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1987 Pittsburgh Steelers
Franchise Index: Previous Season / Next Season
Record: 8-7-0, Finished 3rd in AFC Central Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 285 points (19.0/g), 20th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 299 points (19.9/g), 10th.
Differential of -14 points (-0.9/g), 16th.
Expected W-L: 7.1-7.9.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +11 (0.7/g), 4th.
Coached by Chuck Noll (8-7-0)
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1987 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 | Mark Malone | 29 | 7 | 12 | 156 for 336, 1,896 yards, 6 td, 19 int, & 34 rushes for 162 yards and 3 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 28th pick / 1980 |
| RB | Walter Abercrombie | 28 | 5 | 12 | 123 rushes for 459 yards, 2 td, & 24 catches for 209 yards and 0 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 12th pick / 1982 |
| FB | Earnest Jackson | 28 | 4 | 9 | 180 rushes for 696 yards, 1 td, & 7 catches for 52 yards and 0 td | San Diego Chargers / 8th / 202nd pick / 1983 |
| FB | Frank Pollard | 30 | 7 | 7 | 128 rushes for 536 yards, 3 td, & 14 catches for 77 yards and 0 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 11th / 305th pick / 1980 |
| WR | John Stallworth | 35 | 13 | 11 | 41 catches for 521 yards, 2 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 82nd pick / 1974 |
| WR | Calvin Sweeney | 32 | 7 | 6 | 16 catches for 217 yards, 0 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 110th pick / 1979 |
| TE | Danzell Lee | 24 | Rook | 13 | 12 catches for 124 yards, 0 td | Washington Redskins / 6th / 163rd pick / 1985 |
| LT | Ray Pinney | 33 | 11 | 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 37th pick / 1976 |
|
| LT | Buddy Aydelette | 31 | 7 | 5 | 1 fumble recovered | Green Bay Packers / 7th / 169th pick / 1980 |
| LG | Craig Wolfley | 29 | 7 | 12 | 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 138th pick / 1980 |
| C | Mike Webster* | 35 | 13 | 15 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 125th pick / 1974 |
|
| RG | Terry Long | 28 | 3 | 13 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 111th pick / 1984 |
|
| RT | Tunch Ilkin | 30 | 7 | 11 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 165th pick / 1980 |
|
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Keith Willis | 28 | 5 | 10 | 3.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | |
| NT | Gary Dunn | 34 | 11 | 13 | 0.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 159th pick / 1976 |
| RDE | Edmund Nelson | 27 | 5 | 8 | 0.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 172nd pick / 1982 |
| RDE | Keith Gary | 28 | 4 | 6 | 4.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 17th pick / 1981 |
| LOLB | Mike Merriweather | 27 | 5 | 12 | 5.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 4 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 70th pick / 1982 |
| LILB | David Little | 28 | 6 | 12 | 1.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 183rd pick / 1981 |
