- 1988 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Infobox NFL season
team = Pittsburgh Steelers
year = 1988
record = 5-11
division_place = 4th in AFC Central
coach =Chuck Noll
stadium =Three Rivers Stadium
playoffs = None
previous = 1987
next = 1989The 1988 Pittsburgh Steelers began the season with the death of Hall of Fame team founder & ownerArt Rooney at age 87 less than two weeks before the start of the season. The team would wear AJR patches on the left shoulder the entire season in memory of "The Chief".The death of Rooney, combined with the team having several inexperienced players and aging veterans, saw the team stumble to a 5-11 season, their worst record since finishing an NFL-worst 1-13 in 1969. As of 2007, the 5-11 mark remains the team's worst record since 1969, and have only finished with ten losses twice since, in 1999 and 2003.
Offseason
The Steelers saw two of its last three remaining players who won all four Super Bowls retire in
wide receiver John Stallworth andstrong safety Donnie Shell , who were both from the team's famous Class of 1974 that saw four players go on to thePro Football Hall of Fame (although Shell was undrafted, he was still from the same rookie class), and in the case of Stallworth, retired as the team's all-time leading receiver. (Stallworth's record was surpassed byHines Ward in 2005.)Mike Webster , who was also from the Class of 1974, entered the season as the sole remaining member of all four Super Bowl teams. However, change appeared to be imminent when the team drafted Kentucky guardDermontti Dawson in the second round of the 1988 draft. Although Dawson would be playing guard his rookie season alongside Webster, it was apparent that Dawson was drafted to be groomed as Webster's eventual replacement at center. Webster would be released by the Steelers in the following offseason, officially ending the team's link to all four Super Bowl clubs.To the delight of Steelers fans, and even most of the players, the
Mark Malone era officially ended in the offseason as well. Malone, who had lost the startingquarterback job toBubby Brister the previous year, was traded to theSan Diego Chargers during the offseason. Malone had also become hugely unpopular with fans and teammates for blaming his mistakes on other players and acting as if he were the "heir" to the QB position after the retirement ofTerry Bradshaw . At one point, a locker room fight between Malone and the rest of the team ensued before being broken up by veteranoffensive tackle Tunch Ilkin .Regular season
Schedule
Game Summaries
Week 1 (Sunday September 4, 1988): vs.
Dallas Cowboys Linescore Amfootball
Road=Cowboys
R1=7
R2=0
R3=7
R4=7
Home=Steelers
H1=10
H2=0
H3=7
H4=7"atThree Rivers Stadium ,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania "* Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 56,813
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (CBS)Tim Brant (play by play),Hank Stram (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Dallas - Newsome 3 run (Zendejas kick)
* Pittsburgh - Jackson 15 run (Anderson kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 32
* Pittsburgh - Brister 1 run (Anderson kick)
* Dallas - Irvin 35 pass from Pelluer (Zendejas kick)
* Pittsburgh - Jackson 29 run (Anderson kick)
* Dallas - Alexander 8 pass from Pelluer (Zendejas kick)Week 2 (Sunday September 11, 1988): at
Washington Redskins Linescore Amfootball
Road=Steelers
R1=3
R2=10
R3=6
R4=10
Home=Redskins
H1=7
H2=3
H3=7
H4=13"atRFK Stadium ,Washington, DC "* Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 54,083
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC)Curt Gowdy (play by play),Merlin Olsen (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 33
* Washington - Clark 55 pass from Williams (Lohmiller kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 24
* Washington - FG Lohmiller 37
* Pittsburgh - Lipps 80 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
* Pittsburgh - Brister 6 run (kick failed)
* Washington - Morris 1 run (Lohmiller kick)
* Washington - FG Lohmiller 46
* Pittsburgh - Stone 72 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 43
* Washington - Bryant 7 pass from Williams (Lohmiller kick)
* Washington - FG Lohmiller 19Week 3 (Sunday September 18, 1988): vs.
Cincinnati Bengals Linescore Amfootball
Road=Bengals
R1=0
R2=7
R3=3
R4=7
Home=Steelers
H1=2
H2=0
H3=7
H4=3"atThree Rivers Stadium ,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania "* Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 56,647
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC) Jim Donovan (play by play),Reggie Rucker (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh - Safety, Montoya penalized for holding in end zone
* Cincinnati - Wilson 13 pass from Esiason (Breech kick)
* Pittsburgh - Lipps 9 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
* CIncinnati - FG Breech 32
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 19
* Cincinnati - Brown 65 pass from Esiason (Breech kick)Week 4 (Sunday September 25, 1988): at
Buffalo Bills Linescore Amfootball
Road=Steelers
R1=0
R2=14
R3=0
R4=14
Home=Bills
H1=10
H2=6
H3=14
H4=6"atRich Stadium ,Orchard Park, New York "* Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 78,735
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC)Curt Gowdy (play by play),Al DeRogatis (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Buffalo - FG Norwood 38
* Buffalo - Burkett 26 pass from Kelly (Norwood kick)
* PIttsburgh - Brister 1 run (Anderson kick)
* Buffalo - FG Norwood 39
* Pittsburgh - W. Williams 5 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
* Buffalo - FG Norwood 39
* Buffalo - Riddick 1 run (Norwood kick)
* Buffalo - Riddick 5 blocked punt return (Norwood kick)
* Buffalo - FG Norwood 48
* Buffalo - FG Norwood 49
* Pittsburgh - Brister 1 run (Anderson kick)
* Pittsburgh - Thompson 42 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)Week 5 (Sunday October 2, 1988): vs.
