The Steel Curtain was the nickname given to the front four of the famous defensive line of the American football team Pittsburgh Steelers during their 1970s dynasty years. This defense was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won 4 Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, and XIV). Over the years, the nickname evolved into a reference to the entire defensive squad.
In the 1976 season, the Steelers' defense was a juggernaut, arguably the greatest defense of all time. After the Steelers started 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, the Steelers' defense took over for the remaining nine games. The Steelers recorded five shutouts, including three in a row, during this stretch. During this nine-game stretch the Steelers allowed a total of two touchdowns (in the same 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. Four would be selected to the Hall of Fame.
Read more about Steel Curtain: Lineup, Origin of The Nickname, References
Famous quotes containing the words steel and/or curtain:
“The steel decks rock with the lightning shock, and shake with the
great recoil,
And the sea grows red with the blood of the dead and reaches for his spoil—
But not till the foe has gone below or turns his prow and runs,
Shall the voice of peace bring sweet release to the men behind the
guns!”
—John Jerome Rooney (1866–1934)
“A curtain of wax dividing them from the bride flight,
The upflight of the murderess into a heaven that loves her.”
—Sylvia Plath (1932–1963)