The Pittsburgh Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in 1933, the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC; seven franchises in the National Football Conference (NFC) have longer tenures in the NFL. The team struggled to be competitive in its early history, posting winning records in just 8 of its first 39 seasons. Since the AFL–NFL merger in 1970, however, it has appeared in eight Super Bowls and one of only two teams, along with the New England Patriots, to have won the Super Bowl six times. The six championships place the Steelers fourth in the league in terms of total championships (including those prior to the first Super Bowl), trailing only the Green Bay Packers (13 championships), the Chicago Bears (9) and the New York Giants (8).[1] The club's 16 AFC Championship Game appearances are the most all-time and behind only the 49ers (17) for total conference championship game appearances. In addition, they have hosted the second-most conference championship games (11) than any franchise in either conference, and are tied for second with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos with eight Super Bowl appearances; the Patriots currently hold the record of eleven appearances, as of 2021.

From 1974 to 1979 the franchise became the first NFL franchise to win four Super Bowl titles in six seasons, a feat which is yet to be matched. In 2005, the Steelers became the first #6 seed to advance to a conference championship game, and go on to win the Super Bowl, since the playoff field was expanded to 12 teams in 1990. The Steelers are 6–2 in the Super Bowl, winning Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, XIV, XL and XLIII while losing Super Bowls XXX and XLV.

As of the 2022 season, the Steelers franchise is tied for third with the Giants all-time in playoff appearances, with 33. The Steelers have the most playoff appearances among active AFC franchises, as well as the most since the official start of the NFL-AFL merger in 1970. The Cowboys (35) and Packers (35) are the only teams to have more playoff appearances. Coincidentally, these are also the only two teams to beat Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.

