2003 Pittsburgh Steelers season

2003 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head coach Bill Cowher
General manager Kevin Colbert
Owner The Rooney Family
Home field Heinz Field
Results
Record 6–10
Division place 3rd AFC North
Playoff finish did not qualify
Pro Bowlers
AP All-Pros Alan Faneca (2nd team)
Hines Ward (2nd team)
Team MVP Hines Ward
Team ROY Troy Polamalu
Uniform

The 2003 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 71st season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.

Their season began with the team trying to improve on their 10–5–1 record from 2002 in which they lost to the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

With the team suffering through injuries as well as less reliance on the running game than normal, the Steelers stumbled to a 6–10 record, going the entire season without winning consecutive games. Since moving to Heinz Field, this marked their first losing season as well as missing the playoff along with the 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2013. The team's 6–10 finish matched their worst under Bill Cowher (1999).

In his final season with the team, linebacker Jason Gildon became the franchise's career sack leader during a game against the Arizona Cardinals on November 9.

As of 2017, this was the most recent losing season for the Steelers.

Personnel

2003 Pittsburgh Steelers staff
Front office
  • Chairman – Daniel M. Rooney
  • President – Arthur J. Rooney II
  • Vice President – John R. McGinley
  • Vice President – Arthur J. Rooney, Jr.
  • Administration Advisor – Chuck Noll
  • Director of Business – Mark Hart
  • Business Accounting Coordinator – Jim Ellenberger
  • Human Relations/Office Coordinator – Geraldine Glenn
  • Business Operations – Omar Khan
  • Accounting Manager – Jodie Spagnolli
  • Communications Coordinator – Ron Wahl
  • Public Relations/Media Manager – David Lockett
  • Website/Network Administrator – Scott Phelps
  • Marketing
  • Director of Marketing – Tony Quatrini
  • Marketing Coordinator – Rick Giugliano
  • Client Services Administrator – Amy Corbett
  • Marketing Manager – John Wodarek
  • Producer/Broadcasting Manager – Rick Fairbend
  • Marketing/Community Relations Manager – Lynne Molyneaux
  • Marketing Assistant – John Simpson
  • Marketing Assistant – Mike Marchinsky
  • Ticket Operations
  • Ticket Manager – Ben Lentz
  • Season Ticket Assistant – Libby Patcher
  • Football Operations
  • Director of Football Operations – Kevin Colbert
  • College Scouting Coordinator – Ron Hughes
  • Pro Scouting Coordinator – Doug Whaley
  • Pro/College Scout – Phil Kreidler
  • College Scout – Mark Gorscak
  • College Scout – Bob Lane
  • College Scout – Bruce McNorton
  • College Scout – Dan Rooney
  • College Scout – Bill Nunn
  • BLESTO Scout – Kelvin Fisher

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Conditioning Coach – Chet Fuhrman
  • Medical Staff
  • Ophthalmologist – Dr. Randy Beatty
  • Physician, Orthopedic – Dr. James P. Bradley
  • Neurological Surgeon – Dr. Joseph Maroon
  • Physician, M.D. – Dr. Richard Rydze
  • Physician, Consultant – Dr. Abraham J. Twerski
  • Physician, M.D. – Dr. Anthony P. Yates
  • Training Staff
  • Head Athletic Trainer – John Norwig
  • Assistant Athletic Trainer – Ryan Grove
  • Assistant Athletic Trainer – Ariko Iso
  • Football Staff
  • Player Development Coordinator – Anthony Griggs
  • Equipment Manager – Rodgers Freyvogel
  • Field Manager – Rich Baker
  • Field/Equipment Assistant – Kalvin Jones
  • Video Coordinator – Bob McCartney
  • Video Assistant – Andy Lizanich
  • Video Assistant – Rob Brakel
  • Photographers – Mike Fabus

[1]

Notable additions include Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor.

