The 1948 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 16th season in the National Football League (NFL). The team finished the season with a record of 4–8, failing to qualify for the playoffs. This season marked the first played with John Michelosen as head coach.

Regular season

Schedule

Game summaries

Week 2 (Sunday September 26, 1948): Washington Redskins

at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 32,084
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Washington – Castiglia 22 pass from Baugh (Poillon kick)
• Pittsburgh – Clement 28 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Glamp 38 pass from Clement (Glamp kick)
• Washington – Turley 33 fumble run (Poillon kick)
• Washington – FG Poillon 28

Week 3 (Monday October 3, 1948): Boston Yanks

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 26,216
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Boston – Paschal 15 pass from Youel (Zimmerman kick)
• Boston – Pritko 33 fumble run (Zimmerman kick)
• Pittsburgh – Nickel 24 pass from Clement (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 35
• Pittsburgh – Seabright 7 pass from Clement (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Mosley 3 run (Glamp kick)

Week 4 (Sunday October 10, 1948): Washington Redskins

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 28,969
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – Clement 3 run (Glamp kick)
• Washington – Crisler 19 pass from Baugh (Poillon kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 13

Week 5 (Sunday October 17, 1948): Boston Yanks

at Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 7,208
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Boston – Heywood 14 fumble run (kick failed)
• Boston – Seno 22 pass from Zimmerman (Zimmerman kick)
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Glamp kick)

Week 6 (Sunday October 24, 1948): New York Giants

at Polo Grounds, New York, New York

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 13,443
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• New York – Sultatis 2 run (Williams kick)
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (kick failed)
• New York – White 54 lateral from Cheverko after 35 kick return (kick failed)
• New York – Roberts 49 pass from Conerly (Williams kick)
• Pittsburgh – Jansante 12 pass from Evans (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Jansante 66 pass from Evans (Glamp kick)
• New York – Sulaitis 34 pass from Conerly (Williams kick)
• New York – Conerly 1 run (Williams kick)

Week 7 (Sunday October 31, 1948): Philadelphia Eagles

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 32,474
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Philadelphia – FG Patton 42
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Philadelphia – Van Buren 20 run (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – Ferrante 7 pass from Thompson (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – Pritchard 55 punt return (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – FG Patton 23
• Philadelphia – Pritchard 18 fumble run (Patton kick)

Week 8 (Sunday November 7, 1948): Green Bay Packers

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 26,058
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – Jansante 7 pass from Evans (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 33
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Evans 14 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Glamp 55 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Compagno 82 interception (Glamp kick)
• Green Bay – Goodnight 19 pass from Girard (Fritsch kick)

Week 9 (Sunday November 14, 1948): Chicago Cardinals

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 33,364
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Chicago Cardinals – Kutner 42 pass from Mallouf (Harder kick)
• Chicago Cardinals – Trippi 67 punt return (Harder kick)
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 67 punt return (Glamp kick)
• Chicago Cardinals – Harder 8 run (Harder kick)
• Chicago Cardinals – FG Yablonski 41

Week 10 (Sunday November 21, 1948): Detroit Lions

at Briggs Stadium, Detroit, Michigan

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 16,189
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Detroit – Dudley 19 pass from Enke (Pregulman kick)
• Detroit – FG Pregulman 33
• Detroit – Dudley 28 fumble run (Pregulman kick)
• Pittsburgh – Papach 2 run (Glamp kick)

Week 11 (Sunday November 28, 1948): Philadelphia Eagles

at Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 22,001
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Philadelphia – Pritchard 5 run (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – Pihos 13 pass from Thompson (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – FG Patton 31

Week 12 (Sunday December 5, 1948): New York Giants

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 27,645
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – Evans 9 run (Glamp kick)
• New York – Minisi 6 run (Younce kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 40
• Pittsburgh – Glamp 3 pass from Evans (Glamp kick)
• New York – Roberts 18 pass from Conerly (Younce kick)
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 2 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Cifers 2 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Morales 36 fumble run (Glamp kick)
• New York – Johnson 11 pass from Conerly (Younce kick)
• New York – Swiacki 11 pass from Conerly (Younce kick)

Week 13 (Sunday December 12, 1948): Los Angeles Rams

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 27,967
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Los Angeles – Hickey 21 pass from Hardy (Waterfield kick)
• Los Angeles – Hubbell 8 pass from Hardy (Waterfield kick)
• Pittsburgh – Papach 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Los Angeles – Fears 29 pass from Waterfield (Waterfield kick)
• Los Angeles – FG Waterfield 47
• Los Angeles – Magnani 16 pass from Hardy (Gehrke kick)
• Pittsburgh – Papach 28 pass from Evans (Glamp kick)

Standings

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.