1999 Pittsburgh Steelers season


The 1999 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise’s 67th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
For the second consecutive season the Steelers failed to make the playoffs after starting off the season by winning 5 of their first 8 games. Losing seven of the remaining eight dropped Pittsburgh to 6–10 for the year, their worst record under Bill Cowher.
The 1999 Steelers are the only NFL team since at least 1940 to concede so many as five safeties in one season.

Offseason

1999 expansion draft

PickNamePositionExpansion team
9Rod ManuelDefensive endCleveland Browns
---Cleveland Browns

Personnel

Staff

Notable additions include Joey Porter and Aaron Smith.

Regular season

Game summaries

Week 2 (Sunday September 19, 1999): at [Baltimore Ravens]

at PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, MarylandGame time: 1:00 PM EDTGame weather: Game attendance: 68,965Referee: Gerald AustinTV announcers: Don Criqui, Steve Tasker
Scoring drives:
  • Pittsburgh – Stewart 8 run
  • Baltimore – Rhett 2 run
  • Pittsburgh – Huntley 17 run
  • Baltimore – FG Stover 45
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 32
  • Baltimore – FG Stover 28
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 28
  • Baltimore – Ismail 19 pass from Case
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 36

Week 3 (Sunday September 26, 1999): vs. [Seattle Seahawks]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaGame time: 1:00 PM EDTGame weather: Game attendance: 57,881Referee: Phil LuckettTV announcers: Kevin Harlan, Sam Wyche, Marcus Allen
Scoring drives:
  • Seattle – Hanks 23 interception return
  • Seattle – Rogers 94 punt return
  • Seattle – FG Peterson 45
  • Seattle – FG Peterson 51
  • Seattle – FG Peterson 41
  • Seattle – FG Peterson 26
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 33
  • Seattle – FG Peterson 38
  • Pittsburgh – Edwards 16 pass from Tomczak

Week 4 (Sunday October 3, 1999): vs. [Jacksonville Jaguars]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaGame time: 1:00 PM EDTGame weather: Game attendance: 57,308Referee: Dick HantakTV announcers: Verne Lundquist, Dan Dierdorf, Bonnie Bernstein
Scoring drives:
  • Jacksonville – McCardell 7 pass from Brunell
  • PIttsburgh – FG Brown 48
  • Jacksonville – FG Hollis 27
  • Jacksonville – FG Hollis 41
  • Jacksonville – Safety, Stewart fumbled ball out of end zone
  • Jacksonville – Safety, Smeenge sacked Stewart in end zone

Week 5 (Sunday October 10, 1999): at [Buffalo Bills]

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New YorkGame time: 1:00 PM EDTGame weather: Game attendance: 71,038Referee: Ed HochuliTV announcers: Verne Lundquist, Dan Dierdorf, Bonnie Bernstein
Scoring drives:
  • Pittsburgh – Ward 12 pass from Stewart
  • Buffalo – Gash 2 pass from Flutie
  • Buffalo – Moulds 49 pass from Flutie
  • Buffalo – FG Christie 29
  • Pittsburgh – Edwards 17 pass from Stewart
  • Buffalo – Riemersma 8 pass from Flutie
  • Pittsburgh – Bettis 1 run

Week 6 (Sunday October 17, 1999): at [Cincinnati Bengals]

at Cinergy Field, Cincinnati, OhioGame time: 1:00 PM EDTGame weather: Game attendance: 59,669Referee: Jeff TripletteTV announcers: Gus Johnson, Brent Jones
Scoring drives:
  • Pittsburgh – Bettis 1 run
  • Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 37
  • Pittsburgh – Bettis 5 run
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 43

Week 7 (Monday October 25, 1999): vs. [Atlanta Falcons]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaGame time: 9:00 PM EDTGame weather: Game attendance: 58,141Referee: Ron WinterTV announcers: Al Michaels, Boomer Esiason, Lesley Visser
Scoring drives:
  • Pittsburgh – Huntley 13 pass from Stewart
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 51
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 25
  • Atlanta – Mathis 5 pass from Chandler
  • Atlanta – Safety, Miller stepped out of end zone

Week 9 (Sunday November 7, 1999): at [San Francisco 49ers]

at 3Com Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaGame time: 4:15 PM ESTGame weather: Game attendance: 68,657Referee: Tom WhiteTV announcers: Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, Armen Keteyian
Scoring drives:
  • Pittsburgh – Bettis 1 run
  • San Francisco – FG Richey 19
  • Pittsburgh – Ward 13 pass from Stewart
  • PIttsburgh – FG Brown 28
  • San Francisco – FG Richey 20
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 38
  • Pittsburgh – Bettis 22 run

Week 10 (Sunday November 14, 1999): vs. [Cleveland Browns]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaGame time: 1:00 PM ESTGame weather: Game attendance: 58,213Referee: Johnny GrierTV announcers: Craig Bolerjack, Beasley Reece
Scoring drives:
  • Cleveland – K. Johnson 35 pass from Couch
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 41
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 32
  • Pittsburgh – Huntley 5 run
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 47
  • Cleveland – Edwards 5 pass from Couch
  • Cleveland – FG Dawson 39

