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List of Pittsburgh Steelers head coaches

List of Pittsburgh Steelers head coaches

The Pittsburgh Steelers franchise has had 16 head coaches throughout its history. Founded as the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1933,[1] the name was changed to the Steelers prior to the 1941 season to celebrate the city's heritage of producing steel.[2] Joe Bach served two separate terms as head coach and Walt Kiesling served three separate terms. During the 1943 and 1944 seasons, due to the number of players who fought in World War II, the Steelers combined their team with Philadelphia and Chicago, respectively.[2] During these seasons, Kiesling shared coaching duties with Greasy Neale and Phil Handler,[3] who have not been included within this list.

Struggling for much of the franchise's early years, the team's first season with more wins than losses was coached by Jock Sutherland in 1942.[2] In 1947, under Sutherland, the Steelers played their first playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles.[2] Ten of the 16 head coaches spent their entire professional coaching careers with the franchise, including Kiesling, John McNally, and Chuck Noll, who have also been voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[4] One of only four men to coach the same team for 23 years, Noll retired in 1991.[2] Bill Cowher, who was Noll's replacement, coached the Steelers to their fifth Super Bowl victory, in 2005. The Steelers' sixth Super Bowl win came in Super Bowl XLIII, while head-coached by Mike Tomlin,[2] the team's current head coach.[5][6]

Key

#Number of coaches[7]
GCGames Coached
WWins
LLoses
TTies
Win%Winning percentage
00Elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a coach
00Elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player
00^Elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the NFL Commissioner
00
Spent entire NFL head coaching career with the Steelers

NameTermRegular seasonPlayoffsAwardsRef./
Notes
GCWLTWin%GCWLWin%
Pittsburgh Pirates
1Forrest Douds*1933*11362.333[8]
2Luby DiMeolo*1934*122100.167[9]
3Joe Bach*1935–1936*2410140.416[10][a]
4John McNally ‡*1937–1939*256190.240[11]
5Walt Kiesling ‡*1939–1940*193133.188[12][13][b]
Pittsburgh Steelers
6Bert Bell ^19412020.000[14]
7Aldo Donelli19415050.000[15]
Walt Kiesling ‡*1941–1944*3513202.394[b][c]
8Jim Leonard*1945*10280.200[16]
9Jock Sutherland1946–1947231391.591101.000[17]
10John Michelosen*1948–1951*4820262.435[18]
Joe Bach*1952–1953*2411130.485[a]
Walt Kiesling ‡*1954–1956*3614220.389[b]
11Buddy Parker1957–196410451476.520[19]
12Mike Nixon1965142120.143[20]
13Bill Austin1966–19684211283.282[21]
14Chuck Noll †*1969–1991*3421931481.56624168.667UPI AFC Coach of the Year (1972)
Maxwell Football Club NFL Coach of the Year (1989)[22]
[23]
15Bill Cowher*1992–2006*240149901.62321129.571AP NFL Coach of the Year (1992)
Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year (1992)
Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year (2004)[22]
[24]
16Mike Tomlin*2007–present*192125661.6541587.533Motorola NFL Coach of the Year (2008)[25][26]

References

[1]
Citation Linkwww.nfl.com"NFL history 1933". NFL.com.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[2]
Citation Linknews.steelers.com"Steelers' History" (PDF). Pittsburgh Steelers. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[3]
Citation Linkwww.profootballhof.com"Walt Kiesling". ProFootballhof.com. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[4]
Citation Linkwww.profootballhof.com"Hall of Famers by Franchise". ProFootballHOF.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[5]
Citation Linknews.steelers.com"Steelers Name Mike Tomlin the 16th Head Coach in Team History" (Press release). Pittsburgh Steelers. 23 January 2007. Archived from the original on 25 January 2007. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[6]
Citation Linkwww.post-gazette.comDulac, Gerry (18 January 2007). "Tomlin, 34, is NFL's rising coaching star". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[7]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgA running total of the number of coaches of the Steelers. Thus any coach who has two separate terms as head coach is only counted once.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[8]
Citation Linkwww.pro-football-reference.com"Jap Doud Coaching Record". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[9]
Citation Linkwww.pro-football-reference.com"Luby DiMeolo Coaching Record". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[10]
Citation Linkwww.pro-football-reference.com"Joe Bach Coaching Record". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[11]
Citation Linkwww.pro-football-reference.com"Johnny McNally Coaching Record". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[12]
Citation Linkwww.pro-football-reference.com"Walt Kiesling Coaching Record". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[13]
Citation Linkwww.profootballhof.com"Hall of Famers by position". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[14]
Citation Linkwww.pro-football-reference.com"Bert Bell Coaching Record". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[15]
Citation Linkwww.pro-football-reference.com"Aldo Donelli Coaching Record". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[16]
Citation Linkwww.pro-football-reference.com"Jim Leonard Coaching Record". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[17]
Citation Linkwww.pro-football-reference.com"Jock Sutherland Coaching Record". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[18]
Citation Linkwww.pro-football-reference.com"John Michelosen Coaching Record". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[19]
Citation Linkwww.pro-football-reference.com"Buddy Parker Coaching Record". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM
[20]
Citation Linkwww.pro-football-reference.com"Mike Nixon Coaching Record". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:19 PM