| RILB | Robin Cole | 32 | 10 | 12 | 1.0 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 21st pick / 1977 |
| ROLB | Bryan Hinkle | 28 | 5 | 12 | 2.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 156th pick / 1981 |
| LCB | Dwayne Woodruff | 30 | 8 | 12 | 0.0 sacks, 5 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 161st pick / 1979 |
| RCB | Delton Hall | 22 | Rook | 12 | 0.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 38th pick / 1987 |
| SS | Donnie Shell | 35 | 13 | 13 | 0.0 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | |
| FS | Thomas Everett | 23 | Rook | 9 | 0.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 94th pick / 1987 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Gary Anderson | 28 | 5 | 0 | 22 of 27 field goals & 21 of 21 extra points | Buffalo Bills / 7th / 171st pick / 1982 |
| P | Harry Newsome | 24 | 2 | 0 | 64 punts for a 41.8 average, 1 blocked | Pittsburgh Steelers / 8th / 214th pick / 1985 |
| PR | Rod Woodson | 22 | Rook | 0 | 16 punt returns for a 8.4 average and 0 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 10th pick / 1987 |
| KR | Dwight Stone | 23 | Rook | 0 | 28 kick returns for a 20.3 average and 0 td |
| No. | Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | Walter Abercrombie | 28 | RB | 12 | 12 | 210 | 6-0 | Baylor | 9/26/1959 | 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 12th pick / 1982 |
| 81 | Lyneal Alston | 23 | WR | 3 | 1 | 205 | 6-1 | Southern Miss | 7/23/1964 | Rook | |
| 1 | Gary Anderson | 28 | K | 12 | 0 | 193 | 5-11 | Syracuse | 7/16/1959 | 5 | Buffalo Bills / 7th / 171st pick / 1982 |
| 83 | Mel Anderson | 22 | WR | 2 | 0 | 175 | 5-11 | Minnesota | 8/29/1965 | Rook | |
| 90 | Steve Apke | 22 | LB | 3 | 3 | 222 | 6-1 | Pittsburgh | 8/3/1965 | Rook | |
| 72 | Buddy Aydelette | 31 | T | 12 | 5 | 256 | 6-4 | Alabama | 8/19/1956 | 7 | Green Bay Packers / 7th / 169th pick / 1980 |
| 54 | Craig Bingham | 28 | LB | 3 | 3 | 218 | 6-2 | Syracuse | 9/26/1959 | 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 167th pick / 1982 |
| 60 | Brian Blankenship | 24 | G | 13 | 3 | 286 | 6-1 | Nebraska,Nebraska-Omaha | 4/7/1963 | Rook | |
| 15 | Steve Bono | 25 | QB | 3 | 3 | 215 | 6-4 | UCLA | 5/11/1962 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 6th / 142nd pick / 1985 |
| 65 | Jim Boyle | 25 | T | 3 | 3 | 270 | 6-5 | Tulane | 7/27/1962 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 9th / 250th pick / 1984 |
| 6 | Bubby Brister | 25 | QB | 2 | 0 | 205 | 6-3 | La-Monroe,Tulane | 8/15/1962 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 67th pick / 1986 |
| 86 | Ralph Britt | 22 | TE | 3 | 0 | 240 | 6-3 | North Carolina State | 3/18/1965 | Rook | |
| 10 | John Bruno | 23 | P | 3 | 0 | 190 | 6-2 | Penn State | 9/10/1964 | Rook | St. Louis Cardinals / 5th / 126th pick / 1987 |
| 91 | Gregg Carr | 25 | LB | 12 | 0 | 219 | 6-2 | Auburn | 3/31/1962 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 160th pick / 1985 |
| 44 | Rodney Carter | 23 | RB | 11 | 2 | 218 | 6-0 | Purdue | 10/30/1964 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 175th pick / 1986 |
| 23 | Spark Clark | 22 | RB | 1 | 0 | 182 | 5-7 | Akron | 5/22/1965 | Rook | |
