Pittsburgh Steelers · Franchise era 3 of 6
After the dynasty: the Pittsburgh Steelers story
Franchise era
1980—1991
After the dynasty
Pittsburgh Steelers
The story in one sentence
Pittsburgh remained competitive as its Hall of Famers retired and Woodson became the versatile star of a new defensive generation.
The old champions fade while defense reloads
John Stallworth, Rod Woodson and Merril Hoge gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for the cowher teams.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1980
What came before
Chuck Noll built through the draft, the Immaculate Reception announced the breakthrough and Pittsburgh won four Super Bowls in six seasons.
1984-12-30
Divisional Round: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos
1985-01-06
Conference Championship: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Miami Dolphins
1989-12-31
Wild Card: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Houston Oilers
After 1991
What came next
Bill Cowher restored annual contention, and a second-year Ben Roethlisberger helped Bettis finish his career with the Super Bowl XL championship.
The core