1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 49th in the National Football League. After enduring an injury plagued 9–7 season the previous year, and missing the playoffs for the first time since 1971, the Steelers had hoped that the 1980 season was just a small hiatus from contending for championships. However, while the Steelers had flashes of their former glory years after starting the season with 2 unimpressive losses, the 1981 season would end in an 8-8 record and eventually prove the end of the Steelers great dynasty of the 1970s.
Offseason
NFL draft
Staff
Roster
Preseason
Schedule
Regular season
Schedule
Game summaries
Week 1 (Sunday September 6, 1981): vs. [Kansas City Chiefs]
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania- Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
- Game weather: 67°F, wind 5 mph
- Game attendance: 53,305
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers: Bob Costas, Bob Trumpy
- Pittsburgh – Swann 18 pass from Bradshaw
- Kansas City – Marshall 48 pass from Kenney
- Kansas City – FG Lowery 35
- Pittsburgh – Harris 7 run
- Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run
- Kansas City – FG Lowery 40
- Kansas City – Carson 53 pass from Kenney
- Pittsburgh – Hawthorne 1 run
- Kansas City – FG Lowery 42
- Kansas City – McKnight 3 run
- Pittsburgh – Smith 41 pass from Bradshaw
- Kansas City – Howard 65 fumble return
Week 2 (Thursday September 10, 1981): at [Miami Dolphins]
- Game time: 8:30 pm EDT
- Game weather: 81°F, wind 10 mph
- Game attendance: 74,190
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers: Frank Gifford, Fran Tarkenton & Howard Cosell
- Pittsburgh – FG Trout 23
- Miami – Woodley 1 run
- Miami – Franklin 1 run
- Pittsburgh – Smith 32 pass from Bradshaw
- Miami – Nathan 13 pass from Woodley
- Miami – Vigorito 87 punt return
- Miami – FG von Schamann 32
Week 3 (Sunday September 20, 1981): vs. [New York Jets]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
- Game weather: 59°F, wind 17 mph
- Game attendance: 52,973
- Referee: Gordon McCarter
- TV announcers: Don Criqui, John Brodie
- Pittsburgh – Davis 9 run
- Pittsburgh – FG Trout 25
- Pittsburgh – Pollard 23 run
- New York Jets – FG Leahy 47
- Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 1 run
- Pittsburgh – Pollard 1 run
- Pittsburgh – Thornton 1 run
- New York Jets – McNeil 17 pass from Ryan
Week 4 (Sunday September 27, 1981): vs. [New England Patriots]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
- Game weather: 68°F, wind 17 mph
- Game attendance: 53,344
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers: Bob Costas, Bob Trumpy
- Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run
- Pittsburgh – Cunningham 1 pass from Bradshaw
- New England – Cavanaugh 1 run
- Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run
- New England – Collins 10 run
- New England – Morgan 12 pass from Cavanaugh
- Pittsburgh – Swann 24 pass from Bradshaw
Week 5 (Sunday October 4, 1981): at [New Orleans Saints]
- Game time: 2:00 pm EDT
- Game weather: Dome
- Game attendance: 64,578
- Referee: Jerry Seeman
- TV announcers: Sam Nover, Harmon Wages
- Pittsburgh – Swann 16 pass from Bradshaw
- Pittsburgh – FG Trout 25
- New Orleans – FG Ricardo 26
- Pittsburgh – FG Trout 43
- New Orleans – FG Ricardo 33
- Pittsburgh – Stallworth 47 pass from Bradshaw
Week 6 (Sunday October 11, 1981): vs. [Cleveland Browns]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
- Game weather: 51°F, wind 6 mph
- Game attendance: 53,255
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers: Don Criqui, John Brodie
- Pittsburgh – Stallworth 9 pass from Bradshaw
- Pittsburgh – FG Trout 19
- Cleveland – Newsome 29 pass from Sipe
- Pittsburgh – FG Trout 23
Week 7 (Sunday October 18, 1981): at [Cincinnati Bengals]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
- Game weather: 57°F, wind 20 mph
- Game attendance: 57,090
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers: Don Criqui, John Brodie
- Cincinnati – FG Breech 27
- Cincinnati – Johnson 3 run
- Cincinnati – FG Breech 23
- Cincinnati – Verser 73 pass from Ken Anderson
- Cincinnati – Alexander 3 run
- Cincinnati – Johnson 5 pass from Ken Anderson
- Pittsburgh – Smith 17 pass from Bradshaw
Week 8 (Monday October 26, 1981): vs. [Houston Oilers]
