1974 Pittsburgh Steelers season

The 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 42nd in the National Football League. They improved to a 10-3-1 record and culminated in a Super Bowl championship. The team became the first in the Steelers' 42-year history to win a league title following the franchise's greatest playoff run to that point.

1974 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head coach	Chuck Noll
General manager	Daniel M. Rooney
Owner	Art Rooney
Home field	Three Rivers Stadium
Results
Record	10–3–1
Division place	1st AFC Central
Playoff finish	Won Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 32–14 Won AFC Championship (at Raiders) 24–13 Won Super Bowl IX (vs. Vikings) 16–6
Pro Bowlers	6 PK Roy Gerela DT Joe Greene DE L. C. Greenwood LB Jack Ham RB Franco Harris LB Andy Russell
AP All-Pros	4 Joe Greene (1st team) L. C. Greenwood (1st team) Jack Ham (1st team) Roy Gerela (2nd team)
Team MVP	Glen Edwards
Team ROY	Jack Lambert

On March 9, 2007, NFL Network aired America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions, the 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers, with team commentary from Franco Harris, Joe Greene, and Andy Russell, and narrated by Ed Harris.

Offseason

NFL Draft

During the offseason, the Steelers held their training camp in St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

During the 1974 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers would draft WR Lynn Swann in Round 1, LB Jack Lambert in Round 2, WR John Stallworth in Round 4, and C Mike Webster in Round 5. All four would later be inducted into the Pro-Football Hall of Fame. By 2014, the 1974 Steelers are the only team in history to select four such players in one single draft alone.

1974 Pittsburgh Steelers draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	21	Lynn Swann ^†	WR	USC	given #88
2	46	Jack Lambert ^†	LB	Kent State	1974 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, given #58
4	82	John Stallworth ^†	WR	Alabama A&M	given #82
4	100	Jimmy Allen	DB	UCLA	given #45
5	125	Mike Webster ^†	C	Wisconsin	Alternated with Ray Mansfield for the rest of Ray's career, given #52
6	149	Jim Wolf	DE	Prairie View A&M	given #62
6	150	Rick Druschel	Guard	North Carolina State	given #46
7	165	Allen Sitterle	T	North Carolina State
7	179	Scott Garske	TE	Eastern Washington
8	204	Mark Gefert	LB	Purdue
9	223	Tommy Reamon	RB	Missouri	played for the WFL in 1974
9	229	Charlie Davis	DT	TCU	given #77
10	243	Jim Kregel	G	Ohio State
10	254	Dave Atkinson	DB	BYU
11	283	Dick Morton	RB	Arkansas
12	308	Hugh Lickiss	LB	Simpson
13	333	Frank Kolch	QB	Eastern Michigan
14	333	Bruce Henley	DB	Rice
15	387	Larry Hunt	DT	Iowa State
16	412	Octavus Morgan	LB	Illinois
17	437	Larry Moore	DE	Angelo State
Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Season

After 2 playoff appearances, the Steelers appeared to be in great shape after finishing the preseason as the only undefeated team in the NFL. After two straight games, the Steelers scored over 50 points and were 1-0-1; but they couldn't beat the Raiders at home. The Steelers starting quarterback at the time, Joe Gilliam's play continually deteriorated. By Week 7, the Steelers were 4-1-1 and Gilliam was benched for Terry Bradshaw during a win against the Falcons. Bradshaw won the next two games, but after a loss in Cincinnati, Noll benched Bradshaw again. This time he was benched in favor of Terry Hanratty (who was selected in the 1969 Draft). Hanratty however, played horribly in Cleveland. The offense was in a struggle, but the Steelers had won those tough games behind the still-maturing Steel Curtain defense. When Bradshaw was brought back into the lineup, the Steelers beat the Browns and the Saints (in a game that Bradshaw ran for more yards than he passed). After a loss to Houston, the Steelers would play the most important game of the season in New England. With a win against the Patriots, the Steelers would clinch the AFC Central and make their third straight playoff appearance. The Steelers dominated the Pats, then beat the Bengals, and awaited the playoffs.

Playoffs

In the Divisional Round Playoff Game, the Steelers would play the Bills. Sports Illustrated's Dan Jenkins felt that Pittsburgh was "the only team to reach the playoffs without a quarterback".[1] However, the Steelers would dominate Buffalo and hold O.J. Simpson to 49 yards rushing (it was O.J.'s only playoff game appearance).

In the 1974 AFC Championship Game, the Steelers would play an old foe, the Raiders. Each year, the rivalry was escalating: in 1972, the Steelers won in Pittsburgh; in 1973, the Raiders returned the favor in Oakland. However, the Steelers were ready for anything the Raiders could throw at them. Using the new "Stunt 4-3 defense" the Steelers held the Raiders to 29 yards rushing as the Steelers themselves ran for over 200 yards in Oakland. After a Franco Harris touchdown run, the Steelers clinched their first Super Bowl appearance in club history (and their first league championship appearance).

Super Bowl IX

In Super Bowl IX, the Steelers and the Vikings had a hard time in the rough conditions at old Tulane Stadium. After many exchanges of punts, the Steelers finally scored a safety on a bobbled handoff by Fran Tarkenton. The score at the half was 2–0. The Steel Curtain continually dominated the Vikings. While coach Bud Grant tried to run at the strength of the Steel Curtain, they were shut down. The only points Minnesota managed to squeeze off was a blocked punt (the extra point was blocked). After the MVP performance by Franco Harris, the Steelers came away with a 16-6 victory over the Vikings. It was the first league title in Steelers history.

Personnel

Staff

1974 Pittsburgh Steelers staff

	Front office President – Arthur J. Rooney Vice President – John R. McGinley Vice President – Daniel M. Rooney Vice President – Arthur J. Rooney, Jr. Public Relations Director – Ed Kiely Traveling Secretary – James A. Boston Controller – Robert P. Quinn Accountant – Dennis P. Thimons Publicity Director – Joe Gordon Ticket Manager – Joseph H. Carr Director of Player Personnel – Dick Haley Assistant Director of Player Personnel – Bill Nunn Director of Professional Scouting – V. Timothy Rooney Head coaches Head Coach – Chuck Noll Offensive coaches Offensive Backfield – Dick Hoak Offensive Line – Dan Radakovich Receivers – Lionel Taylor			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Bud Carson Defensive Line – George Perles Linebackers – Woody Widenhofer Strength and conditioning Strength – Louis Riecke Flexibility – Paul Uram Team Physician, Orthopedic – Dr. John Best Team Physician, M.D. – Dr. David S. Huber Team Dentist – Dr. Robert Gray Trainer – Ralph Berlin Equipment Manager – Anthony Parisi Field Manager – Jack Hart [2]

Roster

1974 Pittsburgh Steelers final roster

	Quarterbacks 12 Terry Bradshaw 17 Joe Gilliam  5 Terry Hanratty Running backs 20 Rocky Bleier 35 Steve Davis 33 John Fuqua 32 Franco Harris 46 Reggie Harrison 26 Preston Pearson Wide receivers 86 Reggie Garrett 43 Frank Lewis 25 Ron Shanklin 82 John Stallworth 88 Lynn Swann PR Tight ends 87 Larry Brown 84 Randy Grossman 89 John McMakin		Offensive linemen 50 Jim Clack G 57 Sam Davis G 73 Rick Druschel G/T 71 Gordon Gravelle T 55 Jon Kolb T 56 Ray Mansfield C 72 Gerry Mullins G/T 74 Dave Reavis T/G 52 Mike Webster C/G Defensive linemen 77 Charlie Davis DT 64 Steve Furness DT 75 Joe Greene DT 68 L. C. Greenwood DE 63 Ernie Holmes DT 78 Dwight White DE 62 Jim Wolf DT/DE		Linebackers 38 Ed Bradley MLB 59 Jack Ham OLB 54 Marv Kellum OLB 58 Jack Lambert MLB 34 Andy Russell OLB 51 Loren Toews OLB Defensive backs 45 Jimmy Allen DB 47 Mel Blount CB 22 Richard Conn DB 27 Glen Edwards FS/PR 31 Donnie Shell S 24 J. T. Thomas CB 23 Mike Wagner SS Special teams 10 Roy Gerela K 39 Bobby Walden P/H 52 Mike Webster LS		Reserve lists 53 Henry Davis MLB (IR) Practice squad [3] [4] [5] Rookies in italics 48 active, 1 inactive, practice squad

Preseason

In the 1974 Preseason, the Steelers became 6-0 and were the only undefeated team in the NFL. However, most of the talk was centered around the NFL's first successful black quarterback, Joe Gilliam. Chuck Noll did start Gilliam in the preseason and after it ended, Chuck Noll would start him for the 1974 season. Gilliam's stellar performance in the '74 preseason did however spark the quarterback controversy in Pittsburgh.

1974 schedules

Preseason schedule

Week	Date	Game Site		Opponent	Result	Record
1	Sat. August 3	Tulane Stadium	@	New Orleans Saints	W 26–7	1–0
2	Mon, August 12	Three Rivers Stadium		Chicago Bears	W 50–21	2–0
3	Sat. August 17	Veterans Stadium	@	Philadelphia Eagles	W 33–30 (OT)	3–0
4	Sat. August 24	Three Rivers Stadium		New York Giants	W 17–7	4–0
5	Fri. August 30	RFK Stadium	@	Washington Redskins	W 21–19	5–0
6	Thu. September 5	Texas Stadium	@	Dallas Cowboys	W 41–15	6–0

Regular season schedule

Week	Date	Game Site		Opponent	Result	Record	TV
1	Sun. September 15	Three Rivers Stadium		Baltimore Colts	W 30–0	1–0	NBC
2	Sun. September 22	Mile High Stadium	@	Denver Broncos	T 35–35 (OT)	1–0–1	NBC
3	Sun. September 29	Three Rivers Stadium		Oakland Raiders	L 0–17	1–1–1	NBC
4	Sun. October 6	Astrodome	@	Houston Oilers	W 13–7	2–1–1	NBC
5	Sun. October 13	Arrowhead Stadium	@	Kansas City Chiefs	W 34–24	3–1–1	NBC
6	Sun. October 20	Three Rivers Stadium		Cleveland Browns	W 20–16	4–1–1	NBC
7	Mon. October 28	Three Rivers Stadium		Atlanta Falcons	W 24–17	5–1–1	ABC
8	Sun. November 3	Three Rivers Stadium		Philadelphia Eagles	W 27–0	6–1–1	CBS
9	Sun. November 10	Riverfront Stadium	@	Cincinnati Bengals	L 10–17	6–2–1	NBC
10	Sun. November 17	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	@	Cleveland Browns	W 26–16	7–2–1	NBC
11	Mon. November 25	Tulane Stadium	@	New Orleans Saints	W 28–7	8–2–1	ABC
12	Sun. December 1	Three Rivers Stadium		Houston Oilers	L 10–13	8–3–1	NBC
13	Sun. December 8	Schaefer Stadium	@	New England Patriots	W 21–17	9–3–1	NBC
14	Sat. December 14	Three Rivers Stadium		Cincinnati Bengals	W 27–3	10–3–1	NBC

Postseason schedule

Week	Date	Game Site	Opponent	Result	Record	TV
Divisional	Sun. December 22	Three Rivers Stadium	Buffalo Bills	W 32–14	11-3-1	NBC
Conference	Sun. December 29	Oakland Coliseum	Oakland Raiders	W 24–13	12-3-1	NBC
Super Bowl IX	Sun. January 12	Old Tulane Stadium	Minnesota Vikings	W 16–6	13-3-1	NBC

Game summaries

Game Summaries

Week 1: vs. Baltimore Colts Baltimore Colts (0-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (0-0) 1 2 3 4 Total Colts 0 0 0 0 0 Steelers 3 13 7 7 30 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Date: Sunday, September 15 Game time: 1 p.m., ET Game weather: 72°F (Partly Cloudy) Game attendance: 48,890 Referee: Gordon McCarter TV: NBC Game information Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 31 3–0 Pittsburgh – Swann 54 pass from Gilliam (kick failed) 9–0 Pittsburgh – Lewis 4 pass from Gilliam (Gerela kick) 16–0 Pittsburgh – Harris 4 run (Gerela kick) 23–0 Pittsburgh – Fuqua 4 run (Gerela kick) 30–0 Top Passer: Joe Gilliam (PIT): 257 Yds Top Rusher: Franco Harris (PIT): 49 Yds Top Receiver: Lynn Swann (PIT): 94 Yds In Week 1, the Steelers started #17 Joe Gilliam as he completed 17 of his 31 passes for 257 yards, 2 TD's, and an interception. Gilliam became the first African-American Quarterback in league history to play in a game as the designated opening day starter. The defense held Baltimore to 166 total yards and forced 4 turnovers in the shutout win. (1-0) Week 2: at Denver Broncos Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) at Denver Broncos (0-1) 1 2 3 4 OT Total Steelers 7 7 14 7 0 35 Broncos 21 0 7 7 0 35 at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado Date: Sunday, September 22 Game time: 4 p.m., ET Game weather: 57°F (Sunny) Game attendance: 50,858 Referee: Tommy Bell TV: NBC Game information Denver – Armstrong 45 pass from Johnson (Turner kick) 0–7 Pittsburgh – Davis 61 pass from Gilliam (Gerela kick) 7–7 Denver – Moses 7 pass from Johnson (Turner kick) 7–14 Denver – Keyworth 1 run (Turner kick) 7–21 Pittsburgh – Gilliam 1 run (Gerela kick) 14–21 Pittsburgh – Davis 1 run (Gerela kick) 21–21 Denver – Odoms 3 pass from Ramsey (Turner kick) 21–28 Pittsburgh – Davis 1 run (Gerela kick) 28–28 Pittsburgh – Fuqua 1 run (Gerela kick) 35–28 Denver – Armstrong 23 pass from Ramsey (Turner kick) 35–35 Top Passer: Joe Gilliam (PIT) 348Yds Top Rusher: Otis Armstrong (DEN) 131Yds Top Receiver: Otis Armstrong (DEN) 86Yds In Week 2, the Steelers were carried to a 35-35 OT tie with #32 Franco Harris' running game and #17 Joe Gilliam's 348 passing yards. It was the first regular season overtime game in NFL history. Denver coach John Ralston said of Gilliam that "it was possibly the finest performance I have ever seen by a quarterback." (1-0-1) Week 3: vs. Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders (1-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0-1) 1 2 3 4 Total Raiders 7 10 0 0 17 Steelers 0 0 0 0 0 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Date: Sunday, September 29 Game time: 4 p.m., ET Game weather: 66°F (Light Rain) Game attendance: 48,304 Referee: Pat Haggerty TV: NBC Game information Oakland – Stabler 1 run (Blanda kick) 0–7 Oakland – Branch 19 pass from Stabler (Blanda kick) 0–14 Oakland – FG Blanda 35 0–17 In Week 3, after 2 brilliant games by #17 Joe Gilliam, the Raiders came to Pittsburgh for a rematch of the 1973 Divisional Round Playoff game in which Oakland won. However, a fluttering Gilliam completed 10 of his 31 passed which laid the first defeat on Pittsburgh. To make things worse, #32 Franco Harris was injured and would miss the next 2 games. Damp and dark weather hung over the stadium and Terry Bradshaw's relief of Gilliam with a little under 2 minutes left in the game drew cheers from remaining fans. (1-1-1) Week 4: at Houston Oilers Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1-1) at Houston Oilers (1-2-1) 1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 0 3 3 7 13 Oilers 0 7 0 0 7 at Houston Astrodome, Houston, Texas Date: Sunday, October 6 Game time: 2 p.m., ET Game weather: Dome (indoors) Game attendance: 30,049 Referee: Bob Frederic TV: NBC Game information Houston – B. Johnson 47 run (Butler kick) 0–7 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 37 3–7 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 27 6–7 Pittsburgh – Pearson 9 run (Gerela kick) 13–7 In Week 4, the Steelers recovered from the loss at home by beating Houston. #17 Joe Gilliam didn't recover completely; he threw for only 202 yards and 2 interceptions. However, on the game's lone touchdown drive, Gilliam completed 4 consecutive passes. Without #32 Franco Harris, the offense would continuously fall apart. (2-1-1) Week 5: at Kansas City Chiefs Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) 1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 7 17 10 0 34 Chiefs 3 7 7 7 24 at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri Date: Sunday, October 13 Game time: 2 p.m., ET Game weather: 55°F Game attendance: 65,517 Referee: Bernie Ulman TV: NBC Game information Kansas City – FG Stenerud 31 0–3 Pittsburgh – Bleier 2 run (Gerela kick) 7–3 Kansas City – Pearson 13 pass from Livingston (Stenerud kick) 7–10 Pittsburgh – Pearson 3 run (Gerela kick) 14–10 Pittsburgh – Edwards 49 interception return (Gerela kick) 21–10 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 32 24–10 Kansas City – Taylor 10 pass from Livingston (Stenerud kick) 24–17 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 45 27–17 Pittsburgh – Lewis 31 pass from Gilliam (Gerela kick) 34–17 Kansas City – Wright 13 pass from Livingston (Stenerud kick) 34–24 In Week 5, the Steelers came away from Kansas City with a 10-point win, 34-24, behind #27 Glen Edwards' 49 yard interception return. The Chiefs used a combined three quarterbacks to throw 7 interceptions. However, #17 Joe Gilliam's play was still deteriorating, and after the horrible performance in next week's game he was benched. (3-1-1) Week 6: vs. Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns (1-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1-1) 1 2 3 4 Total Browns 0 13 0 3 16 Steelers 7 7 3 3 20 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Date: Sunday, October 20 Game time: 1 p.m., ET Game weather: 42°F (Cloudy) Game attendance: 48,100 Referee: Ben Dreith TV: NBC Game information Pittsburgh – Pearson 6 run (Gerela kick) 7–0 Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Gerela kick) 14–0 Cleveland – Phipps 18 run (Cockroft kick) 14–7 Cleveland – Morin 9 pass from Phipps (kick blocked) 14–13 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 31 17–13 Cleveland – FG Cockroft 21 17–16 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 26 20–16 In Week 6, the Steelers offense continued to flutter with #17 Joe Gilliam's 5 out of 18 and 78 yard passing performance (despite the return of #32 Franco Harris). In the 3 games after the loss to Oakland, the defense forced 15 turnovers, and that is how the Steelers managed to win all 3 games. The front four of #78 Dwight White, #63 Ernie Holmes, #75 Joe Greene, and #68 L. C. Greenwood had become dominant. Together, they became known as the Steel Curtain. After 6 games, the Steelers were 4-1-1, however, the offense was going to need some help if they were to become a contender. In Week 7, the Steelers found that help. (4-1-1) Week 7: vs. Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons (2-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1-1) 1 2 3 4 Total Falcons 0 14 0 3 17 Steelers 14 0 3 7 24 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Date: Monday, October 28 Game time: 9 p.m., ET Game weather: 55°F (Clear) Game attendance: 48,094 Referee: Jim Tunney TV: ABC Game information Pittsburgh – Bleier 10 run (Gerela kick) 7–0 Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 1 run (Gerela kick) 14–0 Atlanta – Dodd 9 pass from Lee (Mike-Mayer kick) 14–7 Atlanta – Burrow 24 pass from Lee (Mike-Mayer kick) 14–14 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 33 17–14 Pittsburgh – Harris 7 run (Gerela kick) 24–14 Atlanta – FG Mike-Mayer 32 24–17 In Week 7, #12 Terry Bradshaw replaced the failing #17 Joe Gilliam. By 1974, the 5-year veteran was known as the unpredictable and inconsistent quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was often overlooked by fans and coaches for making mistakes. It was at this time Bradshaw was going through some emotional problems. He had lost his starting job and fans and players continuously doubted and sometimes mocked him. A failing relationship with his head coach continued to decline. He was often in seclusion at his home as well. Yet, his team did miss him after he watched the first 6 games from the sidelines. However, on a Monday night against Atlanta, Bradshaw returned. The backfield that would start 4 of the next 6 Super Bowls was finally in place. Runningbacks #32 Franco Harris and #20 Rocky Bleier combined for over 200 yards rushing as the Steelers rolled to a 24-17 win. (5-1-1) Week 8: vs. Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles (4-3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (5-1-1) 1 2 3 4 Total Eagles 0 0 0 0 0 Steelers 7 10 10 0 27 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Date: Sunday, November 3 Game time: 1 p.m., ET Game weather: 71°F (Light Rain) Game attendance: 47,996 Referee: Tommy Bell TV: CBS Game information Pittsburgh – Lewis 8 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) 7–0 Pittsburgh – Harris 5 run (Gerela kick) 14–0 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 35 17–0 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 28 20–0 Pittsburgh – Blount 52 interception return (Gerela kick) 27–0 In Week 8, the Steelers won behind another shutout by the defense that included a 52-yard interception return by #47 Mel Blount. It was one of two career interceptions returned for touchdowns by the Hall of Famer. #12 Terry Bradshaw was still a colt who had not yet been broken; Chuck Noll's patience with him continued to disappear. (5-1-1) Week 9: at Cincinnati Bengals Pittsburgh Steelers (6-1-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-3) 1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 0 3 0 7 10 Bengals 0 10 7 0 17 at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio Date: Sunday, November 10 Game time: 4 p.m., ET Game weather: 48°F Game attendance: 57,532 Referee: Norm Schachter TV: NBC Game information Cincinnati – Williams 2 run (Muhlmann kick) 0–7 Cincinnati – FG Muhlmann 30 0–10 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 24 3–10 Cincinnati – Williams 1 run (Muhlmann kick) 3–17 Pittsburgh – Pearson 1 run (Gerela kick) 10–17 In Week 9, the Steelers lost to division rival Cincinnati, 17-10. The offense was again struggling, and #12 Terry Bradshaw was benched again, in favor of 5-year veteran #5 Terry Hanratty. (5-2-1) Week 10: at Cleveland Browns Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2-1) at Cleveland Browns (3-6) 1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 7 6 0 13 26 Browns 3 3 10 0 16 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio Date: Sunday, November 17 Game time: 1 p.m., ET Game weather: 42°F Game attendance: 77,195 Referee: Fred Silva TV: NBC Game information Cleveland – FG Cockroft 44 0–3 Pittsburgh – Shanklin 28 pass from Hanratty (Gerela kick) 7–3 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 32 10–3 Cleveland – FG Cockroft 35 10–6 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 32 13–6 Cleveland – Green 36 interception return (Cockroft kick) 13–13 Cleveland – FG Cockroft 18 13–16 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 23 16–16 Pittsburgh – Thomas 14 fumble recovery return (Gerela kick) 23–16 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 22 26–16 In this Week 10 matchup, the Steelers defeated the hosting Browns team for the first time in Cleveland since 1964. However, #5 Terry Hanratty completed only 2 of his passes and threw 3 interceptions. He was relieved by Gilliam, and the quarterback controversy had become a real problem for Pittsburgh. However, the rest of the team was playing at a championship level following this madcap game. The turning point came on a miscue in the Browns backfield. Cleveland quarterback Brian Sipe collided with Billy Lefear on the handoff and the ball squirted loose. #74 Joe Greene barged in, grabbed the ball and looked to his left where J.T. Thomas was coming up fast. Greene flipped him the ball and Thomas ran it in from 14 yards out. Earlier in the game, Greene intercepted Sipe and rumbled down to the 14, setting up a Roy Gerela field goal. #32 Franco Harris ran for 156 yards and the defense forced 6 turnovers (overcoming 7 of their own) as the Steelers rallied to defeat the Browns and remain in first place in the AFC Central. (7-2-1) Week 11: at New Orleans Saints Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2-1) at New Orleans Saints (4-6) 1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 7 7 14 0 28 Saints 0 0 7 0 7 at Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana Date: Monday, November 25 Game time: 9 p.m., ET Game weather: 56°F Game attendance: 69,010 Referee: Ben Dreith TV: ABC Game information Pittsburgh – Lewis 31 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) 7–0 Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 18 run (Gerela kick) 14–0 Pittsburgh – Swann 64 punt return (Gerela kick) 21–0 New Orleans – Seal 10 pass from Scott (McClard kick) 21–7 Pittsburgh – Brown 1 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) 28–7 In Week 11, #12 Terry Bradshaw was welcomed back into the lineup after the performance by #5 Terry Hanratty. However, in this 28-7 win over the Saints, Bradshaw ran for more yards than he passed. In less than two months, Super Bowl IX was going to be played on the same field. (8-2-1) Week 12: vs. Houston Oilers Houston Oilers (5-6) at Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2-1) 1 2 3 4 Total Oilers 0 7 3 3 13 Steelers 3 7 0 0 10 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Date: Sunday, December 1 Game time: 1 p.m., ET Game weather: 38°F (Light Rain) Game attendance: 41,195 Referee: Dick Jorgensen TV: NBC Game information Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 44 3–0 Houston – Willis 6 pass from Pastorini (Butler kick) 7–3 Pittsburgh – Harris 31 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) 10–7 Houston – FG Butler 42 10–10 Houston – FG Butler 34 10–13 In Week 12, #75 Joe Greene was allowed to use his new technique called the "Stunt 4-3." He would jump in the gap between the guard and the center, and then blow through the gap. Teams were forced to commit so many blockers to Greene, that his teammates often went unblocked. However, this still couldn't stop the lowly Oilers from beating them 13-10. (8-3-1) Week 13: at New England Patriots Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3-1) at New England Patriots (7-5) 1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 0 12 7 2 21 Patriots 7 3 0 7 17 at Schaefer Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts Date: Sunday, December 8 Game time: 1 p.m., ET Game weather: 50°F Game attendance: 52,107 Referee: Jim Tunney TV: NBC Pro-Football-Reference.com Game information New England – Herron 17 pass from Plunkett (Smith kick)0–7 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 40 3–7 Pittsburgh – Harris 2 run (kick blocked) 9–7 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 27 12–7 New England – FG Smith 20 12–10 Pittsburgh – Swann 7 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) 19–10 Pittsburgh – Safety, Greenwood tackled Plunkett in end zone 21–10 New England – Herron 5 run (Smith kick)21–17 In Week 13, #75 Joe Greene became frustrated and threatened to quit the Steelers after losing to the Oilers the previous week. However, he returned for the most important game of the season in New England. With the win, the Steelers would win the division, as well as clinch their third straight playoff berth. The players were nervous and tense, however, the Steelers made quick work of the Patriots, 21-17. The Steeler offense was finally clicking. (9-3-1) Week 14: vs. Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) at Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3-1) 1 2 3 4 Total Bengals 0 0 3 0 3 Steelers 7 10 7 3 27 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Date: Saturday, December 14 Game time: 1 p.m., ET Game weather: 37°F (Drizzle) Game attendance: 42,878 Referee: Bernie Ulman TV: NBC Game information Pittsburgh – Stallworth 5 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) 7–0 Pittsburgh – Mullins 7 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) 14–0 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 26 17–0 Cincinnati – FG Muhlmann 32 17–3 Pittsburgh – Harris on 1 run (Gerela kick) 24–3 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 42 27–3 In Week 14, the Steelers beat the Bengals in a meaningless game with their offense rolling and their defense dominating. (10-3-1)

Standings

AFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Pittsburgh Steelers	10	3	1	.750	4–2	7–3–1	305	189	W2
Houston Oilers	7	7	0	.500	4–2	7–4	236	282	W1
Cincinnati Bengals	7	7	0	.500	3–3	5–6	283	259	L3
Cleveland Browns	4	10	0	.286	1–5	3–8	251	344	L2

Stats

Passing

Player	Pos	G	GS	QBrec	Cmp	Att	Cmp%	Yds	TD	TD%	Int	Int%	Y/A	AY/A	Y/C	Y/G	Lng	Rate	Sk	Yds	NY/A	ANY/A	Sk%	4QC	GWD
Gilliam	QB	9	6	4–1–1	96	212	45.3	1274	4	1.9	8	3.8	61	6.0	4.7	13.3	141.6	55.4	7	79	5.46	4.18	3.2	1	1
Bradshaw	QB	8	7	5–2–0	67	148	45.3	785	7	4.7	8	5.4	56	5.3	3.8	11.7	98.1	55.2	10	104	4.31	2.92	6.3
Hanratty	QB	3	1	1–0–0	3	26	11.5	95	1	3.8	5	19.2	35	3.7	-4.2	31.7	31.7	15.5	1	13	3.04	-4.56	3.7	1	0

Rushing

Receiving

Kicking

Punting

Kick Return

Punt Return

Defense & Fumbles

Scoring Summary

Team

Quarter-by-quarter

Quarter-by-quarter
	1	2	3	4	OT	T
Steelers	69	102	78	56	0	305
Opponents	41	74	44	30	0	189

Postseason game summaries

Game Summaries

AFC Divisional: vs. Buffalo Bills Pittsburgh Steelers 32, Buffalo Bills 14 1 2 3 4 Total Bills 7 0 7 0 14 Steelers 3 26 0 3 32 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Date: Sunday, December 22 Game time: 1:00 pm EST Game weather: Light snow, 34 degrees Game attendance: 48,321 Referee: Norm Schachter TV announcers (NBC): Jim Simpson and John Brodie Game information Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 21 PIT 3–0 Buffalo – Seymour 22 pass from Ferguson (Leypoldt kick) BUF 7–3 Pittsburgh – Bleier 27 pass from Bradshaw (kick blocked) PIT 9–7 Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Gerela kick) PIT 16–7 Pittsburgh – Harris 4 run (kick blocked) PIT 22–7 Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Gerela kick) PIT 29–7 Buffalo – Simpson 3 pass from Ferguson (Leypoldt kick) PIT 29–14 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 22 PIT 32–14 In this Divisional Round playoff game, the Steelers were described as the only team in the playoffs without a quarterback and were expected to lose at home to Buffalo. The last time the Steelers faced the Bills, O.J. Simpson had rushed for 189 yards and the defense was concerned about him. However, by halftime the Steelers had dominated the line of scrimmage and the offense took time away from the Bills as the Steelers went up 29-7. #12 Terry Bradshaw was in the best game of his career. By the end of the game, O.J. was held to 49 yards rushing in his only playoff game of his career. After three weeks of solid performance by everyone, the Steelers were ready to rematch the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Championship Game. AFC Championship: at Oakland Raiders Pittsburgh Steelers 24, Oakland Raiders 13 1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 0 3 0 21 24 Raiders 3 0 7 3 13 at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California Date: Sunday, December 29 Game time: 4:00 pm EST Game weather: Partly cloudy, 53 degrees Game attendance: 53,515 Referee: Jim Tunney TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy, Al DeRogatis, and Don Meredith Game information Oakland – FG Blanda 40 OAK 3–0 Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 23 3–3 Oakland – Branch 38 pass from Stabler (Blanda kick) OAK 10–3 Pittsburgh – Harris 8 run (Gerela kick) 10–10 Pittsburgh – Swann 6 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) PIT 17–10 Oakland – FG Blanda 24 PIT 17–13 Pittsburgh – Harris 21 run (Gerela kick) PIT 24–13 In the 1974 AFC Championship Game, all the hype was centered around the Raiders who had ended Miami's reign in stunning a play that went into NFL Lore as the "Sea of Hands". Raiders coach, John Madden however went a little too far in his praising of both teams as he said that when the two best teams in pro-football get together, Miami Dolphins and the Oakland Raiders, great things will happen. Steelers stoic head coach Chuck Noll galvanized the team's spirit by making an unexpected comment. He said that the best team in the NFL was the team in this room. The Steelers would dominate the Raiders in Oakland by using the Stunt 4-3 and stopping the great Oakland offensive line. The Steelers rushed for over 200 yards as the Raiders rushed for a mere 29. Franco Harris ran the final touchdown and sealed the first super bowl appearance in Steelers' history. This game would set the tone for what to come for the rest of the decade. Super Bowl IX: vs. Minnesota Vikings Main article: Super Bowl IX Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6 1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 0 2 7 7 16 Vikings 0 0 0 6 6 at Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana Date: Sunday, January 12 Game time: 3:00 pm EST Game weather: Overcast, 51 °F (11 °C), wind 17 mph, relative humidity 72% Game attendance: 80,997 Referee: Bernie Ulman TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy, Al DeRogatis, and Don Meredith Pro-Football-Reference.com Game information Pittsburgh – Safety: Dwight White downed Fran Tarkenton in end zone 2–0 PIT Pittsburgh – TD: Franco Harris 9 yard run (Roy Gerela kick) 9–0 PIT Minnesota – TD: Terry Brown recovered blocked punt in end zone (kick failed) 9–6 PIT Pittsburgh – TD: Larry Brown 4 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) 16–6 PIT Approaching Super Bowl IX, Chuck Noll told his team to go out with no bed check and get the town out of their system. The team had a good time in New Orleans. Everyone but #78 Dwight White, who was sick and in the hospital. By Wednesday, they were begging for a bed check. However, that time he gave them and the responsibility was a wonderful way to approach the big game. Noll's approach was in direct contrast to that of Vikings' head coach Bud Grant who had been to two previous super bowls. The Vikings didn't have the relaxed atmosphere was very tense compared to the chilled and relaxed Steelers. Despite the trip to the hospital, #78 Dwight White played and scored the first points in the defensive battle on the first safety in super bowl history. The Steelers shut down the Minnesota run game that wanted to attack the strength like they had Oakland and Buffalo. The Vikings ran 20 times for 17 yards and #10 QB Fran Tarkenton completed just 11 of his 27 passes and threw three picks (1 to #75 Joe Greene though he didn't run very far). #32 Franco Harris ran farther than anyone ever had in the super bowl to that point, setting a record with 158 yards rushing. He was the games Most Valuable Player. The Steelers had finally become champions for the first time in their 42-year history when #12 Terry Bradshaw threw a strike to #87 Larry Brown for a TD. The Steelers had finally done it.

Awards, honors and records

• #75 Joe Greene, National Football League Defensive Player of the Year Award
• #32 Franco Harris, Super Bowl Most Valuable Player
• Most Hall of Famers selected in one draft
• #58 Jack Lambert, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
• #88 Lynn Swann leader in punt return yards (577)

References

1. "FOR OPENERS, SUPER BOWL VIII½". SI.com.
2. 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
3. 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
4. 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
5. "1974 Pittsburgh Steelers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-12-17.