1997 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Encyclopedia
The 1997 Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

was considered a transitional year heading into the season due to many key free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....

 losses in the offseason, as well as the first season of Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart, nicknamed "Slash" , is a former American NFL quarterback. Stewart attended the University of Colorado and was drafted 60th in the 1995 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers...

 starting at quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

.

However, the Steelers didn't budge, finishing with an 11-5 record, their fourth consecutive AFC Central crown, and their sixth straight playoff appearance. In doing so, Steelers head coach Bill Cowher
Bill Cowher
William Laird "Bill" Cowher is a former American football coach and player. Cowher resigned after 15 seasons as the Steelers' coach on January 5, 2007, 11 months to the day after winning 2005–06's Super Bowl XL...

 tied Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...

 coach Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...

 with most consecutive playoff appearances to start a head coaching career in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

 -- a record Cowher still co-owns with Brown, as the Steelers missed the playoffs the following year
1998 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1998 season marked the first time since 1991 that the Steelers failed to reach the playoffs. Pittsburgh finished 7–9 after starting the season 5–2, losing their last five games to knock themselves out of the playoffs...

.

The Steelers would host the AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....

 Championship game for the third time in four years. However, they would ultimately lose to the wild-card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...

 Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 in the AFC Title game.

Offseason

The Steelers saw many key free-agents leave the team, the biggest being cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...

 Rod Woodson
Rod Woodson
Roderick Kevin "Rod" Woodson is the current cornerbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He is also a former defensive back best known for his 10-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers as well as being a key member of the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl XXXV championship...

, whose ten-year tenure with the team ended due to a dispute over money with the Rooney family. Woodson would sign with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...

 as a result, though the Steelers would see him again in the following four seasons afterward as a member of the rival Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...

. Other free-agent losses included Chad Brown, Ernie Mills
Ernie Mills
Ernest Lee "Ernie" Mills, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for nine seasons during the 1990s...

, Andre Hastings
Andre Hastings
Andre Orlando Hastings is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. A 6'1", . wide receiver from the University of Georgia, Hastings played in 8 NFL seasons from 1993 to 2000 for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New...

, Deon Figures
Deon Figures
Deon Juniel Figures is a former professional American football cornerback in the NFL. He played four years for the Pittsburgh Steelers 1993 to 1996 and two for the Jacksonville Jaguars 1997 to 1998. While with Pittsburgh in 1994, he helped the Steelers reach the AFC Championship Game against the...

, and Brentson Buckner
Brentson Buckner
Brentson André Buckner is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League.-College career:...

, among others. The team did manage to keep its other prized free-agent besides Woodson, locking up Jerome Bettis
Jerome Bettis
Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...

 (who they had acquired in a trade with the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...

 the year before) with a four-year deal.

The team also had a transition at quarterback. After pushing Bill Cowher
Bill Cowher
William Laird "Bill" Cowher is a former American football coach and player. Cowher resigned after 15 seasons as the Steelers' coach on January 5, 2007, 11 months to the day after winning 2005–06's Super Bowl XL...

 play exclusively at quarterback, Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart, nicknamed "Slash" , is a former American NFL quarterback. Stewart attended the University of Colorado and was drafted 60th in the 1995 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers...

 was handed the starting job and dropping his "Slash" role on the team. Stewart would have success with the team this season, but would be inconsistent afterwards.

The team also made some minor changes to the uniforms this season, the first changes since gold pants were adopted as part of the white jerseys in 1972
1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the 40th in franchise history. The team went 11–3 that season, and won their first-ever AFC Central Division title.-Depth chart:-Schedule:- Week 1 : Oakland Raiders :...

. The jersey numbers, previously having the old-style block numbering, were switched to the rounder style (Futura Condensed) as seen on the helmets. In addition, the Steelers logo was added to the left shoulder. The uniforms have remained the same since these changes as of 2007
2007 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the 75th season of the Steelers franchise. The season saw the team improve upon their 8–8 record from 2006, finish with a record of 10–6, and win the AFC North Division...

.

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Location Time (ET
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...

)
TV Result Record
1 Sunday August 31 Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...

Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

1:00 pm FOX L 37–7 0-1
2 Sunday September 7 Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...

Three Rivers Stadium 1:00 pm FOX W 14–13 1-1
3 Sunday September 14 Bye
4 Monday September 22 at Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Alltel Stadium
Alltel Stadium
EverBank Field is an American football stadium in downtown Jacksonville, Florida, and the home stadium facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League . It also hosts the annual Florida vs...

9:00 pm ABC L 30–21 1-2
5 Sunday September 28 Tennessee Oilers Three Rivers Stadium 1:00 pm NBC W 37–24 2-2
6 Sunday October 5 at Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...

Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...

1:00 pm NBC W 42–34 3-2
7 Sunday October 12 Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....

Three Rivers Stadium 8:00 pm TNT W 24–22 4-2
8 Sunday October 19 at Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

Cinergy Field
Cinergy Field
Riverfront Stadium , later known as Cinergy Field , was the home of the Cincinnati Reds National League baseball team and the Cincinnati Bengals National Football League team. Located on the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, the stadium was best known as the home of "The Big Red Machine," as the...

