10 NFL records held by seven Pittsburgh Steelers

Most Fumbles in a single playoff season: 7

Certainly, of all the records could this one ranks as one of the least glamorous. Unfortunately,  someone has to hold it, who is the Steeler to set this ghastly mark? None other than legendary number 12 himself Terry Bradshaw.

Terry had numerous ups and downs during his career, yet no one thinks of him as a fumbler. Granted, over his 13-year career, he did have 84 fumbles. Thus only averaging six fumbles a season. In his defense, he did take a beating at times from opposing defenses, so it’s a wonder he did not have more.

Of course, we are talking about the regular season. This particular record came about in the playoffs instead. In the playoffs, mistakes can be exceedingly costly, as opposed to the regular season. Terry Bradshaw set this record over two playoff games and one Superbowl in the 1978 playoffs. Ordinarily, a quarterback fumbling seven times in the playoffs does not get you to the Superbowl; then again, not every quarterback is the Blonde Bomber either.

Fortunately, the Steelers ultimately routed the Broncos and the Oilers in the first two playoff games; thus, his fumbles did not have much effect on the outcome of the game. Superbowl XIII, Bradshaw’s miscues, took center stage. The Steelers lost both of his fumbles. The turnovers resulted in a very narrow 35-31 win over arch-nemesis Dallas Cowboys.  Odder yet Bradshaw had eight fumbles for the entire 1978 season and almost as many in the span of three playoff games. Despite the fumbles, he finished the 1978 playoffs with 44 completions, 790 yards passing, eight touchdowns, and one Superbowl ring.