1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 Pittsburgh Steelers 1981 8–8 2nd AFC Central Chuck Noll Dick Haley Art Rooney Three Rivers Stadium Did not qualify CB Mel BlountLB Jack LambertS Donnie ShellC Mike Webster Mel Blount (1st team)Jack Lambert (1st team)Mike Webster (1st team)Donnie Shell (2nd team) Jack Lambert Steelers seasons The 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 49th in the National Football League. After enduring an injury plagued 9–7 season the previous year and missing the playoffs for the first time since 1971, the Steelers had hoped that the 1980 season was just a small hiatus from contending for championships. However, while the Steelers had flashes of their former glory years after starting the season with 2 unimpressive losses, the 1981 season would end in an 8–8 record and eventually prove the end of the Steelers great dynasty of the 1970s. The Steelers had a chance to make the playoffs with an 8–5 start to the year but lost all of their last three games to miss the playoffs after Terry Bradshaw broke his hand early in the 14th game of the season versus the Raiders.BRADSHAW HURT AS RAIDERS TRIUMPH (Published 1981) The New York Times December 8, 1981 https://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/08/sports/bradshaw-hurt-as-raiders-triumph.html Offseason NFL draft 1981 NFL draft 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers 1 17 Keith Gary Defensive end Oklahoma no no 2 44 Anthony Washington Cornerback Fresno State no yes 3 73 Rick Donnalley Center North Carolina no yes 4 100 Robbie Martin Wide receiver Cal Poly no no 5 127 Ricky Martin Wide receiver New Mexico no no 6 156 Bryan Hinkle Linebacker Oregon no yes 7 183 David Little Linebacker Florida yes yes 8 209 Frank Wilson Running back Rice no no no no Undrafted free agents + 1981 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeNelson BoldenRunning backFindlayCharles BrutonSafetySMUPlummer BullockDefensive endVirginia UnionTony CarifaSafetyOhioRay CockrellTight endBaylorLarry CoffeyRunning backWest Virginia WesleyanWillie CollierWide receiverPittsburghJames CowinsWide receiverOklahoma StateJoe CugliariDefensive tackleIndiana (Pa.)Dean CvitkovicLinebackerMorehead StateBill DanenhauerCenterNebraska-OmahaMike DombrowskiTight endPittsburghBill DudashDefensive tackleKent StateSteve FedellLinebackerPittsburghJeff FinnTight endNebraskaArtrell HawkinsWide receiverPittsburghCurtis HendersonWide receiverMorgan StateRicky IsaacDefensive endNortheast LouisianaDana NoelSafetyMinnesotaRudy PhillipsGuardNorth Texas StateAlvis PrinceDefensive tacklePrairie View A&MRobby RobsonRunning backYoungstown StateDavid TroutKickerPittsburgh Staff 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers #08214A white #EEC607 Chairman of the board – Arthur J. Rooney President – Daniel M. Rooney Vice president – John R. McGinley Vice president – Arthur J. Rooney, Jr. Controller – Dennis P. Thimons Traveling secretary – James A. Boston Public relations director – Ed Kiely Publicity director – Joe Gordon Assistant publicity director – John Evenson Director of ticket sales – Geraldine Glenn Director of player personnel – Dick Haley Assistant director of player personnel – William Nunn, Jr. Talent scout – West Coast – Bob Schmitz Pro talent scout – Tom Modrak College talent scout – Joe Krupa Head coach – Chuck Noll Assistant head coach – George Perles Offensive line – Rollie Dotsch Offensive backfield – Dick Hoak Receivers – Tom Moore Defensive coordinator – Woody Widenhofer Defensive assistant – Tony Dungy Defensive backfield – Dick Walker Paul Uram Physician, M.D. – Dr. David S. Huber Physician, M.D. – Dr. Anthony P. Yates Physician, orthopedic – Dr. Paul Steele Neurological surgery consultant – Dr. Joseph C. Maroon Dentist – Dr. George P. Boucek Ophthalmologist – Dr. Phillip Buzzelli Trainer – Ralph Berlin Assistant trainer – Gary Stragar Equipment manager – Anthony Parisi Field manager – Rodgers Freyvogel Film director – Bob McCartney Photographers – Harry Homa, Bill Amatucci 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide Roster 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers 45 8 12 Terry Bradshaw 16 Mark Malone 45 Russell Davis running back 32 Franco Harris 27 Greg Hawthorne 39 Rick Moser 44 Frank Pollard 38 Sidney Thornton 86 Jim Smith wide receiver 82 John Stallworth 88 Lynn Swann 85 Calvin Sweeney 89 Bennie Cunningham 84 Randy Grossman 79 Larry Brown tight end, born 1949 T 77 Steve Courson G 62 Tunch Ilkin T 55 Jon Kolb T 61 Tyrone McGriff G 74 Ray Pinney T 52 Mike Webster C 73 Craig Wolfley G 76 John Banaszak DE 65 Tom Beasley DT 67 Gary Dunn DT 95 John Goodman American football DE 75 Joe Greene DT 68 L. C. Greenwood DE 90 Bob Kohrs DE 56 Robin