1989 Pittsburgh Steelers season

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1989 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head Coach Chuck Noll
Home Field Three Rivers Stadium
Results
Record 9-7
Place 3rd in AFC Central
Playoff Finish L to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round
Timeline
Previous Season Next Season
1988 1990

The 1989 Pittsburgh Steelers were considered a rebuilding team filled with many young players, especially after the release of longtime center Mike Webster in the offseason. The young team showed its inexperience in the first game of the season, when they lost at home to the archrival Cleveland Browns 51-0. The loss marked the Steelers worst defeat in franchise history.

However, the team would rebound and despite being a huge long shot to make the playoffs, the Steelers by a miracle managed to clinch the final playoff spot in the last week in the season with a 9-7 record. Chuck Noll, in his 21st season as the team's head coach, was named the NFL's Coach of the Year for the first and only time in his coaching career.

In the first round of the playoffs, the Steelers would have a memorable come-from-behind overtime victory over the division-rival Houston Oilers 26-23, which saw Gary Anderson kick the game-tying field goal at the end of regulation and later the game-winning field goal in the extra-period. The following week, the Steelers nearly pulled off a major upset against the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium before losing 24-23 on one of John Elway's last-second drives.

Though the Steelers would not make the playoffs again under Chuck Noll (missing in 1990 with an identical 9-7 record and again in 1991 at 7-9 despite a second-place finish that year), the season did set the tone for the team's return to prominence in the 1990's under his successor, Bill Cowher.

Contents

[edit] Offseason

The offseason was marked with the team deciding not to renew the contract of longtime center Mike Webster. Webster's release marked the end of the Super Bowl-era players on the team. Although Dwayne Woodruff was still with the Steelers and had won a Super Bowl ring during his rookie year, Webster had been the last member on the team that won all four Super Bowls, and the last one that would eventually be inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Webster would be succeeded at center with a young Dermontti Dawson, who was drafted the year before to be groomed as Webster's replacement, and like Webster would go on to an All-Pro career as one of the best at his position.

Meanwhile, the team drafted UCLA safety Carnell Lake in the second round of the 1989 draft. Lake would be a key member of the team's defense through the 1998 season, although his accomplishments would often be underlooked as opposed to his teammate, Rod Woodson.

[edit] Regular season

[edit] Schedule

Week Date Opponent Time (ET) TV Result
1 Sunday September 10 Cleveland Browns 4:00 PM NBC L 51-0
2 Sunday September 17 @Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 PM NBC L 41-10
3 Sunday September 24 Minnesota Vikings 1:00 PM CBS W 27-14
4 Sunday October 1 @Detroit Lions 1:00 PM NBC W 23-3
5 Sunday October 8 Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 PM NBC L 26-16
6 Sunday October 15 @Cleveland Browns 4:00 PM NBC W 17-7
7 Sunday October 22 @Houston Oilers 1:00 PM NBC L 27-0
8 Sunday October 29 Kansas City Chiefs 1:00 PM NBC W 23-17
9 Sunday November 5 @Denver Broncos 4:00 PM NBC L 34-7
10 Sunday November 12 Chicago Bears 1:00 PM CBS L 20-0
11 Sunday November 19 San Diego Chargers 1:00 PM NBC W 20-17
12 Sunday November 26 @Miami Dolphins 1:00 PM NBC W 34-14
13 Sunday December 3 Houston Oilers 1:00 PM NBC L 23-16
14 Sunday December 10 @New York Jets 1:00 PM NBC W 13-0
15 Sunday December 17 New England Patriots 1:00 PM NBC W 28-10
16 Sunday December 24 @Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1:00 PM NBC W 40-24

[edit] Week 1 (Sunday September 10, 1989): vs. Cleveland Browns

1 2 3 4 Total
Browns 17 13 14 7 51
Steelers 0 0 0 0 0

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 4:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 57,928
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 2 (Sunday September 17, 1989): at Cincinnati Bengals

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 3 0 7 0 10
Bengals 17 7 14 0 38

at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 53,885
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 3 (Sunday September 24, 1989): vs. Minnesota Vikings

1 2 3 4 Total
Vikings 7 7 0 0 14
Steelers 7 14 0 6 27

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 50,744
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (CBS)

[edit] Week 4 (Sunday October 1, 1989): at Detroit Lions

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 10 7 6 23
Lions 3 0 0 0 3

at Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather: Dome
  • Game attendance: 43,804
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 5 (Sunday October 8, 1989): vs. Cincinnati Bengals

