The complete history of Pittsburgh Steelers championships: Every Super Bowl win and title explained

During his tenure as the head coach of the Steelers, Mike Tomlin often said, “The standard is the standard.”

In Pittsburgh, the standard isn’t a playoff berth, AFC North title or even an appearance in the conference championship game. No, the only standard is the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Founded in 1933, the Steelers are the AFC’s oldest franchise and have a winning tradition that matches or exceeds the success of any other NFL team. There is a reason why “yinzers” bring high expectations into every season.

How much do you know about Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl runs? Here is a full breakdown of the Steelers’ history in the championship game.

How many championships have the Pittsburgh Steelers won?

The Steelers have won six Super Bowls, putting them atop the all-time list with the Patriots, who have also captured six Lombardi Trophies. Pittsburgh has reached the Super Bowl eight times, falling to the Packers in its most recent appearance (Super Bowl XLV in 2011).

Through 65 playoff games, the Steelers hold an all-time postseason record of 36-29. They have advanced to the conference championship game 16 times with eight wins and eight losses.

The 1970s Steel Curtain dynasty

By winning Super Bowls IX, X, XIII and XIV, the Steelers established themselves as the NFL’s premier franchise.

Pittsburgh was known for its “Steel Curtain” defensive unit that featured Hall of Famers like “Mean” Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham and Mel Blount. The offense had plenty of talent, too, with Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth putting points on the scoreboard.

Under legendary coach Chuck Noll, the Steelers became the only team to win four Super Bowls in six years. Noll is also the only coach in NFL history who has won four Super Bowls without suffering a loss.

The return to glory in the 2000s

The Steelers experienced a Super Bowl drought until coach Bill Cowher broke through the championship barrier in Super Bowl XL. Behind Hines Ward’s MVP performance and the longest run in Super Bowl history on a handoff to Willie Parker, Pittsburgh snagged its fifth ring and gave running back Jerome Bettis a storybook ending in his final season.

Only three years later, under Tomlin, the Steelers defeated the Cardinals in a Super Bowl XLIII thriller. James Harrison set a Super Bowl record with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown, giving the Steelers a 10-point halftime lead. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who struggled mightily in Super Bowl XL, delivered a perfect throw to MVP Santonio Holmes in the closing seconds of the game, bringing a sixth title to Pittsburgh.

Steelers record in Super Bowls

The Steelers have a record of 6-2 in their eight Super Bowl appearances. Pittsburgh had a perfect 4-0 mark under Noll before splitting its matchups under Cowher and Tomlin.

Super Bowl	Result	MVP	Coach	Location
Super Bowl IX	Steelers 16, Vikings 6	Franco Harris	Chuck Noll	New Orleans
Super Bowl X	Steelers 21, Cowboys 17	Lynn Swann	Chuck Noll	Miami
Super Bowl XIII	Steelers 35, Cowboys 31	Terry Bradshaw	Chuck Noll	Miami
Super Bowl XIV	Steelers 31, Rams 19	Terry Bradshaw	Chuck Noll	Pasadena
Super Bowl XXX	Cowboys 27, Steelers 17	Larry Brown	Bill Cowher	Tempe
Super Bowl XL	Steelers 21, Seahawks 10	Hines Ward	Bill Cowher	Detroit
Super Bowl XLIII	Steelers 27, Cardinals 23	Santonio Holmes	Mike Tomlin	Tampa
Super Bowl XLV	Packers 31, Steelers 25	Aaron Rodgers	Mike Tomlin	Arlington

The Steelers legacy: Chasing a seventh ring

With Tomlin leading the way, the Steelers are hoping to break a tie with the Patriots on the all-time Super Bowl list.

Despite posting solid regular-season records over the last decade, Pittsburgh has been unable to advance in the postseason. The Steelers have not won a playoff game since January 2017, when they beat the Dolphins and Chiefs in the wild card and divisional rounds, respectively, before falling to the Patriots in the conference championship game.

But with veteran defensive stars like T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward still on the roster and young talent like Jaylen Warren and DK Metcalf injecting life into the offense, the hope for another championship run remains.