Cleveland Browns Linescore Amfootball
Road=Browns
R1=0
R2=7
R3=6
R4=10
Home=Steelers
H1=6
H2=3
H3=0
H4=0"atThree Rivers Stadium ,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania "* Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 56,410
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC) Jim Donovan (play by play),Reggie Rucker (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 49
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 35
* Cleveland - Manoa 1 run (Bahr kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 45
* Cleveland - FG Bahr 22
* Cleveland - FG Bahr 21
* Cleveland - Washington 75 interception return (Bahr kick)
* Cleveland - FG Bahr 40Week 6 (Sunday October 9, 1988): at
Phoenix Cardinals Linescore Amfootball
Road=Steelers
R1=7
R2=0
R3=0
R4=7
Home=Cardinals
H1=7
H2=17
H3=7
H4=0"atSun Devil Stadium ,Tempe, Arizona "* Game time: 4:00 PM EDT
* Game weather: 94°F (Sunny)
* Game attendance: 53,278
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC)Gary Gerould (play by play),Jon Morris (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Phoenix - Awalt 32 pass from Lomax (Del Greco kick)
* Pittsburgh - Woodson 92 kickoff return (Anderson kick)
* Phoenix - FG Del Greco 19
* Phoenix - Jordan 1 run (Del Greco kick)
* Phoenix - J. T. Smith 13 pass from Lomax (Del Greco kick)
* Phoenix - J. T. Smith 3 pass from Lomax (Del Greco kick)
* Pittsburgh - Hoge 12 pass from Bono (Anderson kick)Week 7 (Sunday October 16, 1988): vs.
Houston Oilers Linescore Amfootball
Road=Oilers
R1=6
R2=12
R3=7
R4=9
Home=Steelers
H1=0
H2=7
H3=0
H4=7"atThree Rivers Stadium ,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania "* Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 52,229
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC)Jay Randolph (play by play),Reggie Rucker (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Houston - Rozier 2 run (pass failed)
* Houston - FG Zendejas 50
* Houston - Safety, Seale blocked punt out of end zone
* Houston - Givins 43 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)
* Pittsburgh - Lockett 9 pass from Blackledge (Anderson kick)
* Houston - Pinkett 1 run (Zendejas kick)
* Houston - FG Zendejas 27
* Houston - Hill 24 pass from Moon (kick failed)
* Pittsburgh - Hoge 1 run (Anderson kick)Week 8 (Sunday October 23, 1988): vs.
Denver Broncos Linescore Amfootball
Road=Broncos
R1=0
R2=0
R3=7
R4=14
Home=Steelers
H1=14
H2=13
H3=3
H4=9"atThree Rivers Stadium ,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania "* Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 49,811
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC)Sam Nover (play by play),Dave Lapham (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh - Carter 64 run (Anderson kick)
* Pittsburgh - Blackledge 1 run (Anderson kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 30
* Pittsburgh - Carter 10 pass from Blackledge (Anderson kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 32
* Denver - Kay 17 pass from Kubiak (Karlis kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 21
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 37
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 22
* Denver - Kay 14 pass from Kubiak (Karlis kick)
* Denver - Nattiel 74 pass from Karcher (Karlis kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 30Week 9 (Sunday October 30, 1988): at
New York Jets Linescore Amfootball
Road=Steelers
R1=10
R2=0
R3=0
R4=10
Home=Jets
H1=0
H2=10
H3=7
H4=7"atGiants Stadium ,East Rutherford, New Jersey "* Game time: 1:00 PM EST
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 64,862
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC)Marv Albert (play by play),Paul Maguire (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 25
* Pittsburgh - Carter 24 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
* New York Jets - FG Leahy 41
* New York Jets - Shuler 2 pass from O'Brien (Leahy kick)
* New York Jets - Hector 2 run (Leahy kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 21
* New York Jets - McNeil 5 run (Leahy kick)
* PIttsburgh - Jackson 17 run (Anderson kick)Week 10 (Sunday November 6, 1988): at
Cincinnati Bengals Linescore Amfootball
Road=Steelers
R1=7
R2=0
R3=0
R4=0
Home=Bengals
H1=14
H2=7
H3=14
H4=7"atRiverfront Stadium ,Cincinnati, Ohio "* Game time: 1:00 PM EST
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 56,403
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC) Jim Donovan (play by play),Joe Namath (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Cincinnati - Brown 86 pass from Esiason (Breech kick)
* Pittsburgh - Brister 9 run (Anderson kick)
* Cincinnati - McGee 5 pass from Esiason (Breech kick)
* Cincinnati - Brooks 3 run (Breech kick)
* Cincinnati - Brooks 2 run (Breech kick)
* Cincinnati - Brown 6 pass from Esiason (Breech kick)
* Cincinnati - Brooks 9 run (Breech kick)Week 11 (Sunday November 13, 1988): vs.