Roster

2003 Pittsburgh Steelers final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists


Practice squad

  • 76 Josh Burr T
  • 61 Morgan Pears T
  • 62 Jimond Pugh C
  • 65 David Upchurch DT
  • 49 J. T. Wall FB

[2] [3] [4] [5]


Rookies in italics
 53 Active, 4 Inactive, 4 Practice squad

Monday Night Controversy

The team did gain some notoriety during the season. The NFL tried to make it easier on teams after playing a Monday night game by giving every team that was away for a Monday night game either a home game or their bye week the following week. The Steelers were the only team that season to play on the road following a Monday night road game,[6] playing the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park on November 17 before traveling to Cleveland the following week to play against the rival Cleveland Browns on November 23.

While Steelers head coach Bill Cowher was livid at the team playing a road game after a Monday night road game, team president Dan Rooney mentioned that the league putting the Steelers in Cleveland—only 112 miles from Pittsburgh—after flying to the West Coast was somewhat as a compromise to the team.

The Steelers got mixed results from the back-to-back road games on a short week, losing to the 49ers 30–14 in the game the 49ers retired Ronnie Lott's number 42 during halftime, but defeating the Browns 13–6, the latter being the first of the team's twelve-game winning streak against their bitter rivals, which ended in a 2009 game in Cleveland.

Preseason

Schedule

Week Date Kickoff (ET) TV Opponent Result Record Game Site NFL Recap
1 Sat. Aug. 9 12:30 p.m. KDKA at Detroit Lions L 13–26 0–1 Ford Field
2 Sat. Aug. 16 7:30 p.m. KDKA Philadelphia Eagles L 16–21 0–2 Heinz Field
3 Thu. Aug. 21 8:00 p.m. FOX Dallas Cowboys W 15–14 1–2 Heinz Field
4 Fri. Aug. 29 8:00 p.m. KDKA at Carolina Panthers L 14–21 1–3 Bank of America Stadium

Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Kickoff (ET) TV Game Site Result Record NFL Recap
1 Sun. Sep. 7 Baltimore Ravens 1:00 p.m. CBS Heinz Field W 34–15 1–0 Summary
2 Sun. Sep. 14 at Kansas City Chiefs 1:00 p.m. CBS Arrowhead Stadium L 20–41 1–1 Summary
3 Sun. Sep. 21 at Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 p.m. CBS Paul Brown Stadium W 17–10 2–1 Summary
4 Sun. Sep. 28 Tennessee Titans 1:00 p.m. CBS Heinz Field L 13–30 2–2 Summary
5 Sun. Oct. 5 Cleveland Browns 8:30 p.m. ESPN Heinz Field L 13–33 2–3 Summary
6 Sun. Oct. 12 at Denver Broncos 4:15 p.m. CBS Invesco Field at Mile High L 14–17 2–4 Summary
7 Sun. Oct. 19 Bye
8 Sun. Oct. 26 St. Louis Rams 1:00 p.m. FOX Heinz Field L 21–33 2–5 Summary
9 Sun. Nov. 2 at Seattle Seahawks 4:05 p.m. CBS Seahawks Stadium L 16–23 2–6 Summary
10 Sun. Nov. 9 Arizona Cardinals 1:00 p.m. FOX Heinz Field W 28–15 3–6 Summary
11 Mon. Nov. 17 at San Francisco 49ers 9:00 p.m. ABC San Francisco Stadium L 14–30 3–7 Summary
12 Sun. Nov. 23 at Cleveland Browns 1:00 p.m. CBS Cleveland Browns Stadium W 13–6 4–7 Summary
13 Sun. Nov. 30 Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 p.m. CBS Heinz Field L 20–24 4–8 Summary
14 Sun. Dec. 7 Oakland Raiders 1:00 p.m. CBS Heinz Field W 27–7 5–8 Summary
15 Sun. Dec. 14 at New York Jets 1:00 p.m. CBS Giants Stadium L 0–6 5–9 Summary
16 Sun. Dec. 21 San Diego Chargers 4:05 p.m. CBS Heinz Field W 40–24 6–9 Summary
17 Sun. Dec. 28 at Baltimore Ravens 8:30 p.m. ESPN M&T Bank Stadium L 10–13 (OT) 6–10 Summary

