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1986 Pittsburgh Steelers
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Record: 6-10-0, Finished 3rd in AFC Central Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 307 points (19.2/g), 18th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 336 points (21.0/g), 17th.
Differential of -29 points (-1.8/g), 19th.
Expected W-L: 7.1-8.9.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -3 (-0.2/g), 16th.
Coached by Chuck Noll (6-10-0)
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1986 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Mark Malone | 28 | 6 | 14 | 216 for 425, 2,444 yards, 15 td, 18 int, & 31 rushes for 107 yards and 5 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 28th pick / 1980 |
| RB | Walter Abercrombie | 27 | 4 | 14 | 214 rushes for 877 yards, 6 td, & 47 catches for 395 yards and 2 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 12th pick / 1982 |
| FB | Earnest Jackson* | 27 | 3 | 12 | 216 rushes for 910 yards, 5 td, & 17 catches for 169 yards and 0 td | San Diego Chargers / 8th / 202nd pick / 1983 |
| WR | Louis Lipps | 24 | 2 | 12 | 38 catches for 590 yards, 3 td, & 4 rushes for -3 yards and 0 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 23rd pick / 1984 |
| WR | John Stallworth | 34 | 12 | 9 | 34 catches for 466 yards, 1 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 82nd pick / 1974 |
| WR | Calvin Sweeney | 31 | 6 | 7 | 21 catches for 337 yards, 1 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 110th pick / 1979 |
| TE | Preston Gothard | 24 | 1 | 16 | 21 catches for 246 yards, 1 td | |
| LT | Ray Pinney | 32 | 10 | 15 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 37th pick / 1976 |
|
| LG | Craig Wolfley | 28 | 6 | 9 | 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 138th pick / 1980 |
| C | Mike Webster | 34 | 12 | 12 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 125th pick / 1974 |
|
| RG | Terry Long | 27 | 2 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 111th pick / 1984 |
| RT | Tunch Ilkin | 29 | 6 | 15 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 165th pick / 1980 |
|
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Keith Willis | 27 | 4 | 16 | 12.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | |
| NT | Gary Dunn | 33 | 10 | 16 | 2.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 159th pick / 1976 |
| RDE | Edmund Nelson | 26 | 4 | 16 | 5.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 172nd pick / 1982 |
| LOLB | Mike Merriweather* | 26 | 4 | 16 | 6.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 70th pick / 1982 |
| LILB | David Little | 27 | 5 | 16 | 0.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 183rd pick / 1981 |
| RILB | Robin Cole | 31 | 9 | 16 | 0.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 21st pick / 1977 |
| ROLB | Bryan Hinkle | 27 | 4 | 16 | 4.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 156th pick / 1981 |
| LCB | John Swain | 27 | 5 | 10 | Minnesota Vikings / 4th / 101st pick / 1981 |
|
| LCB | Chris Sheffield | 23 | Rook | 6 | ||
| RCB | Harvey Clayton | 25 | 3 | 12 | 0.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | |
| SS | Donnie Shell | 34 | 12 | 15 | 0.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | |
| FS | Eric T. Williams | 26 | 3 | 16 | 0.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 164th pick / 1983 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Gary Anderson | 27 | 4 | 0 | 21 of 32 field goals & 32 of 32 extra points | Buffalo Bills / 7th / 171st pick / 1982 |
| P | Harry Newsome | 23 | 1 | 0 | 86 punts for a 40.1 average, 3 blocked | Pittsburgh Steelers / 8th / 214th pick / 1985 |