| 95 | Jackie Cline | 27 | DE-NT | 1 | 0 | 279 | 6-5 | Alabama | 3/13/1960 | Rook | |
| 88 | Joey Clinkscales | 23 | WR | 7 | 3 | 199 | 6-0 | Tennessee | 5/21/1964 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 9th / 233rd pick / 1987 |
| 56 | Robin Cole | 32 | LB-DE | 12 | 12 | 220 | 6-2 | New Mexico | 9/11/1955 | 10 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 21st pick / 1977 |
| 7 | Reggie Collier | 26 | QB | 2 | 0 | 207 | 6-3 | Southern Miss | 5/14/1961 | 1 | Dallas Cowboys / 6th / 162nd pick / 1983 |
| 91 | Tommy Dawkins | 22 | DE | 2 | 2 | 260 | 6-3 | Appalachian State | 5/8/1965 | Rook | |
| 61 | Charlie Dickey | 25 | G | 1 | 0 | 270 | 6-3 | Arizona | 12/31/1962 | Rook | |
| 67 | Gary Dunn | 34 | NT-DT-DE | 13 | 13 | 258 | 6-3 | Miami (FL) | 8/24/1953 | 11 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 159th pick / 1976 |
| 42 | Dave Edwards | 25 | DB | 3 | 3 | 195 | 6-0 | Illinois | 3/31/1962 | 2 | |
| 27 | Thomas Everett | 23 | DB | 12 | 9 | 190 | 5-9 | Baylor | 11/21/1964 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 94th pick / 1987 |
| 87 | Moses Ford | 23 | WR | 1 | 0 | 220 | 6-2 | Fayetteville State | 2/19/1964 | Rook | |
| 68 | Lorenzo Freeman | 23 | NT-DT | 6 | 0 | 300 | 6-5 | Pittsburgh | 5/23/1964 | Rook | Green Bay Packers / 4th / 89th pick / 1987 |
| 92 | Keith Gary | 28 | DE | 11 | 6 | 263 | 6-3 | Ferrum,Oklahoma | 9/14/1959 | 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 17th pick / 1981 |
| 86 | Preston Gothard | 25 | TE | 2 | 2 | 239 | 6-4 | Alabama | 2/23/1962 | 2 | |
| 29 | Cornell Gowdy | 24 | DB | 13 | 3 | 196 | 6-1 | Morgan State | 10/2/1963 | 1 | |
| 33 | Larry Griffin | 24 | DB | 7 | 3 | 197 | 6-0 | North Carolina | 1/11/1963 | 1 | Houston Oilers / 8th / 199th pick / 1986 |
| 85 | Russell Hairston | 23 | DB | 3 | 2 | 208 | 6-3 | Kentucky | 2/10/1964 | Rook | |
| 35 | Delton Hall | 22 | DB | 12 | 12 | 205 | 6-1 | Clemson | 1/16/1965 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 38th pick / 1987 |
| 53 | Bryan Hinkle | 28 | LB | 12 | 12 | 222 | 6-1 | Oregon | 6/4/1959 | 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 156th pick / 1981 |
| 33 | Merril Hoge | 22 | RB | 13 | 0 | 225 | 6-2 | Idaho State | 1/26/1965 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 10th / 261st pick / 1987 |
| 64 | Alan Huff | 24 | NT | 2 | 1 | 265 | 6-4 | Marshall | 10/20/1963 | Rook | |
| 62 | Tunch Ilkin | 30 | T-G-C | 11 | 11 | 263 | 6-3 | Indiana State | 9/23/1957 | 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 165th pick / 1980 |
| 43 | Earnest Jackson | 28 | RB | 12 | 9 | 213 | 5-9 | Texas A&M | 12/18/1959 | 4 | San Diego Chargers / 8th / 202nd pick / 1983 |
| 78 | Tim Johnson | 22 | DT-DE | 12 | 0 | 275 | 6-3 | Penn State | 1/29/1965 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 141st pick / 1987 |
| 47 | Bruce Jones | 25 | DB | 2 | 0 | 197 | 6-1 | North Alabama | 12/26/1962 | Rook | Chicago Bears / 7th / 194th pick / 1986 |
| 50 | Daryl Knox | 25 | LB | 3 | 0 | 220 | 6-3 | UNLV | 9/3/1962 | Rook | |
| 66 | Ben Lawrence | 26 | G | 1 | 0 | 325 | 6-1 | Indiana (PA) | 9/19/1961 | Rook | |
