The
Uniforms of the Pittsburgh Steelers!
Titled “The Team That Defines Its City” and licensed by the National Football League, we present the uniforms history of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Framed Version 1
Framed with our classy multi-grooved black frame and matted in
black with a white accent mat, this is one striking artpiece. Measuring 12 ˝ inches by 22 ˝ inches with
glass covering, it comes fully assembled and ready to hang or lean. The cost is a welcoming $49 each and there is a one-time $6 discount shipping cost regardless of how many items
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Here then is the history of the Steelers’ Uniforms …
#1.
1933 & 1934 Any story about the Steelers has to
begin with Art Rooney.
Arthur J. Rooney (aka ‘The Chief”)
was an adept card player, ‘horseplayer, and savvy sports promoter. He purchased
an NFL franchise in 1933 – for $2,500, and converted his semi-pro team, known
as the “Majestics” (for the Majestic Radios Athletic Club), into the Pirates -
naming the team the same as its baseball counterparts! It wasn’t until 1940
that Rooney changed the name to the “Steelers” – suggested by the team’s ticket
manager’s wife – to reflect ties to the city’s steel industry. The Steelers are
steeped in tradition, and in fact are the 6th oldest team in the NFL today.
As you can see from the 1933 painting,
this inaugural ’33 Pittsburgh Pirates jersey had various stripes - which were
actually raised felt. These felt strips allowed the ball carrier to get a
better purchase on the ball and thus keep it that much more securely.
If you look closely at the 1933
jersey, you’ll see quite a complicated “crest”, which is actually the ‘Arms of
the City of Pittsburgh’. We had quite a time researching this, and as far as we
know, there are no actual 1933 jerseys still in existence, and the few photos
that exist don’t show the crest in too fine a detail.
In researching this jersey, we
relied on newspaper articles that confirmed it was the city of Pittsburgh
crest, and then we found samples of the crest as it appeared in the early 30’s.
We then matched the crest to the jersey photos, and came up with the likeness
shown in this painting.
In 1994, when the NFL was
commemorating its 75th anniversary, all teams wore ‘throwback’
jerseys at one time or another. The Steelers chose to honor the 1933 team and re-created
the 1933 jersey. The only problem was that they ran into the same sort of
roadblock we did, thus the NFL had to do a bit of guessing as to what the crest
looked like.
Thus the ’33 jersey is truly an
elusive football gem - if anybody knows anything about the existence of one of
these jerseys, you should contact the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio
– they would love to hear from you!
As for the 1933 team, they
finished 3-6-2 and in 5th place in the 5 team NFL East. And things
wouldn’t get much better for a while. In fact, the Pirates/Steelers wouldn’t
finish above .500 until 1942 when they went 7-4.
The 1934 jersey was also highly
unique – note the horizontal striping across the entire jersey, including the
sleeves, and the stylized numbers on the front – something not seen on any
other Pirates/Steelers jersey or any other NFL team for that matter. Note also
the hip-height, kidney-protecting pants. Also of note, look at the unique
striping pattern on the ’34 helmet.
The 1934 Pirates/Steelers finished
2-10, once again in 5th in the NFL East.
Just four years later, in 1938,
Rooney made Colorado All-America Byron "Whizzer" White the NFL's
first "big money" player with a $15,800 contract (this is the same
Whizzer White who would go on to become a member of the supreme court).
#2.
1943 World War II is in full force. To help maintain high morale
throughout the country, the NFL, like Major League Baseball, decides to carry
on at the advice of none other than President of the United States. Briefly
summarized, he said that the games of baseball and football were too important
to the people. Carrying on with the games would boost the morale of the entire
Country, and get their minds off of the war effort for a short time.
Fielding players and trying to
survive the financial effects of the war – proves to be an enormous challenge.
The end result, in 1943, was that the state of Pennsylvania sees its two NFL
franchises (the Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles) merge – unofficially
being dubbed the ‘Steagles’, and donning the ‘Eagle’ green & white. In
1944, the Steelers would merge again, this time with the Chicago Cardinals –
forming the Card-Pitts.
The 1943 Steagles play their games
both in Pittsburgh and in Philadelphia, and finish the season 5-4-1, only their
second winning season since the team began in 1933 (1942 was the first winning
season).
Of note: It wasn’t until 1940 that
owner Art Rooney changed the name to the ‘Steelers’ – suggested by the team’s
ticket manager’s wife – to reflect ties to the city’s steel industry.
#3.
1954 The evolution to the ‘modern’ and recognizable look of NFL jerseys
and helmets can be seen in this ’54 uniform. The jersey has the more
‘traditional’ horizontal striping on the sleeves, while the helmet is no longer
leather but instead it’s a hard plastic shell. Note the lack of a face mask on
the helmet, somewhat remarkable given the fact that players in the 50’s were
increasingly large. The question of whether or not to use a face mask was up to
the individual player, and I can think of at least one, Bobby Layne, who didn’t
wear a face mask as late as the 1960 season.
