Steelers tie Cowboys for most consecutive seasons without a losing record

How old were you in 2003? Were you born yet? Because that’s how far back you’d have to go for the last time the Pittsburgh Steelers had a losing season. With their 44-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13, in a contest full of broken records, Pittsburgh is now 9-3. So even if they lose every game to finish the season, they’ll have another winning season tallied, marking 2024 as their 21st consecutive season with a non-losing record, tying the NFL record set by the Dallas Cowboys from 1965 to 1985, per Josh Dubow of the Associated Press.

The Steelers finished 8-8 four times during that stretch so it’s important to note this is a streak of non-losing seasons, not seasons with a winning record.

In 2003, Tommy Maddox was the team’s starting quarterback, and he finished with a 6-10 record.. Luckily, the Steelers made an excellent decision in the next year’s draft by picking quarterback Ben Roethlisberger with the No. 11 overall pick out of Miami (OH). After Bill Cowher’s retirement, head coach Mike Tomlin joined the team in 2007.

Tomlin also holds the NFL record for the most consecutive non-losing seasons to start a head coaching career with 18.

Steelers’ consistency a testament to Mike Tomlin

There have been bumps in the road for the Steelers, but the team has never really been out of it. By dismantling the Bengals, Pittsburgh is a game closer to securing a possible AFC North title, and a spot in the playoffs seems assured.

The Steelers hold the No. 3 seed in the AFC behind the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.

Tomlin made a tough choice that many pundits disagreed with when he inserted Russell Wilson over Justin Fields as the starter. That decision has paid off in spades. Tomlin discussed Wilson’s impact in this high-scoring affair, per the Associated Press.

“I thought our group smiled in the face of (adversity), particularly (Wilson),” Tomlin said. “It’s the first time for him going through AFC North football, and I thought he acclimated himself to it well today. He put himself squarely in the history of this series with that performance today.”

With all that success, this upcoming offseason could see the Steelers’ coaching staff getting poached by other teams, even in the college ranks. It was floated that offensive coordinator Arthur Smith may be a potential candidate for UNC’s opening after head coach Mack Brown stepped down. However, Smith has already quieted those rumors.

“I appreciate it, love that place. But that’s not my focus,” Smith told reporters on Thursday about UNC’s preliminary phone call this week, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. “I’ve got one of the best jobs in football right now. There’s a lot to be said too about (how you) can’t put a price on personal and professional happiness, which I have here.”

Smith, a UNC alumnus who played offensive line there from 2001 to 2005, also began his coaching journey there as a graduate assistant in 2006 before moving to the NFL.