The team, originally called the Pittsburgh Pirates, was founded in 1933 by Pittsburgh resident Art Rooney, who allegedly used winnings from a wager on a horse race to establish the franchise. (Ownership of the team remains within the Rooney family to this day.) The team was not an early success; it qualified for the play-offs just once in its first 37 years. In 1940 the team changed its nickname to “Steelers” in tribute to Pittsburgh's main industry. The Steelers tied for the NFL Eastern Division title in 1947, but they were shut out 21–0 by the Philadelphia Eagles in a play-off match to qualify for the NFL championship game. Rooney watched the Steelers struggle through the 1950s and '60s until their fortunes turned around with the arrival of head coach Chuck Noll in 1969.

From 1969 to 1972 Noll showcased his amazing skill at recognizing talent as he drafted five future Hall of Famers: defensive tackle “Mean” Joe Greene, quarterback Terry Bradshaw, defensive back Mel Blount, linebacker Jack Ham, and running back Franco Harris (remembered for his “Immaculate Reception,” a game-winning catch in the play-offs against the Oakland Raiders in 1972, one of the most remarkable and controversial plays in professional football history). In 1974 Noll selected four more players who would eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame: centre Mike Webster, receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, and linebacker Jack Lambert. These players went on to form a dynasty of unmatched success, winning four Super Bowls (1975, 1976, 1979, and 1980) in six seasons behind a dominant defense known as the “Steel Curtain” and an efficient offense led by Bradshaw. The Steelers teams of the 1970s were also characterized by a fervent fan base, notable for the bright yellow “Terrible Towels”—which were created by the team's popular and idiosyncratic radio broadcaster for 35 years, Myron Cope—that fans would wave during home games. Pittsburgh faded slightly in the 1980s, with four postseason berths in the decade, and Noll retired in 1991.