1984 Pittsburgh Steelers

[Legacy User]

Gents, since the weekend will be with Steelers football. I wanted to hear from those of you around for the 1984 season and the Steeler team that damn near made the Superbowl. They eventually lost to the Dolphins and Dan Marino in the AFCCG in Miami. However let's not forget they handed the 49ers the only loss they had in a 15-1 run in 84.. Gents discuss.. Your memories.

[Suwanee88]

I remember this team. I loved the team - hated Mark Malone.

Eric Williams interception against the Yoncos is my fondest memory. Was going nuts durng that game - one of the best games I have ever seen.

[Old School Steeler]

Was in the wretched Orange Bowl for the game. Miami was favored 10+/- could have gotten real interesting but a bullshit holding call on an Abercrombie run off tackle in the red zone. Maybe was Pollard run but I think it was Walter. Believe a TD would have put us within 4. Noll was such an incredible coach getting that roster to that game. If Malone didn't have that knee and Gabe Rivera wasn't a tragedy things would have been different for Chuck in the 80's. Dolphins went on to humiliation in SB, game ended early when Big Hands got inside Miami center (Stevenson?) and got his paw on Danny.

Been to many Steeler AFCCG's and playing in heat, bright sun and humidity felt unnatural and alien.

I hope I'm remembering this correctly.

[Legacy User]

this was year to me playing with house money.. noway did i exspect steelers to get this far.. i kept hoping!

[FortyThree]

I was -1 in 1984 so I won't be able to contribute anything of substance to this thread.

So, business as usual.

[Steel Mike]

I was -1 in 1984 so I won't be able to contribute anything of substance to this thread.

So, business as usual.

same here

[Sir Lambert]

3 linebackers in the Pro Bowl despite Lambert being injured all year. He went down in game 1, and played very little the rest of the season. He retired that offseason.

We still had Stallworth, and Shell, and Webster, but that's it for the 4 ring crowd.

The first time the Steelers ever lost an overtime game was that year, against the Oilers. That dropped them to 7-7, and they had to win the last 2 games, vs Cleveland and at the Raiders, to make it to the playoffs. The Three Rivers curse was still in effect, and they squeaked by the Browns, but then they had to win in the Coliseum against the Super Bowl champs, and the Raiders had our number in the early 80s.

The defense really came to life in that last game and we won 13-7, with those 7 points coming on a 4th down play where the Raiders receiver clearly didn't have both feet down with possession. There was no replay then, and those 7 points are still in the book to this day. We punted back to them late, and Donnie Shell intercepted the ball on the first play, allowing us to hold on for the win.

[Sir Lambert]

That was also the year that Franco held out during training camp, and they cut him. He went to Seattle and did very little there. I don't know if he was even on the Seahawks' roster for the whole season.

[Legacy User]

I was 10, so I vaguely remember. I know I watched every game, but memories are sparse

Probably my best memory from that season was watching 1st Browns game of that year with my dad. He looks at me and says Sam Washington is going to intercept this next one for a TD


Off a tip, I think from JT Thomas

Sam Washington 69 yard interception return (Gary Anderson kick)

[SteelerZen]

I remember being optimistic heading into the AFCCG. We were underdogs but had done a good run. It was close for a while, but we were playing Marino and he seemed to take it personal on the whole Pittsburgh not drafting him. That game go away from the Steelers and they never recovered. It was a surprising season. Up and down. Fun in a different way. they were four years removed from the Super Bowl. Wasn't as much pressure on them. It was fun watching them as a 14-year-old.

[Legacy User]

I was 13...I didn't know much, but I knew that team was nothing like the Steelers 5 years prior. And even then, I was angry that we didn't draft Marino. How could they have let him get away? Duper and Clayton both had great games.

[Suwanee88]

I also remember the Miami AFCG - I remember thinking that Jack Lambert looked very very slow in that game. I believe that was his last game too-

[RemoAZ]

I really really really really wanted Mark Malone to be good since I watched him play at ASU. ASU games were pretty much the only thing my Dad ever did with me. We didn't have much of a relationship other than at those games until I hit high school when he stopped wanting to go anymore. Anyway, I was so excited when the Steelers drafted him. Going into that game was when I just started to really get into the NFL, like hardcore. I was too young to remember much about the earlier teams. That was Malone's chance to prove he could play. As you know, he didn't. If he didn't get hurt earlier on he may have been a really good WR. He sucked as a QB.