- Game time: 9:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 53°F, wind 10 mph
- Game attendance: 52,732
- Referee: Fred Silva
- TV announcers: Frank Gifford, Don Meredith
- Pittsburgh – FG Trout 19
- Pittsburgh – Smith 46 pass from Bradshaw
- Houston – FG Fritsch 34
- Pittsburgh – FG Trout 19
- Houston – Casper 52 pass from Stabler
- Houston – FG Fritsch 44
- Pittsburgh – Stallworth 6 pass from Bradshaw
- Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run
Week 9 (Sunday November 1, 1981): vs. [San Francisco 49ers]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 50°F, wind 8 mph
- Game attendance: 52,878
- Referee: Bob Frederic
- TV announcers: Vin Scully, Hank Stram
- San Francisco – Young 5 pass from Montana
- San Francisco – FG Wersching 45
- Pittsburgh – Blount 50 interception return
- Pittsburgh – Smith 22 pass from Bradshaw
- San Francisco – Easley 1 run
Week 10 (Sunday November 8, 1981): at [Seattle Seahawks]
- Game time: 4:00 pm EST
- Game weather: Dome
- Game attendance: 59,058
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
- TV announcers: Marv Albert, Jim Turner
- Pittsburgh – Harris 6 run
- Seattle – FG Herrera 37
- Pittsburgh – Malone 90 pass from Bradshaw
- Pittsburgh – Thornton 4 run
- Seattle – Doornink 44 pass from Zorn
- Seattle – T. Brown 1 run
- Seattle – T. Brown 1 run
Week 11 (Sunday November 15, 1981): at [Atlanta Falcons]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 53°F, wind 11 mph
- Game attendance: 57,485
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers: Bob Costas, Bob Trumpy
- Pittsburgh – Cunningham 18 pass from Bradshaw
- Pittsburgh – Stallworth 6 pass from Bradshaw
- Atlanta – Jackson 35 pass from Bartkowski
- Pittsburgh – Stallworth 19 pass from Bradshaw
- Atlanta – FG Luckhurst 43
- Pittsburgh – Grossman 14 pass from Bradshaw
- Atlanta – Jenkins 30 pass from Bartkowski
- Pittsburgh – Swann 22 pass from Bradshaw
- Atlanta – FG Luckhurst 22
Week 12 (Sunday November 22, 1981): at [Cleveland Browns]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 30°F, wind 15 mph
- Game attendance: 77,958
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers: Don Criqui, John Brodie
- Cleveland – FG Bahr 33
- Pittsburgh – Hawthorne 1 run
- Pittsburgh – Thornton 3 run
- Cleveland – Logan 13 pass from Sipe
- Pittsburgh – Harris 2 run
- Pittsburgh – Pinney 1 pass from Bradshaw
- Pittsburgh – Moser 5 pass from Bradshaw
Week 13 (Sunday November 29, 1981): vs. [Los Angeles Rams]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 33°F, wind 12 mph
- Game attendance: 51,854
- Referee: Tom Dooley
- TV announcers: Vin Scully, Hank Stram
- Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run
- Pittsburgh – Swann 9 pass from Bradshaw
- Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 1 run
- Pittsburgh – FG Trout 21
Week 14 (Monday December 7, 1981): at [Oakland Raiders]
- Game time: 9:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 56°F, wind 7 mph
- Game attendance: 51,769
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers: Frank Gifford, Don Meredith & Howard Cosell
- Pittsburgh – Cunningham 5 pass from Bradshaw
- Oakland – Ramsey 25 pass from Wilson
- Pittsburgh – Smith 19 pass from Malone
- Oakland – Whittington 17 pass from Wilson
- Pittsburgh – Malone 11 run
- Oakland – Chandler 36 pass from Wilson
- Oakland – Watts 53 punt return
- Oakland – FG Bahr 29
- Pittsburgh – Smith 17 pass from Malone
Week 15 (Sunday December 13, 1981): vs. [Cincinnati Bengals]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 27°F, wind 5 mph
- Game attendance: 50,623
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers: Don Criqui, John Brodie
- Pittsburgh – FG Trout 48
- Cincinnati – FG Breech 38
- Cincinnati – Curtis 2 pass from Ken Anderson
- Cincinnati – Kreider 22 pass from Ken Anderson
- Pittsburgh – Harris 2 pass from Malone
Week 16 (Sunday December 20, 1981): at [Houston Oilers]
- Game time: 4:00 pm EST
- Game weather: Dome
- Game attendance: 41,056
- Referee: Bob McElwee
- TV announcers: Phil Stone, Gene Washington
- Pittsburgh – FG Trout 40
- Houston – Casper 15 pass from Nielsen
- Houston – Casper 23 pass from Nielsen
- Pittsburgh – FG Trout 37
- Pittsburgh – Thornton 17 run
- Pittsburgh – Malone 2 run
- Houston – Casper 16 pass from Nielsen
Standings