The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing to host their first playoff game on a Monday night, with the Houston Texans set to visit Acrisure Stadium for a Wild Card round matchup. This marks the eighth time the city has hosted a Wild Card game, and the team hopes this contest will join previous memorable moments in its history.
One such notable game took place on December 29, 1996, when the Steelers defeated the Indianapolis Colts 42-14. The matchup followed an AFC Championship Game between the teams from the prior season. In 1996, after some uncertainty at quarterback, Mike Tomczak led Pittsburgh into the playoffs against a Colts squad featuring Jim Harbaugh and Marshall Faulk. The Steelers established an early lead but trailed by halftime before dominating in the second half behind Jerome Bettis’ two touchdowns and Jon Witman’s long scoring run. Defensive efforts included three sacks from Chad Brown and an interception by Levon Kirkland.
Another standout Wild Card contest occurred on January 5, 2003, when Pittsburgh edged out the Cleveland Browns 36-33. Kelly Holcomb started for Cleveland due to Tim Couch’s injury and threw for 447 yards as his team built a significant lead. However, Tommy Maddox rallied Pittsburgh with multiple touchdown passes in the second half. A key drop by Cleveland late in the fourth quarter gave Maddox another chance to orchestrate a winning drive that ended with Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala’s touchdown run and Antwaan Randle El’s successful conversion pass to Jerame Tuman. Cleveland threatened again in final seconds but was stopped short as time expired.
The January 8, 2017 Wild Card game saw Pittsburgh beat the Miami Dolphins 30-12. Miami had rebounded during their regular season but entered playoffs without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill due to injury. Ben Roethlisberger opened strong for Pittsburgh with long touchdown passes to Antonio Brown on consecutive drives. Le’Veon Bell contributed significantly with two rushing touchdowns and over 160 yards on the ground while defensive plays—including turnovers forced by Mike Mitchell and Ryan Shazier—helped secure victory.
These games are part of a broader legacy celebrated by fans and commemorated through initiatives like those featured at Acrisure Stadium’s Hall of Honor Museum (official website). The museum showcases artifacts that highlight both individual contributions—such as those of Terry Bradshaw and Joe Greene—and collective achievements like six Super Bowl championships (official website). Founded in 1933 by Arthur J. Rooney Sr., according to the team’s historical records, the franchise continues its tradition within the National Football League (official website).
As they prepare for another postseason challenge at Acrisure Stadium (official website), fans can reflect on these past playoff performances as examples of resilience and competitive spirit characteristic of Steelers football.