4:00 pm NBC W 26–10 5-2
9 Sunday October 26 Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Three Rivers Stadium 4:00 pm NBC W 23–17 (OT) 6-2
10 Monday November 3 at Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...

Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....

9:00 pm ABC L 13–10 6-3
11 Sunday November 9 Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...

Three Rivers Stadium 8:00 pm ESPN W 37–0 7-3
12 Sunday November 16 Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

Three Rivers Stadium 1:00 pm NBC W 20–3 8-3
13 Sunday November 23 at Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...

1:00 pm NBC L 23–20 8-4
14 Sunday November 30 at Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium is an outdoor football stadium, located on the campus of Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, United States. The stadium's current seating capacity is 71,706 and the playing surface is natural grass...

4:00 pm NBC W 26–20 (OT) 9-4
15 Sunday December 7 Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Three Rivers Stadium 1:00 pm NBC W 35–24 10-4
16 Saturday December 13 at New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...

Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts...

4:00 pm NBC W 24–21 (OT) 11-4
17 Sunday December 21 at Tennessee Oilers Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium is a football stadium, located at the Mid-South Fairgrounds, in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee, United States. The stadium is the site of the annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl, and is the home field of the University of Memphis Tigers football team...

1:00 pm NBC L 16–6 11-5

Week 1 (Sunday August 31, 1997): vs. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...

at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...


  • Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
  • Game weather: 74 °F (Partly Sunny)
  • Game attendance: 60,396
  • Referee: Jerry Markbreit
    Jerry Markbreit
    Jerry Markbreit is a former American football referee in the National Football League for 23 seasons and became one of the most recognizable referees in the game. Markbreit officiated football games for 43 seasons. From 1965 to 1975, Markbreit officiated college football games in the Big Ten...

  • TV announcers: (FOX) Pat Summerall
    Pat Summerall
    George Allen "Pat" Summerall is a former American football player and television sportscaster, having worked at CBS, Fox, and ESPN.Summerall is best known for his work with John Madden on NFL telecasts for CBS and Fox.-High school:...

     (play by play), John Madden
    John Madden (American football)
    John Earl Madden is a former American professional football player in the National Football League, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the NFL, and a former color commentator for NFL telecasts. In 2006, he was inducted into...

     (color commentator)


Scoring Drives:
  • Dallas - Miller 12 pass from Aikman
    Troy Aikman
    Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...

     (Cunningham kick)
  • Dallas - Irvin
    Michael Irvin
    Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...

     42 pass from Aikman
    Troy Aikman
    Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...

     (Cunningham kick)
  • Dallas - FG Cunningham 52
  • Dallas - Irvin
    Michael Irvin
    Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...

     15 pass from Aikman
    Troy Aikman
    Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...

     (Cunningham kick)
  • Dallas - FG Cunningham 24
  • Dallas - Johnston 13 pass from Aikman
    Troy Aikman
    Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...

     (Cunningham kick)
  • Dallas - FG Cunningham 28
  • Pittsburgh - Bruener 4 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)

Week 2 (Sunday September 7, 1997): vs. Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...

at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...


  • Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
  • Game weather: 74 °F (Partly Sunny)
  • Game attendance: 58,059
  • Referee: Ron Blum
    Ron Blum
    Ron Blum was an American football official in the National Football League from the 1985 NFL season through the 2007 NFL season. He joined the league as a line judge, officiating Super Bowl XXIV in 1990 and Super Bowl XXVI in 1992 and later became a referee for the start of the 1993 NFL season,...

  • TV announcers: (FOX) Dick Stockton
    Dick Stockton
    Dick Stockton is an American sportscaster. He is currently employed by Fox Sports and Turner Sports as a football, baseball, and basketball play-by-play announcer.-Early life and career:...

     (play by play), Matt Millen
    Matt Millen
    Matthew George "Matt" Millen is an American former National Football League linebacker and a former executive. Millen played for the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins. In Millen's 12-year NFL playing career, he played on four Super Bowl-winning teams...

     (color commentator)


Scoring Drives:
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 1 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Washington - FG Blanton 37
  • Washington - Mitchell 97 kickoff return (Blanton kick)
  • Washington - FG Blanton 28
  • Pittsburgh - Bettis
    Jerome Bettis
    Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...

     1 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)

Week 4 (Monday September 22, 1997): at Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

at Alltel Stadium
Alltel Stadium
EverBank Field is an American football stadium in downtown Jacksonville, Florida, and the home stadium facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League . It also hosts the annual Florida vs...

, Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...


  • Game time: 9:00 pm EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 73,016
  • Referee: Gerry Austin
    Gerald Austin
    Dr. Gerald "Gerry" Austin is a retired American football official, who worked in the National Football League from the 1982 season through the 2007 season. He wore uniform number 34, which is now worn by Clete Blakeman. Austin has officiated in three Super Bowls, one as a side judge and two as a...

  • TV announcers: (ABC) Al Michaels
    Al Michaels
    Alan Richard "Al" Michaels is an American television sportscaster. Now employed by NBC Sports after nearly three decades with ABC Sports, Michaels is one of the most prominent members of his profession...