Cole OLB 59 Jack Ham OLB 58 Jack Lambert American football MLB 50 David Little linebacker MLB 51 Loren Toews OLB 54 Zack Valentine MLB 53 Dennis Winston OLB 30 Larry Anderson American football CB 47 Mel Blount CB 29 Ron Johnson cornerback CB/S 31 Donnie Shell SS 26 J. T. Thomas defensive back FS 42 Anthony Washington American football y CB 49 Dwayne Woodruff CB  5 Craig Colquitt P  1 David Trout y K 78 Joe Cugliari y DT IR -- Rick Donnalley y C/G IR -- Steve Fedell LB y IR 46 Bryan Hinkle y LB IR 25 Ricky Martin American football y WR IR 66 Ted Petersen T IR 18 Cliff Stoudt QB IR 37 Frank Wilson b. 1958 y TE IR 1982 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/1981_roster.htm 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers Pro-Football-Reference.com 2014-12-19 Preseason Schedule Week Date Opponent Game Site Kickoff (ET) TV Result Record 1 August 8, 1981 at Cleveland Browns Cleveland Municipal Stadium 7:30 p.m. WPXI W 34–31 1–0 2 August 15, 1981 at Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium 6:00 p.m. WPXI L 36–20 1–1 3 August 22, 1981 at Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium 9:00 p.m. NBC L 24–14 1–2 4 August 29, 1981 New York Giants Three Rivers Stadium 6:00 p.m. WPXI W 31–6 2–2 Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Game Site Kickoff (ET) TV Result Record 1 September 6 Kansas City Chiefs Three Rivers Stadium 1:00 p.m. NBC L 37–33 0–1 2 September 10, 1981 at Miami Dolphins Miami Orange Bowl 8:30 p.m. ABC L 30–10 0–2 3 September 20 New York Jets Three Rivers Stadium 1:00 p.m. NBC W 38–10 1–2 4 September 27 New England Patriots Three Rivers Stadium 1:00 p.m. NBC W 27–21 (OT) 2–2 5 October 4 at New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome 2:00 p.m. NBC W 20–6 3–2 6 October 11 Cleveland Browns Three Rivers Stadium 1:00 p.m. NBC W 13–7 4–2 7 October 18 at Cincinnati Bengals Riverfront Stadium 1:00 p.m. NBC L 34–7 4–3 8 October 26, 1981 Houston Oilers Three Rivers Stadium 9:00 p.m. ABC W 26–13 5–3 9 November 1 San Francisco 49ers Three Rivers Stadium 1:00 p.m. CBS L 17–14 5–4 10 November 8 at Seattle Seahawks Kingdome 4:00 p.m. NBC L 24–21 5–5 11 November 15 at Atlanta Falcons Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 1:00 p.m. NBC W 34–20 6–5 12 November 22 at Cleveland Browns Cleveland Municipal Stadium 1:00 p.m. NBC W 32–10 7–5 13 November 29 Los Angeles Rams Three Rivers Stadium 1:00 p.m. CBS W 24–0 8–5 14 December 7, 1981 at Oakland Raiders Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 9:00 p.m. ABC L 30–27 8–6 15 December 13 Cincinnati Bengals Three Rivers Stadium 1:00 p.m. NBC L 17–10 8–7 16 December 20 at Houston Oilers Astrodome 4:00 p.m. NBC L 21–20 8–8 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Game summaries Week 1 (Sunday, September 6, 1981): vs. Kansas City Chiefs Chiefs 10 3 10 14 Steelers 6 13 7 7 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game time: 1:00 pm EDT Game weather: 67 °F °C 1 or, wind 5 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 53,305 Referee: Jim Tunney TV announcers: (NBC) Bob Costas (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – Swann 18 pass from Bradshaw (kick failed) Kansas City – Marshall 48 pass from Kenney (Lowery kick) Kansas City – FG Lowery 35 Pittsburgh – Harris 7 run (kick failed) Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Trout kick) Kansas City – FG Lowery 40 Kansas City – Carson 53 pass from Kenney (Lowery kick) Pittsburgh – Hawthorne 1 run (Trout kick) Kansas City – FG Lowery 42 Kansas City – McKnight 3 run (Lowery kick) Pittsburgh – Smith 41 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Kansas City – Howard 65 fumble return (Lowery kick) Week 2 (Thursday, September 10, 1981): at Miami Dolphins Steelers 3 7 0 0 Dolphins 0 13 14 3 at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida Game time: 8:30 pm EDT Game weather: 81 °F °C 1 or, wind 10 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 74,190 Referee: Red Cashion TV announcers: (ABC) Frank Gifford (play by play), Fran Tarkenton & Howard Cosell (color commentators) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – FG Trout 23 Miami – Woodley 1 run (kick failed) Miami – Franklin 1 run (von Schamann kick) Pittsburgh – Smith 32 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Miami – Nathan 13 pass from Woodley (von Schamann kick) Miami – Vigorito 87 punt return (von Schamann kick) Miami – FG von Schamann 32 Week 3 (Sunday, September 20, 1981): vs. New York Jets Jets 0 3 0 7 Steelers 7 10 14 7 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game time: 1:00 pm EDT Game weather: 59 °F °C or, wind 17 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 52,973 Referee: Gordon McCarter TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – Davis 9 run (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – FG Trout 25 Pittsburgh – Pollard 23 run (Trout kick) New York Jets – FG Leahy 47 Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 1 run (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – Pollard 1 run (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – Thornton 1 run (Trout kick) New York Jets – McNeil 17 pass from Ryan (Leahy kick) Week 4 (Sunday, September 27, 1981): vs. New England Patriots Patriots 0 7 0 14 0 Steelers 7 7 7 0 6 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game time: 1:00 pm EDT Game weather: 68 °F °C or, wind 17 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 53,344 Referee: Gene Barth TV announcers: (NBC) Bob Costas (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – Cunningham 1 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) New England – Cavanaugh 1 run (Smith kick) Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Trout kick) New England – Collins 10 run (Smith kick) New England – Morgan 12 pass from Cavanaugh (Smith kick) Pittsburgh – Swann 24 pass from Bradshaw Week 5 (Sunday, October 4, 1981): at New Orleans Saints Steelers 7 6 0 7 Saints 0 3 3 0 at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana Game time: 2:00 pm EDT Game weather: Dome Game attendance: 64,578 Referee: Jerry Seeman TV announcers: (NBC) Sam Nover (play by play), Harmon Wages (color commentator) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – Swann 16 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – FG Trout 25 New Orleans – FG Ricardo 26 Pittsburgh – FG Trout 43 New Orleans – FG Ricardo 33 Pittsburgh – Stallworth 47 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Week 6 (Sunday, October 11, 1981): vs. Cleveland Browns Browns 0 7 0 0 Steelers 7 3 0 3 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game time: 1:00 pm EDT Game weather: 51 °F °C 1 or, wind 6 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 53,255 Referee: Ben Dreith TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – Stallworth 9 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – FG Trout 19 Cleveland – Newsome 29 pass from Sipe (Bahr kick) Pittsburgh – FG Trout 23 Week 7 (Sunday, October 18, 1981): at Cincinnati Bengals Steelers 0 0 0 7 Bengals 10 3 14 7 at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio Game time: 1:00 pm EDT Game weather: 57 °F °C 1 or, wind 20 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 57,090 Referee: Jerry Markbreit TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator) Scoring drives: Cincinnati – FG Breech 27 Cincinnati – Johnson 3 run (Breech kick) Cincinnati – FG Breech 23 Cincinnati – Verser 73 pass from Ken Anderson (Breech kick) Cincinnati – Alexander 3 run (Breech kick) Cincinnati – Johnson 5 pass from Ken Anderson (Breech kick) Pittsburgh – Smith 17 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Week 8 (Monday, October 26, 1981): vs. Houston Oilers Oilers 0 3 0 10 Steelers 10 3 0 13 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game time: 9:00 pm EST Game weather: 53 °F °C 1 or, wind 10 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 52,732 Referee: Fred Silva TV announcers: (ABC) Frank Gifford (play by play), Don Meredith & Fran Tarkenton (color commentators) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – FG Trout 19 Pittsburgh – Smith 46 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Houston – FG Fritsch 34 Pittsburgh – FG Trout 19 Houston – Casper 52 pass from Stabler (Fritsch kick) Houston – FG Fritsch 44 Pittsburgh – Stallworth 6 pass from Bradshaw (kick failed) Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Trout kick) Week 9 (Sunday, November 1, 1981): vs. San Francisco 49ers 49ers 0 10 0 7 Steelers 0 0 14 0 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game time: 1:00 pm EST Game weather: 50 °F °C or, wind 8 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 52,878 Referee: Bob Frederic TV announcers: (CBS) Vin Scully (play by play), Hank Stram (color commentator) Scoring drives: San Francisco – Young 5 pass from Montana (Wersching kick) San Francisco – FG Wersching 45 Pittsburgh – Blount 50 interception return (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – Smith 22 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) San Francisco – Easley 1 run (Wersching kick) Week 10 (Sunday, November 8, 1981): at Seattle Seahawks Steelers 7 14 0 0 Seahawks 3 7 0 14 at The Kingdome, Seattle, Washington Game time: 4:00 pm EST Game weather: Dome Game attendance: 59,058 Referee: Dick Jorgensen TV announcers: (NBC) Jay Randolph (play by play), Rocky Bleier (color commentator) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – Harris 