Week 11 (Sunday November 21, 1999): at [Tennessee Titans]

at Adelphia Coliseum, Nashville, TennesseeGame time: 1:00 PM ESTGame weather: Game attendance: 66,619Referee: Mike CareyTV announcers: Don Criqui, Steve Tasker
Scoring drives:
  • Tennessee – McNair 2 run
  • Pittsburgh – Edwards 15 pass from Stewart
  • Tennessee – McNair 3 run
  • Tennessee – Safety, Stewart penalized for intentional grounding in end zone
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 24

Week 12 (Sunday November 28, 1999): vs. [Cincinnati Bengals]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaGame time: 1:00 PM ESTGame weather: Game attendance: 50,907Referee: Walt ColemanTV announcers: Bill Macatee, Beasley Reece
Scoring drives:
  • Cincinnati – Scott 76 pass from Blake
  • Cincinnati – Blake 4 run
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 35
  • Cincinnati – Heath 58 interception return
  • Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 29
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 33
  • Pittsburgh – Shaw 15 pass from Tomczak
  • Pittsburgh – Ward 34 pass from Tomczak
  • Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 29

Week 13 (Thursday December 2, 1999): at [Jacksonville Jaguars]

at Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, FloridaGame time: 8:20 PM ESTGame weather: Game attendance: 68,806Referee: Bill CarolloTV announcers: Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann & Paul Maguire, Solomon Wilcots
Scoring drives:
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 40
  • Jacksonville – FG Hollis 25
  • Jacksonville – FG Hollis 32
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 39
  • Jacksonville – Smith 27 pass from Brunell
  • Jacksonville – Stewart 1 run

Week 14 (Sunday December 12, 1999): vs. [Baltimore Ravens]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaGame time: 1:00 PM ESTGame weather: Game attendance: 46,715Referee: Jeff TripletteTV announcers: Ian Eagle, Mark May
Scoring drives:
  • Pittsburgh – Ward 21 pass from Bettis
  • Baltimore – Holmes 64 run
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 31
  • Baltimore – FG Stover 19
  • Baltimore – Ismail 54 pass from Banks
  • Pittsburgh – Edwards 6 pass from Tomczak
  • Baltimore – Ismail 59 pass from Banks
  • Baltimore – Ismail 76 pass from Banks
  • Pittsburgh – Stewart 11 pass from Tomczak

Week 15 (Saturday December 18, 1999): at [Kansas City Chiefs]

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MissouriGame time: 12:30 PM ESTGame weather: Game attendance: 78,697Referee: Larry NemmersTV announcers: Verne Lundquist, Dan Dierdorf, Bonnie Bernstein
Scoring drives:
  • Pittsburgh – T. Edwards 12 pass from Tomczak
  • Kansas City – Gonzales 15 pass from Grbac
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 42
  • Kansas City – D. Edwards 28 interception return
  • Kansas City – Gonzales 2 pass from Grbac
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 47
  • Kansas City – Alexander 82 run
  • Kansas City – Morris 10 run
  • Pittsburgh – Shaw 11 pass from Tomczak

Week 16 (Sunday December 26, 1999): vs. [Carolina Panthers]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaGame time: 1:00 PM ESTGame weather: Game attendance: 39,428Referee: Bob McElweeTV announcers: Ray Bentley, Ron Pitts, Alby Oxenreiter
Scoring drives:
  • Pittsburgh – FG Brown 46
  • Pittsburgh – Davis 102 fumble return
  • Carolina – Lane 41 run
  • Pittsburgh – Huntley 25 run
  • Carolina – Jeffers 88 pass from Beuerlein
  • Pittsburgh – Ward 9 pass from Tomczak
  • Carolina – Jeffers 43 pass from Beuerlein
  • Pittsburgh – Bettis 8 run

Week 17 (Sunday January 2, 2000): vs. [Tennessee Titans]

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaGame time: 4:15 PM ESTGame weather: Game attendance: 48,025Referee: Tom WhiteTV announcers: Don Criqui, Steve Tasker
Scoring drives:
  • Tennessee – Wycheck 9 pass from McNair
  • Pittsburgh – Huntley 8 run
  • Tennessee – Thomas 11 run
  • Tennessee – Wycheck 26 pass from O'Donnell
  • Tennessee – Kearse 14 fumble return
  • Tennessee – FG Del Greco 42
  • Pittsburgh – Ward 15 pass from Tomczak
  • Tennessee – Safety, Thorton sacked Tomczak in end zone
  • Tennessee – Roan 24 pass from O'Donnell
  • Pittsburgh – Bettis 1 run
  • Pittsburgh – Porter 46 fumble return
  • Tennessee – Walker 83 fumble return
  • Pittsburgh – Shaw 35 pass from Tomczak