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1997 Pittsburgh Steelers
Franchise Index: Previous Season / Next Season
Record: 11-5-0, Finished 1st in AFC Central Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 372 points (23.2/g), 7th of 30 in the NFL.
Allowed 307 points (19.2/g), 11th.
Differential of 65 points (4.1/g), 8th.
Expected W-L: 9.8-6.2.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +1 (0.1/g), 14th.
Simple Rating System: Total 5.3, Offense: 2.7, Defense: 2.6, SoS: 1.2, versus averages of 0.0.
Coached by
Bill Cowher (11-5-0)
Offensive Coordinator: Chan Gailey
Defensive Coordinator: Jim Haslett
Other Notable Asst.: Mike Mularkey (Tight Ends)
Training Camp: St. Vincent College (Latrobe, Pennsylvania)
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Starters
ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),Hide Non-primary Starters
| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | ||||||
| QB | Kordell Stewart | 25 | 2 | 16 | 236 for 440, 3,020 yards, 21 td, 17 int, & 88 rushes for 476 yards and 11 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 60th pick / 1995 |
| RB | Jerome Bettis* | 25 | 4 | 15 | 375 rushes for 1,665 yards, 7 td, & 15 catches for 110 yards and 2 td | Los Angeles Rams / 1st / 10th pick / 1993 |
| FB | Tim Lester | 29 | 5 | 13 | 2 rushes for 9 yards, 0 td, & 10 catches for 51 yards and 0 td | Los Angeles Rams / 10th / 255th pick / 1992 |
| WR | Charles Johnson | 25 | 3 | 11 | 46 catches for 568 yards, 2 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 17th pick / 1994 |
| WR | Yancey Thigpen* | 28 | 6 | 15 | 79 catches for 1,398 yards, 7 td, & 1 rush for 3 yards and 0 td | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 90th pick / 1991 |
| TE | Mark Bruener | 25 | 2 | 16 | 18 catches for 117 yards, 6 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 27th pick / 1995 |
| LT | John Jackson | 32 | 9 | 16 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 10th / 252nd pick / 1988 | |
| LG | Will Wolford | 33 | 11 | 16 | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 20th pick / 1986 | |
| C | Dermontti Dawson*+ | 32 | 9 | 16 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 44th pick / 1988 | |
| RG | Brenden Stai | 25 | 2 | 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 91st pick / 1995 | |
| RG | Tom Myslinski | 29 | 5 | 7 | Dallas Cowboys / 4th / 109th pick / 1992 | |
| RT | Justin Strzelczyk | 29 | 7 | 14 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 11th / 293rd pick / 1990 | |
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Nolan Harrison | 28 | 6 | 16 | 4.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Los Angeles Raiders / 6th / 146th pick / 1991 |
| NT | Joel Steed* | 28 | 5 | 16 | 1.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 67th pick / 1992 |
| RDE | Kevin Henry | 29 | 4 | 16 | 4.5 sacks, 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 108th pick / 1993 |
| LOLB | Jason Gildon | 25 | 3 | 16 | 5.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 88th pick / 1994 |
| LILB | Levon Kirkland*+ | 28 | 5 | 16 | 5.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 38th pick / 1992 |
| RILB | Earl Holmes | 24 | 1 | 16 | 4.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 126th pick / 1996 |
| ROLB | Greg Lloyd | 32 | 9 | 12 | 3.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 150th pick / 1987 |
| LCB | Donnell Woolford | 31 | 8 | 12 | 0.0 sacks, 4 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Chicago Bears / 1st / 11th pick / 1989 |
| RCB | Carnell Lake*+ | 30 | 8 | 16 | 6.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 34th pick / 1989 |
| RCB | Chad Scott | 23 | Rook | 9 | 0.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 24th pick / 1997 |
| SS | Myron Bell | 26 | 3 | 8 | 1.5 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 140th pick / 1994 |
| SS | Carnell Lake*+ | 30 | 8 | 16 | 6.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 34th pick / 1989 |
| FS | Darren Perry | 29 | 5 | 16 | 1.0 sacks, 4 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 8th / 203rd pick / 1992 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Norm Johnson | 37 | 15 | 0 | 22 of 25 field goals & 40 of 40 extra points | |
| P | Josh Miller | 27 | 1 | 0 | 64 punts for a 42.6 average, 0 blocked | |
| PR | Will Blackwell | 22 | Rook | 0 | 23 punt returns for a 6.5 average and 0 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 53rd pick / 1997 |
| KR | Will Blackwell | 22 | Rook | 0 | 32 kick returns for a 24.7 average and 1 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 53rd pick / 1997 |
| No. | Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | Mike Adams | 23 | WR | 6 | 0 | 185 | 5-11 | Texas | 3/25/1974 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 223rd pick / 1997 |
| 40 | Myron Bell | 26 | DB | 16 | 8 | 203 | 5-11 | Michigan St. | 9/15/1971 | 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 140th pick / 1994 |
| 36 | Jerome Bettis* | 25 | RB | 15 | 15 | 252 | 5-11 | Notre Dame | 2/16/1972 | 4 | Los Angeles Rams / 1st / 10th pick / 1993 |
| 89 | Will Blackwell | 22 | WR | 14 | 0 | 190 | 6-0 | San Diego St. | 7/9/1975 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 53rd pick / 1997 |
| 84 | Kirk Botkin | 26 | TE | 13 | 1 | 245 | 6-3 | Arkansas | 3/19/1971 | 3 | |
| 27 | J.B. Brown | 30 | DB | 13 | 0 | 193 | 6-0 | Maryland | 1/5/1967 | 8 | Miami Dolphins / 12th / 315th pick / 1989 |
| 87 | Mark Bruener | 25 | TE | 16 | 16 | 260 | 6-4 | Washington | 9/16/1972 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 27th pick / 1995 |
| 19 | Andre Coleman | 25 | WR | 8 | 0 | 165 | 5-9 | Kansas St. | 9/19/1972 | 3 | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 70th pick / 1994 |
| 53 | Steve Conley | 25 | LB | 16 | 0 | 235 | 6-5 | Arkansas | 1/18/1972 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 72nd pick / 1996 |
| 63 | Dermontti Dawson*+ | 32 | C-G | 16 | 16 | 288 | 6-2 | Kentucky | 6/17/1965 | 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 44th pick / 1988 |
| 51 | Carlos Emmons | 24 | LB | 5 | 0 | 250 | 6-5 | Arkansas St. | 9/3/1973 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 242nd pick / 1996 |
| 41 | Lee Flowers | 24 | DB | 10 | 0 | 213 | 6-0 | Georgia Tech | 1/14/1973 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 151st pick / 1995 |
| 29 | Randy Fuller | 27 | DB | 12 | 3 | 180 | 5-10 | Tennessee St. | 6/2/1970 | 3 | Denver Broncos / 4th / 123rd pick / 1994 |
| 98 | Oliver Gibson | 25 | DT-NT | 16 | 0 | 304 | 6-2 | Notre Dame | 3/15/1972 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 120th pick / 1995 |
| 92 | Jason Gildon | 25 | LB | 16 | 16 | 255 | 6-4 | Oklahoma St. | 7/31/1972 | 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 88th pick / 1994 |
| 74 | Nolan Harrison | 28 | DE-DT | 16 | 16 | 280 | 6-5 | Indiana | 1/25/1969 | 6 | Los Angeles Raiders / 6th / 146th pick / 1991 |
| 88 | Courtney Hawkins | 28 | WR | 15 | 3 | 183 | 5-9 | Michigan St. | 12/12/1969 | 5 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers / 2nd / 44th pick / 1992 |
| 76 | Kevin Henry | 29 | DE | 16 | 16 | 282 | 6-4 | Mississippi St. | 10/23/1968 | 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 108th pick / 1993 |
| 83 | Corey Holliday | 26 | WR | 2 | 0 | 208 | 6-2 | North Carolina | 1/31/1971 | 2 | |
| 50 | Earl Holmes | 24 | LB | 16 | 16 | 242 | 6-2 | Florida A&M | 4/28/1973 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 126th pick / 1996 |
| 65 | John Jackson | 32 | T | 16 | 16 | 297 | 6-6 | East. Kentucky | 1/4/1965 | 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 10th / 252nd pick / 1988 |
| 81 | Charles Johnson | 25 | WR | 13 | 11 | 200 | 6-0 | Colorado | 1/3/1972 | 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 17th pick / 1994 |
| 9 | Norm Johnson | 37 | K | 16 | 0 | 202 | 6-2 | UCLA | 5/31/1960 | 15 | |
| 54 | Donta Jones | 25 | LB | 16 | 4 | 235 | 6-2 | Nebraska | 8/27/1972 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 125th pick / 1995 |
| 43 | George Jones | 24 | RB | 16 | 1 | 204 | 5-9 | San Diego St. | 12/31/1973 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 154th pick / 1997 |
