Steelers Throwback Thursday: Bill Austin’s disastrous coaching streak
Steel City Underground takes fans back in time to feature events, special moments, and historical times and players in the world of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Steelers Nation. Join us as we revisit these moments in our “Steelers Throwback Thursday” series.
This week, we went way back in the Pittsburgh Steelers historical archives. Not every year was “one to remember” for the Steelers, just like not every individual has a brilliant career in the Steel City. In 1966, former NFL player-turned-coach Bill Austin became Pittsburgh’s head coach after a recommendation from famed Vince Lombardi. The season was disastrous for the organization and did little to help Austin, a part of Lombardi’s coaching tree, pad his resume as an NFL coach.
(Bill Austin – left- Steelers archive photo)
For the first time in franchise history, the Steelers attended training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe (Pa.) in 1966. Austin, who’d payed offensive line for the New York Giants and won an NFL Championship (1956), became Pittsburgh’s head coach after coaching in the league under Lombardi (1959-64 offensive line coach) in Green Bay and as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive line coach in 1965.
Mike Nixon had done very little as the Steelers’ head coach the season prior, with the team winning just 2-of-14 games. They finished paced seventh in the NFL Eastern Division.
The hope was that Austin, a one-season Pro Bowler (as a player) and two NFL Championship coach (1961 and 1962) could help improve Pittsburgh’s level of competitiveness in the division and league.
Pittsburgh acquired halfback Willie Asbury from the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent that year. Their season roster (not including 5-man practice squad) was as follows:
Quarterbacks
- George Izo
- Bill Nelsen
- Ron C. Smith
Running backs
- Willie Asbury
- Cannonball Jim Butler (FB)
- Dick Hoak
Wide receivers
- Roy Jefferson
- Jerry Simmons
- J. R. Wilburn
Tight ends
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
In Week 1 of the 1966 season, the Steelers tied the Giants, 34-34, at Pitt Stadium. Nelson competed 16-of-27 passes for 264 yards and three passing touchdowns. Asbury added rushing touchdown and gained 83 yards on 18 carries. Ballman led all Steelers receivers with 5 receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown. A tie wasn’t ideal, but the high scoring was a reason for hope for Austin as a rookie head coach
After a win over the Detroit Lions in Week 2, though, things started to go downhill. For the first time in its history, the NFL scheduled Pittsburgh to play the Washington Redskins in back-to-back weeks during the regular season. It was the beginning of a five-game skid for the Steelers.
After losing to the Redskins, the Steelers went on to lose badly to Jim Brown and the Cleveland Browns (10-41), the Philadelphia Eagles (14-31), and the Tom Landry-led Dallas Cowboys (21-52).
The Cowboys and Eagles would again foil Austin’s plans for his team in a three-game loss streak.
The 1966 St. Louis Cardinals team wasn’t a top-tier opponent but the Steelers ended up splitting the series with them. Pittsburgh lost their Week 12 game to the Cardinals, 3-6, in their lowest-scoring game of the season.
Austin’s rookie coaching season resulted in the Steelers finishing 5-8-1 and missing the playoffs. It was already the beginning of the end of his career as head coach in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers moved to the “Century Division” in 1967 and finished 4-9-1 under Austin. In 1968, Pittsburgh finished 2-11-1. They missed the playoffs in those two seasons as well.
The Steelers’ “bat wing” or “Batman” jerseys of 1966 are memorable, however.
In 1969, the NFL’s 50th season and one year removed from the subsequent AFL-NFL merger, the Steelers organization hired Chuck Noll as their head coach. Little did they realize after that horrible season, Noll would help create the Steelers dynasty of the 1970s and end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
