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54 unusual facts about Pittsburgh Steelers


1929 in radio

Myron Cope, American sports journalist, radio personality, and sports broadcaster best known for being the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Ariko Iso

Ariko Iso (born December 7, 1970 in Tokyo, Japan) is an athletic trainer for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.

Bob Finley

Finley was drafted in the second round, fifteenth overall, by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1937 NFL Draft.

Robert Edward Finley (November 25, 1915 – January 2, 1986) was an SMU back drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers a and Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1943 and 1944.

Bob Valesente

He was the head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks football team from 1986 to 1987 and has also served as an assistant football coach in the National Football League with the Baltimore Colts (secondary and special teams, 1982–1983), Pittsburgh Steelers (linebackers coach, 1990–1991), Green Bay Packers (linebackers coach, 1992–1994; defensive backs, 1995–1998), and Carolina Panthers (defensive backs, 1999).

Brandon Newton

Brandon JeRell Newton (born April 1, 1981 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Regina and Robert Newton) is a former American football Offensive Lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.

Buck Showalter

Before becoming a teacher, his father had been a Little All-American fullback in 1940 at Milligan College, and had considered a career in the National Football League with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but chose to become a high school coach instead.

Cliff Hite

The decisions which probably garnered Hite the most national attention during his coaching tenure were those surrounding Ben Roethlisberger, now the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cornjerker

In the 1920s the term Cornjerker was first applied to the athletic teams of the school just as the Pittsburgh Steelers got their name from that town's steel-mills.

Dan Lanphear

Lanphear was also drafted in the eighth round of the 1960 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Daren Stone

In the 2009 AFC Championship Game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, Stone committed an unnecessary roughness penalty that cost the Ravens field position (moving them from near midfield to their own 14) at a critical time in the game.

Don H. Barden

In 2007, Barden was awarded the rights to build a Casino in the North Shore Area of Pittsburgh, adjacent to Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Ellis Cannon

Cannon was an on-air member of the Pittsburgh Steelers radio network between 2004–2010, serving as gameday anchor and host of all pre-game, halftime and post-game coverage.

Ernie Bonelli

Ernest Bernard Bonelli (born July 27, 1919, Russellton, Pennsylvania; died October 12, 2009, Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania) was an American football player for the Chicago Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.

Evan Mather

His 2002 short film Icarus of Pittsburgh about a dedicated Pittsburgh Steelers fan played at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.

George S. Gaadt

Meanwhile completing projects for the Major League Baseball, Basketball and Football Halls of Fame, as well as producing paintings for the Pittsburgh Steelers 50th and 75th Anniversaries.

Grant Ressel

Ressel went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft, but later signed a free-agent contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers in April 2012.

Granville Liggins

In his autobiography, Fighting Back, former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Robert "Rocky" Bleier lauded Liggins as perhaps the fastest defensive lineman Bleier had ever faced during his college career.

Greenlee Field

The Pittsburgh Steelers used the field for in-season practices during the 1930s.

Gus the groundhog

Gus has also appeared dressed in both Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers uniforms with other similarly uniformed men in a licensed co-branding with those two National Football League teams, as certain instant games are branded for those teams.

Jack Henry

Henry's NFL coaching career began with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1990–91, legendary Head Coach Chuck Noll's last 2 seasons), he then moved on to coach at the University of Pittsburgh (1993–1995) and the Detroit Lions (1997–1999).

After a disappointing playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Chargers organization announced that Henry's contract will not be renewed when it expires in February 2009.

Jack Scarbath

John Carl "Jack" Scarbath (born August 12, 1930 in Baltimore, Maryland) is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jane Orie

In a special election Orie was the GOP nominee against Democrat James Rooney, a grandson of late Pittsburgh Steelers owner, Art Rooney.

Jim Colony

Colony also provides sports updates three times an hour from 6 a.m. to noon, reports on the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and Pitt football and basketball, and appears hourly on the Y108 Morning Show and two days a week on the KDKA-AM Morning News.

