The 2014 season was the Pittsburgh Steelers' 82nd in the National Football League (NFL), their 15th under general manager Kevin Colbert and their eighth under head coach Mike Tomlin.
The Steelers honored the 40th anniversary of their first Super Bowl winning team, Super Bowl IX, during their Week 13 game against the New Orleans Saints at Heinz Field on November 30 (the Steelers played the Super Bowl at Tulane Stadium that year). The team wore a special patch and honored the players at halftime. Though it also served as the team's annual alumni weekend, the team did not wear their alternate 1934 "Bumblebee" throwbacks for this game.Steelers To Celebrate 40th Anniversary of Team's First Championship Pittsburgh Steelers (06/09/2014) Instead, the Steelers wore the "Bumblebee" jerseys against the Indianapolis Colts on October 26.
They managed to improve from their 8–8 record from each of their previous two seasons with their week 15 victory against the Atlanta Falcons, and ensured their first winning season since 2011. They also clinched a playoff berth for the first time since that same year with their week 16 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. The Steelers won the AFC North division title, but lost to the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round of the playoffs by a score of 30–17. The Steelers became the first team in NFL history to have a 4,500-yard passer, 1,500-yard receiver and 1,300-yard rusher in the same season. Aided by a monster season from Ben Roethlisberger where he passed for 4,952 yards and 32 scores to go with his 103.3 passer rating (including a 2-game stretch where he threw 12), the Steelers scored 436 points in the regular season, which is a franchise record. They scored 32 or more points 5 times during the season.
This would be the last season until 2020 (and the last one of the 2010s) in which the Steelers did not face the New England Patriots.
2014 draft class
(+) Compensatory Selection
Draft trades The Steelers traded their original third-round selection (No. 83 overall) to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the Browns' 2013 fourth-round selection.
Staff
Final roster
Schedule
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at New York Giants L 16–20 0–1 MetLife Stadium Recap 2 Buffalo Bills W 19–16 1–1 Heinz Field Recap 3 at Philadelphia Eagles L 21–31 1–2 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 4 Carolina Panthers L 0–10 1–3 Heinz Field Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 7 Cleveland Browns W 30–27 1–0 Heinz Field Recap 2 at Baltimore Ravens L 6–26 1–1 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 3 September 21 at Carolina Panthers W 37–19 2–1 Bank of America Stadium Recap 4 September 28 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 24–27 2–2 Heinz Field Recap 5 October 5 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 17–9 3–2 EverBank Field Recap 6 October 12 at Cleveland Browns L 10–31 3–3 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 7 Houston Texans W 30–23 4–3 Heinz Field Recap 8 October 26 Indianapolis Colts W 51–34 5–3 Heinz Field Recap 9 November 2 Baltimore Ravens W 43–23 6–3 Heinz Field Recap 10 November 9 at New York Jets L 13–20 6–4 MetLife Stadium Recap 11 at Tennessee Titans W 27–24 7–4 LP Field Recap 12Bye 13 November 30 New Orleans Saints L 32–35 7–5 Heinz Field Recap 14 December 7 at Cincinnati Bengals W 42–21 8–5 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 15 December 14 at Atlanta Falcons W 27–20 9–5 Georgia Dome Recap 16 December 21 Kansas City Chiefs W 20–12 10–5 Heinz Field Recap 17 December 28 Cincinnati Bengals W 27–17 11–5 Heinz Field Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Postseason
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap Wild Card Baltimore Ravens (6) L 17–30 0–1 Heinz Field Recap
Game summaries
Regular season
Week 1: vs. Cleveland Browns
The Steelers started their 2014 season at home against the Browns. In the first quarter, the Steelers would score first when Shaun Suisham kicked a 36-yard field goal for a 3–0 lead. However, the Browns were able to tie it up when Billy Cundiff kicked a 39-yard field goal for a 3–3 game. The Steelers would score 24 unanswered points to end the first half with LaGarrette Blount running for a 7-yard TD to retake the lead 10–3. In the 2nd quarter, the Steelers continued their domination when Ben Roethlisberger found Antonio Brown on a 35-yard TD for a 17–3 lead followed by Le'Veon Bell running in for a TD from 38 yards out to increase their lead to 24–3 followed by Suisham nailing yet another field goal from 34 yards out as they led 27–3 at halftime. After the break, in the 3rd quarter, the Browns went to work as Isisah Crowell ran for 2 touchdowns: from 3 and 15 yards out for a 27–10 and 27–17 game. In the 4th quarter, the Browns managed to come within a TD as Cundiff nailed a 25-yard field goal for a 27–20 game. Later on, Brian Hoyer hooked up with Travis Benjamein on a 9-yard TD pass to tie the game up 27–27. Regardless, Roethlisberger was able to move his team down the field and eventually, Suisham kicked the game-winning 41-yard field goal to win it 30–27 for the Steelers' only 3 points of the 2nd half.
With the win, the Steelers started their season 1–0 for the first time since 2010 and in turn handed the Browns their 10th straight regular season opening loss.
