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.
Offseason
NFL draft
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
Roster
Preseason
Schedule Week Date Opponent Game Site Kickoff (ET) TV Result Record 1 at Cleveland Browns Cleveland Municipal Stadium 7:30 p.m. WPXI W 34–31 1–0 2 at Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium 6:00 p.m. WPXI L 36–20 1–1 3 at Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium 9:00 p.m. NBC L 24–14 1–2 4 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 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 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 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
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm EDT Game weather: , wind 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
at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
Game time: 8:30 pm EDT Game weather: , wind 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
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm EDT Game weather: , wind 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
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm EDT Game weather: , wind 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
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
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm EDT Game weather: , wind 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
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Game time: 1:00 pm EDT Game weather: , wind 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
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 9:00 pm EST Game weather: , wind 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
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm EST Game weather: , wind 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
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
at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Game time: 1:00 pm EST Game weather: , wind 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
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
Game time: 1:00 pm EST Game weather: , wind 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
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm EST Game weather: , wind 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
at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
Game time: 9:00 pm EST Game weather: , wind 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)