Steel City Underground takes fans back in time to feature events, special moments, and historical times and players in the world of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Steelers Nation. Join us as we revisit these moments in our “Steelers Throwback Thursday” series.
In the late 1960s, the Pittsburgh Steelers were a franchise on life support. Decades of futility had left them as one of the NFL’s laughingstocks, with only one winning season since 1939 (the 1947 season of redemption). Attendance was dismal, an outdated stadium was home, and owner Art Rooney “The Chief” Sr. was quietly pouring his personal fortune, often earned from racetrack winnings, into keeping the team alive. Rumors swirled of a relocation for the Steelers or even folding. Few could have predicted that this rock-bottom era would plant the seeds for one of professional sports’ greatest dynasties. We look back at that period in Steelers history, and the day they almost died.
Art Rooney founded the Steelers (originally the Pirates) in 1933 for $2,500. A larger-than-life figure from Pittsburgh’s North Side – a gambler, a boxer, a politician, and a devout family man – Rooney embodied blue-collar resilience. By the 1960s, however, even his optimism was tested. The team played in Forbes Field, a baseball-first venue ill-suited for football, with poor sightlines and aging infrastructure. Financial pressures mounted as the NFL prepared for the 1970 AFL merger, which threatened smaller-market teams. Rooney faced the real possibility of selling or moving the franchise.
Can you imagine the city of Pittsburgh without the Steelers? The team was an institution that was on death’s door, but the locals were devoted. Time was slipping away on the franchise’s life span.
Rooney refused to quit. In 1969, he made two pivotal decisions that changed everything. First, he hired Chuck Noll as head coach. Noll, a former defensive assistant with the Baltimore Colts, inherited a 1-13 team but brought discipline, intelligence, and a long-term vision centered on the draft. Second, Rooney doubled down on an innovative scouting strategy that would become legendary: the “French Connection.”
This network targeted talent from small Louisiana colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that larger teams often ignored. The term “French Connection” nodded to the French Creole cultural ties in the region. Key to this effort was Bill Nunn Jr., a former sportswriter for the Pittsburgh Courier who joined the Steelers’ scouting department part-time in 1967 (full-time later). Nunn’s deep knowledge of HBCU college football opened doors to overlooked gems in the form of players.
The results were transformative. In the 1969 NFL Draft, Noll’s first pick was defensive tackle “Mean” Joe Greene from North Texas State, a cornerstone who immediately anchored the defense. Other “French Connection” finds included L.C. Greenwood, John Stallworth, and Ernie Holmes. These players, combined with later picks like Jack Ham and Jack Lambert, formed the backbone of the “Steel Curtain” defense.
The turnaround from near death wasn’t instant. The 1969 season ended 1-13 again. But the foundation for recovery was set.
By 1972, the Steelers made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. The 1970s brought four Super Bowl titles in six years (IX, X, XIII, XIV), cementing Pittsburgh as “Steelers Nation” and turning the team into a symbol of the city’s grit during its industrial decline.
Rooney’s gamble reflected his character: betting on long shots with heart and loyalty. He kept the team in Pittsburgh when it would have been easier to cash out. That commitment to place and people became the franchise’s enduring ethos, passed down through the Rooney family.
Today, as modern NFL economics favor big markets and analytics, the 1960s survival story feels especially poignant. It reminds fans that championships often begin not with flash, but with quiet desperation, smart scouting, and unwavering belief. The Steelers didn’t just survive the dark days circling the drain – they emerged stronger because of them. The “almost died” chapter is what makes the dynasty’s glory so sweet.