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Pittsburgh Steelers 53rd US football season
The 1985 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 53rd season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League . The Steelers challenged for the AFC Central most of the season, sitting at 6–5 after their first eleven games. However, losing 4 out of their final 5 games dropped the Steelers to a 7–9 overall record, their first season with a losing record in fourteen years.
1985 Pittsburgh Steelers staff
Front office
Chairman of the board – Arthur J. Rooney
President – Daniel M. Rooney
Vice president – John R. McGinley
Vice president – Arthur J. Rooney, Jr.
Controller – Dennis P. Thimons
Assistant controller-management – Dan Ferens
Traveling secretary – James A. Boston
Publicity director – Joe Gordon
Director of ticket sales – Geraldine Glenn
Assistant controller-tickets – Jim Ellenberger
Director of player personnel – Dick Haley
Assistant director of player personnel – William Nunn, Jr.
Pro talent scout – Tom Modrak
Talent scout – West Coast – Bob Schmitz
Talent scout – Midwest – Mike Butler
College talent scout – Joe Krupa
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
Strength and conditioning
Conditioning coach – Walt Evans
Dentist – Dr. George P. Boucek
Ophthalmologist – Dr. Phillip Buzzelli
Physician, M.D. – Dr. David S. Huber
Neurological surgery consultant – Dr. Joseph C. Maroon
Physician, M.D. – Dr. Richard Rydze
Physician, orthopedic – Dr. Paul Steele
Physician, M.D. – Dr. Anthony P. Yates
Trainer – Ralph Berlin
Trainer – Gary Stragar
Equipment manager – Anthony Parisi
Field manager – Rodgers Freyvogel
Film director – Bob McCartney
Photographers – Mike Fabus, Bill Amatucci
[ 1]
Week
Date
Opponent
Game Site
Kickoff (ET )
TV
Result
Record
1
Sunday, September 8
Indianapolis Colts
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 45–3
1–0
2
Monday, September 16
at Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
9:00 p.m.
ABC
L 17–7
1–1
3
Sunday, September 22
Houston Oilers
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 20–0
2–1
4
Monday, September 30
Cincinnati Bengals
Three Rivers Stadium
9:00 p.m.
ABC
L 37–24
2–2
5
Sunday, October 6
at Miami Dolphins
Miami Orange Bowl
1:00 p.m.
NBC
L 24–20
2–3
6
Sunday, October 13
at Dallas Cowboys
Texas Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
L 27–13
2–4
7
Sunday, October 20
St. Louis Cardinals
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
CBS
W 23–10
3–4
8
Sunday, October 27
at Cincinnati Bengals
Riverfront Stadium
4:00 p.m.
NBC
L 26–21
3–5
9
Sunday, November 3
Cleveland Browns
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 10–9
4–5
10
Sunday, November 10
at Kansas City Chiefs
Arrowhead Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 36–28
5–5
11
Sunday, November 17
at Houston Oilers
Astrodome
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 30–7
6–5
12
Sunday, November 24
Washington Redskins
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
CBS
L 30–23
6–6
13
Sunday, December 1
Denver Broncos
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
L 31–23
6–7
14
Sunday, December 8
at San Diego Chargers
Jack Murphy Stadium
9:00 p.m.
ABC
L 54–44
6–8
15
Sunday, December 15
Buffalo Bills
Three Rivers Stadium
1:00 p.m.
NBC
W 30–24
7–8
16
Saturday, December 21
at New York Giants
Giants Stadium
12:30 p.m.
NBC
L 28–10
7–9
Week 1: vs. Indianapolis Colts [ edit ]
Week 2: at Cleveland Browns [ edit ]
Week 3: vs. Houston Oilers [ edit ]
Week 4: vs. Cincinnati Bengals [ edit ]
Week 5: at Miami Dolphins [ edit ]
Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Steelers
0
17
0 3 20
Dolphins
7
7
3 7 24
at Miami Orange Bowl , Miami, Florida
Date : October 6, 1985Game time : 1:00 pm EDTGame weather : 80 °F (26.7 °C), relative humidity 79%, wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)Game attendance : 72,820Referee : Dick Jorgensen TV announcers (NBC) : Marv Albert (play by play), Bob Griese (color commentator)[ 9]
Week 6: at Dallas Cowboys [ edit ]
Pittsburgh Steelers at Dallas Cowboys
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Steelers
0
3
0 10 13
Cowboys
0
10
10 7 27
at Texas Stadium , Irving, Texas
Date : October 13, 1985Game time : 1:00 pm EDTGame weather : 79 °F (26.1 °C), relative humidity 68%, wind 15 miles per hour (24 km/h; 13 kn)Game attendance : 62,932Referee : Tom Dooley TV announcers (NBC) : Charlie Jones (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)[ 10]
Week 7: vs. St. Louis Cardinals [ edit ]
Week 8: at Cincinnati Bengals [ edit ]
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Steelers
0
7
0 14 21
Bengals
3
14
9 0 26
at Riverfront Stadium , Cincinnati
Date : October 27, 1985Game time : 4:00 pm ESTGame weather : 59 °F (15 °C), wind 4 miles per hour (6.4 km/h; 3.5 kn)Game attendance : 55,241Referee : Bob McElwee TV announcers (NBC) : Don Criqui (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)[ 12]
Week 9: vs. Cleveland Browns [ edit ]
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Browns
0
6
0 3 9
Steelers
0
0
7 3 10
