Purchased in 1933 by Art "The Chief" Rooney, the Pittsburgh Steelers were then known as the Pittsburgh Pirates. After a disappointing first few seasons, in 1940 the team's name was changed to the Pittsburgh Steelers, solidifying the long term bond with the city and it's industrial history. Shortly there after came the organization's first winning season. It would still be a long journey for the Steelers that would finally win their first Super Bowl in 1974. The era of 1970's football would belong to the Steelers and their fans. Winning 4 Super Bowel titles that decade and starting professional footballs newest fad, "the terrible towel" which is still seen waving at Steelers games today. The eighties would not be a shining decade for the Steelers as they would suffer their teams worst ever season record and heartbreaking loss of "The Chief" to a stroke in 1988. The once joyfully waving terrible towels, were now being used to cover the faces of the Steelers fans and wipe away tears, as they exited out of Three Rivers Stadium where the team played for 3 decades. Even with towels and bags upon the heads of the fans they still bought Pittsburgh Steelers tickets as if the team was in first place. By the 1990's changes were taking place Dan Rooney and Dan's son Art Rooney were now in control of the team and they hired a new young coach named Bill Cower. A new coach and a new stadium would be what was in order for the Steelers. A beautiful stadium known as Heinz Field would see it's first season in 2001. Coach Cower would take the Pittsburgh Steelers to 2 Superbowl appearances and win the franchise's 5th Superbowl trophy in 2005. After Bill Cower's retirement another young coach was signed, Mike Tomlin. Tomlin led the Steelers to an unprecedented 6th Superbowl victory in his second year as a head coach.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have come to be what Pittsburgh is all about. The city and its team have shared ups and downs, good times and bad, wins and losses. What always seems to stay the same is that when the leaves begin to change the place to be is Pittsburgh Steeler games at Heinz Field.
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