Pittsburgh Steelers 57th US football season
The 1989 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 57th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League . They were considered a rebuilding team filled with many young players, especially after the release of longtime center Mike Webster in the offseason. The young team showed its inexperience in the first game of the season, when they lost at home to the archrival Cleveland Browns 51–0. The loss marked the Steelers worst defeat in franchise history. The following week wasn't much better, losing 41–10 to another division rival , the defending AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals .
However, the Steelers clinched the final playoff spot in the last week in the season with a 9–7 record. Chuck Noll , in his 21st season as the team's head coach, was named the NFL's Coach of the Year for the only time in his coaching career.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Steelers would have a memorable come-from-behind overtime victory over the division-rival Houston Oilers 26–23, which saw Gary Anderson kick a game-winning, 50-yard field goal in the extra period. The following week, the Steelers nearly pulled off a major upset against the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium before losing 24–23 on a Melvin Bratton one-yard touchdown run with 2:22 remaining in the game.
Though the Steelers would not make the playoffs again under Chuck Noll (missing in 1990 with an identical 9–7 record and again in 1991 at 7–9 despite a second-place finish that year), the season did set the tone for the team's return to prominence in the 1990s under his successor, Bill Cowher .
Offseason
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
Staff
1989 Pittsburgh Steelers staff
Front office
President – Daniel M. Rooney
Vice president – John R. McGinley
Vice president – Arthur J. Rooney, Jr.
Director of communications & business – Joe Gordon
Controller – Ralph Meacham
Chief negotiator – James A. Boston
Office manager – Stadium – Dan Ferens
Public relations director – Dan Edwards
Publicity director – Pat Hanlon
Director of ticket sales – Geraldine Glenn
Computer coordinator – Accounting – Jim Ellenberger
Director of player personnel – Dick Haley
Director of pro personnel & development – Tom Donahoe
College scouting coordinator – Tom Modrak
Talent scout – Bob Schmitz
Talent scout – Max McCartney
Talent scout – Charles Bailey Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
Conditioning & training coordinator – Jon Kolb
Dentist – Dr. George P. Boucek
Ophthalmologist – Dr. Phillip Buzzelli
Physician, orthopedic – Dr. Thomas W. Cowan
Neurological surgery consultant – Dr. Joseph C. Maroon
Physician, M.D. – Dr. Richard Rydze
Physician, consultant – Dr. Abraham J.Twerski
Physician, M.D. – Dr. Anthony P. Yates
Trainer – Ralph Berlin
Trainer – Fran Feld
Equipment manager – Anthony Parisi
Field manager – Rodgers Freyvogel
Video & film director – Bob McCartney
Video assistant – Pat Dolan
Photographers – Mike Fabus, Bill Amatucci [ 1]
Roster
Offseason
The offseason was marked with the team deciding not to renew the contract of longtime center Mike Webster . Webster's release marked the end of the Super Bowl -era players on the team. Although Dwayne Woodruff was still with the Steelers and had won a Super Bowl ring during his rookie year , Webster had been the last member on the team that won all four Super Bowls. Webster would be succeeded at center with a young Dermontti Dawson , who was drafted the year before to be groomed as Webster's replacement, and like Webster would go on to an All-Pro career as one of the best at his position.
Meanwhile, the team drafted UCLA safety Carnell Lake in the second round of the 1989 draft . Lake would be a key member of the team's defense through the 1998 season , although his accomplishments would often be underlooked as opposed to his teammate, Rod Woodson .
Preseason
Schedule
Regular season
Schedule
Week
Date
Opponent
Game Site
Kickoff (ET )
TV
Result
Record
1
Sun. Sep. 10
Cleveland Browns
Three Rivers Stadium
4:00 p.m.
NBC
L 51–0
0–1
2
Sun. Sep. 17
at Cincinnati Bengals
Riverfront Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
L 41–10
0–2
3
Sun. Sep. 24
Minnesota Vikings
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
CBS
W 27–14
1–2
4
Sun. Oct. 1
at Detroit Lions
Pontiac Silverdome
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 23–3
2–2
5
Sun. Oct. 8
Cincinnati Bengals
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
L 26–16
2–3
6
Sun. Oct. 15
at Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
4:00 p.m.
