1990 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1990 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 58th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
The Steelers did not score an offensive touchdown until the 5th game of the season, but did rebound to a 9–7 record.
Unlike the previous season, 9–7 was not enough to gain a playoff berth. The Steelers continued to show improvement overcoming a 1-3 start to find themselves in a showdown with the Oilers in Houston for the AFC's final playoff spot in the final game of the season. However, the Steelers were never in the game as the Oilers beat the Steelers 34-14 ending their season without the playoffs.
Staff
Roster
Preseason
Schedule
Regular season
Schedule
Game summaries
Week 1 (Sunday September 9, 1990): at [Cleveland Browns]
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio- Game time: 4:00 pm EDT
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 78,298
- Referee: Dick Hantak
- TV announcers: Don Criqui, Bob Trumpy
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 19
- Cleveland – Blaylock 30 fumble return
- Cleveland – FG Kauric 28
- Cleveland – FG Kauric 47
Week 2 (Sunday September 16, 1990): vs. [Houston Oilers]
- Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
- Game weather: 56 °F
- Game attendance: 54,814
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers: Skip Caray, Pat Haden
- Pittsburgh – D. Johnson 26 interception return
- Houston – White 1 run
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 31
- Houston – Safety, Childress tackled Brister in end zone
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 27
- Pittsburgh – Woodson 52 punt return
Week 3 (Sunday September 23, 1990): at [Los Angeles Raiders]
- Game time: 4:00 pm EDT
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 50,657
- Referee: Howard Roe
- TV announcers: Marv Albert, Paul Maguire
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 31
- Los Angeles Raiders – FG Jaeger 40
- Los Angeles Raiders – FG Jaeger 45
- Los Angeles Raiders – Allen 1 run
- Los Angeles Raiders – Fernandez 66 pass from Schroeder
Week 4 (Sunday September 30, 1990): vs. [Miami Dolphins]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
- Game weather: 57 °F
- Game attendance: 54,691
- Referee: Gerald Austin
- TV announcers: Marv Albert, Paul Maguire
- Miami – S. Smith 1 run
- Miami – S. Smith 7 run
- Clayton 35 pass from Marino
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 46
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 35
- Miami – Paige 1 run
Week 5 (Sunday October 7, 1990): vs. [San Diego Chargers]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
- Game weather: 75 °F
- Game attendance: 53,486
- Referee: Tom White
- TV announcers: Joel Meyers, Ahmad Rashād
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 45
- San Diego – Plummer 2 pass from Tolliver
- Pittsburgh – Green 8 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – Green 1 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – W. Williams 2 run
- San Diego – L. Miller fumble recovery in end zone
- Pittsburgh – Safety, Stone blocked punt out of end zone
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 45
- Pittsburgh – Foster 2 run
Week 6 (Sunday October 14, 1990): at [Denver Broncos]
- Game time: 4:00 pm EDT
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 74,285
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers: Joel Meyers, Ahmad Rashād
- Denver – Winder 1 run
- Denver – FG Treadwell 24
- Pittsburgh – Lipps 6 pass from Brister
- Denver – Sewell 2 run
- Pittsburgh – Green 3 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – Hoge 6 run
- Pittsburgh – Green 10 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – Green 3 pass from Brister
Week 7 (Sunday October 21, 1990): at [San Francisco 49ers]
- Game time: 4:00 pm EDT
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 64,301
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers: Dick Enberg, Bill Walsh
- Pittsburgh – Bell 2 pass from Brister
- San Francisco – FG Cofer 39
- San Francisco – Sherrard 5 pass from Montana
- San Francisco – FG Cofer 20
- San Francisco – Rathman 1 run
- San Francisco – Rathman 1 run
Week 8 (Monday October 29, 1990): vs. [Los Angeles Rams]
- Game time: 9:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 39 °F
- Game attendance: 56,466
- Referee: Dick Hantak
- TV announcers: Al Michaels, Frank Gifford & Dan Dierdorf
- Los Angeles Rams – Greens 100 kickoff return
- Pittsburgh – Hoge 6 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – Green 17 pass from Brister
- Los Angeles Rams – FG Lansford 32
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 42
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 30
- Pittsburgh – Hoge 1 run
- Pittsburgh – Stone 8 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – Hoge 2 pass from Brister
Week 9 (Sunday November 4, 1990): vs. [Atlanta Falcons]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 67 °F
- Game attendance: 57,093
- Referee: Johnny Grier
- TV announcers: Brad Nessler, Dan Jiggetts
- Atlanta – FG Davis 41
- Atlanta – FG Davis 43
- Atlanta – FG Davis 38
- Pittsburgh – Lipps 11 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – Mularkey 19 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – Williams 70 run
Week 10 (Sunday November 11, 1990): Bye Week
Week 11 (Sunday November 18, 1990): at [Cincinnati Bengals]
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio- Game time: 8:00 pm EST
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 60,064
- Referee: Tom Dooley
- TV announcers: Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann
- Cincinnati – Woods 5 run
- Cincinnati – FG Breech 21
- Cincinnati – Taylor 1 run
- CIncinnati – Bussey 70 fumble return
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 31
- Cincinnati – FG Breech 33
Week 12 (Sunday November 25, 1990): at [New York Jets]
- Game time: 4:00 pm EST
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 57,806
- Referee: Bob McElwee
- TV announcers: Marv Albert, Paul Maguire
- New York Jets – Moore 53 pass from O'Brien
- Pittsburgh – W. Williams 5 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 33
- Pittsburgh – Hoge 1 run
- Pittsburgh – Lipps 3 pass from Brister
Week 13 (Sunday December 2, 1990): vs. [Cincinnati Bengals]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 45 °F
- Game attendance: 58,200
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers: Don Criqui, Bob Trumpy
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 32
- Cincinnati – Brown 50 pass from Esiason
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 36
- Cincinnati – Safety, Francis tackled Brister in end zone
- Cincinnati – Brooks 7 run
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 29
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 48
Week 14 (Sunday December 9, 1990): vs. [New England Patriots]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 43 °F
- Game attendance: 48,354
- Referee: Dale Hamer
- TV announcers: Tom Hammond, Joe Namath
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 42
- Pittsburgh – Hoge 8 run
- New England – FG Staurovsky 49
- Pittsburgh – Green 14 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – Hoge 41 run
Week 15 (Sunday December 16, 1990): at [New Orleans Saints]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: Dome
- Game attendance: 68,582
- Referee: Howard Roe
- TV announcers: Marv Albert, Paul Maguire
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 29
- New Orleans – FG Andersen 50
- New Orleans – FG Andersen 43
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 42
- Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 43
Week 16 (Sunday December 23, 1990): vs. [Cleveland Browns]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 36 °F
- Game attendance: 51,665
- Referee: Johnny Grier
- TV announcers: Joel Meyers, Ahmad Rashād
- Pittsburgh – Mularkey 20 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – Calloway 20 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – Mularkey 2 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – Hoge 20 pass from Brister
- Pittsburgh – W. Williams 1 run
Week 17 (Sunday December 30, 1990): at [Houston Oilers]
- Game time: 8:00 pm EST
- Game weather: Dome
- Game attendance: 56,906
- Referee: Gerald Austin
- TV announcers: Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann
- Houston – White 1 run
- Houston – Givins 14 pass from Carlson
- Houston – Hill 3 pass from Carlson
- Houston – FG Garcia 47
- Pittsburgh – Hoge 4 run
- Houston – Jeffires 53 pass from Carlson
- Pittsburgh – Hoge 3 run
- Houston – FG Garcia 45
Standings