     (play by play), Frank Gifford
    Frank Gifford
    Francis Newton "Frank" Gifford is a Hall of Fame former American football player and American sportscaster.-Early life:Gifford was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Lola Mae and Weldon Gifford, an oil driller....

     & Dan Dierdorf
    Dan Dierdorf
    Daniel Lee "Dan" Dierdorf is a former American football player and current television sportscaster. He played 13 NFL seasons and has worked for ABC's Monday Night Football and CBS as a color commentator since retiring from football....

     (color commentators), Lynn Swann
    Lynn Swann
    -Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...

     (sideline reporter)


Scoring Drives:
  • Jacksonville - Means 1 run (Hollis kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 6 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Jacksonville - Smith 11 pass from Brunell (Hollis kick)
  • Jacksonville - FG Hollis 20
  • Pittsburgh - Thigpen
    Yancey Thigpen
    Yancey Dirk Thigpen is a former professional American football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers , the Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Tennessee Oilers/Titans...

     4 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Jacksonville - FG Hollis 45
  • Pittsburgh - Bruener 1 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Jacksonville - FG Hollis 27
  • Jacksonville - Hudson 58 blocked field goal return (Hollis kick)

Week 5 (Sunday September 28, 1997): vs. Tennessee Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...

at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...


  • Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
  • Game weather: 67 °F (Cloudy)
  • Game attendance: 57,507
  • Referee: Bernie Kukar
    Bernie Kukar
    Bernie Kukar is a former American football official in the National Football League for 22 seasons from the 1984 to the 2005 season. He wore uniform number 86....

  • TV announcers: (NBC) Jim Donovan
    Jim Donovan (sportscaster)
    Jim Donovan is an American radio and television personality who serves as sports director for WKYC channel 3 in Cleveland, Ohio, a post he has held since 1986....

     (play by play), Beasley Reece
    Beasley Reece
    Beasley Young Reece, Jr. was an American football defensive back with a nine year NFL career from 1976 to 1984...

     (color commentator)


Scoring Drives:
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 7 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - FG Johnson 48
  • Pittsburgh - Gildon
    Jason Gildon
    Jason Larue Gildon is a former linebacker for the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars . He was selected to three Pro Bowl teams from 2000, 2001, and 2002, and is currently the Steelers all-time career sacks leader with 77.0 quarterback take-downs...

     12 fumble return (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Tennessee - FG Del Greco
    Al Del Greco
    Albert Louis Del Greco is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality and high school coach in Birmingham, Alabama.-Biography:...

     37
  • Pittsburgh - Bruener 18 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 2 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Tennessee - FG Del Greco
    Al Del Greco
    Albert Louis Del Greco is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality and high school coach in Birmingham, Alabama.-Biography:...

     47
  • Tennessee - FG Del Greco
    Al Del Greco
    Albert Louis Del Greco is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality and high school coach in Birmingham, Alabama.-Biography:...

     26
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     25
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     44
  • Tennessee - Wycheck 10 pass from McNair
    Steve McNair
    Stephen LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans....

     (Wycheck pass from McNair
    Steve McNair
    Stephen LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans....

    )
  • Tennessee - Davis
    Terrell Davis
    Terrell Lamar Davis is a former American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis is the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing...

     11 pass from McNair
    Steve McNair
    Stephen LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans....

     (Del Greco
    Al Del Greco
    Albert Louis Del Greco is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality and high school coach in Birmingham, Alabama.-Biography:...

     kick)

Week 6 (Sunday October 5, 1997): at Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...

at Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...

, Baltimore, Maryland
  • Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 64,421
  • Referee: Bill Carollo
    Bill Carollo
    William F. "Bill" Carollo is a retired American football official who officiated National Football League games from the 1989 through 2008. He wore uniform number 63. Carollo officiated in two Super Bowls and seven conference championship games...

  • TV announcers: (NBC) Tom Hammond
    Tom Hammond
    Tom Hammond is an American sportscaster for NBC Sports television. Hammond is one of the network's staple on-air presenters, along with Bob Costas and Dan Hicks...

     (play by play), Jim Kelly
    Jim Kelly
    James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....

     (color commentator)


Scoring Drives:
  • Baltimore - Green 22 pass from Testaverde
    Vinny Testaverde
    Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...

     (Stover
    Matt Stover
    John Matthew "Matt" Stover is a former American Football placekicker. As of the start of the 2009 NFL season, he was the third most accurate kicker in the history of the National Football League. He is of Greek origin. He has played for the New York Giants, the Cleveland Browns, and the Baltimore...

     kick)
  • Baltimore - Morris 1 run (Stover
    Matt Stover
    John Matthew "Matt" Stover is a former American Football placekicker. As of the start of the 2009 NFL season, he was the third most accurate kicker in the history of the National Football League. He is of Greek origin. He has played for the New York Giants, the Cleveland Browns, and the Baltimore...

     kick)
  • Baltimore - Kinchen 24 pass from Testaverde
    Vinny Testaverde
    Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...

     (Stover
    Matt Stover
    John Matthew "Matt" Stover is a former American Football placekicker. As of the start of the 2009 NFL season, he was the third most accurate kicker in the history of the National Football League. He is of Greek origin. He has played for the New York Giants, the Cleveland Browns, and the Baltimore...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 1 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Baltimore - FG Stover
    Matt Stover
    John Matthew "Matt" Stover is a former American Football placekicker. As of the start of the 2009 NFL season, he was the third most accurate kicker in the history of the National Football League. He is of Greek origin. He has played for the New York Giants, the Cleveland Browns, and the Baltimore...

     34
  • Pittsburgh - Blackwell 97 kickoff return (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - C. Johnson 8 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Bruener 4 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - C. Johnson 17 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Baltimore - Alexander 10 pass from Testaverde
    Vinny Testaverde
    Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...

     (Byner pass from Testaverde
    Vinny Testaverde
    Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...

    )
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 74 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Baltimore - Safety, Miller ran out of end zone

Week 7 (Sunday October 12, 1997): vs. Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....

at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...


  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game weather: 66 °F (Clear)
  • Game attendance: 57,925
  • Referee: Tom White
    Tom White (American football official)
    Tom White was an American football official in the United States Football League from 1983-1986 and then National Football League for seventeen seasons from the 1989 to 2005 seasons. He started in the league as a head linesman and was promoted to referee with the start of the 1990 NFL season. He...

  • TV announcers: (TNT) Verne Lundquist
    Verne Lundquist
    Merton Laverne "Verne" Lundquist, Jr. is an American sportscaster, currently employed by CBS Sports television.-Early life and career:Lundquist was born in Duluth, Minnesota...

     (play by play), Pat Haden
    Pat Haden
    Patrick Capper "Pat" Haden is the athletic director at the University of Southern California. He played quarterback for the USC Trojans before playing professionally in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams from 1976 to 1981...

     & Mark May
    Mark May
    Mark Eric May is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He is currently a football analyst for ESPN.-Football career:...

     (color commentators), Craig Sager
    Craig Sager
    Craig Sager , is currently a sportscaster for TNT and TBS. Sager is a graduate of Northwestern University. He has previously covered sports for CBS and CNN. His nickname is "America's Sideline Reporter"....

     (sideline reporter)


Scoring Drives:
  • Indianapolis - Harrison 18 pass from Harbaugh (Blanchard kick)
  • Indianapolis - FG Blanchard 37
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     23
  • Pittsburgh - Bettis
    Jerome Bettis
    Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...

     7 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Lake 38 fumble return (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Indianapolis - FG Blanchard 27
  • Pittsburgh - Hawkins 28 pass from Tomczak (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Indianapolis - FG Blanchard 35
  • Indianapolis - Stablein 5 pass from Harbaugh (pass failed)

Week 8 (Sunday October 19, 1997): at Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

at Cinergy Field, Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...


  • Game time: 4:00 pm EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 60,020
  • Referee: Phil Luckett
    Phil Luckett
    Phil Luckett was an official in the National Football League . His officiating uniform number was 59. He entered the NFL as a field judge in 1991, then became a referee in 1997 after Red Cashion and Howard Roe announced their retirements, and returned to the back judge position in 2001...

  • TV announcers: (NBC) Dan Hicks
    Dan Hicks (sportscaster)
    John Daniel "Dan" Hicks is an American sportscaster for NBC. His primary duties for the network include play-by-play commentary for golf, but he also does occasional play-by-play commentary for The AFL on NBC and Notre Dame football...

     (play by play), Bob Trumpy
    Bob Trumpy
    Bob Trumpy is a former professional American Football tight end who played for the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals from 1968 to 1969, and for the NFL Bengals from 1970 through 1977...

     & Jim Kelly
    Jim Kelly
    James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....

     (color commentators)


Scoring Drives:
  • Cincinnati - Carter 6 run (Pelfrey kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Jones
    George Jones (American football)
    George Dee Jones is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League.Jones had a rather marginal career during his three seasons in the NFL...

     11 pass from Stewart (pass failed)
  • PIttsburgh - Bettis
    Jerome Bettis
    Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...

     1 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Thigpen
    Yancey Thigpen
    Yancey Dirk Thigpen is a former professional American football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers , the Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Tennessee Oilers/Titans...

     11 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Cincinnati - FG Pelfrey 33
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     43
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     32

Week 9 (Sunday October 26, 1997): vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...


  • Game time: 4:00 pm EST
  • Game weather: 48 °F (Light Rain)
  • Game attendance: 57,011
  • Referee: Gary Lane
    Gary Lane (American football)
    Gary Owen Lane was an American football quarterback and American football official.After graduating from East Alton-Wood River High School in Wood River, Illinois in 1961, Lane played college football at the University of Missouri from 1963 to 1966 and later in the National Football League for...

  • TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg
    Dick Enberg
    Richard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...

     (play by play), Phil Simms
    Phil Simms
    Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...

     & Paul Maguire
    Paul Maguire
    Paul Leo Maguire is a former American football player and current television sportscaster.-Early sports career:Maguire attended Ursuline High School in Youngstown,Ohio and was recruited to play at The Citadel by the late Al Davis who was then an assistant coach and chief recruiter...