NBC
W 17–7
3–3
7
Sun. Oct. 22
at Houston Oilers
Astrodome
1:00 p.m.
NBC
L 27–0
3–4
8
Sun. Oct. 29
Kansas City Chiefs
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 23–17
4–4
9
Sun. Nov. 5
at Denver Broncos
Mile High Stadium
4:00 p.m.
NBC
L 34–7
4–5
10
Sun. Nov. 12
Chicago Bears
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
CBS
L 20–0
4–6
11
Sun. Nov. 19
San Diego Chargers
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 20–17
5–6
12
Sun. Nov. 26
at Miami Dolphins
Joe Robbie Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 34–14
6–6
13
Sun. Dec. 3
Houston Oilers
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
L 23–16
6–7
14
Sun. Dec. 10
at New York Jets
Giants Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 13–0
7–7
15
Sun. Dec. 17
New England Patriots
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 28–10
8–7
16
Sun. Dec. 24
at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 31–22
9–7
Game summaries
Week 1
The Steelers and Chuck Noll faced off against their divisional rival Browns and former defensive coordinator Bud Carson in the season opener.
Scoring summary
Quarter
Time
Drive
Team
Scoring information
Score
Plays
Yards
TOP
CLE
PIT
1
5:42
Browns
Fumble recovery returned 3 yards for touchdown by Matthews , Bahr kick good
7
0
1
2:53
Browns
27-yard field goal by Bahr
10
0
1
2:31
Browns
Fumble recovery returned 28 yards for touchdown by Grayson , Bahr kick good
17
0
2
8:54
Browns
20-yard field goal by Bahr
20
0
2
3:28
Browns
Manoa 3-yard touchdown run, Bahr kick good
27
0
2
0:39
Browns
27-yard field goal by Bahr
30
0
3
12:26
Browns
Manoa 2-yard touchdown run, Bahr kick good
37
0
3
11:14
Browns
Interception returned 14 yards for touchdown by Grayson, Bahr kick good
44
0
4
11:34
Browns
Oliphant 21-yard touchdown run, Bahr kick good
"TOP" = time of possession . For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football .
51
0
Total
Steelers
3
0
7
0
10
Bengals
3
17
7
14
41
at Riverfront Stadium , Cincinnati
Scoring drives:
Cincinnati – FG Gallery 26
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 38
Cincinnati – Brown 27 pass from Esiason (Gallery kick)
Cincinnati – FG Gallery 47
Cincinnati – Woods 1 run (Gallery kick)
Pittsburgh – Hill 7 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
CIncinnati – Jennings 1 run (Gallery kick)
CIncinnati – Brooks 2 run (Gallery kick)
Cincinnati – Jennings 43 pass from Esiason (Gallery kick)
Total
Vikings
7
7
0
0
14
Steelers
7
14
0
6
27
at Three Rivers Stadium , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm EDTGame weather: 54 °F (12 °C) (Cloudy)Game attendance: 50,744Referee: Dick Hantak TV announcers: (CBS) Steve Zabriskie (play by play), Hank Stram (color commentator)Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – Mularkey 15 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
Minnesota – Wilson 1 run (Garcia kick)
Pittsburgh – Worley 8 run (Anderson kick)
Minnesota – Thomas 27 fumble return (Garcia kick)
Pittsburgh – Hoge 2 run (Anderson kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 38
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 44
Total
Steelers
0
10
7
6
23
Lions
3
0
0
0
3
at Pontiac Silverdome , Pontiac, Michigan
Game time: 1:00 pm EDTGame weather: DomeGame attendance: 43,804Referee: Ben Dreith TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), Ahmad Rashad (color commentator)Scoring drives:
Detroit – FG Murray 37
Pittsburgh – Lipps 48 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 20
Pittsburgh – Carter 1 run (Anderson kick)
Pittsburgh – Wallace 2 run (pass failed)
Total
Bengals
0
13
0
13
26
Steelers
7
3
3
3
16
