# 1961 Pittsburgh Steelers season

The 1961 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 29th in the National Football League.

## Regular season
### Schedule

| Game | Date | Opponent | Result | Record |
| 1 | September 17 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 24–27 | 0–1 |
| 2 | September 24 | New York Giants | L 14–17 | 0–2 |
| 3 | October 1 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 14–24 | 0–3 |
| 4 | October 8 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 16–21 | 0–4 |
| 5 | October 15 | Washington Redskins | W 20–0 | 1–4 |
| 6 | October 22 | Cleveland Browns | L 28–30 | 1–5 |
| 7 | October 29 | San Francisco 49ers | W 20–10 | 2–5 |
| 8 | November 5 | at Cleveland Browns | W 17–13 | 3–5 |
| 9 | November 12 | Dallas Cowboys | W 37–7 | 4–5 |
| 10 | November 19 | at New York Giants | L 21–42 | 4–6 |
| 11 | November 26 | St. Louis Cardinals | W 30–27 | 5–6 |
| 12 | December 3 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 24–35 | 5–7 |
| 13 | December 10 | at Washington Redskins | W 30–14 | 6–7 |
| 14 | December 17 | at St. Louis Cardinals | L 0–20 | 6–8 |
| Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text. |||||||||

### Game summaries
#### Week 1 (Sunday September 17, 1961): Dallas Cowboys

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 24 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 27 |
at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 23,500
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* Dallas – Clarke 44 pass from LeBaron (Green kick)
* Pittsburgh – Johnson 1 run (Layne kick)
* Pittsburgh – Dial 44 pass from Layne (Layne kick)
* Dallas – FG Green 15
* Dallas – Howton 45 pass from LeBaron (Green kick)
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 12
* Pittsburgh – Sample 39 interception return (Layne kick)
* Dallas – Bieski 17 pass from Meredith (Green kick)
* Dallas – FG Green 27

#### Week 2 (Sunday September 24, 1961): New York Giants

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Giants | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 17 |
| Steelers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 35,587
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh – Johnson 1 run (Tracy kick)
* New York Giants – Shofner 16 pass from Conerly (Summerall kick)
* New York Giants – FG Summerall 19
* New York Giants – Morrison 5 pass from Tittle (Summerall kick)
* Pittsburgh – Dial 4 pass from Layne (Tracy kick)

#### Week 3 (Sunday October 1, 1961): Los Angeles Rams

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Rams | 7 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 24 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 40,070
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* Los Angeles – Bratkowski 2 run (Villanueva kick)
* Pittsburgh – Dial 20 pass from Bukich (Layne kick)
* Pittsburgh – Johnson 5 run (Layne kick)
* Los Angeles – Phillips 15 pass from Ryan (Villanueva kick)
* Los Angeles – Matson 96 pass from Ryan (Villanueva kick)
* Los Angeles – FG Villanueva 15

#### Week 4 (Sunday October 8, 1961): Philadelphia Eagles

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
| Eagles | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Franklin Field, Philadelphia
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 60,671
* Referee: George Rennix
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 23
* PIttsburgh – Bukich 1 run (Michaels kick)
* Philadelphia – Retzlaff 17 pass from Jurgensen (Walston kick)
* Philadelphia – Peaks 1 run (Walston kick)
* Pittsburgh – Dial 13 pass from Bukich (kick failed)
* Philadelphia – Retzlaff 2 pass from Jurgensen (Walston kick)

#### Week 5 (Sunday October 15, 1961): Washington Redskins

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steelers | 17 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 15,072
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh – Carpenter 8 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – Dial 23 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 13
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 36

#### Week 6 (Sunday October 22, 1961): Cleveland Browns

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 3 | 7 | 3 | 17 | 30 |
| Steelers | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 28 |
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 29,266
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* Cleveland – FG Groza 24
* Cleveland – Mitchell 6 run (Groza kick)
* Pittsburgh – Dial 12 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – Tracy 1 run (Michaels kick)
* Cleveland – FG Groza 36
* Cleveland – Mitchell 9 run (Groza kick)
* Pittsburgh – Tracy 1 run (Michaels kick)
* Cleveland – Mitchell 18 run (Groza kick)
* Cleveland – FG Groza 12
* Pittsburgh – Dial 88 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)

#### Week 7 (Sunday October 29, 1961): San Francisco 49ers

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Steelers | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 21,686
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh – Johnson 30 run (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – Tracy 11 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 16
* San Francisco – Stickles 50 pass from Brodie (Davis kick)
* San Francisco – FG Davis 20
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 24