     (color commentators)


Scoring Drives:
  • Jacksonville - Jackson 8 pass from Brunell (Hollis kick)
  • Jacksonville - FG Hollis 20
  • Pittsburgh - Hawkins 28 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 1 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Jacksonville - Mitchell 3 pass from Brunell (Hollis kick)
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     19
  • Pittsburgh - Bettis
    Jerome Bettis
    Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...

     17 pass from Stewart

Week 10 (Monday November 3, 1997): at Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...

at Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....

, Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...


  • Game time: 9:00 pm EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 78,301
  • Referee: Ed Hochuli
    Ed Hochuli
    Edward G. Hochuli is an attorney for the firm of Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C. since 1983, and better known as an American football official in the National Football League since the 1990 NFL season. His uniform number is 85...

  • TV announcers: (ABC) Al Michaels
    Al Michaels
    Alan Richard "Al" Michaels is an American television sportscaster. Now employed by NBC Sports after nearly three decades with ABC Sports, Michaels is one of the most prominent members of his profession...

     (play by play), Frank Gifford
    Frank Gifford
    Francis Newton "Frank" Gifford is a Hall of Fame former American football player and American sportscaster.-Early life:Gifford was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Lola Mae and Weldon Gifford, an oil driller....

     & Dan Dierdorf
    Dan Dierdorf
    Daniel Lee "Dan" Dierdorf is a former American football player and current television sportscaster. He played 13 NFL seasons and has worked for ABC's Monday Night Football and CBS as a color commentator since retiring from football....

     (color commentators), Lynn Swann
    Lynn Swann
    -Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...

     (sideline reporter)


Scoring Drives:
  • Pittsburgh - Hawkins 44 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     27
  • Kansas City - FG Stoyanovich
    Pete Stoyanovich
    Peter Stoyanovich and is an American football placekicker of Macedonian descent who played with the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and briefly the St. Louis Rams in the NFL. He attended college at Indiana University.A first-team all-pro in 1992, Stoyanovich finished his career in the top 35 in...

     35
  • Kansas City - FG Stoyanovich
    Pete Stoyanovich
    Peter Stoyanovich and is an American football placekicker of Macedonian descent who played with the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and briefly the St. Louis Rams in the NFL. He attended college at Indiana University.A first-team all-pro in 1992, Stoyanovich finished his career in the top 35 in...

     44
  • Kansas City - Hughes 14 pass from Allen (Stoyanovich
    Pete Stoyanovich
    Peter Stoyanovich and is an American football placekicker of Macedonian descent who played with the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and briefly the St. Louis Rams in the NFL. He attended college at Indiana University.A first-team all-pro in 1992, Stoyanovich finished his career in the top 35 in...

     kick)

Week 11 (Sunday November 9, 1997): vs. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...

at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...


  • Game time: 8:00 pm EST
  • Game weather: 44 °F (Cloudy)
  • Game attendance: 56,669
  • Referee: Gary Lane
    Gary Lane (American football)
    Gary Owen Lane was an American football quarterback and American football official.After graduating from East Alton-Wood River High School in Wood River, Illinois in 1961, Lane played college football at the University of Missouri from 1963 to 1966 and later in the National Football League for...

  • TV announcers: (ESPN) Mike Patrick
    Mike Patrick
    Mike Patrick is an American sportscaster.-Career:Patrick began his broadcasting career in the fall of 1966 at WVSC-Radio in Somerset, Pa. In 1970, he was named Sports Director at WJXT-TV in Jacksonville, Fla., where he provided play-by-play for Jacksonville Sharks' World Football League telecasts...

     (play by play), Joe Theismann
    Joe Theismann
    Joseph Robert "Joe" Theismann is a former quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League . He achieved his most enduring fame in his 12 seasons playing for the Washington Redskins, where he was a two-time Pro Bowler and quarterback of the winning team in Super Bowl XVII...

     (color commentator), Ron Jaworski
    Ron Jaworski
    Ronald Vincent "Ron" Jaworski is a former American football quarterback and currently an NFL analyst on ESPN. He is also CEO of Ron Jaworski Golf Management, Inc., based out of Blackwood, New Jersey, and manages golf courses in southern New Jersey, northeast Pennsylvania, and West Virginia...

     (sideline reporter)


Scoring Drives:
  • Pittsburgh - Bettis
    Jerome Bettis
    Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...

     1 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     52
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 1 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     22
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     39
  • Pittsburgh - Thigpen
    Yancey Thigpen
    Yancey Dirk Thigpen is a former professional American football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers , the Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Tennessee Oilers/Titans...

     52 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Jones
    George Jones (American football)
    George Dee Jones is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League.Jones had a rather marginal career during his three seasons in the NFL...

     1 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)

Week 12 (Sunday November 16, 1997): vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...


  • Game time: 1:00 pm EST
  • Game weather: 30 °F (Light Snow)
  • Game attendance: 55,226
  • Referee: Johnny Grier
    Johnny Grier
    Johnny Grier was an American football official for 23 years in the National Football League from 1981 to 2004. He began in the NFL as a field judge before becoming the first African-American referee in the history of the NFL with the start of the 1988 NFL season...

