When Art Rooney Sr. joined the NFL in 1933 he was a sportsman who had enjoyed some success playing and promoting football with a local semi-pro team named the Hope Harveys, and he was also a Pittsburgh guy.
And so it only made sense that he would debut his NFL franchise in uniforms that featured the City of Pittsburgh crest on the front. That uniform, captured forever in the 1933 team photo, was worn for one season.
In 2025 – their 93rd season in the NFL – the Steelers will wear a version of that 1933 jersey for their Sunday night game on Oct. 26 vs. Green Bay at Acrisure Stadium. On that occasion, it will mark the fourth time the Steelers have worn throwback uniforms that recognize the history of the team or city.
Fans of a certain age might recall the Steelers wore a similar jersey in 1994 in conjunction with the NFL's 75th Anniversary.
The City of Pittsburgh crest was also the dominant image on the front of those 1933 jerseys. The crest itself featured a castle and a shield containing a checkerboard of blue-and-white, which were the William Pitt family colors. Pitt, the first Earl of Chatham in the 1760s, was the man after whom the city would be named.
This uniform was part of the NFL's inaugural foray into the throwback category. For the 75th Anniversary, individual teams then were able to opt-in and participate in the program. On the occasion of the league's diamond jubilee, professional football was the most popular sport in America, having bypassed Major League Baseball, college football, boxing, and horse racing. But in the area of merchandising the league wasn't as sophisticated as it is now, especially on the individual team level.
On Sept. 18, 1994, the 1-1 Steelers hosted the 1-1 Indianapolis Colts, and both teams wore their respective 75th Anniversary jerseys. For the Steelers, that meant they were wearing jerseys of bright gold with some back stripes and the City of Pittsburgh crest on the front. Also on the front near the player's left shoulder was the NFL's 75th Anniversary patch, and finally a small area on the front near the other shoulder was where the player's number was displayed.
This was a shock to Steelers radio broadcaster Myron Cope, whose ability to do his job in the radio booth was complicated by the difficulty in seeing the numbers to identify players. Cope was not a fan of the jersey concept, and he wasn't shy about making his case into a live microphone.
-->> Related: Steelers unveil 1933 Throwback Uniforms
Take a look at photos from the 1933 Throwback Uniform photoshoot
The throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, May 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 6, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
A general view of the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 27, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, May 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 6, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
A general view of the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 27, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
A general view of the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 27, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 6, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, May 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, May 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
The throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
A general view of the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 27, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
A general view of the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 27, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 6, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, May 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, May 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
A general view of the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 27, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 6, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, May 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 6, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, May 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) wears the throwback uniform during a photoshoot, Friday, June 6, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
The 2025 edition, with its more traditional large numbers on the front and back of the jersey, will not cause broadcasters or viewers those same issues.
More recently, the Steelers wore uniforms that honored the past in 2018, 2019 and then from 2021 through 2024. That particular uniform celebrated the 1970s Super Bowl teams, featuring the block lettering of the era that fans identify so closely with those teams. In 2024, they also added a gray facemask to complete the ensemble.
Just prior to the uniforms featuring the block lettering, the team wore the "bumblebee" throwback uniforms. Those uniforms, which were inspired by the 1934 team, featured black and gold horizontal stripes along with tan pants. Those were worn twice in 2012 and once per season through 2016.
