1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season

The 1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 40th in the National Football League.

The team posted a record of 11–3 in 1972, and won their first-ever AFC Central Division title. It was the team's third-ever postseason appearance, its first postseason appearance in ten seasons (the Playoff Bowl for third place in the league), and only its second playoff game since 1947.

1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head coach Chuck Noll
Owner Art Rooney
Home field Three Rivers Stadium
Results
Record 11–3
Division place 1st AFC Central
Playoff finish Won Divisional Playoffs (Raiders) 13–7
Lost AFC Championship (Dolphins) 21–17
Pro Bowlers
AP All-Pros
Team MVP Franco Harris
Timeline
Previous season Next season
< 1971 1973 >

Offseason

NFL Draft

1972 Pittsburgh Steelers draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 13 Franco Harris *   RB Penn State
2 38 Gordon Gravelle  OT BYU
3 63 John McMakin  TE Clemson
4 80 Lorenzo Brinkley  DB Missouri
4 88 Ed Bradley  LB Wake Forest
5 113 Steve Furness  DE Rhode Island
6 143 Dennis Meyer  DB Arkansas State
7 159 Joe Colquitt  DE Kansas State
7 168 Robert Kelly  DB Jackson State
8 193 Stahle Vincent  RB Rice
9 217 Don Kelley  DB Clemson
10 243 Bob Brown  DT Tampa
11 273 Joe Gilliam  QB Tennessee State
12 298 Ron Curl  OT Michigan State
13 323 Ernie Messmer  OT Villanova
14 348 Tommy Durrance  RB Florida
15 368 John Hulecki  OG UMass
15 373 Charles Harrington  OG Witchita State
16 403 Nate Hawkins  WR UNLV
17 428 Ron Linehan  LB Idaho
      Made roster       Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

[1]

Roster

1972 Pittsburgh Steelers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name
TE 85 Adams, BobBob Adams
RB 46 Bankston, WarrenWarren Bankston
RB 20 Bleier, RockyRocky Bleier
QB 12 Bradshaw, TerryTerry Bradshaw
TE 87 Brown, LarryLarry Brown
G 50 Clack, JimJim Clack
G 85 Davis, DaveDave Davis
G 57 Davis (C), SamSam Davis (C)
RB 35 Davis, SteveSteve Davis
RB 33 Fuqua, JohnJohn Fuqua
QB 17 Gilliam, JoeJoe Gilliam
T 71 Gravelle, GordonGordon Gravelle
QB 5 Hanratty, TerryTerry Hanratty
RB 32 Harris, FrancoFranco Harris
G 77 Holmes, MelMel Holmes
T 55 Kolb, JonJon Kolb
WR 43 Lewis, FrankFrank Lewis
C 56 Mansfield, RayRay Mansfield
TE 89 McMakin, JohnJohn McMakin
G 72 Mullins, GerryGerry Mullins
RB 26 Pearson, PrestonPreston Pearson
WR 25 Shanklin, RonRon Shanklin
WR 88 Smith, Dave L.Dave L. Smith
G 66 Van Dyke, BruceBruce Van Dyke
WR 31 Young, AlAl Young
Defense
Pos. # Name
FS 49 Anderson, RalphRalph Anderson
DB 37 Beatty, ChuckChuck Beatty
CB 47 Blount, MelMel Blount
LB 38 Bradley, EdEd Bradley
DB 44 Calland, LeeLee Calland
LB 53 Davis, HenryHenry Davis
DB 29 Dockery, JohnJohn Dockery
FS 27 Edwards, GlenGlen Edwards
DT 64 Furness, SteveSteve Furness
DT 75 Greene, JoeJoe Greene
DE 68 Greenwood, L.C.L.C. Greenwood
LB 59 Ham, JackJack Ham
DE 67 Hanneman, CraigCraig Hanneman
DT 63 Holmes, ErnieErnie Holmes
DT 60 McGee, BenBen McGee
CB 48 Rowser, JohnJohn Rowser
LB 34 Russell (C), AndyAndy Russell (C)
CB 24 Thomas, J.T.J.T. Thomas
LB 61 Stenger, BrianBrian Stenger
FS 23 Wagner, MikeMike Wagner
LB 90 Webster, GeorgeGeorge Webster
DE 78 White, DwightDwight White
LB 36 Winfrey, ChuckChuck Winfrey
Special teams
Pos. # Name
K 10 Gerela, RoyRoy Gerela
P 39 Walden, BobbyBobby Walden
LS 55 Kolb, JonJon Kolb
H 39 Walden, BobbyBobby Walden
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt


Depth chart

Defense
1972 Pittsburgh Steelers roster
FS
49 Ralph Anderson
27 Glen Edwards
WLB MLB SLB
53 Henry Davis
36 Chuck Winfrey 38 Ed Bradley
61 Brian Stenger
SS
23 Mike Wagner
37 Chuck Beatty
CB
48 John Rowser
29 John Dockery
DE DT DT DE
78 Dwight White 60 Ben McGee 75 Joe Greene 68 L.C. Greenwood
67 Craig Hanneman 63 Ernie Holmes 64 Steve Furness
CB
47 Mel Blount
44 Lee Calland
Offense
1972 Pittsburgh Steelers roster
WR
43 Frank Lewis
31 Al Young
LT LG C RG RT
55 Jon Kolb 57 Sam Davis 56 Ray Mansfield 66 Bruce Van Dyke 72 Gerry Mullins
71 Gordon Gravelle 50 Jim Clack 77 Mel Holmes 74 John Brown IR
TE
89 John McMakin
87 Larry Brown
85 Bob Adams IR
WR
25 Ron Shanklin
88 Dave L. Smith
QB
12 Terry Bradshaw
5 Terry Hanratty
17 Joe Gilliam
RB
33 John Fuqua
20 Rocky Bleier
35 Steve Davis
FB
32 Franco Harris
26 Preston Pearson
46 Warren Bankston
Special Teams
PK 10 Roy Gerela
P 39 Bobby Walden
KR 26 Preston Pearson
PR 27 Glen Edwards
LS 55 Jon Kolb
H 39 Bobby Walden

Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result
1 September 17, 1972 Oakland Raiders W 34–28
2 September 24, 1972 at Cincinnati Bengals L 15–10
3 October 1, 1972 at St. Louis Cardinals W 25–19
4 October 8, 1972 at Dallas Cowboys L 17–13
5 October 15, 1972 Houston Oilers W 24–7
6 October 22, 1972 New England Patriots W 33–3
7 October 29, 1972 at Buffalo Bills W 38–21
8 November 5, 1972 Cincinnati Bengals W 40–17
9 November 12, 1972 Kansas City Chiefs W 16–7
10 November 19, 1972 at Cleveland Browns L 26–24
11 November 26, 1972 Minnesota Vikings W 23–10
12 December 3, 1972 Cleveland Browns W 30–0
13 December 10, 1972 at Houston Oilers W 9–3
14 December 17, 1972 at San Diego Chargers W 24–2

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Oakland Raiders

1 234Total
Raiders 0 7021 28
Steelers 14 3107 34
  • Date: Sunday, September 17
  • Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. local
  • Game attendance: 51,141
  • Game weather: 72 F, wind 13 mph
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
  • References:


The Steelers were able to start off against the Raiders at home scoring 17 unanswered points (2TDs/PATs and a FG) and eventually ended up defeating the team by 6 for a 34–28 victory and a 1–0 start.

Week 2: at Cincinnati Bengals

1 234Total
Steelers 0 1000 10
Bengals 3 066 15
  • Date: Sunday, September 24
  • Location: Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. local
  • Game attendance: 54,292
  • Game weather: 69 F, wind 9 mph
  • Referee: Dick Jorgensen
  • References:


Week 3: at St. Louis Cardinals

1 234Total
Steelers 3 12010 25
Cardinals 0 667 19
  • Date: Sunday, October 1
  • Location: Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis, MO
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. local
  • Game attendance: 49,140
  • Game weather: 58 F, wind 10 mph
  • Referee: Fred Wyant
  • References:


Week 4: at Dallas Cowboys

1 234Total
Steelers 6 700 13
Cowboys 3 770 17
  • Date: Sunday, October 8
  • Location: Texas Stadium, Irving, TX
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. local
  • Game attendance: 65,682
  • Game weather: 68 F, wind 8 mph
  • Referee: Ben Dreith
  • References:


Week 5: vs. Houston Oilers

1 234Total
Oilers 7 000 7
Steelers 0 1077 24
  • Date: Sunday, October 15
  • Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
  • Game start: 4:00 p.m. local
  • Game attendance: 42,929
  • Game weather: 47 F, wind 14 mph
  • Referee: Bernie Ulman
  • References:


Week 6: vs. New England Patriots

1 234Total
Patriots 0 030 3
Steelers 10 7133 33
  • Date: Sunday, October 22
  • Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. local
  • Game attendance: 46,081
  • Game weather: 52 F, wind 9 mph
  • Referee: Norm Schachter
  • References:


Week 7: at Buffalo Bills

1 234Total
Steelers 0 17714 38
Bills 0 0714 21
  • Date: Sunday, October 29
  • Location: War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, NY
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. local
  • Game attendance: 45,882
  • Game weather: 47 F, wind 10 mph
  • Referee: Tommy Bell
  • References:


Week 8: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

1 234Total
Bengals 0 0143 17
Steelers 10 1677 40


Week 9: Kansas City Chiefs

1 234Total
Chiefs 0 700 7
Steelers 0 0313 16

Scoring Drives:


Week 10: Cleveland Browns

1 234Total
Steelers 3 777 24
Browns 10 1033 26
  • Date: November 19
  • Location: Cleveland Municipal Stadium
  • Game weather: 83,009
  • Referee: Dick Jorgensen

Scoring Drives:


Week 11: Minnesota Vikings

1 234Total
Vikings 3 007 10
Steelers 7 0313 23

Scoring Drives:


Week 12: Cleveland Browns

1 234Total
Browns 0 000 0
Steelers 3 7713 30

Franco Harris breaks Jim Brown's record for consecutive 100 yd games.

Scoring Drives:



Week 13: Houston Oilers

1 234Total
Steelers 3 060 9
Oilers 0 300 3
  • Date: December 10
  • Location: Houston Astrodome
  • Game attendance: 36,528
  • Referee: John McDonough

Scoring Drives:


Week 14: San Diego Chargers

1 234Total
Steelers 7 737 24
Chargers 2 000 2
  • Date: December 17
  • Location: San Diego Stadium
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty

the pittsburgh steelers clinched their first afc central division title (the day before the game Frank Sinatra is inducted into Franco's Italian Army).

Scoring Drives:


Standings

AFC Central
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Pittsburgh Steelers 11 3 0 .786 4–2 9–2 343 175 W4
Cleveland Browns 10 4 0 .714 5–1 9–2 268 249 W2
Cincinnati Bengals 8 6 0 .571 3–3 6–5 299 229 W1
Houston Oilers 1 13 0 .071 0–6 1–10 164 380 L11

Postseason

Game summaries

Divisional: vs. Oakland Raiders

1 234Total
Raiders 0 007 7
Steelers 0 0310 13


AFC Championship: vs. Miami Dolphins

1 234Total
Dolphins 0 777 21
Steelers 7 037 17



References