Game summaries

Week 1

1 234Total
Ravens 0 078 15
• Steelers 6 7147 34

Pittsburgh won their season opener for the first time since 1999.[7]

Week 2

1 234Total
Steelers 17 300 20
• Chiefs 7 2077 41

Week 3

1 234Total
• Steelers 0 773 17
Bengals 0 037 10

Week 4

1 234Total
• Titans 0 1677 30
Steelers 3 1000 13
  • Date: September 28
  • Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 63,244
  • Game weather: 55°F (Cloudy)
  • Referee: Walt Anderson
  • TV announcers (CBS): Gus Johnson and Brent Jones

Week 5

1 234Total
• Browns 10 1373 33
Steelers 0 1030 13

Week 6

1 234Total
Steelers 3 308 14
• Broncos 0 7010 17

Week 8

1 234Total
• Rams 7 10106 33
Steelers 7 770 21
  • Date: October 26
  • Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 62,665
  • Game weather: 59°F (Light Rain)
  • Referee: Johnny Grier
  • TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen & Bill Maas

This was the 1,000th game in Steelers history.

Week 9

1 234Total
Steelers 0 3310 16
• Seahawks 3 3314 23

Week 10

1 234Total
Cardinals 0 366 15
• Steelers 0 7210 28
  • Date: November 9
  • Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 59,520
  • Game weather: 41°F (Sunny)
  • Referee: Jeff Triplette
  • TV announcers (Fox): Ron Pitts & Tim Ryan

Week 11

1 234Total
Steelers 0 077 14
• 49ers 7 3146 30

Week 12

1 234Total
• Steelers 0 1003 13
Browns 3 300 6

Week 13

1 234Total
• Bengals 7 7010 24
Steelers 0 3710 20
  • Date: November 30
  • Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 58,797
  • Game weather: 46°F (Sunny)
  • Referee: Bernie Kukar
  • TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui & Steve Tasker

Week 14

1 234Total
Raiders 7 000 7
• Steelers 0 1773 27
  • Date: December 7
  • Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 53,079
  • Game weather: 30°F (Partly Cloudy)
  • Referee: Johnny Grier
  • TV announcers (CBS): Gus Johnson & Brent Jones

Week 15

1 234Total
Steelers 0 000 0
• Jets 3 300 6

Week 16

1 234Total
Chargers 0 1077 24
• Steelers 14 7712 40
  • Date: December 21
  • Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 4:05 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 52,527
  • Game weather: 37°F (Sunny)
  • Referee: Bill Carollo
  • TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui & Steve Tasker

Week 17

1 234OTTotal
Steelers 0 01000 10
• Ravens 7 0033 13
  • Date: December 28
  • Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
  • Game start: 8:30 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 70,001
  • Referee: Walt Anderson
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann, Paul Maguire & Suzy Kolber

Standings

AFC North
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(4) Baltimore Ravens 10 6 0 .625 4–2 7–5 391 281 W2
Cincinnati Bengals 8 8 0 .500 3–3 6–6 346 384 L2
Pittsburgh Steelers 6 10 0 .375 3–3 5–7 300 327 L1
Cleveland Browns 5 11 0 .313 2–4 3–9 254 322 W1

References

  1. ↑ 2003 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
  2. ↑ 2003 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
  3. ↑ 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
  4. ↑ "2003 Pittsburgh Steelers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-12-27.
  5. ↑ "2004 Pittsburgh Steelers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-12-27.
  6. ↑ Cowher says NFL scheduling puts team in bad spot for next 2 weeks – PostGazette.com
  7. ↑ ESPN.com. Retrieved April 23, 2013.
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