6 run (Trout kick) Seattle – FG Herrera 37 Pittsburgh – Malone 90 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – Thornton 4 run (Trout kick) Seattle – Doornink 44 pass from Zorn (Herrera kick) Seattle – T. Brown 1 run (Herrera kick) Seattle – T. Brown 1 run (Herrera kick) Week 11 (Sunday, November 15, 1981): at Atlanta Falcons Steelers 7 7 13 7 Falcons 0 7 3 10 at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia Game time: 1:00 pm EST Game weather: 53 °F °C 1 or, wind 11 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 57,485 Referee: Pat Haggerty TV announcers: (NBC) Bob Costas (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – Cunningham 18 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – Stallworth 6 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Atlanta – Jackson 35 pass from Bartkowski (Luckhurst kick) Pittsburgh – Stallworth 19 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Atlanta – FG Luckhurst 43 Pittsburgh – Grossman 14 pass from Bradshaw (kick blocked) Atlanta – Jenkins 30 pass from Bartkowski (Luckhurst kick) Pittsburgh – Swann 22 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Atlanta – FG Luckhurst 22 Week 12 (Sunday, November 22, 1981): at Cleveland Browns Steelers 12 0 6 14 Browns 3 7 0 0 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio Game time: 1:00 pm EST Game weather: 30 °F °C 1 or, wind 15 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 77,958 Referee: Gene Barth TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator) Scoring drives: Cleveland – FG Bahr 33 Pittsburgh – Hawthorne 1 run (kick failed) Pittsburgh – Thornton 3 run (kick failed) Cleveland – Logan 13 pass from Sipe (Bahr kick) Pittsburgh – Harris 2 run (kick failed) Pittsburgh – Pinney 1 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – Moser 5 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Week 13 (Sunday, November 29, 1981): vs. Los Angeles Rams Rams 0 0 0 0 Steelers 7 14 3 0 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game time: 1:00 pm EST Game weather: 33 °F °C 1 or, wind 12 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 51,854 Referee: Tom Dooley TV announcers: (CBS) Vin Scully (play by play), Hank Stram (color commentator) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – Swann 9 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 1 run (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – FG Trout 21 Week 14 (Monday, December 7, 1981): at Oakland Raiders Steelers 7 7 6 7 Raiders 0 7 7 16 at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California Game time: 9:00 pm EST Game weather: 56 °F °C 1 or, wind 7 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 51,769 Referee: Jim Tunney TV announcers: (ABC) Frank Gifford (play by play), Don Meredith & Howard Cosell (color commentators) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – Cunningham 5 pass from Bradshaw (Trout kick) Oakland – Ramsey 25 pass from Wilson (Bahr kick) Pittsburgh – Smith 19 pass from Malone (Trout kick) Oakland – Whittington 17 pass from Wilson (Bahr kick) Pittsburgh – Malone 11 run (kick failed) Oakland – Chandler 36 pass from Wilson (kick failed) Oakland – Watts 53 punt return (Bahr kick) Oakland – FG Bahr 29 Pittsburgh – Smith 17 pass from Malone (Trout kick) Week 15 (Sunday, December 13, 1981): vs. Cincinnati Bengals Bengals 0 10 7 0 Steelers 0 3 0 7 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game time: 1:00 pm EST Game weather: 27 °F °C 1 or, wind 5 mph km/h knots Game attendance: 50,623 Referee: Red Cashion TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – FG Trout 48 Cincinnati – FG Breech 38 Cincinnati – Curtis 2 pass from Ken Anderson (Breech kick) Cincinnati – Kreider 22 pass from Ken Anderson (Breech kick) Pittsburgh – Harris 2 pass from Malone (Trout kick) Week 16 (Sunday, December 20, 1981): at Houston Oilers Steelers 3 3 14 0 Oilers 7 7 0 7 at Astrodome, Houston, Texas Game time: 4:00 pm EST Game weather: Dome Game attendance: 41,056 Referee: Bob McElwee TV announcers: (NBC) Phil Stone (play by play), Gene Washington (color commentator) Scoring drives: Pittsburgh – FG Trout 40 Houston – Casper 15 pass from Nielsen (Fritsch kick) Houston – Casper 23 pass from Nielsen (Fritsch kick) Pittsburgh – FG Trout 37 Pittsburgh – Thornton 17 run (Trout kick) Pittsburgh – Malone 2 run (Trout kick) Houston – Casper 16 pass from Nielsen (Fritsch kick) Standings References 1. Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide 1982 External links 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season at Profootballreference.com 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season statistics at jt-sw.com Category:Pittsburgh Steelers seasons Pittsburgh Steelers Pitts