As proud and successful as the
Steelers of the 70’s were, we can’t say the same for their ancestors. In the
30’s they didn’t have a single season over .500; in the 40’s they had 4 winning
seasons; in the 50’s they only had 2 seasons over .500; and in the 60’s they
only had 2 wining seasons as well – for a total of 8 winning seasons in 37
years. Thus when we report that the 1954 Steelers went 5-7good for 4th
in the 6 team NFL East, we shouldn’t be overly surprised. Please bring on the
70’s!!!
#4.
1960 The 1960 Steelers were led by 34 year old veteran Bobby Layne, one
of the brighter lights to don a Steelers jersey in this era. Layne was a slightly
pudgy, lovable but tough quarterback who had been through the wars with the
Bears, the New York Bulldogs and for 8 years the Detroit Lions.
After leading the Steelers to
consecutive winning seasons in 1958 (7-4-1) and 1959 (6-5-1), Layne can’t do it
all and the Steelers fall to 5-6-1 in 1960. And thus the Steelers’ woes
continue – from 1933 to 1971 the Steelers make the playoffs a grand total of
one time – in 1947. Yikes…
A few points of interest about the
1960 jersey: note the unique color of the Steelers’ pants, as well as the
black-yellow-black stripes on the side of the pants. Note also the fact that
the helmet depicted now has a face mask,
even though quarterback Bobby Layne still went without one in the 1960 season.
Also note that the 1960 helmet did not have a logo on it – this began in 1962,
and even then only on the right side of the helmet. Finally, note how
relatively tight the jersey was in 1960.
From 1957 to 1963 the Steelers
were led by quarterback Bobby Layne, defensive tackle Ernie Stautner and
running back John Henry Johnson, and they considered themselves legitimate division contenders. But the
"dynasty years," which coincided with the team's move to the AFC at
the time of AFL-NFL merger, were still a decade away.
#5.
1963 What a unique, artistic and elegant-looking jersey! Notice the
yellow/gold diamonds (and overlaid numbers) on the upper sleeve. The Hall of
Fame has a version of this jersey, and it’s interesting to see that the yellow
diamond has virtually faded away over the course of time, to the point that you
don’t even notice it unless you’re looking for it! Note also the small black
collar and sleeve cuffs.
If you look closely at the helmet,
you’ll notice numbers on the front, sandwiching the yellow/gold stripe that runs
from front to back of the helmet. Of special note, if you could see the right
side of the helmet, you’d see the traditional 3-point Steelers logo – a marking
that has graced the right side of Steelers helmets to this day! The 3 points
not only represent ‘three rivers’, but are also the US Steel logo. Die-hard
Steelers fans know that this logo is only on the right side of the helmet. The
story goes that when the logo was proposed in 1962, owner Art Rooney wasn’t
100% sure if he liked the logo – so he had it placed on the right side only!
The tradition has been upheld ever since.
And the Steelers record in 1963? A
terrific 7-4-3 – one of only 8 winning seasons between 1933 (when the team was
founded) and 1971. But as good a record as 7-4-3 seems, the Steelers finished
in 4th in the NFL East, a long way away from a playoff berth – for
many years the only playoff action came when the NFL Eastern and NFL Western
champions met for the NFL Championship, meaning there was but one playoff game
each year.
As proud and successful as the
Steelers of the 70’s were, we can’t say the same for their ancestors. In the
30’s they didn’t have a single season over .500; in the 40’s they had 4 winning
seasons; in the 50’s they only had 2 seasons over .500; and in the 60’s they
only had 2 wining seasons as well – for a total of 8 winning seasons in 37
years. They can’t bring on the 70’s soon enough!!!
#6.
1967 Much like the 1963 jersey, the 1967 black HOME jersey is very
simple in design, but it works. Featuring a yellow/gold, diamond shaped ‘yoke’
on the shoulders and neck of this year’s sweater, this jersey is one of our
favorites.
Though a few NFL teams have
adopted the ‘yoke’ look over the course of team history, no team but the
Steelers have used it in a diamond shape!
Note: This is the first time we
have shown the Steelers now famous Steel logo. This traditional 3-point
Steelers logo – a marking that has graced the right side of Steelers helmets to
this day!
As much as we love this jersey,
the team does no better than a 4-9-1 record. And 1968 was worse – the Steelers
would go 2-11-1, and then in 1969 they hit rock bottom as they went 1-13-0.
Thank goodness the 70’s are now knocking on the door.
#7.
1974 Nirvana!
Where do we begin to tell the story?
