The More You Know: Random facts about your Pittsburgh Steelers, Back to Business edition

Time to learn more about your favorite NFL team, and some trivia as well!

By Bryan Anthony Davis@btscbad Jul 31, 2022, 11:30am EDT

It’s no longer the offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they made the switch to the preseason this week, so there are so many topics to talk and write about. Possible free agents still joining the team, the coordinator conundrum, the starting quarterback, and breaking news will all be covered here at BTSC. But who’s going to give you little-known-facts out of the 500 Level?

Luckily, your one-stop, and non-stop, shop for everything Steelers employs a Steelers fan that was allegedly dropped on his head as a one-year-old during the Immaculate Reception. Useless and somewhat fascinating facts are his forte. So, here we are with off-the-wall thoughts from the dark side of a black-and-gold brain that nobody asked for. But the joke’s on you as you’ll be telling your peeps something you read here later.

412 Fosters Forever

I wouldn’t go as far as saying that Jake Gyllenhaal is a die-hard Steelers fan, but he’s shown some great admiration for the team over the years. Having filmed two films, Love and Other Drugs and Southpaw in Pittsburgh, Jake has added the “Stillers” on a list including the Patriots as the two franchises that he follows. On a 2009 episode of The Jimmy Kimmel Show, Gyllenhaal talked about the glory of the Terrible Towel, eating sandwiches at Primanti Brothers, and even exposed a Steelers tattoo. The ink on his lower back may have been temporary, but hearing the actor talk, it seems like Jake Gyllenhaal’s black-and-gold fandom may be permanent.

BTSC Steelers Jeopardy

(Answer at bottom of article)

Steel Stats and Facts

The Hall of Fame Game is coming up on August 4th when the Jacksonville Jaguars face the Las Vegas Raiders in the classic in Canton, Ohio. The Steelers have played in this game a total of seven times, including last year versus the Dallas Cowboys. Pittsburgh’s record in the HOF Game is 4-3. How did the Steelers fare in what is now known as Tom Benson Stadium and, more important, what was their record in the regular season?

September 8, 1963 Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Cleveland Browns 7

1963 Record: 7-4-3

September 6, 1964 Baltimore Colts 48, Pittsburgh Steelers 17

1964 Record: 5-9

July 30, 1983 Pittsburgh Steelers 27, New Orleans Saints 14

1983 Record: 10-6

August 1, 1998 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30, Pittsburgh Steelers 6:

1998 Record: 7-9

August 5, 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers 20, New Orleans Saints 7

2007 Record: 10-6

August 9, 2015 Minnesota Vikings 14, Pittsburgh Steelers 3

2015 Record: 10-6

August 5, 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Dallas Cowboys 3

2021 Record: 9-7-1

Middle First Name Madness

We love citing middle names of members of the Men of Steel here at Behind the Steel Curtain, but real first names are fun to unveil as well. In the past, we have cited FeDerius Terrell Edmunds, Trent Jordan Watt and Brett Mason Rudolph, but who else? Hence, the “More You Know Given Name of the Week”. This week we feature a valuable depth-piece on the offensive line.

James C. Hassenauer

This Week’s Birthdays of Steel

7/31 Glen Edwards (1947), Jason Gildon (1972), Kevin Greene (1962)

8/1 Mike Wallace (1986)

8/2 Al Hajj-Shabazz (1992)

8/3 Kay Eakin (1917)

8/4 Mike Schneck (1977)

8/5 Dick Tomlinson (1928)

8/6 Ross Cockrell (1991), Marvel Smith (1978), Bruce Van Dyke (1944)

Strange Sights for Sore Steelers Eyes

Not every NFL player retires with their original team, having played with no other franchise. We may try to forget the image of our Steel Heroes wearing another uniform, but it’s a part of fandom and legends sometimes change team colors. However, the sight of Hardy Nickerson wearing the creamsicles as a Buccaneer was disconcerting.

Varsity Blues Black & Golds

When Mitch Trubisky dons black and gold for the first time, it will be his third and best-looking NFL uniform. However, the Carolina Blue of the Tarheels definitely looked sharp and so did Mitch when wearing them. Trubisky wasn’t a full-time starter until his junior year, but on the strength of 3,748 passing yards with 30 touchdowns and six interceptions the quarterback parlayed it into being selected second overall in the 2017 Draft.

Mitch Trubisky

Hypocycloids Gone Madison Avenue

Burt Reynolds has always been a fan of the Steelers and he got former Steelers involved in 1980’s Smokey and the Bandit 2. Of course, you know Terry Bradshaw and Joe Greene in this fun clip from the movie, but pay close attention to Junior Justice in the car with Jackie Gleason, played by actor Mike Henry. Henry was a linebacker for the Steelers from 1959 to 1961 and the Rams from 1962 to 1964 before portraying Tarzan in the 1960s trilogy, Lt. Col. Donald Penobscot on MASH and countless other roles in Hollywood.

Cliff Clavin Corner

It’s a little known fact that the famed coin toss between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall pick in the 1970 NFL Draft for the rights to Terry Bradshaw would never have happened in modern days. Both teams were 1-13, but the Bears beat the Steelers head-to-head in 1969 and thus would have been ranked higher than Pittsburgh.

Steelers Jeopardy Answer in the Form of a Question: Who is Ara Parseghian

Ara Parseghian won National Championships as the Head Coach of Notre Dame in 1966 and 1973, but most of you may remember him being portrayed in 1993’s Rudy. Ara was a halfback for Miami of Ohio and was drafted to the professional ranks by the Steelers in 1947. Failing to stick in Steeltown, Parseghian spent two seasons with the Browns until a hip injury forced him into retirement and ultimately into coaching.

So, there you have it. Anybody can spout out stat after stat, but not everybody can embrace the colorful and personal side of the Pittsburgh Steelers. So, the more you know, the more you can stupefy your friends, family and neighbors with your big, black-and-gold brain.

We’ll see you right here next week. Until then keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the hypocycloids.