[jeemie]

Was in the wretched Orange Bowl for the game. Miami was favored 10+/- could have gotten real interesting but a bullshit holding call on an Abercrombie run off tackle in the red zone. Maybe was Pollard run but I think it was Walter. Believe a TD would have put us within 4. Noll was such an incredible coach getting that roster to that game. If Malone didn't have that knee and Gabe Rivera wasn't a tragedy things would have been different for Chuck in the 80's. Dolphins went on to humiliation in SB, game ended early when Big Hands got inside Miami center (Stevenson?) and got his paw on Danny.

Been to many Steeler AFCCG's and playing in heat, bright sun and humidity felt unnatural and alien.

I hope I'm remembering this correctly.

We actually held a 14-10 lead in that game and got 455 yards of offense.

Unfortunately Miami got 569, and even had we caught up, you got the feeling the Dolphins could have scored whatever it took.

[jeemie]

The Niners' game that year was my favorite.

Steelers jumped out to a 10-0 lead and dominated the first half, shutting down the West Coast offense, even though the Niners finally scored to make it 10-7 at the half.

Niners took over for a lot of the third quarter and scored 10 unanswered points and a 17-10 lead, but then the Steelers went on a loooong drive (15 plays, I think) which ended with a Malone to Stallworth TD with about 3 minutes left.

Everyone thought Montana would march down the field and re-take the lead, but Bryan Hinkle picked him off, and then the Steelers O drove for the eventual GW FG.

Montana had one more chance with 1:40 or so left and drove the Niners to the Steelers 20, but then Wersching was wide with the game tying attempt, and the Steelers had shocked the Niners 20-17.

In Candlestick.

[franco32]

I was 10. Remember it well. I was a football junkie back then. One thing that was clear was Malone sucked. Knee injury or not, he was terrible at reading defenses. Horrible QB pick there. It was a miracle Noll got that team to AFCG.

[Legacy User]

I was -1 in 1984 so I won't be able to contribute anything of substance to this thread.

So, business as usual.

Really?

I kind of took you for being about 50.

[Ice]

I was -1 in 1984 so I won't be able to contribute anything of substance to this thread.

So, business as usual.

same here

Yup

[Legacy User]

I was 11 years old and really starting to get into football. I remember a lot of hype about Dan Marino not being drafted by the Steelers in the days leading up to the game. I was frustrated by Malone because I knew he wasn't as good as Bradshaw and never would be. On offense I loved Louis Lipps, Weegie Thompson and Rich Erenburg (I don't remember why). Mike Merriweather was the man on defense, but I think that was the year Lambert retired due to turf toe. I don't think he finished the season. I don't recall him playing in the game. In fact I don't remember a lot about the game other than being really impressed by the Mark's Brothers. Miami seemed like they could score at will. I also remember being pissed that the Steelers didn't draft Marino when the game was over.

[JackLambert58]

Dammit Jeemie, you stole my thunder! That win over the 49ers prevented them from having a perfect record that season. They finished 15-1 and breezed through the playoffs that year. In fact, go back and look at the Niners games that season. They only had a couple of games where it was close. They were dominant, and when they beat the Dolphins in the SB, I won $50.

Bunch of fucking kids post here! (in grumpy old man voice)

I was 23 and in the Navy in '84. Still had quite a few of the '70's Steelers on the team. Webby still at center. Brown at right tackle. Donnie Shell at strong safety. It was also Lambert's last season, the one he got the turf toe injury. Stallworth was still lighting it up and would for a few more years. '84 would be his greatest year statistically. Also Lipps' rookie season as well. He and Stallworth made for a great WR duo that year.

I agree with bam about the house money. Never thought we'd get past Denver in the playoffs, and didn't think we'd beat Miami either. Was wrong on Denver, right on Miami. I didn't like Malone either. It was the first season without Bradshaw, and we wouldn't really replace him until the '04 draft. Still did love the run they made.

[Suwanee88]

The Niners' game that year was my favorite.

Steelers jumped out to a 10-0 lead and dominated the first half, shutting down the West Coast offense, even though the Niners finally scored to make it 10-7 at the half.