We’ll let the scores do most of the talking…
9/15/74 Colts 0 Steelers 30
9/22/74 Steelers 35 Broncos 35* (Overtime)
9/29/74 Raiders 17 Steelers 0
10/06/74 Steelers 13 Oilers 7
10/13/74 Steelers 34 Chiefs 24
10/20/74 Browns 16 Steelers 20
10/28/74 Falcons 17 Steelers 24
11/03/74 Eagles 0 Steelers 27
11/10/74 Steelers 10 Bengals 17
11/17/74 Steelers 26 Browns 16
11/25/74 Steelers 28 Saints 7
12/01/74 Oilers 13 Steelers 10
12/08/74 Steelers 21 Patriots 17
12/14/74 Bengals 3 Steelers 27
Playoffs:
12/22/74 Bills 14 Steelers 32
12/29/74 Steelers 24 Raiders 13
1/12/75 Steelers 16 Vikings 6
January 12, 1975 – Chuck Noll’s
10-3-1 Steelers conclude a cinderella season by defeating Minnesota 16-6 in
front of 80,997 fans in Tulane Stadium to capture Super Bowl IX, thus ending 42
years of futility.
This ROAD white jersey is
synonymous with names such as Bradshaw, Lambert, Ham, Greene, Swann, Super Bowl
IX MVP Franco Harris and many more. This remarkable group of talent would help
the Steelers garner an astounding 4 Super Bowl victories in the 70’s – 1974,
1975, 1978, 1979. Note that the uniform numbers on the sleeves have made their
way higher on the jersey sleeve. Note also the multiple sleeve stripes.
#8.
1975 Here we go again!
Hard on the heels of their 1974
success, the 1975 Steelers pick right up where they left off, going 12-2 in the
regular season, then knocking off the Colts 28-10 followed by the ever present
Raiders 16-10. Then, in one of the better Super Bowl games, the Steelers hold
off the late charging Cowboys 21-17 in front of 80,017 fans in Super Bowl X at
the Orange Bowl in Miami. This time around, Lynn Swann carried home the game
MVP hardware.
You’ll notice a patch on this 1975
jersey. This is an American Bicentennial patch that is located on the upper
left part of the chest, and it was only worn in Super Bowl X on January 18,
1976 as part of the American Bicentennial celebrations.
#9.
1978 What a ride!
After a two-year hiatus, the 1978
Steelers do it again.
After compiling a franchise best
record 14-2 in the regular season, the Steelers beat Denver 33-10 and Houston
34-5 on route to Super Bowl XIII. Just like 1975, the Steelers face the
Cowboys, and just like 1975, the Cowboys mount a large charge to make the game
quite close, but when all was said and done the Steelers defeated the Cowboys
35-31 in Miami on January 21, 1979.
In fact, the Steelers of the 70’s
compile a remarkable record – from 1972 to 1979 they go a combined 88-27-1 in
the regular season, and another 14-4 in the playoffs for a total record of
102-31-1. The numbers speak for themselves – this was a truly awesome team.
The only significant difference
between this HOME black uniform and the 1975 version is the fact that this
uniform features a black belt and there is no longer a bicentennial patch sewn
onto the jersey.
And even though we don’t show the
jersey, we’d better tell the story of the 1979 Steelers, who complete the
decade by winning their 4th Super Bowl in four tries – 1974, 1975,
1978 and 1979 – all this after a grand total of just 8 winning seasons and just
one playoff appearance in the 39 years from 1933 to 1971.
#10.
1988 This jersey holds a special place in the hearts of all Steelers
fans. The AJR patch on the left shoulder honors the passing of Pittsburgh owner
and icon Art “The Chief” Rooney. Rooney will fondly be remembered for being a
smooth and unbelievably lucky gambler who invested $2,500 into an NFL
franchise, and nearly 40 years later, turned it into a dynasty. A staple in the
football community, it is not uncommon to mention Rooney in the same breath as
Chicago Bear legend – George Halas. To this day, the Rooney family still helms
the Steelers football club in the person of President Daniel M. Rooney.
The Steelers of the 80’s are an
above .500 team – they finished .500 or above 7 times – but after the truly
heady days of the 70’s, I’m not sure they could do anything for an encore. The
1988 Steelers, for instance, finished 5-11 and far out of the playoffs.
#11.
2000 Note the rounder, less ‘varsity-esque’ fashion of this jersey’s
numbers – a transformation that took place back in ’97. This rounded numbering
style is most often associated with the Chicago Bears, who have used it for
almost 50 years. Other teams have used it from time to time, including the 1960
Raiders.
Note also the small NFL logo just
below the neckline. If you look closely at almost all NFL uniforms worn from
1991 on, you’ll notice this same small NFL shield patch on the jersey’s
neckline. Most NFL uniforms added the NFL logo patch to the neck, and to the
upper left thigh of the pants, beginning in 1991. The only major exception to
this practice was in 1994 when the teams wore their throwback uniforms – in
these cases, the teams did not wear the NFL shield patch.
Did you spot the mini Steelers
logo on the left shoulder? Not many teams have placed their logo on their
jersey – it’s usually reserved for sides of the helmet (which, in the Steelers’
case, is only on the right side).
The 2000 version of the Steelers
finish up a respectable 9-7, good, but not good enough to make the playoffs.
But in the 2000s the Steelers were back in business. Super Bowl XL and XLIII Champions … making an
unprecedented six trophies for the SUPER STEELERS!!!
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The Pittsburgh Steelers: “The Team
That Defines Its City”
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