Division place 5th Eastern Division | Record 3–6–2 Playoff finish did not qualify | |
The 1933 Pittsburgh Pirates was the debut season of the team that would eventually become the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team was founded after Pennsylvania relaxed its blue laws that, prior to 1933, prohibited sporting events from taking place on Sundays, when most NFL games took place. The new squad was composed largely of local semi-pro players, many of whom played for sports promoter Art Rooney. Rooney became the Pirates owner, paying the NFL a $2,500 fee to join the league. Except for a brief period in 1940 and '41, Rooney would remain the franchise's principal owner until his death in 1988. The Rooney family has retained a controlling interest ever since. The team took the field for the first time on September 20 against the New York Giants at Forbes Field, losing 23–2. The following week, the team got its first win, defeating the Chicago Cardinals at home 14–13.
Contents
- Standings
- Week 1 Wednesday September 20 1933 New York Giants
- Week 2 Wednesday September 27 1933 Chicago Cardinals
- Week 3 Wednesday October 4 1933 Boston Redskins
- Week 4 Wednesday October 11 1933 Cincinnati Reds
- Week 5 Sunday October 15 1933 at Green Bay Packers
- Week 6 Sunday October 22 1933 at Cincinnati Reds
- Week 7 Sunday October 29 1933 at Boston Redskins
- Week 8 Sunday November 5 1933 at Brooklyn Dodgers
- Week 9 Sunday November 12 1933 Brooklyn Dodgers
- Week 10 Sunday November 19 1933 at Philadelphia Eagles
- Week 12 Sunday December 3 1933 at New York Giants
- References
The team finished 3–6–2 for the season.
Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Week 1 (Wednesday September 20, 1933): New York Giants
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Scoring drives:
Week 2 (Wednesday September 27, 1933): Chicago Cardinals
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Scoring drives:
Week 3 (Wednesday October 4, 1933): Boston Redskins
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Scoring drives:
Week 4 (Wednesday October 11, 1933): Cincinnati Reds
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Scoring drives:
Week 5 (Sunday October 15, 1933): at Green Bay Packers
City Stadium, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Scoring drives:
Week 6 (Sunday October 22, 1933): at Cincinnati Reds
at Redland Field, Cincinnati
Scoring drives:
Week 7 (Sunday October 29, 1933): at Boston Redskins
at Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
Scoring drives:
Week 8 (Sunday November 5, 1933): at Brooklyn Dodgers
at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York
Scoring drives:
Week 9 (Sunday November 12, 1933): Brooklyn Dodgers
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Scoring drives:
Week 10 (Sunday November 19, 1933): at Philadelphia Eagles
at Baker Bowl, Philadelphia
Scoring drives:
Week 12 (Sunday December 3, 1933): at New York Giants
at Polo Grounds, New York City
Scoring drives: