In its early year, the NFL was slow in expanding the league south of Washington. This changed in 1952 when the New York Yanks were sold to a group of investors in Dallas. Renamed the Texans, they managed one win and finished the season 1-11 before folding.
In 1959, with increased competition from the AFL, the NFL was looking to expand. The league’s commissioner suggested up to nine cities would be applying for franchises.
By the end of the year, it would be Dallas who were awarded a new team, and the Dallas Rangers emerged. A few months later, having the same name of the local baseball team, didn’t make a lot of sense. The Rangers became the Cowboys.
To be ready for the 1960 season, the Dallas Cowboys participated in an expansion draft. Each of the 12 other NFL teams had to submit a list of nine players from which the Cowboys’ coach Tom Landry could pick three. Landry chose 9-year veteran halfback Ray Mathews from the Steelers.
The first game between the Cowboys and the Steelers took place that initial year and they would play once or twice a season until the 1970 AFL merger. That first decade saw the Cowboys go 9-7 ahead with wins. Since the sixties the teams have split the games 7-7 in the regular season with the Steelers 2-1 in Championship games.
The NFL realigned their divisions for the 1967 season. This saw Dallas in the Capitol division and Pittsburgh in the Federal division. While the Cowboys dominated their division, the Same Old Steelers finished last in the Federal.
After the AFL merger in 1970, the divisions were again realigned with the Steelers moving into the AFC. That first season the Cowboys met the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V when they lost 16-13. The following season they returned to the Championship game and rolled over the Dolphins 24-3.
With the hiring of Chuck Noll in 1969, the Steelers began to develop and compete at a higher level while the Cowboys continued to dominate the NFC East. They would meet in Super Bowl X when the Steelers would triumph 21-17 and Lynn Swann pick up the MVP award.
The Steelers went on to win back-to-back Super Bowls, but injuries before the conference final prevented them from making it three straight. Robin Cole was the Steelers 1977 number one draft choice, and he had the unenviable task of replacing Andy Russell who had retired.
The Cowboys started the ’77 season 8-0 before losing to the Cardinals while the Steelers spluttered their way to a 5-4 record when the two teams met in week 10. The Cowboys victories were won on the arm of Roger Staubach assisted by the running of rookie Tony Dorsett. The former Pitt star would have his first start against the Steelers as Cowboys coach Tom Landry attempted to rouse his team after a loss to St. Louis.
The (5-4) Steelers vs the (8-1) Cowboys; November 20, 1977
The game began quietly as the two giants of football recognized the strength of their opponents. Both teams probed for an opening, and it would be the Steelers who made the first mistake.
At the end of the first quarter, Franco Harris fumbled the ball after a hit. Dallas recovered the loose ball and with a short field took six plays before finishing with a 13-yard touchdown run from Tony Dorsett. Dennis Winston, who started in place of an injured Jack Lambert, blocked the point after attempt to reduce the damage of the turnover.
A kick return by Jim Smith put the Steelers on their 39. On their next play from scrimmage, Terry Bradshaw executed the same play that had previously ended with the fumble. Harris took the ball and this time, behind a block from Mike Webster that laid his victim on the turf, raced pass the Cowboys defense for a 61-yard touchdown. The Steelers were one point ahead.
Two series later the Cowboys regained the lead with a 23-yard touchdown catch by Jay Saldi.
After Alvin Maxson returned the ensuing kickoff 43 yards, the Steelers began their possession on their opponent’s 47. Aided by a pass to Bennie Cuningham of 21 yards, the Bradshaw finished their scoring drive with a 9-yard touchdown catch by Lynn Swann. The Steelers took a 14-13 lead into the locker room at the half.
Halfway through the third quarter, a 17-yard run by Harris moved the chains and the drive was completed by John Stallworth’s 28-yard touchdown catch to increase Pittsburgh’s lead to eight points.
On the Cowboys next drive, Winston flattened Tony Dorsett, who watched his helmet bounce 15 yards. At the same time Jimmy Allen, playing in a new position as safety because of injuries, picked off Staubach’s errant pass and returned the interception 48 yards to the Dallas 2. Harris ran over for the touchdown to increase the Steelers lead to 28-13.
The final period was scoreless as the Steelers kept their opponents at bay to earn a victory to keep them joint top with Cleveland of the Central Division
The Pittsburgh Steelers 28 vs the Dallas Cowboys 13
For Franco Harris it was his 27th 100-yard game plus his 179 yards were a career high. “We just wanted this game too much,” he concluded. “This was a time that no matter who we played we had to come together. In our minds we knew we couldn’t give Dallas the ball because they have too many weapons. It was do or die. Get whatever I can get.”
When Coach Noll was asked how the Steelers had managed the win, his reply was, “We beat them by not making mistakes and playing to our potential.” Of Tony Dorsett, Noll said, “He frightens me every time he touches the ball.”
The Steelers would win three of their final four games to finish top of the division and enter the playoffs as the AFC’s third seed. That saw them travel to play the number two seed Denver where they lost 34-21.
Denver would go onto Super Bowl XII where they would lose 27-10 to the Cowboys.
The next season’s Super Bowl would see the Steelers and Cowboys face each other again with Pittsburgh winning 35-31.
After Pittsburgh had beaten Dallas for the second time in a Championship game, it was suggested the Steelers were “America’s Team.” Dan Rooney rebuffed the idea saying, “America’s Team? I think that is a good gimmick, but then again, we would rather be Pittsburgh’s team. I’m serious.”
When Dan Rooney was later asked about the Steelers being America’s team in a 2014 interview, he made it quite clear, “We are not America’s Team. We are the Pittsburgh Steelers. We didn’t want that. We’re Pittsburgh’s team. We feel strongly about that.”