1933 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) season
The 1933 Pittsburgh Pirates was the debut season of the team that would eventually become the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team was founded after Pennsylvania relaxed its blue laws that, prior to 1933, prohibited sporting events from taking place on Sundays, when most NFL games took place. The new squad was composed largely of local semi-pro players, many of whom played for sports promoter Art Rooney. Rooney became the Pirates owner, paying the NFL a $2,500 fee to join the league. Except for a brief period in, Rooney would remain the franchise's principal owner until his death in 1988. The Rooney family has retained a controlling interest ever since.
The team took the field for the first time on September 20 against the New York Giants at Forbes Field, losing 23–2. The following week, the team got its first win, defeating the Chicago Cardinals at home 14–13.
The team finished 3–6–2 for the season.
Regular season
Schedule
Standings
Game summaries
Week 1 (Wednesday September 20, 1933): [New York Giants]
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 20,000
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 5,000
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 15,000
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 5,000
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 4,000
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
at Redland Field, Cincinnati
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance:
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
at Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 7,500
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Boston – Battles 5 run
- Pittsburgh – Moss 30 pass from Holm
- Pittsburgh – FG Engebretsen 21
- Pittsburgh – Westfall 60 pass from Holm
- Boston – Weller run
Week 8 (Sunday November 5, 1933): at Brooklyn Dodgers">Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)">Brooklyn Dodgers
at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 15,000
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Brooklyn – FG Hickman 30
- Pittsburgh – FG Kelsch 15
Week 9 (Sunday November 12, 1933): Brooklyn Dodgers">Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)">Brooklyn Dodgers
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 12,000
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Brooklyn – Kelly 15 run
- Brooklyn – Kelly 70 punt return
- Brooklyn – Nash 61 pass from Cagle
- Brooklyn – Kelly 2 run
- Brooklyn – Fishel 7 run
at Baker Bowl, Philadelphia
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 6,000
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
at Polo Grounds, New York City
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 10,000
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Pittsburgh – FG Kelsch 14
- New York – Krause 20 pass from Strong
- New York – Badgro 25 pass from Newman
- New York – Richards 14 pass from Newman
- New York – Richards 22 run
