Steelers celebrate their 90th birthday on Saturday

On July 8, 1933, the greatest franchise in professional sports was born thanks to Art Rooney Sr.

Originally known as the Pittsburgh Pirates prior to the 1940 NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers were one of five teams from 1933 who still remain today according to Steelers.com. The other four teams listed include the Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers, the New York Giants, and the Chicago (now Arizona) Cardinals. Although they were not listed on Steelers.com, both the Philadelphia Eagles and Boston (now Washington) Redskins (now Commanders) both played that season.

In the first season in 1933, the Pittsburgh Pirates finished 3–6–2 and hadtheir first franchise victory in their second game against the Chicago Cardinals with a 14–13 win at Forbes field. The Pirates never possessed a winning record before changing to the Steelers in 1940. The first winning record came in 1942 when the Steelers finish 7–4. After a season at 5–4–1 when they merged with the Philadelphia Eagles during World War II, a team more affectionately known as the Steagels, the Steelers combined with the Chicago Cardinals in 1944 and went 0–10. The Steelers first playoff appearance came in 1947 when they finished 8–4 but lost in the divisional round of the playoffs 21–0 to the Philadelphia Eagles.

After suffering years of mediocrity, which may be stating it kindly, the Steelers did not emerge as a quality team until 1972 where they finished the season 11–3 and won their first franchise playoff game on December 23, an event that was celebrated this past December with the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception. Now one of two NFL franchises with six Super Bowl championships, the Steelers franchise is in the elite class of the NFL.

So make sure you grab yourself a piece of black and gold cake and wish other Steelers fans a happy birthday as the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate 90 years in the NFL.