A Look at Steelers Halloween History!

It's the most wonderful time of the fear. A Happy Halloween to all the fellow members of Steeler Nation! Whatever scary costume you decide to wear this year, whether it be Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, or Matt Canada's playbook, I hope you have a fun and safe final day of October! Now, to why we are here. 

The Steelers had some memorable games on specific holidays, like the Thanksgiving game vs. the Colts in 2016 or the Christmas game vs. the Ravens in 2016 with the famous "Immaculate Extension." There have also been not-so-great moments, like when Phil Luckett, on Thanksgiving, became the most wanted man in Pittsburgh because of a botched coin toss in 1998. But my fellow readers, the Steelers have also had Halloween games, or as I like to call them, "The Candy Bowl." Ten matchups, to be exact. And we're going to go over them here! Snuggle up, eat your kid's candy, sip on your pumpkin spice lattes, and let's go over the times on October 31st the Steelers got the treat of a win or the trick of taking defeat! 

10/31/1937: vs. Philadelphia Eagles (16-7)

I am kicking off this list with a treat, as the then-known Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the one-win Eagles in a game that included every side of the ball scoring points with a passing touchdown, a three-pointer from the kicker, and a pick-six! Despite the Eagles scoring first off a fumble recovery, the Pirates were able to get their sails up again and finish off their opponents. The Eagles went on to go 1-11 on the year, but today, they're a Super Bowl favorite. It's funny what can happen in 86 years.

10/31/1948: vs. Philadelphia Eagles (7-34)

Well, they can't all be treats. Instead, the Steelers would get blasted by the Eagles at home. Despite a 7-3 lead by the Steelers in the 2nd quarter, the Eagles would outscore the Steelers by 31 points as the game progressed. The Eagles also stole the Steelers move from last Halloween matchup and scored on all three sides with a 55-yard punt return touchdown, a fumble return, and a run and passing touchdown to add salt to the wound. Or, in this case, adding black licorice to the trick-or-treat bag.

10/31/1954: @ Chicago Cardinals (14-17)

No, you are not in the Twilight Zone; you read that right. The NFL was different back then, with other names and divisions. Despite the Cardinals going into the 0-5 and the Steelers going in 4-1, the Cards upset their former teammate. The betting line for this game was Steelers -17.5. But committing four turnovers is not exactly ideal. 

10/31/1965: vs. Dallas Cowboys (22-13)

Finally, a win on Halloween for Pittsburgh! It took you only 17 years! In Pittsburgh, the Cowboys were met with three passing touchdowns from Pittsburgh that set them back. Despite making it a close game, the Steelers got a field goal to get the Cowboys out of scoring range. The Steelers finally got to treat themselves to a Halloween dub! 

10/31/1971: @ Baltimore Colts (21-34)

Snap back to reality! The Steelers could have started better in their first five Halloween matchups, with a 2-3 start to the haunted holiday. But when the opponent has double the total yards you have, that tends to happen. Terry Bradshaw's first Halloween in the NFL didn't go as planned, but this wouldn't be his last shot, as he would get another opportunity five years later. But little did the Pittsburgh Steelers and the city of Baltimore know of the seeds being planted for what would soon become arguably the best rivalry in football. 

10/31/1976: vs. San Diego Chargers (23-0)

It's safe to say the Steel Curtain is now in its prime, with the likes of Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Mel Blount, and more now on the squad. It makes sense a scary team like this has a Halloween game. They would decimate the Dan Fouts-led Chargers team by having them punt ten times and only allow ten completions off of 28 pass attempts and getting to Fouts five times for a sack. In a nice change of pace for the Steelers luck on Halloween, the Steelers made an impact with a shutout. 

10/31/2004: vs. New England Patriots (34-20)

It would take 28 years until the Steelers would have another Halloween game, and this is a special one! For those unfamiliar, this game had a big fight feel. The Patriots were on a winning streak of 21 straight wins, including playoffs. There was also another undefeated streak for the Steelers. The new QB, Ben Roethlisberger, was selected 11th overall out of Miami (OH). He also was 4-0 as a starter, so there was a lot on the line for both teams. The Patriots would draw first with a field goal to make it 3-0. The Steelers then dismantled the Patriots by scoring 24 unanswered points. The Pats would get a touchdown to end the half to make it 24-10. In the second half, the Patriots tried a comeback, but the Steelers managed to hold on with over 40 minutes of possession time in the game compared to the Patriots 17 minutes. Rookie Ben Roethlisberger would defeat New England convincingly as the defense caused four turnovers, including two interceptions on Tom Brady, one of which went for a pick-six! Little would people know Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady would become the cornerstones of the AFC for the next decade. 

10/31/2005: vs. Baltimore Ravens (20-19)

The last time the Steelers faced Baltimore on Halloween was 34 years ago. The Baltimore Colts scored 34 points back then. Now was when the rival was getting fiercer and more vicious. This game was no different, as it came down to the final minutes. The Ravens had the lead with about 3 minutes to go. The Steelers were led down the field by Roethlisberger and Jerome Bettis and got a field goal with about 1:30 to go. The Ravens got to midfield on third down before a sack by Brett Kiesel shifted the gear, and the Ravens had to convert fourth down by getting at least six yards. One incomplete pass later, with less than 30 seconds left and no timeouts, the Steelers avenged their loss back in '71 with a classic Steeler-Raven rivalry win!

10/31/2010: @ New Orleans Saints (10-20)

Well, three in a row was nice. Drew Brees couldn't be stopped this game, with over 300 yards passing and two touchdowns. The Steelers were able to make it close with a 4th quarter touchdown to make it 10-13, but another TD from Brees with less than 3 minutes ended any hope of a comeback for the Steelers.

10/31/2021: @ Cleveland Browns (15-10)

The tenth and final Halloween game, as of now for Pittsburgh, was an important one. The Steelers were embarrassed in the wild card by the Browns in Pittsburgh after an 11-0 start last season. In what was Big Ben's final season, the Steelers needed to get a win back for him. The first half was silent, with only one field goal between each team. A 3-3 game going into the second half. Both teams would score a touchdown in the third quarter, but the Steelers were down by one point after a failed two-point conversion. However, a five-and-a-half-minute drive to start the 4th quarter led to a touchdown pass to take the lead 15-10. Could the Steelers D hold the Browns? The Browns committed a fumble, which would cost them precious time in the fourth. The Browns would get one last chance with less than five minutes left. A 4th down and 12 would need to be converted after an incompletion, a 1-yard loss, a false start, and a 4-yard gain. It was thrown over the middle but short to its target, and the Steelers would get some sweet revenge against the team that embarrassed them in January. And it was the first away Halloween win for Pittsburgh EVER! 

The Steelers have an overall 6-4 record when playing on Fright Night. Who knows when the next Steelers Halloween game will be? It could be next year or in 28 years; it's hard to tell. But all that matters is to enjoy the now. So enjoy your Halloween this year, have fun, stay safe, and one last message to our fellow Browns fans who may be reading this: I hope every one of you gets a ring pop because it's the only ring you will see in your lifetime!