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1961 Pittsburgh Steelers
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Record: 6-8-0, Finished 5th in NFL East Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 295 points (21.1/g), 8th of 14 in the NFL.
Allowed 287 points (20.5/g), 7th.
Differential of 8 points (0.6/g), 9th.
Expected W-L: 7.2-6.8.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -11 (-0.8/g), 13th.
Coached by Buddy Parker (6-8-0)
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1961 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Bobby Layne | 35 | 13 | 7 | 75 for 149, 1,205 yards, 11 td, 16 int, & 8 rushes for 11 yards and 0 td | Chicago Bears / 1st / 3rd pick / 1948 |
| QB | Rudy Bukich | 29 | 8 | 7 | 89 for 156, 1,253 yards, 11 td, 16 int, & 14 rushes for 4 yards and 2 td | Los Angeles Rams / 2nd / 24th pick / 1953 |
| HB | Tom Tracy | 27 | 5 | 0 | 147 rushes for 402 yards, 2 td, & 14 catches for 133 yards and 1 td | Detroit Lions / 5th / 50th pick / 1956 |
| FB | John Henry Johnson | 32 | 7 | 0 | 213 rushes for 787 yards, 6 td, & 24 catches for 262 yards and 1 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 18th pick / 1953 |
| FL | Dick Hoak | 22 | Rook | 0 | 3 catches for 18 yards, 0 td, & 85 rushes for 302 yards and 0 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 90th pick / 1961 |
| SE | Buddy Dial* | 24 | 2 | 0 | 53 catches for 1,047 yards, 12 td, & 3 rushes for 6 yards and 0 td | New York Giants / 2nd / 22nd pick / 1959 |
| TE | Preston Carpenter | 27 | 5 | 0 | 33 catches for 460 yards, 4 td, & 7 rushes for 9 yards and 0 td | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 13th pick / 1956 |
| LT | Charlie Bradshaw | 25 | 3 | 0 | 1 fumble recovered | Los Angeles Rams / 8th / 94th pick / 1957 |
| LG | Mike Sandusky | 26 | 4 | 0 | San Francisco 49ers / 4th / 46th pick / 1957 |
|
| C | Buzz Nutter | 30 | 7 | 0 | Washington Redskins / 12th / 136th pick / 1953 |
|
| RG | John Nisby* | 25 | 4 | 0 | 1 fumble recovered | Green Bay Packers / 6th / 70th pick / 1957 |
| RT | Dan James | 24 | 1 | 0 | San Francisco 49ers / 1st / 8th pick / 1959 |
|
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Lou Michaels | 26 | 3 | 0 | 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | Los Angeles Rams / 1st / 4th pick / 1958 |
| LDT | Gene Lipscomb | 30 | 8 | 0 | ||
| RDT | Joe Krupa | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 17th pick / 1956 |
| RDE | Ernie Stautner* | 36 | 11 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 4 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 22nd pick / 1950 |
| LLB | George Tarasovic | 31 | 9 | 0 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 18th pick / 1952 |
| MLB | Myron Pottios* | 22 | Rook | 0 | 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 19th pick / 1961 |
| RLB | John Reger* | 30 | 6 | 0 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | |
| LCB | Johnny Sample | 24 | 3 | 0 | 8 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Baltimore Colts / 7th / 79th pick / 1958 |
| RCB | Brady Keys | 25 | Rook | 0 | 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 14th / 162nd pick / 1960 |
| LS | Bill Butler | 24 | 2 | 0 | 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Green Bay Packers / 19th / 217th pick / 1959 |
