10 Decades of Steelers Football: The 90's

If you missed my count up of the Steelers history via decades, check out the 30's through 50's, and the 60's through 80's by clicking on either of those links. The 70's were a pretty good decade for the black and gold... just saying. Unfortunately, the next few weren't as pretty.

The 90s: Melted Steel

The calm before another storm, if you will.

The Steelers in the 90s were better than in the 80s, but in a way, it was more disappointing for the organization. We all wondered, could a new dynasty be on the horizon? With names like Rod Woodson, Louis Lipps, and Greg Llyod starting in 1990, it could make for a solid team to build up. The 1990 Steelers had a rough start as it took them until week five to score an offensive touchdown. Wow. Despite this, they went 9-7 but failed to qualify for the playoffs. The following season wouldn't be much better as they went 7-9, and Chuck Noll would retire. It truly felt like the Steelers dynasty in the 70s was done. The next man up would be the former Philadelphia Eagle and Cleveland Brown player named Bill Cowher. Billy from Crafton.

The Steelers would significantly improve under Cowher, going 11-5 and winning the division. However, they would be humiliated at home by losing to the Bills in the playoffs by a final score of 24-3. The following season, the Steelers wouldn't improve their record but still went 9-7 and made the playoffs, but were ousted by the Chiefs 27-24 in the wild-card round.

The 1994 Steelers team would go 12-4, win the division, and win their first playoff game since 1989 against the Browns, and make the AFC Championship for the first time in a decade. But it wasn't meant to be, as the Steelers got beat at home vs. the Chargers.

Next year would be a good season with a bad ending. The Steelers went 11-5, won the division, beat the Bills and Colts to make the Super Bowl, and faced off against the Dallas Cowboys, an old Super Bowl opponent. But lightning didn't strike twice as the Cowboys would win and hand the Steelers their first-ever Super Bowl loss. The name Neil O' Donnell mustn't be spoken now at thanksgiving dinner tables.

In 1996, the Steelers decided to get a bus pass. They traded for former Rams running back Jerome Bettis. The 1996 season would lead the Steelers to another playoff berth after going 10-6, and they would beat the Colts but get bested by the Patriots in the divisional round by a score of 28-3---hey Atlanta, how are you doing?

In 1997, the Steelers would again make the playoffs with a respectable 11-5 record. A young quarterback nicknamed "Slash" would prove to be one of the most polarizing players to ever lace them up for the black and gold. They would avenge their playoff loss the last year and beat the Patriots -- but lose to the Broncos in the AFC Championship.

From 1998-1999, the Steelers would struggle and fail to make the playoffs both years after going 7-9 and then 6-10 and also causing Phil Luckett to need to be in witness protection every time he's in Pittsburgh. The Steelers would end the 90s with a 93-67 record. But if there is one big up for the Steelers for the last two years of the 90s, they would draft a receiver out of Georgia named Hines Ward. 

And soon... came the 2000's. And another big-time draft pick.

This time a quarterback from Miami of Ohio -- next.