	at Cleveland Browns	W 42–6	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
4	Sunday October 12	Denver Broncos	W 20–9	Three Rivers Stadium
5	Sunday October 19	Chicago Bears	W 34–3	Three Rivers Stadium
6	Sunday October 26	at Green Bay Packers	W 16–13	Lambeau Field
7	Sunday November 2	at Cincinnati Bengals	W 30–24	Riverfront Stadium
8	Sunday November 9	Houston Oilers	W 24–17	Three Rivers Stadium
9	Sunday November 16	Kansas City Chiefs	W 28–3	Three Rivers Stadium
10	Monday November 24	at Houston Oilers	W 32–9	Houston Astrodome
11	Sunday November 30	at New York Jets	W 20–7	Shea Stadium
12	Sunday December 7	Cleveland Browns	W 31–17	Three Rivers Stadium
13	Sunday December 14	Cincinnati Bengals	W 35–14	Three Rivers Stadium
14	Saturday December 20	at Los Angeles Rams	L 10–3	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Game summaries

Week 1

1 2 3 4 Total • Steelers 10 10 3 14 37 Chargers 0 0 0 0 0 Date: September 21 Location: San Diego Stadium • San Diego, California Game attendance: 35,853 Referee: Gordon McCarter

Scoring summary 1 PIT Roy Gerela 29 yard field goal Steelers 3-0 1 PIT Frank Lewis 40 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 10-0 2 PIT Gerry Mullins recovered fumble in end zone (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 17-0 2 PIT Roy Gerela 25 yard field goal Steelers 20-0 3 PIT Roy Gerela 38 yard field goal Steelers 23-0 4 PIT John Stallworth 38 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 30-0 4 PIT Mike Collier 7 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 37-0

Week 2

1 2 3 4 Total • Bills 0 10 13 7 30 Steelers 0 0 7 14 21 Date: September 28 Location: Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game attendance: 49,438 Referee: Pat Haggerty

Scoring summary 2 BUF John Leypoldt 37 yard field goal Bills 3-0 2 BUF Mike Kadish 26 yard fumble return (John Leypoldt kick) Bills 10-0 3 BUF Reuben Gant 7 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (John Leypoldt kick) Bills 17-0 3 BUF O.J. Simpson 88 yard run (kick failed) Bills 23-0 3 PIT Franco Harris 2 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Bills 23-7 4 BUF Bob Chandler 28 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (John Leypoldt kick) Bills 30-7 4 PIT Randy Grossman 20 yard pass from Joe Gilliam (Roy Gerela kick) Bills 30-14 4 PIT Franco Harris 1 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Bills 30-21

O.J. Simpson ran for 227 yards, including an 88 yard touchdown run, as the Bills upset the Steelers. Buffalo also scored on a lateral return after a Terry Bradshaw fumble. The Bills opened the game with 23 unanswered points. The Steelers made a second half comeback behind Joe Gilliam (Bradshaw was benched), but it wasn't enough.

Week 3

1 2 3 4 Total • Steelers 7 21 0 14 42 Browns 0 0 0 6 6 Date: October 5 Location: Cleveland Municipal Stadium • Cleveland, Ohio Game attendance: 73,217 Referee: Ben Dreith

Scoring summary 1 PIT John Stallworth 3 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 7-0 2 PIT Franco Harris 1 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 14-0 2 PIT Mike Collier 1 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 21-0 2 PIT Lynn Swann 43 yard pass from Joe Gilliam (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 28-0 4 CLE McKinnis 7 yard run (kick failed) Steelers 28-6 4 PIT Reggie Garrett 45 yard pass from Joe Gilliam (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 35-6 4 PIT Reggie Harrison 3 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 42-6

Week 4

1 2 3 4 Total Broncos 3 6 0 0 9 • Steelers 7 10 0 6 23 Date: October 12 Location: Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game attendance: 49,164 Referee: Dick Jorgensen

Scoring summary 1 DEN Jim Turner 22 yard field goal Broncos 3-0 1 PIT Lynn Swann 43 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 7-3 2 PIT Lynn Swann 9 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 14-3 2 PIT Roy Gerela 39 yard field goal Steelers 17-3 2 DEN Jim Turner 39 yard field goal Steelers 17-6 2 DEN Jim Turner 36 yard field goal Steelers 17-9 4 PIT Roy Gerela 28 yard field goal Steelers 20-9 4 PIT Roy Gerela 30 yard field goal Steelers 23-9

Week 5

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 0 3 0 0 3 • Steelers 0 10 10 14 34 Date: October 19 Location: Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game attendance: 47,579 Referee: Norm Schachter

Scoring summary 2 CHI Bob Thomas 32 yard field goal Bears 3-0 2 PIT Roy Gerela 37 yard field goal Tie 3-3 2 PIT Reggie Harrison 1 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 10-3 3 PIT Roy Gerela 18 yard field goal Steelers 13-3 3 PIT Franco Harris 3 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 20-3 4 PIT Rocky Bleier 3 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 27-3 4 PIT Terry Bradshaw 1 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 34-3

