5 Steelers games that were postponed for good reason

Steelers @ Jets: 1987 Week 10 (1987 NFL Strike) and Steelers @ Oilers 1982 Week 3 (1982 NFL Strike)

If you remember the recent labor stoppage/lockout in 2011, it almost forced the season to be shortened had the strike got further into the season. Lockouts occur when the collective bargaining agreement has allowed itself to expire, and in 2011’s version, the players were fighting for higher salaries and compensation for recent findings of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) when getting diagnosed with concussions.

If you thought 2011 was bad, the 80s stoppages were even worse because it did cause a shortened season, a setup for a 16 team playoff tournament that in 2020 we’ll get close to, and signings of replacement players that sank television ratings for a time or two. The 80s were a tough time in the US Economy because it suffered a recession from a loss of GDP and banks across the country were losing money from many rising issues.

There was a growing concern among members of the NFLPA if playing the game was worth it due to loss of valuable income, and sure enough it got members to strike respectively in 1982 and 1987.

The Steelers have had some crazy postponements in the past, but these five games top the list. Let’s hope there is smooth sailing from here on out.