Philadelphia Eagles Linescore Amfootball
Road=Eagles
R1=0
R2=14
R3=3
R4=10
Home=Steelers
H1=10
H2=6
H3=7
H4=3"atThree Rivers Stadium ,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania "* Game time: 1:00 PM EST
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 46,026
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (CBS) Tim Ryan (play by play),Dan Jiggetts (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 52
* Pittsburgh - Hoge 13 pass from Lipps (Anderson kick)
* Philadelphia - Byars 1 run (Zendejas kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 21
* Philadelphia - Cunningham 7 run (Zendejas kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 29
* Philadelphia - FG Zendejas 34
* Pittsburgh - Lipps 89 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
* Philadelphia - Cunningham 12 run (Zendejas kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 41
* Philadelphia - FG Zendejas 18Week 12 (Sunday November 20, 1988): at
Cleveland Browns Linescore Amfootball
Road=Steelers
R1=0
R2=7
R3=0
R4=0
Home=Browns
H1=3
H2=14
H3=7
H4=3"atCleveland Municipal Stadium ,Cleveland, Ohio "* Game time: 1:00 PM EST
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 77,131
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC)Sam Nover (play by play),Jon Morris (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Cleveland - FG Bahr 32
* Cleveland - Tennell 2 pass from Kosar (Bahr kick)
* Cleveland - Minnifield 11 blocked punt return (Bahr kick)
* Pittsburgh - Carter 1 run (Anderson kick)
* Cleveland - Langhorne 77 pass from Kosar (Bahr kick)
* Cleveland - FG Bahr 34Week 13 (Sunday November 27, 1988): vs.
Kansas City Chiefs Linescore Amfootball
Road=Chiefs
R1=0
R2=7
R3=0
R4=3
Home=Steelers
H1=6
H2=7
H3=3
H4=0"atThree Rivers Stadium ,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania "* Game time: 1:00 PM EST
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 42,057
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC)Gary Gerould (play by play),Reggie Rucker (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* PIttsburgh - FG Anderson 23
* PIttsburgh - FG Anderson 20
* Kansas City - Paige 4 pass from DeBerg (Lowery kick)
* Pittsburgh - Hoge 10 run (Anderson kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 22
* Kansas City - FG Lowery 26Week 14 (Sunday December 4, 1988): at
Houston Oilers Linescore Amfootball
Road=Steelers
R1=3
R2=14
R3=7
R4=13
Home=Oilers
H1=0
H2=13
H3=14
H4=7"atAstrodome ,Houston, Texas "* Game time: 8:00 PM EST
* Game weather: Dome
* Game attendance: 47,791
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (ESPN)Mike Patrick (play by play),Joe Theismann (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 45
* Houston - FG Zendejas 36
* Pittsburgh - Stone 92 kickoff return (Anderson kick)
* Houston - Rozier 6 pass from Moon (Zendejas kick)
* Houston - FG Zendejas 41
* Pittsburgh - Lipps 80 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
* Pittsburgh - 65 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
* Houston - White 90 kickoff return (Zendejas kick)
* Houston - Moon 2 run (Zendejas kick)
* Pittsburgh - Hoge 2 run (Anderson kick)
* Houston - Moon 3 run (Zendejas kick)
* PIttsburgh - Hoge 16 pass from Brister (kick failed)Week 15 (Sunday December 11, 1988): at
San Diego Chargers Linescore Amfootball
Road=Steelers
R1=0
R2=0
R3=0
R4=14
Home=Chargers
H1=0
H2=14
H3=0
H4=6"atJack Murphy Stadium ,San Diego, California "* Game time: 4:00 PM EST
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 33,816
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC)Jay Randolph (play by play),Reggie Rucker (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* San Diego - Flutie 6 pass from Malone (DeLine kick)
* San Diego - Malone 1 run (DeLine kick)
* San Diego - FG DeLine 24
* Pittsburgh - Gothard 3 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
* Pittsburgh - Brister 3 run (Anderson kick)
* San Diego - FG DeLine 42Week 16 (Sunday December 18, 1988): vs.
Miami Dolphins Linescore Amfootball
Road=Dolphins
R1=10
R2=7
R3=0
R4=7
Home=Steelers
H1=7
H2=13
H3=7
H4=13"atThree Rivers Stadium ,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania "* Game time: 1:00 PM EST
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 36,051
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (NBC)Tom Hammond (play by play),Joe Namath (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh - Woodruff 78 interception return (Anderson kick)
* Miami - Hampton 4 run (Reveiz kick)
* Miami - FG Reveiz 20
* Pittsburgh - Lipps 39 run (Reveiz kick)
* Miami - Hampton 1 run (Reveiz kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 34
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 43
* Pittsburgh - Carter 1 run (Anderson kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 34
* Pittsburgh - Jordan 28 interception return (Anderson kick)
* Pittsburgh - FG Anderson 22
* Miami - Clayton 13 pass from Jawoarski (Reveiz kick)References
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