#### Week 8 (Sunday November 5, 1961): Cleveland Browns

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 0 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 17 |
| Browns | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 62,723
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* Cleveland – J. Brown 3 run
* Cleveland – FG Groza 27
* Pittsburgh – Bukich 1 run (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 10
* Cleveland – FG Groza 37
* Pittsburgh – Schnelker 26 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)

#### Week 9 (Sunday November 12, 1961): Dallas Cowboys

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 7 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 37 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 17,519
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh – Johnson 1 run (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 28
* Dallas – Perkins 11 run (Green kick)
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 19
* Pittsburgh – Dial 73 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – Butler 71 interception (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – Dial 15 pass from Bikich (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 47

#### Week 10 (Sunday November 19, 1961): New York Giants

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Giants | 7 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
| Steelers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 62,592
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh – Dial 15 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)
* New York Giants – Walton 9 pass from Tittle (Summerall kick)
* New York Giants – Gaiters 3 run (Summerall kick)
* New York Giants – Webster 23 pass from Tittle (Summerall kick)
* New York Giants – Rote 20 pass from Tittle (Summerall kick)
* New York Giants – Rote 9 pass from Gaiters (Summerall kick)
* Pittsburgh – Carpenter 13 pass from Hoak (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – Dial 3 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
* New York Giants – Webster 32 run (Summerall kick)

#### Week 11 (Sunday November 26, 1961): St. Louis Cardinals

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 13 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 27 |
| Steelers | 0 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 27 |
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 17,090
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* St. Louis – Norton 47 interception return (kick failed)
* St. Louis – Randle 3 pass from Etcheverry (Perry kick)
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 18
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 36
* Pittsburgh – Schnelker 11 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – Sample 55 punt return (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – Johnson 2 run (Michaels kick)
* St. Louis – Crow 61 pass from Guglielmi (Conrad kick)
* St. Louis – Norton 37 interception return (Conrad kick)
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 18

#### Week 12 (Sunday December 3, 1961): Philadelphia Eagles

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 14 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| Steelers | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 21,653
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* Philadelphia – Walston 17 pass from Jurgensen (Walston kick)
* Philadelphia – Peaks 1 run (Walston kick)
* Pittsburgh – Carpenter 7 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 37
* Philadelphia – Lucas 7 pass from Jurgensen (Walston kick)
* Philadelphia – Brown 66 punt return (Walston kick)
* Pittsburgh – Johnson 7 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – Schnelker 8 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
* Philadelphia – Brown 42 run (Walston kick)

#### Week 13 (Sunday December 10, 1961): Washington Redskins

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 7 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 30 |
| Redskins | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at D.C. Stadium, Washington, D.C.
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 21,134
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* Pittsburgh – Mack 10 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
* Washington – Dugan 9 pass from Snead (Aveni kick)
* Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 42
* Pittsburgh – Carpenter 40 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
* Pittsburgh – Mack 6 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
* Washington – Dugan 11 pass from Izo (Aveni kick)
* Pittsburgh – Dial 5 pass from Layne (kick failed)

#### Week 14 (Sunday December 17, 1961): St. Louis Cardinals

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cardinals | 7 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 20 |
at Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri
* Game time:
* Game weather:
* Game attendance: 16,298
* Referee:
* TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
* St. Louis – Randle 3 pass from Etcheverry (Perry kick)
* St. Louis – Stacy 25 fumble run (kick failed)
* St. Louis – Crow 15 pass from Etcheverry (Perry kick)

## Standings

NFL Eastern Conference :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| New York Giants | 10 | 3 | 1 | .769 | 9–2–1 | 368 | 220 | T1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 8–4 | 361 | 297 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 8 | 5 | 1 | .615 | 8–3–1 | 319 | 270 | T1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 7–5 | 279 | 267 | W3 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 6 | 8 | 0 | .429 | 5–7 | 295 | 287 | L1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 4 | 9 | 1 | .308 | 2–9–1 | 236 | 380 | L4 |
| Washington Redskins | 1 | 12 | 1 | .077 | 1–10–1 | 174 | 392 | W1 |
       Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
NFL Western Conference :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| Green Bay Packers | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | 9–3 | 391 | 223 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 8 | 5 | 1 | .615 | 7–4–1 | 270 | 258 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 7–5 | 326 | 302 | W2 |
| Baltimore Colts | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 6–6 | 302 | 307 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 6 | 1 | .538 | 6–5–1 | 346 | 272 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 3–9 | 263 | 333 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 3–9 | 285 | 407 | L2 |
       Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.