Week 6

1 2 3 4 Total • Steelers 3 10 0 3 16 Packers 0 6 7 0 13 Date: October 26 Location: Milwaukee County Stadium • Milwaukee, Wisconsin Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game attendance: 52,258 Game weather: 44°F • Wind 12 Referee: Terry Silva

Scoring summary 1 PIT Roy Gerela 19 yard field goal Steelers 3-0 2 GB John Brockington 2 yard run (kick blocked) Packers 6-3 2 PIT Mike Collier 94 yard kickoff return (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 10-6 2 PIT Roy Gerela 19 yard field goal Steelers 13-6 3 GB John Brockington 5 yard run (Joe Danelo kick) Tie 13-13 4 PIT Roy Gerela 29 yard field goal Steelers 16-13

Week 7

1 2 3 4 Total • Steelers 0 10 13 7 30 Bengals 3 0 0 21 24 Date: November 2 Location: Riverfront Stadium • Cincinnati, Ohio Game attendance: 58,418 Game weather: Tommy Bell

Scoring summary 1 CIN Dave Green 23 yard field goal Bengals 3-0 2 PIT Roy Gerela 42 yard field goal Tie 3-3 2 PIT Lynn Swann 37 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 10-3 3 PIT Rocky Bleier 3 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 17-3 3 PIT Lynn Swann 25 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (kick failed) Steelers 23-3 4 CIN Charlie Joiner 34 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Dave Green kick) Steelers 23-10 4 CIN Essex Johnson 3 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Dave Green kick) Steelers 23-17 4 PIT Terry Bradshaw 1 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 30-17 4 CIN Chip Myers 22 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Dave Green kick) Steelers 30-24

Week 8

1 2 3 4 Total Oilers 0 7 3 7 17 • Steelers 10 7 0 7 24 Date: November 9 Location: Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game attendance: 49,460 Referee: Jim Tunney

Scoring summary 1 PIT Roy Gerela 22 yard field goal Steelers 3-0 1 PIT Lynn Swann 8 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 10-0 2 HOU Ronnie Coleman 3 yard run (Skip Butler kick) Steelers 10-7 2 PIT Larry Brown 6 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 17-7 3 HOU Skip Butler 48 yard field goal Steelers 17-10 4 HOU Fred Willis 1 yard run (Skip Butler kick) Tie 17-17 4 PIT John Stallworth 21 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 24-17

Week 9

1 2 3 4 Total Chiefs 0 3 0 0 3 • Steelers 0 7 14 7 28 Date: November 16 Location: Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game attendance: 48,803 Referee: Bernie Ulman

Scoring summary 2 KC Jan Stenerud 32 yard field goal Chiefs 3-0 2 PIT Lynn Swann 42 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 7-3 3 PIT Reggie Harrison 10 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 14-3 3 PIT John Stallworth 16 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 21-3 4 PIT Mike Collier 21 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 28-3

Week 10

1 2 3 4 Total • Steelers 2 13 3 14 32 Oilers 0 3 0 6 9 Date: Houston Astrodome • Houston, Texas Location: November 24 Game attendance: 49,947 Referee: Bob Frederic TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell, and Alex Karras

Scoring summary 1 PIT Safety, Dan Pastorini tackled by Dwight White in end zone Steelers 2-0 2 HOU Skip Butler 27 yard field goal Oilers 3-2 2 PIT Franco Harris 4 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 9-3 2 PIT Lynn Swann 18 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (kick failed) Steelers 15-3 3 PIT Roy Gerela 30 yard field goal Steelers 18-3 4 PIT John Fuqua 13 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 25-3 4 HOU Ken Burrough 59 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (kick failed) Steelers 25-9 4 PIT Franco Harris 13 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 32-9

Week 11

1 2 3 4 Total • Steelers 0 10 10 0 20 Jets 0 0 0 7 7 Date: November 30 Location: Shea Stadium • Flushing, New York Game attendance: 52,618 Referee: Cal Lepore

Scoring summary 2 PIT Roy Gerela 26 yard field goal Steelers 3-0 2 PIT Franco Harris 44 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 10-0 3 PIT Frank Lewis 8 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 17-0 3 PIT Roy Gerela 19 yard field goal Steelers 20-0 4 NYJ Jerome Barkum 6 yard pass from Joe Namath (Pat Leahy kick) Steelers 20-7

Week 12

1 2 3 4 Total Browns 3 14 0 0 17 • Steelers 7 3 14 7 31 Date: December 7 Location: Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game attendance: 47,962 Game weather: 31°F • Wind 11 Referee: Pat Haggerty

Scoring summary 1 CLE Don Cockroft 26 yard field goal Browns 3-0 1 PIT Franco Harris 3 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 7-3 2 CLE Greg Pruitt 1 yard run (Don Cockroft kick) Browns 10-7 2 CLE Willie Miller 17 yard fumble return (Don Cockroft kick) Browns 17-7 2 PIT Roy Gerela 32 yard field goal Browns 17-10 3 PIT Lynn Swann 3 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Tie 17-17 3 PIT Lynn Swann 18 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 24-17 4 PIT Franco Harris 8 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 31-17