Key to color-coding of list of seasons table
NFL champions (1920–1969) Super Bowl champions (1966–present) Conference champions Division champions Wild Card berth One-game playoff berth
Season Team League Conference Division Regular season Postseason results Awards Head coaches
Finish W L T Pct[1]
Pittsburgh Pirates
1933 1933 NFL East 5th 3 6 2 .364 Forrest Douds
1934 1934 NFL East 5th 2 10 0 .167 Luby DiMeolo
1935 1935 NFL East 3rd 4 8 0 .333 Joe Bach
1936 1936 NFL East 2nd 6 6 0 .500
1937 1937 NFL East 3rd 4 7 0 .364 Johnny Blood
1938 1938 NFL East 5th 2 9 0 .182
1939 1939 NFL East 4th[T] 1 9 1 .136 Johnny Blood (0–3)
Walt Kiesling (1–6–1)
Pittsburgh Steelers
1940 1940 NFL East 4th 2 7 2 .273 Walt Kiesling
1941 1941 NFL East 5th 1 9 1 .136 Walt Kiesling (1–2–1)
Aldo Donelli (0–5)
Bert Bell (0–2)
1942 1942 NFL East 2nd 7 4 0 .636 Walt Kiesling
Steagles[2]
1943 1943 NFL East 3rd 5 4 1 .550 Greasy Neale &
Walt Kiesling
Card-Pitt[3]
1944 1944 NFL East 5th 0 10 0 .000 Phil Handler &
Walt Kiesling
Pittsburgh Steelers
1945 1945 NFL East 5th 2 8 0 .200 Jim Leonard
1946 1946 NFL East 3rd[T] 5 5 1 .500 Bill Dudley (MVP) Jock Sutherland
1947 1947 NFL East 2nd 8 4 0 .667 Lost Divisional Playoff (Eagles) 0–21
1948 1948 NFL East 3rd[T] 4 8 0 .333 John Michelosen
1949 1949 NFL East 2nd 6 5 1 .542
1950 1950 NFL American 3rd[T] 6 6 0 .500
1951 1951 NFL American 4th 4 7 1 .375
1952 1952 NFL American 4th 5 7 0 .417 Joe Bach
1953 1953 NFL Eastern 4th 6 6 0 .500
1954 1954 NFL Eastern 4th 5 7 0 .417 Walt Kiesling
1955 1955 NFL Eastern 6th 4 8 0 .346
1956 1956 NFL Eastern 4th[T] 5 7 0 .417
1957 1957 NFL Eastern 3rd 6 6 0 .500 Buddy Parker
1958 1958 NFL Eastern 3rd 7 4 1 .625
1959 1959 NFL Eastern 4th 6 5 1 .542
1960 1960 NFL Eastern 5th 5 6 1 .458
1961 1961 NFL Eastern 5th 6 8 0 .429
1962 1962 NFL Eastern 2nd 9 5 0 .643
1963 1963 NFL Eastern 4th 7 4 3 .607
1964 1964 NFL Eastern 6th 5 9 0 .357
1965 1965 NFL Eastern 7th 2 12 0 .143 Mike Nixon
1966 1966 NFL Eastern 6th 5 8 1 .393 Bill Austin
1967 1967 NFL Eastern Century 4th 4 9 1 .321
1968 1968 NFL Eastern Century 4th 2 11 1 .179
1969 1969 NFL Eastern Century 4th 1 13 0 .071 Joe Greene (DROY) Chuck Noll
1970 1970 NFL AFC Central 3rd 5 9 0 .357
1971 1971 NFL AFC Central 2nd 6 8 0 .429
1972 1972 NFL AFC Central 1st 11 3 0 .786 Won Divisional Playoffs (Raiders) 13–7
Lost AFC Championship (Dolphins) 17–21 		Chuck Noll (AFC COY)
Franco Harris (OROY, AFC OROY)
Joe Greene (DPOY)
1973 1973 NFL AFC Central 2nd 10 4 0 .714 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Raiders) 14–33
1974 1974 NFL AFC Central 1st 10 3 1 .750 Won Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 32–14
Won AFC Championship (at Raiders) 24–13
Won Super Bowl IX (1) (vs. Vikings) 16–6 		Jack Lambert (DROY)
Joe Greene (DPOY)
Franco Harris (SB MVP)
1975 1975 NFL AFC Central 1st 12 2 0 .857 Won Divisional Playoffs (Colts) 28–10
Won AFC Championship (Raiders) 16–10
Won Super Bowl X (2) (vs. Cowboys) 21–17 		Mel Blount (DPOY)
Lynn Swann (SB MVP)
1976 1976 NFL AFC Central 1st 10 4 0 .714 Won Divisional Playoffs (at Colts) 40–14
Lost AFC Championship (at Raiders) 7–24 		Jack Lambert (DPOY, AFC DPOY)
1977 1977 NFL AFC Central 1st 9 5 0 .643 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Broncos) 21–34
1978 1978 NFL AFC Central 1st 14 2 0 .875 Won Divisional Playoffs (Broncos) 33–10
Won AFC Championship (Oilers) 34–5
Won Super Bowl XIII (3) (vs. Cowboys) 35–31 		Terry Bradshaw (MVP, SB MVP, BBA)
1979 1979 NFL AFC Central 1st 12 4 0 .750 Won Divisional Playoffs (Dolphins) 34–14
Won AFC Championship (Oilers) 27–13
Won Super Bowl XIV (4) (vs. Rams) 31–19 		Jack Lambert (AFC DPOY)
Terry Bradshaw (SB MVP)
1980 1980 NFL AFC Central 3rd 9 7 0 .563
1981 1981 NFL AFC Central 2nd 8 8 0 .500
1982 1982 NFL AFC Central 4th[T][3] 6 3 0 .667 Lost First Round Playoffs (Chargers) 28–31
1983 1983 NFL AFC Central 1st 10 6 0 .625 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Raiders) 10–38
1984 1984 NFL AFC Central 1st 9 7 0 .563 Won Divisional Playoffs (at Broncos) 24–17
Lost AFC Championship (at Dolphins) 28–45 		Louis Lipps (OROY)
John Stallworth (CBPOY)
1985 1985 NFL AFC Central 3rd 7 9 0 .438
1986 1986 NFL AFC Central 3rd 6 10 0 .375
1987 1987 NFL AFC Central 3rd 8 7 0 .533
1988 1988 NFL AFC Central 4th 5 11 0 .313
1989 1989 NFL AFC Central 3rd 9 7 0 .563 Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Oilers) 26–23 (OT)
Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Broncos) 23–24 		Chuck Noll (MFC COY)
1990 1990 NFL AFC Central 3rd 9 7 0 .563
1991 1991 NFL AFC Central 2nd 7 9 0 .438
1992 1992 NFL AFC Central 1st 11 5 0 .688 Lost Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 3–24 Bill Cowher (NFL COY)
Barry Foster (AFC OPOY) 		Bill Cowher
1993 1993 NFL AFC Central 2nd 9 7 0 .563 Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Chiefs) 24–27 (OT) Rod Woodson (DPOY)
1994 1994 NFL AFC Central 1st 12 4 0 .750 Won Divisional Playoffs (Browns) 29–9
