USFL '86: Pittsburgh, or, Steel Shitty?

Pittsburgh's '85 was bittersweet: 8-9-1, a half-game improvement on paper. They drew Oakland in Week 1, fell to 2-5-1, won three straight, lost two straight, and were 8-8-1 heading into the finale. Rookie Eugene Robinson ended their season on the final play. Hosstetler exceeded expectations, Rozier improved, Paige and Wolfley proved fan favorites. The Maulers focused on patching holes in their defense after the mortifying departure of Sam Clancy to the Browns. NFL veterans Guy Fraizer, Don Smith, Leo Wisneiweski, and the return of Dirt Winston led to a modest bump in season ticket sales. They were more rumble, more tumble, and more rogue.

The Steelers run to the '84 AFC title game seemed more the final caws of a dying eagle than the return of the eternal phoenix; a ragtag band in gaudy purple and orange scraping out wins on luck seemed more accurate of the lived experiences of fans dealing with deregulation, The Great Offshoring, the suppression of wages for existing jobs, and the CIA crack vans parked out front of corner stores.