| PR | Rick Woods | 27 | 4 | 0 | 33 punt returns for a 8.9 average and 0 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 97th pick / 1982 |
| KR | Lupe Sanchez | 25 | Rook | 4 | 25 kick returns for a 23.6 average and 0 td | Kansas City Chiefs / 2nd / 34th pick / 1984 Supp |
| Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walter Abercrombie | 27 | RB | 16 | 14 | 210 | 6-0 | Baylor | 9/26/1959 | 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 12th pick / 1982 |
| Gary Anderson | 27 | K | 16 | 0 | 193 | 5-11 | Syracuse | 7/16/1959 | 4 | Buffalo Bills / 7th / 171st pick / 1982 |
| Mark Behning | 25 | T | 16 | 1 | 290 | 6-6 | Nebraska | 9/26/1961 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 47th pick / 1985 |
| Bubby Brister | 24 | QB | 2 | 2 | 205 | 6-3 | La-Monroe,Tulane | 8/15/1962 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 67th pick / 1986 |
| Jessie Britt | 23 | WR | 8 | 0 | 198 | 6-4 | North Carolina A&T | 3/3/1963 | Rook | |
| Scott Campbell | 24 | QB | 3 | 0 | 196 | 6-0 | Purdue | 4/15/1962 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 191st pick / 1984 |
| Gregg Carr | 24 | LB | 16 | 0 | 219 | 6-2 | Auburn | 3/31/1962 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 160th pick / 1985 |
| Harvey Clayton | 25 | DB | 15 | 12 | 179 | 5-9 | Florida State | 4/4/1961 | 3 | |
| Robin Cole | 31 | LB-DE | 16 | 16 | 220 | 6-2 | New Mexico | 9/11/1955 | 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 21st pick / 1977 |
| Gary Dunn | 33 | NT-DT-DE | 16 | 16 | 258 | 6-3 | Miami (FL) | 8/24/1953 | 10 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 159th pick / 1976 |
| Dave Edwards | 24 | DB | 16 | 1 | 195 | 6-0 | Illinois | 3/31/1962 | 1 | |
| Donnie Elder | 24 | DB | 9 | 0 | 175 | 5-9 | Memphis | 12/13/1962 | 1 | New York Jets / 3rd / 67th pick / 1985 |
| Rich Erenberg | 24 | RB | 16 | 1 | 200 | 5-10 | Colgate | 4/17/1962 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 9th / 247th pick / 1984 |
| Keith Gary | 27 | DE | 16 | 0 | 263 | 6-3 | Ferrum,Oklahoma | 9/14/1959 | 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 17th pick / 1981 |
| Preston Gothard | 24 | TE | 16 | 16 | 239 | 6-4 | Alabama | 2/23/1962 | 1 | |
| Anthony Henton | 23 | LB | 16 | 0 | 218 | 6-1 | Troy State | 7/27/1963 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 9th / 234th pick / 1986 |
| Bryan Hinkle | 27 | LB | 16 | 16 | 222 | 6-1 | Oregon | 6/4/1959 | 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 156th pick / 1981 |
| David Hughes | 27 | RB-FB | 5 | 0 | 220 | 6-0 | Boise State | 6/1/1959 | 5 | Seattle Seahawks / 2nd / 31st pick / 1981 |
| Tunch Ilkin | 29 | T-G-C | 15 | 15 | 263 | 6-3 | Indiana State | 9/23/1957 | 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 165th pick / 1980 |
| Earnest Jackson* | 27 | RB | 13 | 12 | 213 | 5-9 | Texas A&M | 12/18/1959 | 3 | San Diego Chargers / 8th / 202nd pick / 1983 |
| Louis Lipps | 24 | WR | 13 | 12 | 190 | 5-10 | Southern Miss | 8/9/1962 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 23rd pick / 1984 |
| David Little | 27 | LB | 16 | 16 | 232 | 6-1 | Florida | 1/3/1959 | 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 183rd pick / 1981 |
| Terry Long | 27 | G | 16 | 16 | 272 | 5-11 | East Carolina | 7/21/1959 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 111th pick / 1984 |
| Mark Malone | 28 | QB-WR | 14 | 14 | 223 | 6-4 | Arizona State | 11/22/1958 | 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 28th pick / 1980 |
| Mike Merriweather* | 26 | LB | 16 | 16 | 230 | 6-2 | Pacific | 11/26/1960 | 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 70th pick / 1982 |
