The Steelers began their 1976 season 1–4 and lost their quarterback,
Terry Bradshaw. For the nine games remaining in the season, the Steelers recorded five shutouts (three of them uninterrupted), and only allowed two touchdowns (both in a single game), and five field goals. The defense allowed an average 3.1 points per game and the team had an average margin of victory of 22 points. Eight of the Steelers' starting eleven defensive players were selected for the Pro Bowl that year, and four would be selected to the Hall of Fame.[2]
The nickname "Steel Curtain", a play on the phrase "
Iron Curtain" popularized by former
British Prime MinisterWinston Churchill, originated in a 1971 contest sponsored by
Pittsburgh radio station
WTAE to name the defense. The name was also a play on Pittsburgh's reputation for
steel production. The contest was won by Gregory Kronz, a ninth grader at a suburban high school. According to the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "he was just one of 17 people who submitted the 'Steel Curtain' moniker to the WTAE contest, necessitating a drawing for the grand prize," which Kronz won.[3] The term has also been used to refer to their defense as a whole during that time.[4]
Namesakes
The
Steel Curtain roller coaster at
Kennywood, which opened in 2019,[5] was named after the Steelers' defensive line.[6]