Week 2: at Baltimore Ravens
After a close home win over the Browns, the Steelers traveled to Baltimore to take on the Ravens on Thursday Night Football. The Ravens scored first in the first quarter when Joe Flacco found Owen Daniels on a 2-yard TD pass for a 7–0 lead. They increased their lead in the 2nd quarter as Justin Tucker nailed a 30-yard field goal for a 10–0 lead. The Steelers finally got on the board when Shaun Suisham kicked a 25-yard field goal for a 10–3 game at halftime. Returning after the break, the Steelers went back to work and were able to move down the field for Suisham to kick another field goal from 43 yards out to come within 4 with for a 10–6 game. However, the Ravens started to take control later on when Flacco found Daniels again on a 1-yard TD pass making the score 17–6. In the 4th quarter, the Ravens sealed the game with 3 field goals kicked by Tucker from 23, 22, and 20 yards out for a 20–6, 23–6, and 26–6 final score.
The Steelers were held without a touchdown in a game for the first time since their 20–3 loss to the 49ers in 2011. The team dropped to 1–1.
Week 3: at Carolina Panthers
After a rough loss to the Ravens, the Steelers traveled down south to take on the Panthers. In the first quarter, the Panthers scored first when Graham Gano kicked a 40-yard field goal for a 3–0 lead. However, the Steelers were able to tie it up when Shaun Suisham kicked a 42-yard field goal for a 3–3 game. In the 2nd quarter, the Steelers increased their lead with 2 more field goals from 24 and 45 yards out for leads of 6–3 and then 9–3 at halftime. In the 3rd quarter, the Steelers got back to work as Ben Roethlisberger hooked up with Antonio Brown on a 7-yard TD pass for a 16–3 lead. Gano got the Panthers within 10 with another field goal from 40 yards out for a 16–6 game. However, the Steelers pulled away as Roethlisberger found Brown again on a 7-yard TD pass for a 23–6 lead. In the 4th quarter, Cam Newton found Greg Olson on a 37-yard TD Pass coming within 10 23–13. However, the Steelers pulled away as Robert Golden recovered a fumble in the end zone for a 30–13 game. Later on, LaGarrette Blount ran for a 7-yard TD increasing their lead to 37–13. The Panthers tried their hand at coming back but could only come away with 6 points as 2nd-string QB Derek Anderson found Kelvin Benjamin on a 35-yard TD pass (with a failed 2-point conversion) for an eventual final score of 37–19.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 2–1.
Week 4: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After a huge win on the road, the Steelers returned home for a game against the Buccaneers. The Bucs scored first when Mike Glennon found Mike Evans on a 7-yard TD pass for a 7–0 lead. They increased their lead when Patrick Murray kicked a 50-yard field goal for a 10-lead. The Steelers finally got on the board when Shaun Suisham nailed a 25-yard field goal to come within a TD, 10–3 followed by Ben Roethlisberger hooking up with Antonio Brown on an 11-yard TD pass to tie the game up at 10–10. In the 2nd quarter, Roethlisberger found Brown again this time on a 27-yard TD pass to take the lead 17–10 at halftime. After the break, Doug Martin ran for a TD from 3 yards out to tie the game back up, 17–17. The Steelers pulled away as Roethlisberger found Heath Miller on a 5-yard TD pass for a 24–17 lead. In the 4th quarter, the Bucs pulled within 4 when Murray kicked a 27-yard field goal for a 24–20 game. Driving down the field, the Bucs were able to complete the comeback attempt as Glennon found Vincent Jackson on a 5-yard TD pass for a final score of 27–24.
The loss dropped the Steelers to 2–2. The Steelers also recorded their first home loss to the Buccaneers in franchise history.
Week 5: at Jacksonville Jaguars
After a tough home loss, the Steelers traveled down south again to take on the Jaguars. The Jags scored first as Josh Scobee kicked a 43-yard field goal for a 3–0 lead for the only score of the first quarter. The Steelers answered to tie the game when Shaun Suisham kicked a 24-yard field goal for a 3–3 game. They eventually took the lead when Ben Roetlisberger found Michael Palmer on a 1-yard TD pass to take a 10–3 lead. The Jags pulled within 4 before halftime when Scobee nailed a 35-yard field goal to make it a 10–6 game. In the 3rd quarter, the Jags came within a point as Scobee kicked a 36-yard field goal to make it a 10–9 game for the only score of the quarter. In the 4th quarter however, Brice McCain picked off Jags QB Blake Bortles and returned the interception for a 22-yard TD increasing their lead to the eventual final score of 17–9.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 3–2.
Week 6: at Cleveland Browns
The Steelers traveled back up north to Cleveland to take on the Browns. In the first quarter, the Steelers score the only 3 points as Shaun Suisham nailed a 20-yard field goal to take a 3–0 lead. The Browns however scored 21 unanswered points in the 2nd quarter when Isaiah Crowell ran for a 5-yard TD to take a 7–3 lead followed by Brian Hoyer hooking up with Jordan Cameron on a 51-yard TD pass for a 14–3 lead before finally Ben Tate ran for an 8-yard TD and took a 21–3 lead at halftime. The Browns continued their domination day in the 3rd quarter when Billy Cundiff kicked a 40-yard field goal for the only score of that quarter. In the 4th quarter, they sealed the game when Ben Tate ran for a 1-yard TD making the score 31–3. The Steelers drove down the field and Ben Roethlisberger found Lance Moore on a 26-yard TD pass for a final score of 31–10.
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 3–3 and last place in the AFC North.
Week 7: vs. Houston Texans