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 is 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). 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 . 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.
Seasons + Key to color-coding of list of seasons tableNFL champions (1920–1969)Super Bowl champions (1966–present)Conference championsDivision championsWild Card berthOne-game playoff berth
SeasonTeamLeagueConferenceDivisionRegular seasonPostseason resultsAwardsHead coaches Finish Pittsburgh Pirates1933NFLEast5th362.364Forrest Douds1934NFLEast5th2100.167Luby DiMeolo1935NFLEast3rd480.333Joe Bach1936NFLEast2nd660.5001937NFLEast3rd470.364Johnny Blood1938NFLEast5th290.1821939NFLEast4th191.136Johnny Blood (0–3) Walt Kiesling (1–6–1)Pittsburgh Steelers1940NFLEast4th272.273Walt Kiesling1941NFLEast5th191.136Walt Kiesling (1–2–1) Aldo Donelli (0–5) Bert Bell (0–2)1942NFLEast2nd740.636Walt KieslingSteagles1943NFLEast3rd541.550Greasy Neale & Walt KieslingCard-Pitt1944NFLWest5th0100.000Phil Handler & Walt KieslingPittsburgh Steelers1945NFLEast5th280.200Jim Leonard1946NFLEast3rd551.500Bill Dudley (MVP)Jock Sutherland1947NFLEast2nd840.667Lost Divisional Playoff (Eagles) 0–211948NFLEast3rd480.333John Michelosen1949NFLEast2nd651.5421950NFLAmerican3rd660.5001951NFLAmerican4th471.3751952NFLAmerican4th570.417Joe Bach1953NFLEastern4th660.5001954NFLEastern4th570.417Walt Kiesling1955NFLEastern6th480.3461956NFLEastern4th570.4171957NFLEastern3rd660.500Buddy Parker1958NFLEastern3rd741.6251959NFLEastern4th651.5421960NFLEastern5th561.4581961NFLEastern5th680.4291962NFLEastern2nd950.6431963NFLEastern4th743.6071964NFLEastern6th590.3571965NFLEastern7th2120.143Mike Nixon1966NFLEastern6th581.393Bill Austin1967NFLEasternCentury4th491.3211968NFLEasternCentury4th2111.1791969NFLEasternCentury4th1130.071Joe Greene (DROY)Chuck Noll1970NFLAFCCentral3rd590.3571971NFLAFCCentral2nd680.4291972NFLAFCCentral1st1130.786 Won Divisional Playoffs (Raiders) 13–7Lost AFC Championship (Dolphins) 17–21Chuck Noll (AFC COY)Franco Harris (OROY)Joe Greene (DPOY)Dan Rooney (EOY)1973NFLAFCCentral2nd1040.714 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Raiders) 14–331974NFLAFCCentral1st1031.750Won Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 32–14Won AFC Championship (at Raiders) 24–13Won Super Bowl IX (1) (vs. Vikings) 16–6Franco Harris (SB MVP)Joe Greene (DPOY)Jack Lambert (DROY)Art Rooney (EOY)1975NFLAFCCentral1st1220.857Won Divisional Playoffs (Colts) 28–10Won AFC Championship (Raiders) 16–10Won Super Bowl X (2) (vs. Cowboys) 21–17Mel Blount (DPOY)Lynn Swann (SB MVP)1976NFLAFCCentral1st1040.714Won Divisional Playoffs (at Colts) 40–14Lost AFC Championship (at Raiders) 7–24Jack Lambert (DPOY, AFC DPOY)1977NFLAFCCentral1st950.643Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Broncos) 21–341978NFLAFCCentral1st1420.875Won Divisional Playoffs (Broncos) 33–10Won AFC Championship (Oilers) 34–5Won Super Bowl XIII (3) (vs. Cowboys) 35–31Terry Bradshaw (MVP, SB MVP, BBA)1979NFLAFCCentral1st1240.750Won Divisional Playoffs (Dolphins) 34–14Won AFC Championship (Oilers) 27–13Won Super Bowl XIV (4) (vs. Rams) 31–19Jack Lambert (AFC DPOY)Terry Bradshaw (SB MVP)1980NFLAFCCentral3rd970.5631981NFLAFCCentral2nd880.5001982NFLAFCCentral4th630.667Lost First Round Playoffs (Chargers) 28–311983NFLAFCCentral1st1060.625Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Raiders) 10–381984NFLAFCCentral1st970.563Won Divisional Playoffs (at Broncos) 24–17Lost AFC Championship (at Dolphins) 28–45Louis Lipps (OROY)John Stallworth (CBPOY)1985NFLAFCCentral3rd790.4381986NFLAFCCentral3rd6100.3751987NFLAFCCentral3rd870.5331988NFLAFCCentral4th5110.3131989NFLAFCCentral3rd970.563Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Oilers) 26–23 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Broncos) 23–24Chuck Noll (MFC