Pittsburgh Steelers: The 6 Most Impressive Achievements in Franchise History
Just as every franchise has its lowest lows, each also has it's highest of highs.
With some, like the Pittsburgh Steelers, it is not a matter of finding enough high points for a list but rather it is about choosing which ones best represent the highest, proudest moments in franchise history.
Since we are talking about the Steelers, let's look at six of the highest points in the team's storied, rich history in honor of their achievement of winning six Super Bowl titles, tops in the NFL.
6. 29 Hall of Fame Inductees and Honorees
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The Steelers have the most combined Hall of Fame inductees and honorees with 29 players, coaches, owners and contributors. They also have the third most inductees. They are also the only franchise in history with three owners enshrined in bronze.
The team figures to add to this list eventually with running back Jerome Bettis and center Dermontti Dawson now eligible and with current stars like Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger and James Harrison putting together impressive careers.
In the NFL, the Hall of Fame is the ultimate recognition for a job well done during one's career. For a team, there is no greater honor than to be so well represented in the hall.
5. One Ownership Family in Franchise History
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Few franchises that have been around since the 1930s can boast of having only owner. While the presidency of the Steelers has passed through three men since the franchise's humble beginnings, it has always been owned by the Rooney family.
This is such a hallowed part of team history that, when the Steelers were rumored to be about to be partially sold to an outsider, there was a tremendous uproar in the community. Eventually, the whole of the franchise remained in familiar hands.
In an era where stories about franchise ownership turnover and the consequent fallout (movement, rosters falling apart, etc.), it is wonderful to know the Steelers are still in the same family and are operated largely as a "family business."
In this town, players commonly refer to playing for the Steelers as "playing for the Rooney family."
4. 26 Playoff Appearances
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Not only is that number significant because it represents a great standard of play, the 25 appearances since 1970's merger that created the "modern game" represents the most of the NFL's modern era.
In that time, the Steelers have a 33-19 record in the playoffs, good for second place in the league and second in winning percentage.
Teams often struggle to remain competitive in today's salary cap era, but that hasn't effected Pittsburgh.
Since the salary cap became law in 1994, the Steelers have made 11 playoff appearances out of a possible 17 seasons and have never missed more than three seasons in a row. That's astounding in an era in which there are few elite teams in contention year after year.
In the 40-season span since the merger, the Steelers also only have nine seasons in which they posted a losing record and only one (2003) since the year 2000.
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3. Three Head Coaches in 42 Years
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Just as one ownership family and 26 playoff appearances are impressive achievements for longevity, having only three head coaches in the past 42 years is also a major boon for the franchise.
As a comparison, the rival Cleveland Browns (both incarnations) have had three different head coaches since the 2005 season and have had 15 different coaches in the same 42 year span in which the Steelers have had only three.
All three of Pittsburgh's coaches have won Super Bowls with the franchise. Chuck Noll, the longest-tenured coach in team history, leads the way with four.
Coaching turnover has become a rule in the NFL today. For the Oakland Raiders, it's almost a game within the game. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, however, consistency has become the rule.
They have shown a willingness to stick with a coach through good and bad times and have let their coaches coach without a ton of visibility or interference from ownership (you'll never see Dan or Art Rooney on the field telling Mike Tomlin what to do during a game).
2. 20 Division and 8 Conference Championships
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The team's record of 20 division titles is unmatched in the modern era and is an impressive achievement in any regard.
The Steelers routinely dominate within their division despite facing one of the league's premier franchises (Baltimore) twice a year as a division rival.
Within that are the records of most wins in the modern era and best winning percentage of any team (including all of the new franchises that have come through expansion).
Also, since 2000, the Steelers have won their division title six times. It seems that they are always in the hunt as well.
The eight conference championships is also impressive considering that a team must go on an extended playoff run to reach that height. It also means that the franchise has appeared in eight Super Bowls.
Speaking of those Super Bowls...
1. 6 Super Bowl Trophies
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...the Steelers have won six, most of all time. They are currently one ahead of both San Francisco and Dallas and came a few plays shy of winning a seventh last season.
Winning in the regular season and in the playoffs is impressive, but there is no greater achievement in the NFL than winning the championship and the Lombardi Trophy.
Within those six titles is another impressive, unmatched achievement. During a six-year period (1974-1979), the Steelers won four titles under Chuck Noll.
This has rarely been challenged (Dallas won three titles in four years in the early 90s and New England won three in four years in the mid 2000s) by anyone else.
The Steelers are also tied for the most appearances of all time (eight).
There's not really much more to say. Those six trophies on display at the South Side practice facility pretty much speak for themselves.
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