By advantage of Sunday’s 29-24 win over the Detroit Lions, the Pittsburgh Steelers have set a brand new normal for excellence within the NFL.
Winners of three straight video games, Pittsburgh has clinched its twenty second consecutive non-losing season, an NFL file. The Steelers had beforehand shared the file with the Dallas Cowboys, a group that they’ve beforehand confronted in three Tremendous Bowls.
The Steelers haven’t had a dropping season since they went 6-10 in 2003.
Most consecutive non-losing seasons in NFL historical past
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has additionally secured his nineteenth consecutive non-losing season, which ties him with former Patriots coach Invoice Belichick for second all time behind Tom Landry, who was the Cowboys’ coach all through the Dallas’ 20-year non-losing streak.
Tomlin has additionally prolonged his personal file of consecutive non-losing seasons to start a training profession. In 2021, he broke the file that was beforehand held by Marty Schottenheimer. Sunday was additionally Tomlin’s two hundredth profession win (together with the postseason).
Most consecutive non-losing seasons for an NFL coach
|
1 |
Tom Landry (Cowboys) | 21 |
1965-85 |
2 |
|
T2 |
Invoice Belichick (Patriots) | 19 |
2001-19 |
6 |
|
T2 |
Mike Tomlin (Steelers) | 19 |
2007-Current |
1 |
| 4 | George Halas (Bears) | 16 | 1933-42; 1946-51 | 4 |
|
5 |
Marty Schottenheimer (Browns/Chiefs) | 14 |
1984-97 |
0 |
The Steelers’ present streak began in 2004, after they gained a franchise-record 15 regular-season video games. That season additionally noticed Ben Roethlisberger win every of his first 13 profession begins, an NFL file.
“It legitimized the truth that we will play with the large boys,” former Steelers security Troy Polamalu as soon as stated of the ’04 Steelers. “Halfway by means of the season, we had crushed two unbeaten groups, which have been Philadelphia and New England. … Philadelphia had Terrell Owens, who was extraordinarily gifted, and Donovan McNabb. Clearly, everyone is aware of that Tom Brady is a reasonably good quarterback as effectively (laughs) that we misplaced to (within the AFC Championship Sport).
“That yr was a really vital yr as a result of we [realized] we have been adequate to play with everyone.”
The next season, the Steelers turned the primary six seed to win the Tremendous Bowl after they defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Tremendous Bowl XL. That may be the second-to-last season on the sideline for Corridor of Fame coach Invoice Cowher, whose 15 seasons with the Steelers included tying Paul Brown’s file by main Pittsburgh to the playoffs in every of his first six seasons as coach.
Pittsburgh continued its success upon Tomlin’s arrival in 2007. The Steelers gained the AFC North title that yr earlier than capturing the franchise’s sixth Tremendous Bowl title in 2008 after defeating the Arizona Cardinals in Tremendous Bowl XLIII. In 2010, the Steelers reached the Tremendous Bowl once more earlier than falling to Aaron Rodgers and the Inexperienced Bay Packers.
In 2011, the Steelers misplaced to Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos within the AFC wild-card spherical in what is taken into account some of the surprising playoff losses in franchise historical past. What adopted have been consecutive 8-8 seasons as most of the central figures on Pittsburgh’s championship groups started to depart.
Behind an explosive offense, the Steelers loved a profitable four-year run from 2014-17 that included three division titles, 4 consecutive playoff berths and the franchise’s most up-to-date AFC Championship recreation look on the finish of the 2016 season. In 2017, the Steelers went 13-3 earlier than struggling one other upset loss within the playoffs, this time by the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
After closing the 2010s with two non-playoff seasons, the Steelers made the playoffs 4 instances over a five-year span from 2020-24. However whereas they’ve continued to stay aggressive, Pittsburgh has but to win a playoff recreation since defeating the Chiefs within the 2016 divisional spherical. That drought has, in some folks’s eyes, diminished the group’s file of non-losing seasons.
Listed here are among the important figures in the course of the Steelers’ current run:
- Former head coach Invoice Cowher
- Present head coach Mike Tomlin
- Former basic supervisor Kevin Colbert
- Late proprietor Dan Rooney
- His son and present group president Artwork Rooney II
- Former defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau
- Two-time Tremendous Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger
- Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame security and 2010 NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr Troy Polamalu
- 2008 NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr James Harrison
- 2021 NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr T.J. Watt
- Former All-Professional linebackers James Farrior and Joey Porter
- Standout offensive linemen Alan Faneca and Maurkice Pouncey
- Perennial Professional Bowl defensive lineman Cameron Heyward, Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith
- Former operating backs Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker, Le’Veon Bell and Najee Harris
- Former Professional Bowl tight finish Heath Miller
- Former All-Professional receivers Hines Ward and Antonio Brown
At 9-6, the Steelers at the moment lead the Baltimore Ravens within the AFC North standings by two video games. They’re hoping to cap off the common season with their first division title since 2020, which might result in the franchise’s first house playoff recreation in 5 years.