at Three Rivers Stadium , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Date : November 3, 1985Game time : 1:00 pm ESTGame weather : 50 °F (10 °C), wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)Game attendance : 51,976Referee : Bob FredericTV announcers (NBC) : Len Berman (play by play), Reggie Rucker (color commentator)[ 13]
Week 10: at Kansas City Chiefs [ edit ]
Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Steelers
10
17
3 6 36
Chiefs
7
7
0 14 28
at Arrowhead Stadium , Kansas City, Missouri
Date : November 10, 1985Game time : 1:00 pm ESTGame weather : 36 °F (2.2 °C), wind 13 miles per hour (21 km/h; 11 kn), wind chill 27 °F or −2.8 °CGame attendance : 46,126Referee : Ben Dreith TV announcers (NBC) : Marv Albert (play by play), Bob Griese (color commentator)[ 14]
Week 11: at Houston Oilers [ edit ]
Pittsburgh Steelers at Houston Oilers
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Steelers
3
7
13 7 30
Oilers
0
0
7 0 7
at Astrodome , Houston, Texas
Date : November 17, 1985Game time : 1:00 pm ESTGame weather : DomeGame attendance : 45,977Referee : Red Cashion TV announcers (NBC) : Tom Hammond (play by play), Jimmy Cefalo (color commentator)[ 15]
Week 12: vs. Washington Redskins [ edit ]
Week 13: vs. Denver Broncos [ edit ]
Week 14: at San Diego Chargers [ edit ]
Scoring summary
Quarter
Time
Drive
Team
Scoring information
Score
Plays
Yards
TOP
Steelers
Chargers
1
Chargers
Tim Spencer 12-yard touchdown run, Robert R. Thomas kick good
0
7
1
Steelers
Walter Abercrombie 15-yard touchdown reception from David Woodley , Gary Anderson kick good
7
7
1
Chargers
Wes Chandler 36-yard touchdown reception from Dan Fouts , Robert R. Thomas kick good
7
14
1
Chargers
Pete Holohan 20-yard touchdown reception from Dan Fouts , Robert R. Thomas kick good
7
21
2
Steelers
Louis Lipps 8-yard touchdown reception from David Woodley , Gary Anderson kick good
14
21
2
Steelers
45-yard field goal by Gary Anderson
17
21
2
Chargers
Wes Chandler 75-yard touchdown reception from Dan Fouts , Robert R. Thomas kick good
17
28
2
Chargers
Buford McGee 3-yard touchdown run, Robert R. Thomas kick no good
17
34
2
Steelers
41-yard field goal by Gary Anderson
20
34
3
Steelers
David Woodley 1-yard touchdown run, Gary Anderson kick good
27
34
3
Steelers
Walter Abercrombie 25-yard touchdown reception from David Woodley , Gary Anderson kick good
34
34
3
Chargers
Buford McGee 7-yard touchdown run, Robert R. Thomas kick good
34
41
4
Steelers
Louis Lipps 15-yard touchdown run, Gary Anderson kick good
41
41
4
Steelers
Gary Anderson -yard field goal by 26
44
41
4
Chargers
Gary Anderson (Chargers) 2-yard touchdown run, Robert R. Thomas kick no good
44
47
4
Chargers
Interception returned 47 yards for touchdown by Jeffery Dale , Robert R. Thomas kick good
44
54
"TOP" = time of possession . For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football .
44
54
Week 15: vs. Buffalo Bills [ edit ]
Week 16: at New York Giants [ edit ]
Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Steelers
0
3
7 0 10
Giants
7
21
0 0 28
at Giants Stadium , East Rutherford, New Jersey
Date : December 21, 1985Game time : 12:30 pm ESTGame weather : 27 °F (−2.8 °C), wind 15 miles per hour (24 km/h; 13 kn), wind chill 15 °F or −9.4 °CGame attendance : 66,785Referee : Jerry Markbreit TV announcers (NBC) : Dick Enberg (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)[ 20]
^ 1985 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide .
^ 1985 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide .
^ 1986 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide .
^ "1985 Pittsburgh Steelers" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved December 23, 2014 .
^ Pro Football Reference ; Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers – September 8th, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns – September 16th, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Houston Oilers at Pittsburgh Steelers – September 22nd, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers – September 30th, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins – October 6th, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Pittsburgh Steelers at Dallas Cowboys – October 13th, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers – October 20th, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals – October 27th, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers – November 3rd, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs – November 10th, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Pittsburgh Steelers at Houston Oilers – November 17th, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Washington Redskins at Pittsburgh Steelers – November 24th, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers – December 1st, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Pittsburgh Steelers at San Diego Chargers – December 8th, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers – December 15th, 1985
^ Pro Football Reference ; Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants – December 21st, 1985
Formerly the Pittsburgh Pirates (1933–1939)
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