The US Congress has declared September 7th as “Chuck Noll Day” in honor of the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers championship coach, who was taken from us in June of this year.
Chuck Noll’s Steelers practiced with no numbers. Photo Credit: Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated
As part of the celebration, Steel Curtain Rising has prepared 23 facts about Chuck Noll and the Pittsburgh Steelers squads he led.
1 Noll had 1 son, Chris Henry Noll
2 The unlikely duo of Chuck Noll and Mark Malone paired for two victories over Bill Walsh and Joe Montana
3 NFL teams employed Noll’s service as a coach – the AFL’s Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers, the Baltimore Colts, and Pittsburgh Steelers
4 Super Bowls in 6 years, a record no one else has ever matched
5 Noll ranks 5th among all coaches in total playoff victories
6 Versus Tom Landry, Noll had six victories, including Super Bowl X and Super Bowl XIII
7 Noll ranks 7th among all coaches in total victories at 209, including both playoff and regular season
8 Noll notched 8 over time victories; his overall record in overtime was 8-3-1
9 AFC Central Division Championships
10 Noll is one of only ten coaches to win at least 3 Super Bowls and/or NFL Championships
11 Hall of Famers drafted by the Emperor- Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Mel Blount, Jack Lambert, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Mike Webster, Rod Woodson, and Dermontti Dawson.
12 Playoff Appearances
13 Quarterbacks started for Chuck Noll – Dick Shiner, Bradshaw, Terry Hanratty, Joe Gilliam, Mike Kruczek, Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone, David Woodley, Scott Campbell, Bubby Brister, Steve Bono, Todd Blackledge, and Neil O’Donnell
14 Regular season games were won by Noll’s 1978 Super Bowl Championship team, a team record that stood until Ben Roethlisberger’s arrival in 2004
15 Winning seasons under Noll
16 Playoff victories
17 points were scored by Noll’s Steelers as he closed his career with two final two victories vs. Wyche’s Bengals and Bill Belichick’s Browns
18 points were scored by Noll’s defenses and special teams via safeties – that’s not a stat you see every day!
19 The jersey number “19” was only issued once during Noll tenure, when David Woodley wore it.
20 Noll’s 20th win came in November of 1972, vs. Bud Grant’s Minnesota Vikings, the same team he would defeat in Super Bowl IX
21 Different people held the title “head coach” for the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Houston Oilers during Noll’s tenure in Pittsburgh (interim head coaches excluded.)
22 Different schools supplied Noll with his first round draft picks, Baylor was the lone repeat alma mater for Greg Hawthorne and Walter Abercrombie
23 Years coaching the Steelers; 23 years in retirement until his passing.
For more about Chuck Noll and his incredible accomplishments, click here to read Steel Curtain Rising’s extended tribute.
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