The 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 72nd season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League. It would be the first season the franchise would have under quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He would play 18 seasons as a Steeler, a franchise record.
The team looked to come back after a disappointing 6–10 season the year before, which saw the team go through the entire season without winning consecutive games.
The team finished with a 15–1 record, topping the 14–2 team record from 1978 and joined the 1984 San Francisco 49ers, the 1985 Chicago Bears, and the 1998 Minnesota Vikings as the only teams in NFL history to that point since the league adopted a 16-game schedule in 1978 to finish with such a record. This also made the Steelers the first AFC team to achieve a 15–1 record, a conference-best at the time (the 2007 Patriots would surpass that by going a perfect 16–0); they are also the only AFC team to do so. Along the way, the Steelers ended the New England Patriots' NFL-record 21-game winning streak in Week 8, then defeated their cross-state rival Philadelphia Eagles the following week to hand the NFL's last two undefeated teams their first losses in back-to-back weeks, both at home.
The season was highlighted by the surprising emergence of rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the team's top pick in that year's draft. Originally intended to sit behind veteran Tommy Maddox the entire season, plans abruptly changed when Maddox was hurt in the team's Week 2 loss to Baltimore. Surrounded by talent, "Big Ben" went an NFL-record 13–0 as a rookie starting quarterback before being rested for the final game of the season, shattering the old NFL record (and coincidentally, also the team record) of 6–0 to start an NFL career set by Mike Kruczek filling in for an injured Terry Bradshaw in 1976.
The Steelers hosted the AFC Championship for the fifth time in eleven years. However, for the fourth time in that same span, the Steelers lost at home one game away from the Super Bowl, and, like in 2001, lost to the Patriots in a rematch from Week 8.
The 2006 edition of Pro Football ProspectusPro Football Prospectus 2006 (), p. 73–75 listed the 2004 Steelers as one of their "Heartbreak Seasons", in which teams "dominated the entire regular season only to falter in the playoffs, unable to close the deal." Said Pro Football Prospectus, "In the playoffs, Roethlisberger hit an inconvenient slump, just like the Pittsburgh quarterbacks who came before him.The article mentions Neil O'Donnell, Mike Tomczak, Kordell Stewart, and Tommy Maddox. He threw two killer interceptions against the Jets, but the Steelers were bailed out when Jets kicker Doug Brien missed a game-winning field goal. The next week against New England, head coach Bill Cowher was clearly worried about Roethlisberger, letting him throw only once on first or second down in the first quarter. By the time the offense opened up, the Patriots were beating the Steelers by two touchdowns. A Roethlisberger interception was returned 87 yards for a touchdown by Rodney Harrison, and the game was effectively over. For the second time in seven years,1998 Minnesota Vikings a 15–1 team had failed to make it to the Super Bowl. This was the first of, through the 2024 season, 21 consecutive non-losing seasons for the Steelers.
The Steelers led the NFL in rushing attempts for the second time in four years, running the ball 618 times.
Offseason Free agent-wise, the Steelers would sign former Philadelphia Eagles running back Duce Staley. Many thought this signing was the team preparing for a future without Jerome Bettis. However, Staley's injury-prone history from Philly would continue with the Steelers. On the undrafted front, the team signed North Carolina running back Willie Parker. Although Parker would play sparingly his rookie season, he would become a major component of the offense in the future. The team also signed veteran punter Chris Gardocki (releasing longtime punter Josh Miller in the process), who up to that point was best remembered by Steelers fans for flipping head coach Bill Cowher the finger twice on live TV after being leveled by Joey Porter while Gardocki was with the Cleveland Browns. (Porter would be penalized for roughing the punter.) Gardocki was fined $5,000 for the incident, and his signing by the team made him the only player to have played for Cowher and give him an expletive in public.
The most notable releases made in the offseason included releasing veteran defensive players Jason Gildon and Dewayne Washington, who both would subsequently sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars and would both play against the Steelers in Week 13.
In the personnel department, the Steelers went back to the future with the return of "Mean Joe" Greene and Dick LeBeau to the organization. Greene, who along with the entire Arizona Cardinals coaching staff was fired after the dismissal of head coach Dave McGinnis, retired from coaching and returned to the Black & Gold as the "special assistant of player personnel" for the team. Meanwhile, LeBeau, who popularized the zone blitz defensive schemes as the team's defensive coordinator in the mid-1990s (referred to as "Blitzburgh" by fans), returned to the team in that same capacity after a brief stint with the Buffalo Bills, replacing the fired Tim Lewis.
This would also be the final season for longtime Steelers radio color commentator Myron Cope, who missed several games this year due to poor health. It was one of only two times in 35 years that Cope would miss time broadcasting for the Steelers, the other being the 1994 season after the death of his wife. Though Cope would later recover, he felt that it was best to retire, and did so at the end of the season.
Additions Subtractions RB Duce Staley (Eagles) TE Mark Bruener (Texans) P Chris Gardocki (Browns) P Josh Miller (Patriots) CB Willie Williams (Seahawks) S Brent Alexander (Giants) DE Travis Kirschke (49ers) CB Dewayne Washington (Jaguars) T Todd Fordham (Panthers) LB Jason Gildon (Bills)
NFL draft The Steelers went into the NFL draft with the eleventh overall pick, their highest selection since selecting Plaxico Burress eighth overall in 2000. Although the team was ready to select Miami University quarterback Ben Roethlisberger if he were to still be available, the team was ready to select other players at "need" positions. However, with Roethlisberger still available, the team snatched him up, making him the third quarterback selected. Alongside Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, and J. P. Losman, Roethlisberger was part of the "Class of 2004" quarterbacks. In addition, "Big Ben" became the first quarterback the Steelers selected with their first-round pick since they selected Mark Malone in 1980.