| 99 | Levon Kirkland*+ | 28 | LB | 16 | 16 | 270 | 6-1 | Clemson | 2/17/1969 | 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 38th pick / 1992 |
| 37 | Carnell Lake*+ | 30 | DB | 16 | 16 | 210 | 6-1 | UCLA | 7/15/1967 | 8 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 34th pick / 1989 |
| 34 | Tim Lester | 29 | RB | 16 | 13 | 233 | 5-10 | East. Kentucky | 6/15/1968 | 5 | Los Angeles Rams / 10th / 255th pick / 1992 |
| 95 | Greg Lloyd | 32 | LB | 12 | 12 | 228 | 6-2 | Fort Valley St. | 5/26/1965 | 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 150th pick / 1987 |
| 85 | Mitch Lyons | 27 | TE | 10 | 3 | 265 | 6-5 | Michigan St. | 5/13/1970 | 4 | Atlanta Falcons / 6th / 151st pick / 1993 |
| 97 | Rod Manuel | 23 | DE | 1 | 0 | 290 | 6-5 | Oklahoma | 10/8/1974 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 199th pick / 1997 |
| 17 | Curtis Marsh | 27 | WR | 5 | 0 | 201 | 6-2 | Utah | 11/24/1970 | 2 | Jacksonville Jaguars / 7th / 219th pick / 1995 |
| 25 | Fred McAfee | 29 | RB | 14 | 0 | 193 | 5-10 | Mississippi Col. | 6/20/1968 | 6 | New Orleans Saints / 6th / 154th pick / 1991 |
| 4 | Josh Miller | 27 | P | 16 | 0 | 225 | 6-4 | Arizona | 7/14/1970 | 1 | |
| 62 | Tom Myslinski | 29 | G | 16 | 7 | 283 | 6-3 | Tennessee | 12/7/1968 | 5 | Dallas Cowboys / 4th / 109th pick / 1992 |
| 24 | Chris Oldham | 29 | DB | 16 | 0 | 200 | 5-9 | Oregon | 10/26/1968 | 7 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 105th pick / 1990 |
| 55 | Jerry Olsavsky | 30 | LB | 16 | 0 | 221 | 6-1 | Pittsburgh | 3/29/1967 | 8 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 10th / 258th pick / 1989 |
| 39 | Darren Perry | 29 | DB | 16 | 16 | 196 | 5-11 | Penn St. | 12/29/1968 | 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 8th / 203rd pick / 1992 |
| 11 | Mike Quinn | 23 | QB | 1 | 0 | 216 | 6-4 | S.F. Austin | 4/15/1974 | Rook | |
| 71 | Orpheus Roye | 24 | DT-DE | 16 | 0 | 320 | 6-4 | Florida St. | 1/21/1973 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 200th pick / 1996 |
| 46 | Troy Sadowski | 32 | TE | 6 | 0 | 255 | 6-5 | Georgia | 12/8/1965 | 7 | Atlanta Falcons / 6th / 145th pick / 1989 |
| 30 | Chad Scott | 23 | DB | 13 | 9 | 205 | 6-1 | Towson St.,Maryland | 9/6/1974 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 24th pick / 1997 |
| 68 | Brenden Stai | 25 | G | 11 | 9 | 312 | 6-4 | Nebraska | 3/30/1972 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 91st pick / 1995 |
| 93 | Joel Steed* | 28 | NT | 16 | 16 | 300 | 6-2 | Colorado | 2/17/1969 | 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 67th pick / 1992 |
| 67 | Jamain Stephens | 23 | T | 7 | 1 | 336 | 6-6 | North Carolina A&T | 1/9/1974 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 29th pick / 1996 |
| 10 | Kordell Stewart | 25 | QB | 16 | 16 | 218 | 6-1 | Colorado | 10/16/1972 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 60th pick / 1995 |
| 73 | Justin Strzelczyk | 29 | T-G | 14 | 14 | 301 | 6-6 | Maine | 8/18/1968 | 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 11th / 293rd pick / 1990 |
| 66 | Jim Sweeney | 35 | C-T-G | 16 | 1 | 297 | 6-4 | Pittsburgh | 8/8/1962 | 13 | New York Jets / 2nd / 37th pick / 1984 |
| 82 | Yancey Thigpen* | 28 | WR | 16 | 15 | 208 | 6-1 | Winston-Salem St. | 8/15/1969 | 6 | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 90th pick / 1991 |
| 18 | Mike Tomczak | 35 | QB | 16 | 0 | 202 | 6-1 | Ohio St. | 10/23/1962 | 12 | |
| 96 | Mike Vrabel | 22 | LB | 15 | 0 | 261 | 6-4 | Ohio St. | 8/14/1975 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 91st pick / 1997 |
| 79 | Paul Wiggins | 24 | T | 1 | 0 | 305 | 6-3 | Oregon | 8/17/1973 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 82nd pick / 1997 |
| 38 | Jon Witman | 25 | RB | 16 | 2 | 240 | 6-2 | Penn St. | 6/1/1972 | 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 92nd pick / 1996 |
| 77 | Will Wolford | 33 | T-G | 16 | 16 | 294 | 6-5 | Vanderbilt | 5/18/1964 | 11 | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 20th pick / 1986 |
| 21 | Donnell Woolford | 31 | DB | 15 | 12 | 192 | 5-9 | Clemson | 1/6/1966 | 8 | Chicago Bears / 1st / 11th pick / 1989 |
| Team Total | 27.2 | 16 | 240.5 | 6-1.8 | 4.2 |