First Look: Steelers Add Gray Facemasks to Throwbacks

The Pittsburgh Steelers have added gray facemasks to their block-numbered throwbacks as the club celebrates the 1974 Super Bowl IX team.

Alan Saunders |

Oct 17, 2024

Pittsburgh Steelers Throwback Gray Facemask — Pittsburgh Steelers throwback helmet with gray facemask on Oct. 16, 2024. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers will be wearing their block jersey throwback uniforms for the first time this season on Wednesday when the team hosts the New York Jets for Sunday Night Football.

They’ve worn their block-numbered throwbacks for a few years now, first bringing the look back in 2018 and also wearing them in 2019, 2022 and 2023.

The uniforms featured block numbers and triple sleeve stripes debuted for the Steelers in 1968 and they continued wearing basically the same uniform until 1997, when they changed to their current set with italic numbers and the Steelers logo over their hearts.

The first four times The Steelers wore the block throwbacks, they wore their usual black facemasks, which they wore for most of the time they had those uniforms.

But this weekend, the Black and Gold are honoring the 50th anniversary of their 1974 team that won Super Bowl IX, the franchise’s first of six NFL titles. The Steelers wore gray facemasks for most of the team’s early history, switching to black in 1977, and this year, the team has added gray facemasks to their throwback ensemble.

The players practiced with the gray facemasks for the first time on Wednesday, as they get ready for Sunday’s game.