Football Database. Retrieved 2014-May-11.
Undrafted free agents
+ 2004 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeAllen AugustinLineabckerFlorida StateRobert BlizzardTight endNorth CarolinaZamir CobbWide receiverTempleDarryl KennedyFullbackSyracuseGlenn MartinezWide receiverSaginaw Valley StateNick McNeilLinebackerWestern CarolinaWillie ParkerRunning backNorth CarolinaJanssen PattonSafetyBowling GreenDedrick RoperLinebackerNorthwoodYaacov YisraelSafetyPenn State
Personnel Staff / coaches
Notable additions include Ben Roethlisberger and Willie Parker.
Roster
Preseason
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL recap 1 August 14 at Detroit Lions L 21–27 0–1 Ford Field 2 August 21 Houston Texans W 38–3 1–1 Heinz Field 3 August 26 at Philadelphia Eagles W 27–21 2–1 Lincoln Financial Field 4 September 2 Carolina Panthers L 13–16 2–2 Heinz Field
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL recap 1 September 12 Oakland Raiders W 24–21 1–0 Heinz Field Summary 2 September 19 at Baltimore Ravens L 13–30 1–1 M&T Bank Stadium Summary 3 September 26 at Miami Dolphins W 13–3 2–1 Pro Player Stadium Summary 4 October 3 Cincinnati Bengals W 28–17 3–1 Heinz Field Summary 5 October 10 Cleveland Browns W 34–23 4–1 Heinz Field Summary 6 October 17 at Dallas Cowboys W 24–20 5–1 Texas Stadium Summary 7 Bye 8 October 31 New England Patriots W 34–20 6–1 Heinz Field Summary 9 November 7 Philadelphia Eagles W 27–3 7–1 Heinz Field Summary 10 November 14 at Cleveland Browns W 24–10 8–1 Cleveland Browns Stadium Summary 11 November 21 at Cincinnati Bengals W 19–14 9–1 Paul Brown Stadium Summary 12 November 28 Washington Redskins W 16–7 10–1 Heinz Field Summary 13 December 5 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 17–16 11–1 Alltel Stadium Summary 14 December 12 New York Jets W 17–6 12–1 Heinz Field Summary 15 December 18 at New York Giants W 33–30 13–1 Giants Stadium Summary 16 December 26 Baltimore Ravens W 20–7 14–1 Heinz Field Summary 17 January 2, 2005 at Buffalo Bills W 29–24 15–1 Ralph Wilson Stadium Summary Note: Intra-divisional opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Oakland Raiders
It was the 22nd lifetime meeting between the two clubs. The Raiders erased a 21-13 Steelers lead in the fourth quarter but Jeff Reed connected on the winning field goal with seven seconds left. With the win, the Steelers started their season 1–0 for the 2nd straight year. Jerome Bettis scored 18 points (3 Touchdowns) on 5 carries, yet gained only 1 yard total for an average of 0.2 yards per carry.
Week 2: at Baltimore Ravens
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 1–1 for the 2nd straight year. 0–1 in division games and 1–1 in conference games.
Week 3: at Miami Dolphins
The game was originally to be played at 1:00 pm, but was delayed until evening due to Hurricane Jeanne. The game was not broadcast on CBS nationally, it was only shown on local stations in the primary and secondary markets of the two teams as well as on NFL Sunday Ticket. The halftime and in-game updates were produced by ESPN. With the win, the Steelers improved to 2–1. The contest marked Ben Roethlisberger's first NFL start and victory.
Week 4: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
With the win the Steelers improved to 3–1. 1–1 in division games.
Week 5: vs. Cleveland Browns
With their 2nd straight win over the Browns, the Steelers improved to 4–1.
Week 6: at Dallas Cowboys
Source:
It was the 29th meeting between the two clubs. The Cowboys jumped to a 20–10 lead following a Keyshawn Johnson touchdown catch in the third, but Ben Roethlisberger led two touchdown drives, the last a Jerome Bettis run with thirty seconds to go. The Cowboys raced to the Steelers 30 but a last-second touchdown attempt was swatted away by Russell Stuvaints. With the win, the Steelers went on their bye week 5–1.
Week 8: vs. New England Patriots
This was the game that ended New England's NFL-record 21-game winning streak. Following an Adam Vinatieri field goal in the first quarter, the Steelers erupted, as Ben Roethlisberger twice hit Plaxico Burress for touchdowns and a Tom Brady interception was run back by Deshea Townsend for a touchdown and a 21–3 Steelers lead after one quarter. Brady was picked off twice and Roethlisberger made no mistakes in throwing for 196 yards and amassing a quarterback rating of 126.4. The Steelers routed the Patriots 34–20 and wound up winning the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs as a result. With the win, the Steelers improved to 6–1.
Week 9: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
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The Steelers for the 2nd week in a row face an undefeated team, the 7–0 Eagles. With the win, the Steelers improved to 7–1 while the Eagles dropped to 7–1. The game gained wider notoriety in subsequent days following broadcast of footage from the Eagles sideline where Terrell Owens was angrily barking at Donovan McNabb with McNabb striving to ignore him.
Week 10: at Cleveland Browns
With their 3rd straight win over the Browns, the Steelers improved to 8–1.
Week 11: at Cincinnati Bengals