| RS | Willie Daniel | 24 | Rook | 0 | 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Lou Michaels | 26 | 3 | 0 | 15 of 26 field goals & 27 of 29 extra points | Los Angeles Rams / 1st / 4th pick / 1958 |
| P | Bobby Joe Green | 25 | 1 | 0 | 73 punts for a 47.0 average, 0 blocked | San Francisco 49ers / 9th / 102nd pick / 1959 |
| PR | Johnny Sample | 24 | 3 | 0 | 26 punt returns for a 10.9 average and 1 td | Baltimore Colts / 7th / 79th pick / 1958 |
| KR | Johnny Sample | 24 | 3 | 0 | 23 kick returns for a 23.1 average and 0 td | Baltimore Colts / 7th / 79th pick / 1958 |
| No. | Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | Ed Beatty | 29 | C-LB | 6 | 0 | 229 | 6-3 | Mississippi | 4/6/1932 | 6 | Los Angeles Rams / 1st / 10th pick / 1954 |
| 71 | Charlie Bradshaw | 25 | T | 12 | 0 | 255 | 6-6 | Baylor | 3/13/1936 | 3 | Los Angeles Rams / 8th / 94th pick / 1957 |
| 10 | Rudy Bukich | 29 | QB | 11 | 7 | 195 | 6-1 | Iowa,USC | 3/15/1932 | 8 | Los Angeles Rams / 2nd / 24th pick / 1953 |
| 86 | Len Burnett | 22 | DB | 4 | 0 | 195 | 6-1 | Oregon | 8/29/1939 | Rook | |
| 20 | Bill Butler | 24 | DB-HB | 10 | 0 | 189 | 5-10 | Tennessee-Chattanooga | 7/10/1937 | 2 | Green Bay Packers / 19th / 217th pick / 1959 |
| 40 | Preston Carpenter | 27 | E-HB | 13 | 0 | 190 | 6-2 | Arkansas | 1/24/1934 | 5 | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 13th pick / 1956 |
| 28 | Henry Clement | 22 | TE | 14 | 0 | 195 | 6-3 | North Carolina | 6/15/1939 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 11th / 146th pick / 1961 |
| 46 | Bob Coronado | 25 | WR | 5 | 0 | 195 | 6-2 | Pacific | 5/22/1936 | Rook | Chicago Bears / 10th / 116th pick / 1959 |
| 44 | Willie Daniel | 24 | DB | 14 | 0 | 190 | 5-11 | Mississippi State | 11/10/1937 | Rook | |
| 74 | George Demko | 26 | DE | 1 | 0 | 240 | 6-3 | Appalachian State | 8/10/1935 | Rook | |
| 27 | Dean Derby | 26 | DB | 5 | 0 | 185 | 6-0 | Washington | 6/11/1935 | 4 | Los Angeles Rams / 5th / 51st pick / 1957 |
| 84 | Buddy Dial* | 24 | SE-FL | 14 | 0 | 194 | 6-1 | Rice | 1/17/1937 | 2 | New York Giants / 2nd / 22nd pick / 1959 |
| 89 | Bobby Joe Green | 25 | P | 14 | 0 | 175 | 5-11 | Florida | 5/7/1936 | 1 | San Francisco 49ers / 9th / 102nd pick / 1959 |
| 27 | Dick Haley | 24 | DB-HB-E | 8 | 0 | 183 | 5-10 | Pittsburgh | 10/2/1937 | 2 | Washington Redskins / 9th / 100th pick / 1959 |
| 37 | Mike Henry | 25 | LB | 10 | 0 | 220 | 6-2 | USC | 8/15/1936 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 9th / 100th pick / 1958 |
| 42 | Dick Hoak | 22 | RB-FL | 14 | 0 | 195 | 5-11 | Penn State | 12/8/1939 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 90th pick / 1961 |
| 77 | Dan James | 24 | T | 14 | 0 | 262 | 6-4 | Ohio State | 8/10/1937 | 1 | San Francisco 49ers / 1st / 8th pick / 1959 |
| 35 | John Henry Johnson | 32 | FB-HB | 14 | 0 | 210 | 6-2 | Arizona State,St. Mary's (CA) | 11/24/1929 | 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 18th pick / 1953 |
| 64 | John Kapele | 24 | DE-DT-T | 14 | 0 | 240 | 6-0 | BYU,Utah | 10/19/1937 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 10th / 114th pick / 1960 |
| 26 | Brady Keys | 25 | DB-HB | 12 | 0 | 185 | 6-0 | Colorado State | 5/19/1936 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 14th / 162nd pick / 1960 |