at Three Rivers Stadium , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm EDTGame weather: 43 °F (6 °C) (Cloudy)Game attendance: 52,785Referee: Howard RoeTV announcers: (NBC) Joel Meyers (play by play), Paul Maguire (color commentator)Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – Carter 22 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
Cincinnati – FG Breech 24
Cincinnati – FG Breech 27
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 24
Cincinnati – Martin 7 pass from Esiason (Breech kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 40
Cincinnati – Brooks 13 run (kick failed)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 34
Cincinnati – Brooks 65 run (Breech kick)
Total
Steelers
3
0
7
7
17
Browns
0
0
0
7
7
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium , Cleveland, Ohio
Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 49
Pittsburgh – Carter 14 pass from Blackledge (Anderson kick)
Cleveland – Metcalf 2 run (Bahr kick)
Pittsburgh – Williams 1 run (Anderson kick)
Total
Steelers
0
0
0
0
0
Oilers
7
17
3
0
27
at Astrodome , Houston, Texas
Scoring drives:
Houston – Highsmith 3 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)
Houston – FG Zendejas 41
Houston – Duncan 51 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)
Houston – Highsmith 5 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)
Houston – FG Zendejas 51
Total
Chiefs
0
3
14
0
17
Steelers
10
6
7
0
23
at Three Rivers Stadium , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm ESTGame weather: 72 °F (22 °C) (Mostly Cloudy)Game attendance: 54,194Referee: Tom Dooley TV announcers: (NBC) Joel Meyers (play by play), Paul Maguire (color commentator)Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 41
Pittsburgh – Lipps 16 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 47
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 29
Kansas City – FG Lowery 50
Kansas City – Mandley 8 pass from DeBerg (Lowery kick)
Kansas City – Maas 4 fumble return (Lowery kick)
Pittsburgh – Lipps 64 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
Total
Steelers
0
7
0
0
7
Broncos
10
3
7
14
34
at Mile High Stadium , Denver, Colorado
Game time: 4:00 pm ESTGame weather: Game attendance: 74,739Referee: Red Cashion TV announcers: (NBC) Marv Albert (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)Scoring drives:
Denver – Humphrey 22 run (Treadwell kick)
Denver – FG Treadwell 26
Pittsburgh – Carter 15 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
Denver – FG Treadwell 26
Denver – Johnson 44 pass from Elway (Treadwell kick)
Denver – Elway 2 run (Treadwell kick)
Denver – Humphrey 12 run (Treadwell kick)
Total
Bears
7
13
0
0
20
Steelers
0
0
0
0
0
at Three Rivers Stadium , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm ESTGame weather: 47 °F (8 °C) (Partly Cloudy)Game attendance: 56,505Referee: Gordon McCarter TV announcers: (CBS) Jim Nantz (play by play), Pat Haden (color commentator)Scoring drives:
Chicago – N. Anderson 2 run (Butler kick)
Chicago – FG Butler 39
Chicago – Muster 20 pass from Harbaugh (Butler kick)
Chicago – FG Butler 35
Total
Chargers
0
7
10
0
17
Steelers
3
3
7
7
20
at Three Rivers Stadium , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm ESTGame weather: 31 °F (−1 °C) (Cloudy)Game attendance: 44,203Referee: Bob McElwee TV announcers: (NBC) Joel Meyers (play by play), Paul Maguire (color commentator)Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 49
San Diego – A. Miller 20 pass from McMahon (Bahr kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 28
San Diego – FG Bahr 27
Pittsburgh – Woodson 84 kickoff return (Anderson kick)
San Diego – A. Miller 18 pass from McMahon (Bahr kick)
Pittsburgh – Hoge 1 run (Anderson kick)
Total
Steelers
0
17
17
0
34
Dolphins
14
0
0
0
14
at Joe Robbie Stadium , Miami, Florida
Steelers get first ever win against the Dolphins in Miami. This game was played in a driving rain storm.