| 84 | Danzell Lee | 24 | TE | 13 | 13 | 235 | 6-2 | Lamar | 3/16/1963 | Rook | Washington Redskins / 6th / 163rd pick / 1985 |
| 83 | Louis Lipps | 25 | WR | 4 | 2 | 190 | 5-10 | Southern Miss | 8/9/1962 | 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 23rd pick / 1984 |
| 50 | David Little | 28 | LB | 12 | 12 | 232 | 6-1 | Florida | 1/3/1959 | 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 183rd pick / 1981 |
| 89 | Charles Lockett | 22 | WR | 11 | 1 | 178 | 6-0 | Long Beach State | 10/1/1965 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 66th pick / 1987 |
| 74 | Terry Long | 28 | G | 13 | 13 | 272 | 5-11 | East Carolina | 7/21/1959 | 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 111th pick / 1984 |
| 51 | John Lott | 23 | C-G | 1 | 0 | 260 | 6-2 | North Texas | 5/9/1964 | Rook | |
| 68 | Jeff Lucas | 23 | T | 3 | 3 | 288 | 6-7 | West Virginia | 5/30/1964 | Rook | |
| 16 | Mark Malone | 29 | QB-WR | 12 | 12 | 223 | 6-4 | Arizona State | 11/22/1958 | 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 28th pick / 1980 |
| 57 | Mike Merriweather | 27 | LB | 12 | 12 | 230 | 6-2 | Pacific | 11/26/1960 | 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 70th pick / 1982 |
| 37 | Kelvin Middleton | 26 | DB | 2 | 0 | 186 | 6-0 | Wichita State | 9/8/1961 | Rook | |
| 92 | Michael Minter | 22 | NT | 3 | 2 | 275 | 6-3 | North Texas | 8/13/1965 | Rook | |
| 64 | Edmund Nelson | 27 | DE-NT-DT | 10 | 8 | 272 | 6-3 | Auburn | 4/30/1960 | 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 172nd pick / 1982 |
| 18 | Harry Newsome | 24 | P | 12 | 0 | 192 | 6-0 | Wake Forest | 1/25/1963 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 8th / 214th pick / 1985 |
| 54 | Hardy Nickerson | 22 | LB | 12 | 0 | 230 | 6-2 | California | 9/1/1965 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 122nd pick / 1987 |
| 69 | Dave Opfar | 27 | NT | 3 | 1 | 270 | 6-4 | Penn State | 1/16/1960 | Rook | |
| 51 | Paul Oswald | 23 | C-G | 2 | 0 | 273 | 6-3 | Kansas | 4/9/1964 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 11th / 289th pick / 1987 |
| 71 | Ted Petersen | 32 | T-C-G | 2 | 2 | 244 | 6-5 | Eastern Illinois | 2/7/1955 | 10 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 93rd pick / 1977 |
| 65 | Ray Pinney | 33 | T-G-C | 12 | 6 | 251 | 6-4 | Washington | 6/29/1954 | 11 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 37th pick / 1976 |
| 30 | Frank Pollard | 30 | RB | 12 | 7 | 218 | 5-10 | Baylor | 6/15/1957 | 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 11th / 305th pick / 1980 |
| 76 | Jerry Quick | 24 | T | 1 | 0 | 279 | 6-5 | Kansas,Wichita State | 12/30/1963 | Rook | |
| 40 | Dan Reeder | 26 | RB | 2 | 0 | 235 | 5-11 | Boston College,Delaware | 3/18/1961 | 1 | Los Angeles Raiders / 5th / 135th pick / 1985 |
| 38 | Rock Richmond | 29 | DB | 2 | 0 | 180 | 5-10 | Oregon | 1/7/1958 | Rook | |
| 79 | John Rienstra | 24 | G | 12 | 2 | 273 | 6-5 | Temple | 3/22/1963 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 9th pick / 1986 |
| 99 | Avon Riley | 29 | LB | 3 | 0 | 230 | 6-3 | UCLA | 2/10/1958 | 6 | Houston Oilers / 9th / 243rd pick / 1981 |