| 72 | Dick Klein | 27 | T-DT | 2 | 0 | 254 | 6-4 | Georgia,Iowa | 2/11/1934 | 3 | Chicago Bears / 29th / 347th pick / 1955 |
| 75 | Joe Krupa | 28 | DT | 14 | 0 | 232 | 6-2 | Purdue | 7/6/1933 | 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 17th pick / 1956 |
| 22 | Bobby Layne | 35 | QB | 8 | 7 | 201 | 6-1 | Texas | 12/19/1926 | 13 | Chicago Bears / 1st / 3rd pick / 1948 |
| 76 | Gene Lipscomb | 30 | DT | 14 | 0 | 284 | 6-6 | none | 8/9/1931 | 8 | |
| 23 | Red Mack | 24 | TE-WR-HB | 11 | 0 | 180 | 5-10 | Notre Dame | 6/19/1937 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 10th / 131st pick / 1961 |
| 88 | Steve Meilinger | 31 | E | 4 | 0 | 227 | 6-2 | Kentucky | 12/12/1930 | 5 | Washington Redskins / 1st / 8th pick / 1954 |
| 79 | Lou Michaels | 26 | DE-K | 14 | 0 | 243 | 6-2 | Kentucky | 9/28/1935 | 3 | Los Angeles Rams / 1st / 4th pick / 1958 |
| 65 | John Nisby* | 25 | G | 13 | 0 | 235 | 6-1 | Pacific | 9/9/1936 | 4 | Green Bay Packers / 6th / 70th pick / 1957 |
| 18 | Terry Nofsinger | 23 | QB | 5 | 0 | 215 | 6-4 | Utah | 7/13/1938 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 17th / 230th pick / 1961 |
| 51 | Buzz Nutter | 30 | C-LB | 14 | 0 | 230 | 6-4 | Virginia Tech | 2/16/1931 | 7 | Washington Redskins / 12th / 136th pick / 1953 |
| 66 | Myron Pottios* | 22 | LB | 14 | 0 | 232 | 6-2 | Notre Dame | 1/18/1939 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 19th pick / 1961 |
| 50 | John Reger* | 30 | LB-G | 14 | 0 | 225 | 6-0 | Pittsburgh | 9/11/1931 | 6 | |
| 24 | Johnny Sample | 24 | DB | 14 | 0 | 203 | 6-1 | Md-Eastern Shore | 6/15/1937 | 3 | Baltimore Colts / 7th / 79th pick / 1958 |
| 62 | Mike Sandusky | 26 | G | 12 | 0 | 231 | 6-0 | Maryland | 3/14/1935 | 4 | San Francisco 49ers / 4th / 46th pick / 1957 |
| 34 | Charlie Scales | 23 | HB-FB | 14 | 0 | 210 | 5-11 | Indiana | 1/11/1938 | 1 | |
| 67 | Bob Schmitz | 23 | LB | 14 | 0 | 235 | 6-1 | Montana State,Wisconsin | 9/10/1938 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 14th / 187th pick / 1961 |
| 88 | Bob Schnelker | 33 | E | 8 | 0 | 214 | 6-3 | Bowling Green | 10/17/1928 | 8 | Cleveland Browns / 29th / 377th pick / 1950 |
| 36 | Wilbert Scott | 22 | LB | 4 | 0 | 215 | 6-0 | Indiana | 3/13/1939 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 16th / 215th pick / 1961 |
| 47 | Jackie M. Simpson | 27 | DB | 8 | 0 | 183 | 5-10 | Florida | 4/2/1934 | 3 | Baltimore Colts / 4th / 44th pick / 1957 |
| 20 | Jack Stanton | 23 | HB | 2 | 0 | 190 | 6-1 | North Carolina State | 6/7/1938 | Rook | |
| 70 | Ernie Stautner* | 36 | DT-DE-G | 14 | 0 | 230 | 6-1 | Boston College | 4/20/1925 | 11 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 22nd pick / 1950 |
| 68 | Ron Stehouwer | 24 | G | 14 | 0 | 230 | 6-2 | Colorado State | 2/4/1937 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 12th / 136th pick / 1959 |
| 82 | George Tarasovic | 31 | DE-LB-C | 12 | 0 | 245 | 6-4 | Boston College,LSU | 5/6/1930 | 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 18th pick / 1952 |
| 30 | Tom Tracy | 27 | HB-FB | 14 | 0 | 205 | 5-9 | Tennessee | 9/7/1934 | 5 | Detroit Lions / 5th / 50th pick / 1956 |
| Team Total | 26.2 | 14 | 215.3 | 6-1.3 | 3.3 |