  • TV announcers: (NBC) Dan Hicks
    Dan Hicks (sportscaster)
    John Daniel "Dan" Hicks is an American sportscaster for NBC. His primary duties for the network include play-by-play commentary for golf, but he also does occasional play-by-play commentary for The AFL on NBC and Notre Dame football...

     (play by play), Jim Kelly
    Jim Kelly
    James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....

     (color commentator)


Scoring Drives:
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     34
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     25
  • Pittsburgh - Thigpen
    Yancey Thigpen
    Yancey Dirk Thigpen is a former professional American football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers , the Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Tennessee Oilers/Titans...

     20 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Cincinnati - FG Pelfrey 25
  • Pittsburgh - Bruener 5 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)

Week 13 (Sunday November 23, 1997): at Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

at Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...

, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...


  • Game time: 1:00 pm EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 67,166
  • Referee: Jerry Markbreit
    Jerry Markbreit
    Jerry Markbreit is a former American football referee in the National Football League for 23 seasons and became one of the most recognizable referees in the game. Markbreit officiated football games for 43 seasons. From 1965 to 1975, Markbreit officiated college football games in the Big Ten...

  • TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui
    Don Criqui
    Don Criqui is an American sportscaster, currently employed as a play-by-play announcer for CBS Sports. Criqui's duties include occasional television coverage of National Football League games, women's and men's college basketball, occasional college football and radio play-by-play of ISP Sports'...

     (play by play), Jim Mora
    Jim E. Mora
    James Earnest Mora is the former head coach of the USFL's Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars and the NFL's New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. He played football at Occidental College where he was also a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. His son Jim L...

     (color commentator)


Scoring Drives:
  • Philadelphia - Dunn 31 pass from Hoying (Boniol kick)
  • Philadelphia - Fryar 8 pass from Hoying (Boniol kick)
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     46
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     40
  • Philadelphia - FG Boniol 23
  • Philadelphia - FG Boniol 35
  • Pittsburgh - Bettis
    Jerome Bettis
    Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...

     19 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Philadelphia - FG Boniol 25
  • Pittsburgh - Blackwell 30 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)

Week 14 (Sunday November 30, 1997): at Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

at Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium is an outdoor football stadium, located on the campus of Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, United States. The stadium's current seating capacity is 71,706 and the playing surface is natural grass...

, Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...


  • Game time: 4:00 pm EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 66,341
  • Referee: Bob McElwee
    Bob McElwee
    Robert T. "Bob" McElwee is a former American football official, who served for 41 years, with 27 of those years in the National Football League from 1976 to 2003...

  • TV announcers: (NBC) Dan Hicks
    Dan Hicks (sportscaster)
    John Daniel "Dan" Hicks is an American sportscaster for NBC. His primary duties for the network include play-by-play commentary for golf, but he also does occasional play-by-play commentary for The AFL on NBC and Notre Dame football...

     (play by play), Jim Kelly
    Jim Kelly
    James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....

     (color commentator)


Scoring Drives:
  • Pittsburgh - Bettis
    Jerome Bettis
    Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...

     2 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Arizona - FG Nedney
    Joe Nedney
    Joseph Thomas Nedney is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. Born and raised in San Jose, California, Nedney played college football at San Jose State and signed as an undrafted player with the Miami Dolphins in 1996...

     32
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     40
  • Arizona - Sanders 3 pass from Plummer
    Jake Plummer
    Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....

     (Nedney
    Joe Nedney
    Joseph Thomas Nedney is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. Born and raised in San Jose, California, Nedney played college football at San Jose State and signed as an undrafted player with the Miami Dolphins in 1996...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Bettis
    Jerome Bettis
    Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...

     7 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Arizona - Gedney 11 pass from Plummer
    Jake Plummer
    Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....

     (Nedney
    Joe Nedney
    Joseph Thomas Nedney is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. Born and raised in San Jose, California, Nedney played college football at San Jose State and signed as an undrafted player with the Miami Dolphins in 1996...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     39
  • Arizona - FG Nedney
    Joe Nedney
    Joseph Thomas Nedney is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. Born and raised in San Jose, California, Nedney played college football at San Jose State and signed as an undrafted player with the Miami Dolphins in 1996...

     19
  • Pittsburgh - Bettis
    Jerome Bettis
    Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...

     10 run

Week 15 (Sunday December 7, 1997): vs. Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...


  • Game time: 1:00 pm EST
  • Game weather: 31 °F (Flurries)
  • Game attendance: 59,739
  • Referee: Walt Coleman
    Walt Coleman
    Walt Coleman is an American football official in the National Football League since the 1989 NFL season. He wears uniform number 65.- Personal :Coleman resides in Little Rock, Arkansas and is a sixth-generation family operator of Coleman Dairy....

  • TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg
    Dick Enberg
    Richard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...

     (play by play), Phil Simms
    Phil Simms
    Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...

     & Paul Maguire
    Paul Maguire
    Paul Leo Maguire is a former American football player and current television sportscaster.-Early sports career:Maguire attended Ursuline High School in Youngstown,Ohio and was recruited to play at The Citadel by the late Al Davis who was then an assistant coach and chief recruiter...

     (color commentators)


Scoring Drives:
  • Denver - R. Smith 37 pass from Elway
    John Elway
    John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...