Lost AFC Championship (Chargers) 13–17 		Greg Lloyd (AFC DPOY)
1995 1995 NFL AFC Central 1st 11 5 0 .688 Won Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 40–21
Won AFC Championship (Colts) 20–16
Lost Super Bowl XXX (vs. Cowboys) 17–27
1996 1996 NFL AFC Central 1st 10 6 0 .625 Won Wild Card Playoffs (Colts) 42–14
Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Patriots) 3–28 		Jerome Bettis (CBPOY)
1997 1997 NFL AFC Central 1st 11 5 0 .688 Won Divisional Playoffs (Patriots) 7–6
Lost AFC Championship (Broncos) 21–24
1998 1998 NFL AFC Central 3rd 7 9 0 .438
1999 1999 NFL AFC Central 4th 6 10 0 .375
2000 2000 NFL AFC Central 3rd 9 7 0 .563
2001 2001 NFL AFC Central 1st 13 3 0 .813 Won Divisional Playoffs (Ravens) 27–10
Lost AFC Championship (Patriots) 17–24 		Kendrell Bell (DROY)
2002 2002 NFL AFC North 1st 10 5 1 .656 Won Wild Card Playoffs (Browns) 36–33
Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Titans) 31–34 (OT) 		Tommy Maddox (CBPOY)
2003 2003 NFL AFC North 3rd 6 10 0 .375
2004 2004 NFL AFC North 1st 15 1 0 .938 Won Divisional Playoffs (Jets) 20–17 (OT)
Lost AFC Championship (Patriots) 27–41 		Bill Cowher (TSN COY)
Ben Roethlisberger (OROY)
2005 2005 NFL AFC North 2nd 11 5 0 .688 Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Bengals) 31–17
Won Divisional Playoffs (at Colts) 21–18
Won AFC Championship (at Broncos) 34–17
Won Super Bowl XL (5) (vs. Seahawks) 21–10 		Hines Ward (SB MVP)
2006 2006 NFL AFC North 3rd 8 8 0 .500
2007 2007 NFL AFC North 1st 10 6 0 .625 Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Jaguars) 29–31 Mike Tomlin
2008 2008 NFL AFC North 1st 12 4 0 .750 Won Divisional Playoffs (Chargers) 35–24
Won AFC Championship (Ravens) 23–14
Won Super Bowl XLIII (6) (vs. Cardinals) 27–23 		James Harrison (DPOY)[4]
Santonio Holmes (SB MVP)
Mike Tomlin (Motorola NFL COY)[5]
2009 2009 NFL AFC North 3rd 9 7 0 .563
2010 2010 NFL AFC North 1st 12 4 0 .750 Won Divisional Playoffs (Ravens) 31–24
Won AFC Championship (Jets) 24–19
Lost Super Bowl XLV (vs. Packers) 25–31 		Troy Polamalu (DPOY)
2011 2011 NFL AFC North 2nd 12 4 0 .750 Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Broncos) 23–29 (OT)
2012 2012 NFL AFC North 3rd 8 8 0 .500
2013 2013 NFL AFC North 2nd 8 8 0 .500
2014 2014 NFL AFC North 1st 11 5 0 .688 Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Ravens) 17–30
2015 2015 NFL AFC North 2nd 10 6 0 .625 Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Bengals) 18–16
Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Broncos) 16–23
2016 2016 NFL AFC North 1st 11 5 0 .688 Won Wild Card Playoffs (Dolphins) 30–12
Won Divisional Playoffs (at Chiefs) 18–16
Lost AFC Championship (at Patriots) 17–36
2017 2017 NFL AFC North 1st 13 3 0 .813 Lost Divisional Playoffs (Jaguars) 42–45
2018 2018 NFL AFC North 2nd 9 6 1 .594
2019 2019 NFL AFC North 2nd 8 8 0 .500
2020 2020 NFL AFC North 1st 12 4 0 .750 Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Browns) 37–48
2021 2021 NFL AFC North 2nd 9 7 1 .559 Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Chiefs) 21–42 T. J. Watt (DPOY)
2022 2022 NFL AFC North 3rd 9 8 0 .529
2023 2023 NFL AFC North 3rd 10 7 0 .588 Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Bills) 17–31 Cameron Heyward (WP MOY)
Totals
6 Super Bowl Championships
8 AFC Conference Championships
24 Division titles 		Regular season:  671 578 22 .537 1933–2023, regular season only
Playoff:  36 28 — .563 1933–2023, playoffs only
Overall:  707 606 22 .538 1933–2023, regular season and playoff games

Notes:

The Finish, Wins, Losses, Ties and Pct columns include only regular season results. Postseason results are shown only within the "Playoffs" column. Regular and postseason records are combined only at the bottom of the table.
T Tied for this position with at least one other team
1 For the purposes of calculating winning percentage ties count as ½ win and ½ loss
2 The Playoff Bowl (a.k.a. Bert Bell Benefit Bowl) is regarded as an unofficial post-season exhibition for third place
3 Ranked by conference rather than division (strike shortened season).

References

"Pittsburgh Steelers Franchise Encyclopedia". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 8 April 2010.

  1. ^ "NFL Record and Fact Book – Team Records: Championships". NFL.com. 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  2. ^ "1943 Phi/Pit Eagles/Steelers". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  3. ^ "1944 Chi/Pit Cards/Steelers". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  4. ^ "Harrison has death grip on defensive award". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 5 January 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2009.
  5. ^ NFL (29 January 2009). "Steelers' Tomlin voted 2008 Motorola Coach of the Year". Archived from the original on 1 February 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
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