1 2 3 4 Total
Bengals 0 13 0 13 26
Steelers 7 3 3 3 16

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 52,785
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 6 (Sunday October 15, 1989): at Cleveland Browns

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 3 0 7 7 17
Browns 0 0 0 7 7

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Game time: 4:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 78,840
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 7 (Sunday October 22, 1989): at Houston Oilers

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 0 0 0 0
Oilers 7 17 3 0 27

at Astrodome, Houston, Texas

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather: Dome
  • Game attendance: 59,091
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 8 (Sunday October 29, 1989): vs. Kansas City Chiefs

1 2 3 4 Total
Chiefs 0 3 14 0 17
Steelers 10 6 7 0 23

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 54,194
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 9 (Sunday November 5, 1989): at Denver Broncos

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 7 0 0 7
Broncos 10 3 7 14 34

at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado

  • Game time: 4:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 74,739
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 10 (Sunday November 12, 1989): vs. Chicago Bears

1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 7 13 0 0 20
Steelers 0 0 0 0 0

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 56,505
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (CBS)

[edit] Week 11 (Sunday November 19, 1989): vs. San Diego Chargers

1 2 3 4 Total
Chargers 0 7 10 0 17
Steelers 3 3 7 7 20

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 44,203
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 12 (Sunday November 26, 1989): at Miami Dolphins

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 17 17 0 34
Dolphins 14 0 0 0 14

at Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 59,936
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 13 (Sunday December 3, 1989): vs. Houston Oilers

1 2 3 4 Total
Oilers 0 14 2 7 23
Steelers 3 7 3 3 16

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 40,541
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 14 (Sunday December 10, 1989): at New York Jets

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 7 0 0 6 13
Jets 0 0 0 0 0

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 41,037
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 15 (Sunday December 17, 1989): vs. New England Patriots

1 2 3 4 Total
Patriots 3 0 0 7 10
Steelers 7 7 7 7 28

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game weather: 5°F (Cloudy)
  • Game attendance: 26,594
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Week 16 (Sunday December 24, 1989): at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 7 17 7 0 31
Buccaneers 7 3 3 9 22

at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 29,690
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC)

[edit] Postseason

[edit] AFC Wild Card Playoff (Sunday December 31, 1989): at Houston Oilers

1 2 3 4 OT Total
Steelers 7 3 3 10 3 26
Oilers 0 6 3 14 0 23

at Astrodome, Houston, Texas

  • Game time: 4:00 PM EST
  • Game weather: Dome
  • Game attendance: 58,306
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Marv Albert (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

[edit] AFC Divisional Playoff (Sunday January 7, 1990): at Denver Broncos

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 3 14 3 3 23
Broncos 0 10 7 7 24

at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado

  • Game time: 4:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 75,868
  • Referee: Gene Barth
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg (play by play), Bill Walsh (color commentator)

[edit] References


Pittsburgh Steelers/Pirates
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Franchise • History • Seasons • Players • Statistics • Division
Stadiums – Forbes Field • Pitt Stadium • Three Rivers Stadium • Heinz Field
Super Bowl Appearances – IX • X • XIII • XIV • XXX • XL
Culture – Terrible Towel • Rooney Family • Myron Cope • Steely McBeam
Lore – Immaculate Reception • Steel Curtain • Blitzburgh • Immaculate Redemption (The Tackle)
Rivalries
Baltimore Ravens • Cincinnati Bengals • Cleveland Browns
Head Coaches
Douds • DiMelio • Bach • McNally • Kiesling • Donelli • Bell • Kiesling • Leonard • Sutherland • Michelosen • Bach • Kiesing • Parker • Nixon • Austin • Noll • Cowher • Tomlin
Hall of Famers
Players - Blount • Bradshaw • Dudley • Greene • Ham • Harris • Johnson • Lambert • Layne • Stallworth • Stautner • Swann • Webster
Coaches and Administration - Bell • Kiesling • Noll • Art Rooney • Dan Rooney
League Championships (5)
1974 • 1975 • 1978 • 1979 • 2005
Seasons
1989 NFL season
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AFC East Central West NFC East Central West
Buffalo Cincinnati Denver Dallas Chicago Atlanta
Indianapolis Cleveland Kansas City NY Giants Detroit LA Rams
Miami Houston LA Raiders Philadelphia Green Bay New Orleans
New England Pittsburgh San Diego Phoenix Minnesota San Francisco
NY Jets Seattle Washington Tampa Bay
1989 NFL Draft • NFL Playoffs • Pro Bowl • Super Bowl XXIV
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