Week 13

1 2 3 4 Total Bengals 0 7 0 7 14 • Steelers 14 7 7 7 35 Date: December 13 Location: Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania Game start: 12:30 p.m. Game attendance: 48,889 Game weather: 45 °F (7 °C), wind 8 mph Referee: Ben Dreith

Scoring summary 1 PIT Lynn Swann 3 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 7-0 1 PIT J.T. Thomas 21 yard fumble return (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 14-0 2 CIN Stan Fritts 1 yard run (Dave Green (American football) Steelers 14-7 2 PIT Franco Harris 10 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 21-7 3 PIT Terry Bradshaw 7 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 28-7 4 PIT Franco Harris 2 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 35-7 4 CIN Isaac Curtis 1 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Dave Green kick) Steelers 35-14

Pittsburgh swept all six games in the AFC Central division.

Week 14

1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 3 0 0 0 3 • Rams 0 3 0 7 10 Date: December 20 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, California Game attendance: 69,389 Referee: Tommy Bell

Scoring summary 1 PIT Roy Gerela 20 yard field goal Steelers 3-0 2 LA Tom Dempsey 26 yard field goal Tie 3-3 4 LA Ron Jaworski 5 yard run (Tom Dempsey kick) Rams 10-3

Standings

AFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA
Pittsburgh Steelers(1)	12	2	0	.857	6–0	10–1	373	162
Cincinnati Bengals(4)	11	3	0	.786	3–3	8–3	340	246
Houston Oilers	10	4	0	.714	2–4	7–4	293	226
Cleveland Browns	3	11	0	.214	1–5	2–8	218	372

Postseason

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	TV	Game Site
Divisional	Saturday December 27	Baltimore Colts	W 28–10	NBC	Three Rivers Stadium
Championship	Sunday January 4	Oakland Raiders	W 16–10	NBC	Three Rivers Stadium
Super Bowl X	Sunday January 18	Dallas Cowboys	W 21–17	CBS	Miami Orange Bowl

Game summaries

Divisional

1 2 3 4 Total Colts 0 7 3 0 10 • Steelers 7 0 7 14 28 Date: December 27 Location: Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game start: 12:30 p.m. EST Game attendance: 49,557 Referee: Pat Haggerty Television network: NBC

Scoring summary 1 PIT Franco Harris 8 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 7-0 2 BAL Glenn Doughty 5 yard pass from Marty Domres (Toni Linhart kick) Tie 7-7 3 BAL Toni Linhart 21 yard field goal Colts 10-7 3 PIT Rocky Bleier 7 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 14-10 4 PIT Terry Bradshaw 2 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 21-10 4 PIT Andy Russell 93 yard fumble return (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 28-10

• Franco Harris gained 152 yds rushing one yard less than the Baltimore Colts offense. Andy Russell set a record for elapsed time on a fumble return.

AFC Championship

1 2 3 4 Total Raiders 0 0 0 10 10 • Steelers 0 3 0 13 16 Date: January 4 Location: Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game start: 12:30 p.m. EST Game attendance: 50,609 Game weather: 16°F Referee: Ben Dreith TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy, Al DeRogatis, and Don Meredith

Scoring summary 2 PIT Roy Gerela 36 yard field goal Steelers 3-0 4 PIT Franco Harris 25 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) Steelers 10-0 4 OAK Mike Siani 14 yard pass from Ken Stabler (George Blanda kick) Steelers 10-7 4 PIT John Stallworth 20 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (kick failed) Steelers 16-7 4 OAK George Blanda 41 yard field goal Steelers 16-10

Pittsburgh won the game, despite giving up eight turnovers.

Super Bowl

1 2 3 4 Total Cowboys 7 3 0 7 17 • Steelers 7 0 0 14 21 Date: January 18 Location: Orange Bowl • Miami, Florida Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 80,187 Referee: Norm Schachter TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier

Scoring summary 1 10:24 DAL Drew Pearson 29 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick) Cowboys 7-0 1 5:57 PIT Randy Grossman 7 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) Tie 7-7 2 14:45 DAL Toni Fritsch 36 yard field goal Cowboys 10-7 4 11:28 PIT Safety, Reggie Harrison blocked punt through end zone Cowboys 10-9 4 8:41 PIT Roy Gerela 36 yard field goal Steelers 12-10 4 6:37 PIT Roy Gerela 18 yard field goal Steelers 15-10 4 3:06 PIT Lynn Swann 64 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (kick failed) Steelers 21-10 4 1:48 DAL Percy Howard 34 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick) Steelers 21-17

• Lynn Swann earns MVP award catching 4 receptions for 161 yards.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers won their 2nd of their 6 Super Bowl championships.

Awards, honors, and records

• Mel Blount, National Football League Defensive Player of the Year Award
• Lynn Swann, Super Bowl Most Valuable Player