He also appears on Steel City Game Day on Sundays during the Pittsburgh Steelers season.

Jim Shearer

Shearer works for IFC on a blog called "Indie Ear" and also hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins blog on YouTube called Yinz Luv 'Da Guins and a Pittsburgh Steelers blog on YouTube called Yinz Luv 'Da Stillers.

Joby Harris

In late 2009, he wrote and co-performed an independently released fight song for professional NFL football team the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Joseph A. Hardy III

Hardy's tablemates included Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, and former Pennsylvania Governor and former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge.

Kevin Acklin

The incumbent Mayor of Pittsburgh, Luke Ravenstahl defeated Mr. Acklin and the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris, Franco "Dok" Harris, by a wide margin in the general election on November 3'rd, 2009.

Lafayette Leopards football

Lafayette football has produced and nurtured several legendary football personalities, such as George Barclay, inventor of the football helmet, and Jock Sutherland, legendary coach of the Pittsburgh Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Larry C. Brewer

In 1968 and 1969, he served as one of two main receivers for Terry Bradshaw, the Shreveport native who subsequently embarked on a highly successful career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Lloyd McClendon

At the time of his hiring, he became the first African American manager or head coach of any of Pittsburgh's three major sports teams, preceding the Steelers hiring of Mike Tomlin by six years.

Louis Riecke

Riecke served as the strength and conditioning coach for the Steelers from 1970 through 1980.

Mifflin County, Pennsylvania

In professional football, loyalties divide between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles.

NFL Matchup

He is a former fullback and an eight-year veteran, serving five of those years as a starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Nick Shuk

He began his career in 1948 as a contract rider for Art Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team.

Patrick Rooney, Jr.

Rooney was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Patrick Rooney, Sr., into the wealthy and well-connected Rooney family, which is the majority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team, and includes Dan Rooney, the former United States Ambassador to Ireland, who is Rooney's uncle, and Tom Rooney, a United States Congressman from Florida's 17th congressional district, who is Rooney's brother.

Paul Uram

He is a member of the U.S. Gymanstics Hall of Fame and he coached on four Super Bowl-winning teams with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.

He served as the flexibility and kicking coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1973 through 1981, during which span the team won four Super Bowls.

Pittsburgh Sledgehammers

Black and gold are the colors of the city's flag as well as the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Randy Fichtner

Fichtner's NFL coaching debut began in 2007, serving as wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers as part of new head coach Mike Tomlin's regime, replacing the promoted Bruce Arians.

Rod Breedlove

Rodney Winston Breedlove (born March 10, 1938 in Cumberland, Maryland) is a former American football linebacker who played eight seasons in the National Football League with the Washington Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1960 to 1967.

Ron Blum

Blum's career is highlighted by a very controversial call in the divisional round playoff game between Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tennessee Titans in January 2003.

Sally Wiggin

Wiggin has stepped out of her anchor role to serve as a co-host for Pittsburgh Steelers pre-game shows, as well as her regular appearances on WDVE morning comedy show.

Scott Couper

On July 27, 1997, Couper was included on the Chicago Bears roster for one of the "American Bowl" preseason matches against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park, Dublin.

South Fayette Township School District

In addition to numerous performances at Pittsburgh Steelers games, the band has performed in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Walt Disney World “Magic Music Days” Parade and many other high visibility venues across the East Coast.

Southern Jaguars and Lady Jaguars

Mel Blount played running back and cornerback for Southern from 1967–69 before enjoying a 14-year career as a cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

In 2003, the Stadium Authority began a development project in an area called the "Option Area" that allowed the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Pirates to develop commercial property in conjunction with North Shore Developers.

Stanley Druckenmiller

In July 2008, Druckenmiller emerged as a potential investor in the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise of the National Football League.

Steve Sader

However he was also a member of the "Steagles", a team that was the result of a temporary merger between the Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers due to the league-wide manning shortages in 1943 brought on by World War II.

Ted Gerela

His brothers were also professional kickers; Roy Gerela with the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers and Metro Gerela briefly with the Montreal Alouettes (Metro is enshrined in the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.) In 1993, his nephew Ted Gerela was drafted in the 7th round of the 1993 CFL Draft by the BC Lions as a linebacker from Rocky Mountain College.

Thomas Joseph Tobin

Bishop Tobin is an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan, and displays a Steeler banner on his residence during each game day.

UPMC Mercy

In a statement released on June 15, 2006 through the Pittsburgh Steelers organization following his treatment at Mercy Hospital for injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident in downtown Pittsburgh on June 12, 2006, Mr. Roethlisberger included the following acknowledgment: "The physicians and support staff at Mercy Hospital were simply amazing, and I will forever be grateful for their caring treatment."


1978 Buffalo Bills season

The Bills offense acquired a pair of weapons for quarterback Joe Ferguson: wide receiver Frank Lewis, who had spent the previous 7 seasons in Pittsburgh, and rookie running back Terry Miller, who ended the season with over 1,000 yards.

Augustine's Pizza

Augustine’s Pizza is the preferred frozen pizza of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Pittsburgh Pirates

Dale Atkeson

Atkeson was traded by the Redskins to the Pittsburgh Steelers following the 1956 season.

Derek Pegues

Pegues attended the same high school as Rudd, South Panola, which also produced current Pittsburgh Steelers starting Cornerback Deshea Townsend, Rudd's teammate in high school and college, at the University of Alabama.

Dick Hantak

Hantak was also involved in a humorous incident during a 1996 game between Pittsburgh and Carolina.

Gordon McCarter

McCarter is most likely remembered for a 1995 game in which Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher stuffed a Polaroid photo in McCarter's uniform pocket while leaving the field.

Jimmye Laycock Football Center

The JLFC was dedicated on June 21, 2008, and among those in attendance were former William & Mary wide receiver and present Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (Class of 1994), former Buffalo Bills head coach Marv Levy, current Virginia Tech Hokies football head coach Frank Beamer, and former William & Mary athletic director (1981-85) Jim Copeland.

Lance Rentzel

Donning costumes inspired by The Front Page, "Cubby O'Switzer" (Rentzel) and "Scoops Brannigan" (Dryer) peppered players and coaches from both the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers with questions that ranged from the clichéd to the downright absurd.

Landon Johnson

On November 21, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson totaled 20 tackles, which was the most in the season for a player and the most for a player in the Marvin Lewis-era of coaching in Cincinnati.

Leonard Pope

Pope signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers on April 10, 2012, reuniting him with his longtime coach Todd Haley, who is the Steelers offensive coordinator.

Pilot Corporation

In 2008, Pilot president James (Jimmy) Haslam III, son of founder James (Jim) Haslam II, purchased a 16% stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers as part of the team's ownership restructuring due to some heirs of the Rooney family retaining stakes in gambling enterprises such as horse tracks and race horse breeding stables, violating NFL rules.

Pinckneyville, Illinois

Hubert Shurtz (1923-2000) (Professional football player) played tackle for LSU , drafted by Philadelphia Eagles but traded and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Power

His father Lance, as well as former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann, an NFL Hall-of-Famer and Republican 2006 gubernatorial nominee, is also part of the team's ownership group.

Ralph Kohl

After the 1964 season, Kohl resigned his position as the head coach at Eastern Illinois to accept a job a scout for BLESTO, an NFL scouting combine that was an acronym for the Bears, Lions, Eagles and Steelers Talent Organization.

Wayne Hardin

Hardin coached numerous future professional players at Temple including New York Jets defensive lineman Joe Klecko, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Randy Grossman, Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Kevin Ross, San Diego Chargers linebacker Bill Singletary, and New York Jets quarterback Steve Joachim, who won the Maxwell Award in 1974 playing for the Owls.