The 1950 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 18th season in the National Football League (NFL). It was the team's third season under head coach John Michelosen who had led the team to a combined 10–13–1 record over the previous two years.
Despite finishing last in the league in scoring, the team compiled a 6–6 record which left them tied for third place among the six teams in the NFL's American Conference. The Steelers were the league's only team that employed the single wing; most of the league's other franchises had switched to the T formation.
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 17 New York Giants L 7–18 0–1 Forbes Field Recap 2 September 24 at Detroit Lions L 7–10 0–2 Briggs Stadium Recap 3 October 1 at Washington Redskins W 26–7 1–2 Griffith Stadium Recap 4 Cleveland Browns L 17–30 1–3 Forbes Field Recap 5 October 15 at New York Giants W 17–6 2–3 Polo Grounds Recap 6 October 22 Philadelphia Eagles L 10–17 2–4 Forbes Field Recap 7 October 29 at Cleveland Browns L 7–45 2–5 Cleveland Stadium Recap 8 November 5 at Philadelphia Eagles W 9–7 3–5 Shibe Park Recap 9 November 12 Baltimore Colts W 17–7 4–5 Forbes Field Recap 10 Bye 11 November 23 at Chicago Cardinals W 28–17 5–5 Comiskey Park Recap 12 December 3 Washington Redskins L 7–24 5–6 Forbes Field Recap 13 December 10 Chicago Cardinals W 28–7 6–6 Forbes Field Recap Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text.
Standings
Game summaries
Week 1 (Sunday September 17, 1950): New York Giants
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 2:00 pm Game weather: Clear, mid- to high-sixties Game attendance: 24,699 Referee: John Glascott (University of Pennsylvania) Radio announcer: Joe Tucker (WPIT) TV announcer: not televised
Scoring Drives: New York Giants – Safety, Hartley tackled in end zone by Roberts Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Geri kick) New York Giants – Safety, punt snapped out of end zone New York Giants – Landry 37 fumble run (Poole kick) New York Giants – DeRogatis fumble recovery in end zone (Poole kick)
Week 2 (Sunday September 24, 1950): Detroit Lions
at University of Detroit Stadium, Detroit, Michigan
Game time: 2:00 pm Game weather: cold and dreary Game attendance: 18,707 Referee: Yans Wallace Radio announcer: Joe Tucker (WPIT) TV announcer: not televised
Scoring Drives: Pittsburgh – Nickel 43 pass from Gage (Geri kick) Detroit – Walker 11 pass from Layne (Walker kick) Detroit – FG Walker 20
Week 3 (Sunday October 1, 1950): Washington Redskins
at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC
Game time: 2:00pm Game weather: Hot, sunny Game attendance: 25,008 Referee: Sam Giangreco Radio announcer: Joe Tucker (WPIT) TV announcer: not televised
Scoring Drives: Washington – Taylor 70 pass from Gilmer (Dudley kick) Pittsburgh – FG Geri 40 Pittsburgh – Gage 5 run (Geri kick) Pittsburgh – Nickel 28 pass from Geri (Geri kick)
Week 4 (Saturday October 7, 1950): Cleveland Browns
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: evening Game weather: Game attendance: 35,399 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – Geri 30-yard FG Cleveland – Graham 1 run (Groza kick) Cleveland – Graham 1 run (Groza kick) Cleveland – Jones 7 run (Groza kick) Cleveland – Safety, Chandnois tackled in end zone by Kissell Pittsburgh – Seabright 13 pass from Geri (Geri kick) Cleveland – Jones 48 run (Groza kick) Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Geri kick)
Week 5 (Sunday October 15, 1950): New York Giants
at Polo Grounds, New York, New York
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 21,725 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – Nickel 58 pass from Geri (Geri kick) Pittsburgh – FG Geri 21 New York Giants – Scott 33 pass from Conerly (kick failed) Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Geri kick)
Week 6 (Sunday October 22, 1950): Philadelphia Eagles
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 2:00pm Game weather: Game attendance: 35,662 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
Philadelphia – Willey 41 interception (Patton kick) Pittsburgh – Rogel 64 pass from Geri (Geri kick) Pittsburgh – FG Geri 24 Philadelphia – FG Patton 23 Philadelphia – Van Buren 5 run (Patton kick)
Week 7 (Sunday October 29, 1950): Cleveland Browns
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 40,714 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
Cleveland – Graham 1 run (Groza kick) Cleveland – FG Groza 13 Cleveland – Motley 33 pass from Graham (Groza kick) Cleveland – Motley 69 run (Groza kick) Cleveland – Phelps 14 run (Groza kick) Pittsburgh – Gage 29 pass from Gasparella (Geri kick) Cleveland – Jones 80 pass from Graham (Groza kick) Cleveland – Gillom 38 pass from Lewis (Groza kick)
Week 8 (Sunday November 5, 1950): Philadelphia Eagles
at Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 24,629 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – FG Geri 11 Philadelphia – Van Buren 1 run (Patton kick) Pittsburgh – FG Geri 36 Pittsburgh – FG Geri 13
Week 9 (Sunday November 12, 1950): Baltimore Colts
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 24,141 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – FG Geri 37 PIttsburgh – Rogel 15 run (Geri kick) Pittsburgh – Gage 1 run (Geri kick) Baltimore – Spaniel 15 run (Grossman kick)
Week 11 (Thursday November 23, 1950): Chicago Cardinals
at Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 11,622 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – Geri 5 run (Geri kick) Chicago Cardinals – FG Harder 18 Pittsburgh – Geri 4 run (Geri kick) Pittsburgh – Nuzum 1 run (Geri kick) Pittsburgh – Gage 13 run (Geri kick) Chicago Cardinals – Shaw 45 pass from Hardy (Harder kick) Chicago Cardinals – Polsfoot 22 pass from Hardy (Harder kick)
Week 12 (Sunday December 3, 1950): Washington Redskins
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 19,741 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
Washington – Dudley 96 punt return (Dudley kick) Washington – Saenz 34 pass from Baugh (Dudley kick) Washington – FG Dudley 15 Washington – Goode 5 run (Dudley kick) Pittsburgh – Nickel 65 pass from Geri (Geri kick)
Week 13 (Sunday December 10, 1950): Chicago Cardinals
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 18,301 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
Chicago Cardinals – Shaw 7 pass from Hardy (Harder kick) Pittsburgh – Rogel 40 run (Geri kick) Pittsburgh – Geri 33 pass from Gasparella (Geri kick) Pittsburgh – Nuzum 10 lateral from Nickel after 68 pass from Geri (Geri kick) Pittsburgh – Gage 48 pass from Gasparella (Geri kick)
Roster 1950 Pittsburgh Steelers final roster Backs Bob Balog LB Lynn Chandnois RB Jim Finks CB/RB Bobby Gage RB/CB/S Joe Gasparella RB Joe Geri RB/K/P Howard Hartley CB/RB Joe Hollingsworth LB/FB Shorty McWilliams S/P/RB Jerry Nuzum RB Fran Rogel FB Don Samuel RB/CB Charley Seabright FB Jerry Shipkey LB/FB Frank Sinkovitz LB Truett Smith RB
Receivers Val Jansante Elbie Nickel Linemen Lou Allen T Bob Davis DE George Hays DE Darrell Hogan DG George Hughes G Bill McPeak DE Charley Mehelich DE/WR George Nicksich DG Carl Samuelson DT/T Ernie Stautner DT Walt Szot DT Dick Tomlinson G Bill Walsh C Jack Wiley DT/T Frank Wydo T/DT
Rookies in italics
References