COY)1990NFLAFCCentral3rd970.5631991NFLAFCCentral2nd790.4381992NFLAFCCentral1st1150.688Lost Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 3–24Bill Cowher (NFL COY) Barry Foster (AFC OPOY)Bill Cowher1993NFLAFCCentral2nd970.563Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Chiefs) 24–27 Rod Woodson (DPOY)1994NFLAFCCentral1st1240.750Won Divisional Playoffs (Browns) 29–9Lost AFC Championship (Chargers) 13–17Greg Lloyd (AFC DPOY)1995NFLAFCCentral1st1150.688Won Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 40–21Won AFC Championship (Colts) 20–16Lost Super Bowl XXX (vs. Cowboys) 17–271996NFLAFCCentral1st1060.625Won Wild Card Playoffs (Colts) 42–14Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Patriots) 3–28Jerome Bettis (CBPOY)1997NFLAFCCentral1st1150.688Won Divisional Playoffs (Patriots) 7–6Lost AFC Championship (Broncos) 21–241998NFLAFCCentral3rd790.4381999NFLAFCCentral4th6100.3752000NFLAFCCentral3rd970.5632001NFLAFCCentral1st1330.813Won Divisional Playoffs (Ravens) 27–10Lost AFC Championship (Patriots) 17–24Kendrell Bell (DROY)Dan Rooney (EOY)2002NFLAFCNorth1st1051.656Won Wild Card Playoffs (Browns) 36–33Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Titans) 31–34 Tommy Maddox (CBPOY)2003NFLAFCNorth3rd6100.3752004NFLAFCNorth1st1510.938Won Divisional Playoffs (Jets) 20–17 Lost AFC Championship (Patriots) 27–41Bill Cowher (TSN COY) Ben Roethlisberger (OROY)2005NFLAFCNorth2nd1150.688Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Bengals) 31–17Won Divisional Playoffs (at Colts) 21–18 Won AFC Championship (at Broncos) 34–17Won Super Bowl XL (5) (vs. Seahawks) 21–10Hines Ward (SB MVP)Art Rooney II (EOY)2006NFLAFCNorth3rd880.5002007NFLAFCNorth1st1060.625Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Jaguars) 29–31Mike Tomlin2008NFLAFCNorth1st1240.750Won Divisional Playoffs (Chargers) 35–24Won AFC Championship (Ravens) 23–14 Won Super Bowl XLIII (6) (vs. Cardinals) 27–23 James Harrison (DPOY)Santonio Holmes (SB MVP)Mike Tomlin (Motorola NFL COY)2009NFLAFCNorth3rd970.5632010NFLAFCNorth1st1240.750Won Divisional Playoffs (Ravens) 31–24 Won AFC Championship (Jets) 24–19Lost Super Bowl XLV (vs. Packers) 25–31Troy Polamalu (DPOY)2011NFLAFCNorth2nd1240.750Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Broncos) 23–29 2012NFLAFCNorth3rd880.500 2013NFLAFCNorth2nd880.500 2014NFLAFCNorth1st1150.688Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Ravens) 17–302015NFLAFCNorth2nd1060.625Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Bengals) 18–16 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Broncos) 16–232016NFLAFCNorth1st1150.688Won Wild Card Playoffs (Dolphins) 30–12Won Divisional Playoffs (at Chiefs) 18–16 Lost AFC Championship (at Patriots) 17–362017NFLAFCNorth1st1330.813Lost Divisional Playoffs (Jaguars) 42–452018NFLAFCNorth2nd961.5942019NFLAFCNorth2nd880.5002020NFLAFCNorth1st1240.750Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Browns) 37–482021NFLAFCNorth2nd971.559Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Chiefs) 21–42T. J. Watt (DPOY)2022NFLAFCNorth3rd980.5292023NFLAFCNorth3rd1070.588Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Bills) 17–31Cameron Heyward (WP MOY)2024NFLAFCNorth2nd1070.588Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Ravens) 14–282025NFLAFCNorth1st1070.588Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Texans) 6–30Totals 6 Super Bowl Championships 8 AFC Conference Championships 25 Division titles 691 592 22 1933–2025, regular season only 36 30 — 1933–2025, playoffs only 727 622 22 1933–2025, 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. Tied for this position with at least one other team For the purposes of calculating winning percentage ties count as ½ win and ½ loss The Playoff Bowl (a.k.a. Bert Bell Benefit Bowl) is regarded as an unofficial post-season exhibition for third place Ranked by conference rather than division (strike shortened season).
References