| Edmund Nelson | 26 | DE-NT-DT | 16 | 16 | 272 | 6-3 | Auburn | 4/30/1960 | 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 172nd pick / 1982 |
| Harry Newsome | 23 | P | 16 | 0 | 192 | 6-0 | Wake Forest | 1/25/1963 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 8th / 214th pick / 1985 |
| Ray Pinney | 32 | T-G-C | 16 | 15 | 251 | 6-4 | Washington | 6/29/1954 | 10 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 37th pick / 1976 |
| Frank Pollard | 29 | RB | 3 | 3 | 218 | 5-10 | Baylor | 6/15/1957 | 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 11th / 305th pick / 1980 |
| Randy R. Rasmussen | 26 | C-G | 4 | 3 | 253 | 6-7 | Minnesota | 9/27/1960 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 8th / 220th pick / 1984 |
| Dan Reeder | 25 | RB | 11 | 0 | 235 | 5-11 | Boston College,Delaware | 3/18/1961 | Rook | Los Angeles Raiders / 5th / 135th pick / 1985 |
| John Rienstra | 23 | G | 4 | 4 | 273 | 6-5 | Temple | 3/22/1963 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 9th pick / 1986 |
| Pete Rostosky | 25 | T | 11 | 1 | 259 | 6-4 | Connecticut | 7/29/1961 | 2 | |
| Lupe Sanchez | 25 | DB | 11 | 4 | 192 | 5-10 | UCLA | 10/28/1961 | Rook | Kansas City Chiefs / 2nd / 34th pick / 1984 Supp |
| Chuck Sanders | 22 | RB | 14 | 2 | 233 | 6-1 | Slippery Rock | 4/24/1964 | Rook | San Diego Chargers / 11th / 293rd pick / 1986 |
| Warren Seitz | 24 | TE-WR | 16 | 0 | 217 | 6-4 | Missouri | 9/29/1962 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 10th / 260th pick / 1986 |
| Chris Sheffield | 23 | DB | 10 | 6 | 193 | 6-1 | Albany State (GA) | 1/9/1963 | Rook | |
| Donnie Shell | 34 | DB | 15 | 15 | 190 | 5-11 | South Carolina State | 8/26/1952 | 12 | |
| Darryl Sims | 25 | DE-NT | 16 | 0 | 278 | 6-3 | Wisconsin | 7/23/1961 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 20th pick / 1985 |
| John Stallworth | 34 | WR | 11 | 9 | 191 | 6-2 | Alabama A&M | 7/15/1952 | 12 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 82nd pick / 1974 |
| Larry Station | 23 | LB | 6 | 0 | 227 | 5-11 | Iowa | 12/5/1963 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 11th / 287th pick / 1986 |
| John Swain | 27 | DB | 11 | 10 | 195 | 6-1 | Miami (FL) | 9/4/1959 | 5 | Minnesota Vikings / 4th / 101st pick / 1981 |
| Calvin Sweeney | 31 | WR | 16 | 7 | 190 | 6-2 | California-Riverside,USC | 1/12/1955 | 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 110th pick / 1979 |
| Weegie Thompson | 25 | WR | 16 | 4 | 212 | 6-6 | Florida State | 3/21/1961 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 108th pick / 1984 |
| Dan Turk | 24 | C-G | 16 | 4 | 290 | 6-4 | Drake,Wisconsin | 6/25/1962 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 101st pick / 1985 |
| Mike Webster | 34 | C-G | 12 | 12 | 255 | 6-1 | Wisconsin | 3/18/1952 | 12 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 125th pick / 1974 |
| Eric T. Williams | 26 | DB | 16 | 16 | 188 | 6-1 | North Carolina State | 2/21/1960 | 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 164th pick / 1983 |
| Gerald Williams | 23 | NT-DE-DT | 16 | 0 | 290 | 6-3 | Auburn | 9/8/1963 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 36th pick / 1986 |
| Keith Willis | 27 | DE-NT | 16 | 16 | 260 | 6-1 | Northeastern | 7/29/1959 | 4 | |
| Dirt Winston | 31 | LB | 16 | 0 | 228 | 6-0 | Arkansas | 10/25/1955 | 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 132nd pick / 1977 |
| Craig Wolfley | 28 | G-T | 9 | 9 | 265 | 6-1 | Syracuse | 5/19/1958 | 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 138th pick / 1980 |
| Rick Woods | 27 | DB | 15 | 0 | 196 | 6-0 | Boise State | 11/16/1959 | 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 97th pick / 1982 |
| Team Total | 26.4 | 16 | 226.3 | 6-1.4 | 3.5 |