1948 Pittsburgh Steelers season

The 1948 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 16th season in the National Football League (NFL). The team finished the season with a record of 4–8, failing to qualify for the playoffs. This season marked the first played with John Michelosen as head coach.

1948 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head coach	John Michelosen
Home field	Forbes Field
Results
Record	4–8
Division place	4th NFL Eastern
Playoff finish	Did not qualify

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Time (ET)	Result
1	September 26, 1948	at Washington Redskins		L 17–14
2	October 3, 1948	Boston Yanks		W 24–14
3	October 10, 1948	Washington Redskins		W 10–7
4	October 17, 1948	at Boston Yanks		L 13–7
5	October 24, 1948	at New York Giants		L 34–27
6	October 31, 1948	Philadelphia Eagles		L 34–7
7	November 7, 1948	Green Bay Packers		W 38–7
8	November 14, 1948	Chicago Cardinals		L 24–7
9	November 21, 1948	at Detroit Lions		L 17–14
10	November 28, 1948	at Philadelphia Eagles		L 17–0
11	December 5, 1948	New York Giants		W 38–28
12	December 12, 1948	at Los Angeles Rams		L 31–14

Week 2 (Sunday September 26, 1948): Washington Redskins

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	7	7	0	0	14
Redskins	7	0	0	10	17

at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 32,084
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Washington – Castiglia 22 pass from Baugh (Poillon kick)
• Pittsburgh – Clement 28 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Glamp 38 pass from Clement (Glamp kick)
• Washington – Turley 33 fumble run (Poillon kick)
• Washington – FG Poillon 28

Week 3 (Monday October 3, 1948): Boston Yanks

	1	2	3	4	Total
Yanks	7	7	0	0	14
Steelers	0	7	3	14	24

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 26,216
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Boston – Paschal 15 pass from Youel (Zimmerman kick)
• Boston – Pritko 33 fumble run (Zimmerman kick)
• Pittsburgh – Nickel 24 pass from Clement (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 35
• Pittsburgh – Seabright 7 pass from Clement (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Mosley 3 run (Glamp kick)

Week 4 (Sunday October 10, 1948): Washington Redskins

	1	2	3	4	Total
Redskins	0	0	0	7	7
Steelers	0	0	7	3	10

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 28,969
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – Clement 3 run (Glamp kick)
• Washington – Crisler 19 pass from Baugh (Poillon kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 13

Week 5 (Sunday October 17, 1948): Boston Yanks

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	0	0	7	7
Yanks	6	0	0	7	13

at Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 7,208
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Boston – Heywood 14 fumble run (kick failed)
• Boston – Seno 22 pass from Zimmerman (Zimmerman kick)
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Glamp kick)

Week 6 (Sunday October 24, 1948): New York Giants

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	6	7	14	0	27
Giants	13	7	7	7	34

at Polo Grounds, New York, New York

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 13,443
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• New York – Sultatis 2 run (Williams kick)
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (kick failed)
• New York – White 54 lateral from Cheverko after 35 kick return (kick failed)
• New York – Roberts 49 pass from Conerly (Williams kick)
• Pittsburgh – Jansante 12 pass from Evans (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Jansante 66 pass from Evans (Glamp kick)
• New York – Sulaitis 34 pass from Conerly (Williams kick)
• New York – Conerly 1 run (Williams kick)

Week 7 (Sunday October 31, 1948): Philadelphia Eagles

	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	3	14	0	17	34
Steelers	0	7	0	0	7

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 32,474
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Philadelphia – FG Patton 42
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Philadelphia – Van Buren 20 run (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – Ferrante 7 pass from Thompson (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – Pritchard 55 punt return (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – FG Patton 23
• Philadelphia – Pritchard 18 fumble run (Patton kick)

Week 8 (Sunday November 7, 1948): Green Bay Packers

	1	2	3	4	Total
Packers	0	0	0	7	7
Steelers	7	17	7	7	38

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 26,058
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – Jansante 7 pass from Evans (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 33
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Evans 14 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Glamp 55 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Compagno 82 interception (Glamp kick)
• Green Bay – Goodnight 19 pass from Girard (Fritsch kick)

Week 9 (Sunday November 14, 1948): Chicago Cardinals

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	14	7	0	3	24
Steelers	7	0	0	0	7

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 33,364
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Chicago Cardinals – Kutner 42 pass from Mallouf (Harder kick)
• Chicago Cardinals – Trippi 67 punt return (Harder kick)
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 67 punt return (Glamp kick)
• Chicago Cardinals – Harder 8 run (Harder kick)
• Chicago Cardinals – FG Yablonski 41

Week 10 (Sunday November 21, 1948): Detroit Lions

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	7	0	0	7	14
Lions	0	10	0	7	17

at Briggs Stadium, Detroit, Michigan

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 16,189
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Detroit – Dudley 19 pass from Enke (Pregulman kick)
• Detroit – FG Pregulman 33
• Detroit – Dudley 28 fumble run (Pregulman kick)
• Pittsburgh – Papach 2 run (Glamp kick)

Week 11 (Sunday November 28, 1948): Philadelphia Eagles

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	0	0	0	0
Eagles	7	10	0	0	17

at Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 22,001
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Philadelphia – Pritchard 5 run (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – Pihos 13 pass from Thompson (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – FG Patton 31

Week 12 (Sunday December 5, 1948): New York Giants

	1	2	3	4	Total
Giants	7	0	7	14	28
Steelers	7	10	0	21	38

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 27,645
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Pittsburgh – Evans 9 run (Glamp kick)
• New York – Minisi 6 run (Younce kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 40
• Pittsburgh – Glamp 3 pass from Evans (Glamp kick)
• New York – Roberts 18 pass from Conerly (Younce kick)
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 2 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Cifers 2 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Morales 36 fumble run (Glamp kick)
• New York – Johnson 11 pass from Conerly (Younce kick)
• New York – Swiacki 11 pass from Conerly (Younce kick)

Week 13 (Sunday December 12, 1948): Los Angeles Rams

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	0	7	7	14
Rams	0	14	7	10	31

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 27,967
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

• Los Angeles – Hickey 21 pass from Hardy (Waterfield kick)
• Los Angeles – Hubbell 8 pass from Hardy (Waterfield kick)
• Pittsburgh – Papach 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Los Angeles – Fears 29 pass from Waterfield (Waterfield kick)
• Los Angeles – FG Waterfield 47
• Los Angeles – Magnani 16 pass from Hardy (Gehrke kick)
• Pittsburgh – Papach 28 pass from Evans (Glamp kick)

Standings

NFL Eastern Division
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	PF	PA	STK
Philadelphia Eagles	9	2	1	.818	7–1	376	156	W1
Washington Redskins	7	5	0	.583	5–3	291	287	W1
New York Giants	4	8	0	.333	3–5	305	388	L2
Pittsburgh Steelers	4	8	0	.333	3–5	200	243	L1
Boston Yanks	3	9	0	.250	2–6	174	372	W1

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

References