     (Elam
    Jason Elam
    Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Thigpen
    Yancey Thigpen
    Yancey Dirk Thigpen is a former professional American football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers , the Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Tennessee Oilers/Titans...

     33 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Denver - Davis
    Terrell Davis
    Terrell Lamar Davis is a former American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis is the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing...

     3 run (Elam
    Jason Elam
    Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....

     kick)
  • Denver - R. Smith 25 pass from Elway
    John Elway
    John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...

     (Elam
    Jason Elam
    Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Thigpen
    Yancey Thigpen
    Yancey Dirk Thigpen is a former professional American football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers , the Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Tennessee Oilers/Titans...

     69 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Thigpen
    Yancey Thigpen
    Yancey Dirk Thigpen is a former professional American football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers , the Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Tennessee Oilers/Titans...

     21 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Denver - FG Elam
    Jason Elam
    Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....

     35
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 4 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 9 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)

Week 16 (Saturday December 13, 1997): at New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...

at Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts...

, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Foxborough, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,246 people, 6,141 households, and 4,396 families residing in the town. The population density was 809.1 people per square mile . There were 6,299 housing units at an average density of 313.7 per square mile...


  • Game time: 4:00 pm EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 60,013
  • Referee: Mike Carey
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg
    Dick Enberg
    Richard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...

     (play by play), Phil Simms
    Phil Simms
    Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...

     & Paul Maguire
    Paul Maguire
    Paul Leo Maguire is a former American football player and current television sportscaster.-Early sports career:Maguire attended Ursuline High School in Youngstown,Ohio and was recruited to play at The Citadel by the late Al Davis who was then an assistant coach and chief recruiter...

     (color commentators)


Scoring Drives:
  • New England - Coates 18 pass from Bledsoe
    Drew Bledsoe
    Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...

     (Vinatieri
    Adam Vinatieri
    Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...

     kick)
  • New England - Gash 1 pass from Bledsoe
    Drew Bledsoe
    Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...

     (Vinatieri
    Adam Vinatieri
    Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 1 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     36
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     34
  • New England - Meggett
    Dave Meggett
    David Lee Meggett is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the New York Giants , New England Patriots , and the New York Jets . He played college football at Morgan State University and Towson University...

     49 pass from Bledsoe
    Drew Bledsoe
    Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...

     (Vinatieri
    Adam Vinatieri
    Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Bruener 1 pass from Stewart (Thigpen
    Yancey Thigpen
    Yancey Dirk Thigpen is a former professional American football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers , the Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Tennessee Oilers/Titans...

     pass from Stewart)
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     31

Week 17 (Sunday December 21, 1997): at Tennessee Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...

at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium is a football stadium, located at the Mid-South Fairgrounds, in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee, United States. The stadium is the site of the annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl, and is the home field of the University of Memphis Tigers football team...

, Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....


  • Game time: 1:00 pm EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 50,677
  • Referee: Phil Luckett
    Phil Luckett
    Phil Luckett was an official in the National Football League . His officiating uniform number was 59. He entered the NFL as a field judge in 1991, then became a referee in 1997 after Red Cashion and Howard Roe announced their retirements, and returned to the back judge position in 2001...

  • TV announcers: (NBC) Charlie Jones
    Charlie Jones (sportscaster)
    Charlie Jones was an American Emmy Award-winning sportscaster for NBC and ABC.-Education:Born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Jones earned an undergraduate degree at the University of Southern California and a law degree at the University of Arkansas.-American Football League/National Football...

     (play by play), Bob Trumpy
    Bob Trumpy
    Bob Trumpy is a former professional American Football tight end who played for the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals from 1968 to 1969, and for the NFL Bengals from 1970 through 1977...

     (color commentator)


Scoring Drives:
  • Tennessee - FG Del Greco
    Al Del Greco
    Albert Louis Del Greco is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality and high school coach in Birmingham, Alabama.-Biography:...

     34
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     23
  • Tennessee - Thomas 25 run (Del Greco
    Al Del Greco
    Albert Louis Del Greco is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality and high school coach in Birmingham, Alabama.-Biography:...

     kick)
  • Tennessee - FG Del Greco
    Al Del Greco
    Albert Louis Del Greco is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality and high school coach in Birmingham, Alabama.-Biography:...

     29
  • Tennessee - FG Del Greco
    Al Del Greco
    Albert Louis Del Greco is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality and high school coach in Birmingham, Alabama.-Biography:...

     26
  • Pittsburgh - FG N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     36

Game summaries

Both of the Steelers post-season matchups were rematches from the regular season. The Steelers had a first-round bye, then faced the AFC East champion (and defending AFC champion) New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...

 at home. The game, which was a homecoming for young Patriots players & Pittsburgh area natives Ty Law
Ty Law
Tajuan "Ty" Law is a retired football cornerback of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 23rd overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan....

 and Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin
Curtis James Martin, Jr. is a former American football running back. He is an alumnus of Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh...

 (Martin was in fact playing in his last game with New England before signing with the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 that offseason), was also a rematch of the previous year's AFC Divisional matchup, which took place in Foxborough
Foxborough, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,246 people, 6,141 households, and 4,396 families residing in the town. The population density was 809.1 people per square mile . There were 6,299 housing units at an average density of 313.7 per square mile...

.

After defeating the Pats, the Steelers would lose to the eventual Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season...

 champion Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 24-21 in Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...

's last trip to Pittsburgh.

AFC Divisional Playoff (Saturday January 3, 1998): vs. New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...

at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...


  • Game time: 12:30 pm EST
  • Game weather: 52 °F (Light Rain)
  • Game attendance: 61,228
  • Referee: Walt Coleman
    Walt Coleman
    Walt Coleman is an American football official in the National Football League since the 1989 NFL season. He wears uniform number 65.- Personal :Coleman resides in Little Rock, Arkansas and is a sixth-generation family operator of Coleman Dairy....

  • TV announcers: (NBC) Tom Hammond
    Tom Hammond
    Tom Hammond is an American sportscaster for NBC Sports television. Hammond is one of the network's staple on-air presenters, along with Bob Costas and Dan Hicks...

     (play by play), Randy Cross
    Randy Cross
    Randall "Randy" Laureat Cross , is a football analyst and former NFL offensive lineman. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in July 2011.-High school years:...

     (color commentator)


Scoring Drives:
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 40 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • New England - FG Vinatieri
    Adam Vinatieri
    Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...

     31
  • New England - FG Vinatieri
    Adam Vinatieri
    Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...

     46

AFC Championship Game (Sunday January 11, 1998): vs. Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...


  • Game time: 12:30 pm EST
  • Game weather: 34 °F (Mostly Sunny)
  • Game attendance: 61,382
  • Referee: Ron Blum
    Ron Blum
    Ron Blum was an American football official in the National Football League from the 1985 NFL season through the 2007 NFL season. He joined the league as a line judge, officiating Super Bowl XXIV in 1990 and Super Bowl XXVI in 1992 and later became a referee for the start of the 1993 NFL season,...

  • TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg
    Dick Enberg
    Richard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...

     (play by play), Phil Simms
    Phil Simms
    Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...

     & Paul Maguire
    Paul Maguire
    Paul Leo Maguire is a former American football player and current television sportscaster.-Early sports career:Maguire attended Ursuline High School in Youngstown,Ohio and was recruited to play at The Citadel by the late Al Davis who was then an assistant coach and chief recruiter...

     (color commentators), Jim Gray
    Jim Gray (sportscaster)
    Jim Gray is an American sportscaster. He has previously worked as a reporter with NBC Sports and CBS Sports. He is currently with Westwood One radio network, Showtime, Golf Channel, the Sacramento Kings, and ESPN/ESPN on ABC...

     & John Dockery
    John Dockery
    John Dockery is an American sportscaster and former American football defensive back who played for the New York Jets and later the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1968 to 1973. He was drafted by the Jets out of Harvard...

     (sideline reporters)


Scoring Drives:
  • Denver - Davis
    Terrell Davis
    Terrell Lamar Davis is a former American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis is the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing...

     8 run (Elam
    Jason Elam
    Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Stewart 33 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - Bettis
    Jerome Bettis
    Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...

     1 run (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)
  • Denver - FG Elam
    Jason Elam
    Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....

     43
  • Denver - Griffith 16 pass from Elway
    John Elway
    John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...

     (Elam
    Jason Elam
    Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....

     kick)
  • Denver - McCaffrey
    Ed McCaffrey
    Edward Thomas McCaffrey is a former American football wide receiver who played for the New York Giants , San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...

     1 pass from Elway
    John Elway
    John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...

     (Elam
    Jason Elam
    Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....

     kick)
  • Pittsburgh - C. Johnson 15 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson
    Norm Johnson
    Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...

     kick)

Pro Bowlers

See: 1998 Pro Bowl
1998 Pro Bowl
The 1998 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 1, 1998 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 29, NFC 24. Warren Moon of the Seattle Seahawks, invited to participate because of an injury to John Elway, was the game's MVP. The referee was Gary Lane...


  • No. 36 Jerome Bettis
    Jerome Bettis
    Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...

    -Running Back
  • No. 37 Carnell Lake
    Carnell Lake
    Carnell Augustino Lake is a former professional American football player who was a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. He was the Cornerbacks Coach for the UCLA Bruins under head coach Rick Neuheisel in 2009 before leaving after one season for family reasons.-College career:Lake played for...

    -Safety
  • No. 63 Dermontti Dawson
    Dermontti Dawson
    Dermontti Farra Dawson is a former American football center in the National Football League. He played his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers....

    -Center
  • No. 82 Yancey Thigpen
    Yancey Thigpen
    Yancey Dirk Thigpen is a former professional American football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers , the Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Tennessee Oilers/Titans...

    -Wide Receiver
  • No. 93 Joel Steed
    Joel Steed
    Joel Steed is a former American football nose tackle who played eight seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He went to the University of Colorado at Boulder. Steed was an important and often underappreciated part of the Steeler's defense during their 1995 season, at the end of which they reached...

    -Nose Tackle
  • No. 99 Levon Kirkland
    Levon Kirkland
    Lorenzo Levon Kirkland is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League...

    -Inside Linebacker
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