| 47 | Cameron Riley | 23 | DB | 2 | 2 | 195 | 6-1 | Missouri | 5/13/1964 | Rook | |
| 28 | Lupe Sanchez | 26 | DB | 12 | 3 | 192 | 5-10 | UCLA | 10/28/1961 | 1 | Kansas City Chiefs / 2nd / 34th pick / 1984 Supp |
| 45 | Chuck Sanders | 23 | RB | 5 | 0 | 233 | 6-1 | Slippery Rock | 4/24/1964 | 1 | San Diego Chargers / 11th / 293rd pick / 1986 |
| 41 | Chris Sheffield | 24 | DB | 5 | 0 | 193 | 6-1 | Albany State (GA) | 1/9/1963 | 1 | |
| 31 | Donnie Shell | 35 | DB | 13 | 13 | 190 | 5-11 | South Carolina State | 8/26/1952 | 13 | |
| 95 | Bret Shugarts | 27 | DE | 2 | 1 | 250 | 6-2 | Clarion,Indiana (PA),Lock Haven | 2/17/1960 | Rook | |
| 82 | John Stallworth | 35 | WR | 12 | 11 | 191 | 6-2 | Alabama A&M | 7/15/1952 | 13 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 82nd pick / 1974 |
| 20 | Dwight Stone | 23 | WR-RB | 14 | 0 | 191 | 6-0 | Middle Tenn. State | 1/28/1964 | Rook | |
| 56 | Tyronne Stowe | 22 | LB | 13 | 3 | 250 | 6-2 | Rutgers | 5/30/1965 | Rook | |
| 85 | Calvin Sweeney | 32 | WR | 9 | 6 | 190 | 6-2 | California-Riverside,USC | 1/12/1955 | 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 110th pick / 1979 |
| 87 | Weegie Thompson | 26 | WR | 12 | 3 | 212 | 6-6 | Florida State | 3/21/1961 | 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 108th pick / 1984 |
| 5 | David Trout | 30 | K | 3 | 0 | 165 | 5-6 | Pittsburgh | 11/12/1957 | 6 | |
| 25 | Anthony Tuggle | 24 | DB | 2 | 0 | 211 | 6-1 | Nicholls State,Southern | 9/13/1963 | 2 | Cincinnati Bengals / 4th / 97th pick / 1985 |
| 95 | Xavier Warren | 23 | DE | 2 | 0 | 250 | 6-1 | Tulsa | 8/12/1964 | Rook | |
| 63 | Robert Washington | 24 | T | 3 | 0 | 251 | 6-4 | Alcorn State | 4/2/1963 | Rook | |
| 52 | Mike Webster* | 35 | C-G | 15 | 15 | 255 | 6-1 | Wisconsin | 3/18/1952 | 13 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 125th pick / 1974 |
| 94 | Bert Williams | 23 | LB | 3 | 3 | 229 | 6-3 | Texas-El Paso | 9/7/1964 | Rook | |
| 98 | Gerald Williams | 24 | NT-DE-DT | 9 | 1 | 290 | 6-3 | Auburn | 9/8/1963 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 36th pick / 1986 |
| 97 | Joe Williams | 22 | LB | 3 | 0 | 237 | 6-4 | Grambling State | 3/5/1965 | Rook | |
| 35 | Ray Williams | 22 | DB | 1 | 0 | 180 | 5-11 | Rhode Island | 11/9/1965 | Rook | |
| 93 | Keith Willis | 28 | DE-NT | 11 | 10 | 260 | 6-1 | Northeastern | 7/29/1959 | 5 | |
| 73 | Craig Wolfley | 29 | G-T | 12 | 12 | 265 | 6-1 | Syracuse | 5/19/1958 | 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 138th pick / 1980 |
| 55 | Ken Woodard | 27 | LB | 7 | 0 | 218 | 6-1 | Tuskegee | 1/22/1960 | 5 | Denver Broncos / 10th / 274th pick / 1982 |
| 49 | Dwayne Woodruff | 30 | DB | 12 | 12 | 198 | 5-11 | Louisville | 2/18/1957 | 8 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 161st pick / 1979 |
| 26 | Rod Woodson | 22 | DB | 8 | 0 | 205 | 5-11 | Purdue | 3/10/1965 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 10th pick / 1987 |
| 80 | Theo Young | 22 | TE | 12 | 1 | 237 | 6-2 | Arkansas | 4/25/1965 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 12th / 317th pick / 1987 |
| Team Total | 25.7 | 15 | 229.0 | 6-1.6 | 2.5 |