Scoring drives:
Miami – Smith 1 run (Stoyanovich kick)
Miami – Clayton 66 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick)
Pittsburgh – Hoge 1 run (Anderson kick)
Pittsburgh – Woodruff 21 with lateral after Lake 2 fumble return (Anderson kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 27
Pittsburgh – Hoge 5 run (Anderson kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 42
Pittsburgh – Hoge 1 run (Anderson kick)
Total
Oilers
0
14
2
7
23
Steelers
3
7
3
3
16
at Three Rivers Stadium , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm ESTGame weather: 22 °F (−6 °C) (Light Snow Showers)Game attendance: 40,541Referee: Ben Dreith TV announcers: (NBC) Jim Donovan (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 18
Pittsburgh – Hoge 4 run (Anderson kick)
Houston – Duncan 18 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)
Houston – Hill 27 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 37
Houston – Safety, McDowell tackled Newsome in end zone
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 18
Houston – White 1 run (Zendejas kick)
Total
Steelers
7
0
0
6
13
Jets
0
0
0
0
0
at Giants Stadium , East Rutherford, New Jersey
Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – Worley 35 run (Anderson kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 42
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 45
Total
Patriots
3
0
0
7
10
Steelers
7
7
7
7
28
at Three Rivers Stadium , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm ESTGame weather: 5 °F (−15 °C) (Cloudy)Game attendance: 26,594Referee: Tom Dooley TV announcers: (NBC) Jim Donovan (play by play), Jimmy Cefalo (color commentator)Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – Worley 8 run (Anderson kick)
New England – FG Staurovsky 20
Pittsburgh – Hoge 1 run (Anderson kick)
Pittsburgh – Lipps 58 run (Anderson kick)
Pittsburgh – Hoge 2 run (Anderson kick)
New England – C. Jones 12 pass from Wilson (Staurovsky kick)
Total
Steelers
7
17
7
0
31
Buccaneers
7
3
3
9
22
Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – Worley 1 run (Anderson kick)
Tampa Bay – Carrier 7 pass from Ferguson (Igwebuike kick)
Pittsburgh – Lipps 79 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
Tampa Bay – FG Igwebuike 45
Pittsburgh – Lipps 12 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 32
Tampa Bay – FG Igwebuike 24
Pittsburgh – Worley 1 run (Anderson kick)
Tampa Bay – Safety Cocroft blocked punt out of end zone
Tampa Bay – Carrier 39 pass from Ferguson (Igwebuike kick)
Standings
Playoffs
Game summaries
Total
Steelers
7
3
3
10 3
26
Oilers
0
6
3
14 0
23
at Astrodome , Houston, Texas
Game time: 4:00 pm ESTGame weather: DomeGame attendance: 58,306Referee: Pat Haggerty TV announcers: (NBC) Marv Albert (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – Worley 9 run (Anderson kick)
Houston – FG Zendejas 26
Houston – FG Zendejas 35
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 25
Houston – FG Zendejas 26
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 30
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 48
Houston – Givins 18 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)
Houston – Givins 9 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)
Pittsburgh – Hoge 2 run (Anderson kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 50
Total
Steelers
3
14
3
3
23
Broncos
0
10
7
7
24
at Mile High Stadium , Denver, Colorado
Game time: 4:00 pm ESTGame weather: Game attendance: 75,868Referee: Gene Barth TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg (play by play), Bill Walsh (color commentator)Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 32
Pittsburgh – Hoge 7 run (Anderson kick)
Denver – Bratton 1 run (Treadwell kick)
Pittsburgh – Lipps 9 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
Denver – FG Treadwell 43
Denver – Johnson 37 pass from Elway (Treadwell kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 35
Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 32
Denver – Bratton 1 run (Treadwell kick)
Awards and honors
References
^ 1989 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide .^ 1989 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide .^ 1990 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide .^ "1989 Pittsburgh Steelers" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved December 24, 2014 .
External links
Formerly the Pittsburgh Pirates (1933–1939)
Franchise Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Media Division championships (24) Conference championships (8) League championships (6) Retired numbers Hall of Fame members Current league affiliations