Niners took over for a lot of the third quarter and scored 10 unanswered points and a 17-10 lead, but then the Steelers went on a loooong drive (15 plays, I think) which ended with a Malone to Stallworth TD with about 3 minutes left.

Everyone thought Montana would march down the field and re-take the lead, but Bryan Hinkle picked him off, and then the Steelers O drove for the eventual GW FG.

Montana had one more chance with 1:40 or so left and drove the Niners to the Steelers 20, but then Wersching was wide with the game tying attempt, and the Steelers had shocked the Niners 20-17.

In Candlestick.

Ronnie Lott said that John Stallworth was the strongest WR he ever played against after this game.

[Legacy User]

Loved this team. They battled, but they were a shell of their former selves and I had little confidence we would go all the way, even though you never know when you're in it. Hats off to this team and to Chuck Noll who took an under-talented team to the footstep of the Super Bowl.

[Obviously]

Being the "what if" guy that I am, this could have been the "one for the thumb" year had the Steelers drafted Dan Marino. Marino to Stallworth and Lipps. Man.

[RemoAZ]

Being the "what if" guy that I am, this could have been the "one for the thumb" year had the Steelers drafted Dan Marino. Marino to Stallworth and Lipps. Man.

*drool*

[Legacy User]

Was in the wretched Orange Bowl for the game. Miami was favored 10+/- could have gotten real interesting but a bullshit holding call on an Abercrombie run off tackle in the red zone. Maybe was Pollard run but I think it was Walter. Believe a TD would have put us within 4. Noll was such an incredible coach getting that roster to that game. If Malone didn't have that knee and Gabe Rivera wasn't a tragedy things would have been different for Chuck in the 80's. Dolphins went on to humiliation in SB, game ended early when Big Hands got inside Miami center (Stevenson?) and got his paw on Danny.

Been to many Steeler AFCCG's and playing in heat, bright sun and humidity felt unnatural and alien.

I hope I'm remembering this correctly.

That's a great memory...to see Marino at his best even though we got killed.

[jeemie]

I remember the Steelers went on to beat the 49ers AGAIN in 1987, in a game where Mark Malone went 9 for 33.

Unfortunately, that was it for a while with the Steelers' domination of the Niners- the next game was a 27-7 dismantling of the Steelers by the Niners in 1990, when Barry Foster forgot that an uncaught kickoff was a live ball.

[Scunge]

I was 17 in 1984 and remember that season very, very well.

My memory of that 49ers game was that it typified the vastly underrated play of one of the all time great Steeler LBers that nobody ever talks about.

No, not Mike Merriweather but one Bryan Hinkle. You see it was Hinkle that was the better of the two players, always. Bryan Hinkle was a lowly 6th round pick out of Oregon and he wasn't big, he was only 6'1" 220 pounds.

He became a starter in 1984 and played in 15 games that year at ROLB. He had 5.5 sacks, 3 INTs and 2 FR and returned one for a TD. Being only 220 pounds you would think he would be a liability against the run but he wasn't, he was hard to block and he just was always around the football making big plays when we needed it the most.

In that 49er game, yes the game was tied at 17-17 with that Malone to Stallworth TD but it was Hinkle who won the game. The 49ers got the ball back on kickoff and were driving down the field and were going to easily kick a FG to win the game. BUT… Bryan Hinkle intercepted Joe Montana and didn't just intercept him but he returned it 43 yards. Then our kicker Gary Anderson kicked an easy 21 yard FG to win the game.

Bryan Hinkle, the most underrated Pittsburgh Steeler OLB of all time!

[Legacy User]

I actually watched that 49ers game with an ex- Steeler...Russell Davis was my pod officer at Shuman center that game

[Legacy User]

I remember Hinkle, I liked that guy.

[Nick79]

I really really really really wanted Mark Malone to be good since I watched him play at ASU. ASU games were pretty much the only thing my Dad ever did with me. We didn't have much of a relationship other than at those games until I hit high school when he stopped wanting to go anymore. Anyway, I was so excited when the Steelers drafted him. Going into that game was when I just started to really get into the NFL, like hardcore. I was too young to remember much about the earlier teams. That was Malone's chance to prove he could play. As you know, he didn't. If he didn't get hurt earlier on he may have been a really good WR. He sucked as a QB.

I remember thinking I wish Marino was on our side, no matter how much dope HE REALLY DID smoke back at Pitt.