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Steelers 1970s Dynasty Named Second-Best in NFL History
Ian Valentino of the 33rd Team recently ranked the top 5 dynasties in the history of the NFL, and the Super Steelers of the 1970s came in at No. 2.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers’ dominance from 1972 to 1979 stands as one of the most powerful eras in NFL history. Under coach Chuck Noll, who replaced Bill Austin in 1969, the Steelers adopted an aggressive style of play that led them to victory in four Super Bowls within just six years – an unmatched achievement,” Valentino wrote.
Only the New England Patriots 2001-2018 dynasty ranked ahead of the ’70s Steelers. The current Kansas City Chiefs dynasty edged out the Dallas Cowboys of the 90s for the No. 5 spot, while the 1960s Green Bay Packers were fourth and the 1980s San Francisco 49ers came in at No. 3.
The ’70s Steelers featured 10 Hall of Fame players, five on offense and five on defense. Head coach Chuck Noll is also in Canton.
“At the core of this legendary team was the renowned “Steel Curtain” defense, which boasted future Hall of Famers like Mean Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, and Mel Blount. Of these four defensive titans, only Ham did not clinch the Defensive Player of the Year award. This formidable unit quickly earned a reputation as one of the best of all time, consistently overpowering their opponents’ offenses.
“On offense, the Steelers were no less impressive. Key players included quarterback Terry Bradshaw, running back Franco Harris, and a talented receiving duo of Lynn Swann and John Stallworth.”
Dallas Robinson of Pro Football Network recently tabbed the Steelers’ 1978 Super Bowl-wining squad as the sixth-greatest team in NFL history. The Steelers finished 14-2 in the regular season, 17-2 overall when counting the three playoff wins.
The Steelers had a -217 point differential in 1978, which is the second-best in franchise history. The Steelers’ 1975 Super Bowl-winning team had a -239 point differential.
“The Steelers ran circles around the rest of the NFL in the mid-to-late 1970s, winning four Super Bowls in six years while creating one of the league’s genuine dynasties,” Robinson wrote. “Choosing between various iterations of this Pittsburgh roster is challenging, but the 1978 Steelers club is our selection to represent this imperial era of Black and Gold football.
“Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain” defensive line — comprised of “Mean” Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Ernie Holmes, and Dwight White — remains one of the NFL’s best all-time units. Meanwhile, Steelers CB Mel Blount’s physical play was so effective that the league was forced to change its downfield contact rules.”
Thanks to Tom Brady, the Patriots dynasty was longer and won more titles than the ’70s Steelers, but when talking about overall talent, the Steelers were significantly better. Brady and Rob Gronkowski will join Ty Law, Darrelle Revis, Richard Seymour, Randy Moss and Junior Seau in the Hall of Fame, but that probably will be it from the Patriots dynasty. Maybe Julian Edelman and Rodney Harrison will get in.
Revis only played one season with the Patriots, too, but he won a Super Bowl title. It’s debatable to even include Revis as a Patriot. Randy Moss and Junior Seau did not win a Super Bowl with the Patriots but were a part of the 2007 18-1 team.
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