The 1973 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 41st season in the National Football League. The team finished second in the AFC Central division, but qualified for the postseason for the second consecutive season. The Steelers got off to a terrific start winning eight of their first nine games. However, a costly three game losing streak would put their playoff hopes in jeopardy. The Steelers would recover to win their last two games, but had to settle for a Wild Card berth with a 10–4 record. The Steelers would lose in the playoffs to the Oakland Raiders 33–14 in Oakland. The 1973 Steelers' pass defense is arguably the greatest in the history of the NFL. Their defensive passer rating—the quarterback passer rating of all opposing quarterbacks throughout the season—was 33.1, an NFL record for the Super Bowl era. According to Cold Hard Football Facts: Pittsburgh's pass-defense numbers that year were stunning. Opposing passers compiled the following stat-line: The figure that leaps screaming off the sheet is the amazing 37 picks in 14 games. The 2009 Jets, by comparison, allowed a puny 8 TDs in 16 games, but hauled in just 17 picks. Pittsburgh's all-time best pass defense was an equal-opportunity unit: Mike Wagner led the team with 8 INT, but 10 other guys recorded at least one pick. Amazing. Eleven defenders boasted at least one INT for Pittsburgh that season. The entire starting secondary recorded 24 picks alone, and Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount was last on the list: Wagner (8), safety Glen Edwards (6), cornerback John Rowser (6) and Blount (4). The campaign was chronicled in Roy Blount Jr.'s 1974 book About Three Bricks Shy of a Load. The source of its title was Craig Hanneman whose endearing description of himself and his teammates after the regular season away victory over the Oakland Raiders was "We’re all about three bricks shy of a load."

Offseason

NFL Draft

Personnel

Staff

Roster

Regular season

Game summaries

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Johnny Unitas playing for San Diego is knocked out of the game after completing only 3 of 15 passes for 24 yards and three interceptions.

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7 vs Bengals

Week 8 vs Washington Redskins

Joe Gilliam makes Monday Night Football debut

Week 9 at Raiders

Week 10 vs Broncos

Week 11

Game summary

Scoring drives:

Week 12 (Monday December 3, 1973): at Miami Dolphins

Game summary

Scoring drives:

Week 13

Game summary

Scoring drives:

Week 14

Game summary

John Brodie's number 12 was retired prior to game. Scoring drives:

Standings

Postseason

AFC Divisional: @ Oakland Raiders

Scoring Drives