The 1988 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 56th in the
National Football League.
Hall of Fame team founder and owner
Art Rooney died at age 87 less than two weeks before the start of the season on August 25. The team wore AJR patches on the left shoulder the entire season in memory of "The Chief".
The team finished the season at 5–11 failing to improve on their 8–7 record from 1987, and had their worst record since finishing an
NFL-worst 1–13 in
1969.
As of 2020, the 5–11 mark remains the team's worst record since 1969, and they have only finished with ten losses twice since, in
1999 and
2003.
The Steelers got off to a disappointing start. After winning their home opener against the
Dallas Cowboys, the team lost six straight, their first six-game losing streak since
1969. The team never recovered after the skid, and at one point had a 2–10 record after a 27–7 loss to the
Cleveland Browns. It was the Steelers worst start to a season since the merger. The Steelers did, however, finish the season on a positive note, winning 3 of their last 4 games to finish the season 5–11. To date, this represents the only time since the AFL-NFL merger the Steelers have finished the season last place in their division.
Chuck Noll controversy
During the season, due to the team's struggles there were calls from the media and fans for longtime head coach
Chuck Noll to step down, particularly after an embarrassing loss to the eventual AFC champions
Cincinnati Bengals 42–7. Following that game, Noll said that everyone "should go out and get law degrees", in reference to cornerback
Dwayne Woodruff having recently passed the
bar exam in preparation for his law career after he retired as well as Woodruff's bad game against the Bengals.[1]
Following the season, Noll intended to resign until defensive line coach
Joe Greene got word and informed
Dan Rooney (who had considered firing Noll),[2] leading to Rooney and Noll to make some compromises. In exchange for lifetime employment with the team (Noll would be listed in media guides as an administrative advisor from his retirement from coaching until his death in 2014), Noll agreed to part ways with several members of his coaching staff.[3]
One negative side effect to Noll making changes to his coaching staff was the loss of defensive coordinator
Tony Dungy. Rooney wanted Dungy demoted to defensive backs coach, but Dungy opted to leave for the
Kansas City Chiefs, taking the same position with that team and working under their defensive coordinator—and Noll's eventual replacement--
Bill Cowher. While Dungy would go on to have a
Hall of Fame career as head coach of the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers and
Indianapolis Colts, the loss of Dungy likely delayed his eventual ascension to head coach in the NFL.[4]
Mike Webster, who was also from the Class of 1974, entered the season as the sole remaining member of all four Super Bowl teams. However, change appeared to be imminent when the team drafted
KentuckyguardDermontti Dawson in the second round of the
1988 draft. Although Dawson would be playing guard his rookie season alongside Webster, it was apparent that Dawson was drafted to be groomed as Webster's eventual replacement at
center. Webster would be released by the Steelers in the following offseason, officially ending the team's link to all four Super Bowl clubs.
To the delight of Steelers fans, and even most of the players, the
Mark Malone era officially ended in the offseason as well. Malone, who had lost the starting
quarterback job to
Bubby Bristerthe previous year, was traded to the
San Diego Chargers during the offseason. Malone had also become hugely unpopular with fans and teammates for blaming his mistakes on other players and acting as if he were the "heir" to the QB position after the retirement of
Terry Bradshaw. At one point, a locker room fight between Malone and the rest of the team ensued before being broken up by veteran
offensive tackleTunch Ilkin.