The Pittsburgh Steelers, synonymous with the hard-nosed, grind-it-out, defence-oriented football made famous by the Steel Curtain dynasty, weren’t always the toughest team around.
Case in point: Before they were called the “Steelers,” Pittsburgh’s football franchise was called the “Majestics.” Hardly a name to intimidate an opposing defensive line. So when Hall of Fame owner Art Rooney bought the club in 1933, the first thing he did was axe “Majestics.” He replaced it with “Pirates,” borrowing the name from Pittsburgh’s baseball franchise. He also lifted their colours, the black and yellow that have defined the organization ever since. Rooney’s original jersey, though, not so much. With a mustard-yellow base and vertical black stripes, the shirt was kind of what you’d imagine Bumblebee Man would wear in prison. Add to that the city’s official crest stitched across the chest, and it was with relief that the jersey was ditched by the end of the decade, when Rooney again sought a new name and identity for his club. This time it stuck.
The Steelers, named for—and you’ll never guess this—Pittsburgh’s steel industry, kept their colours and introduced a logo based almost entirely on the American Iron and Steel Institute insignia, an ode to their fan base. The jersey was simplified, and after some experimentation—including the “Batman” jersey from the 1966 season (a yellow diamond over the shoulders that intentionally bore a heavy resemblance to a superhero cape when viewed from the front)—the Steelers’ iconic look came into effect.
It has become one of the most beloved and recognizable in football. Yes, the image of a hulking group of linebackers in the all-black top intimidates opponents, and Steel City fans love that. And yes, the one and only Wiz Khalifa immortalized the uniform in his chart-topping anthem “Black and Yellow.” But it’s the longevity and legacy that warrant the Steelers’ inclusion here. Take a glance at the 2013 Steelers and you can instantly see the link between them and the great teams and players—Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann—who wore the black and yellow decades ago. It’s a uniform steeped in tradition, and always linked with winning. Being the big, bad team in black and yellow has helped the Steelers to six Super Bowls, more than any other franchise. Coincidence? No way.
