The Steelers have a long history of memorable moments throughout the years, and during the 2025 season we are going to highlight those moments against each week's opponent.
This week, we feature games against the Miami Dolphins.
Steelers 13, Miami Dolphins 3
September 26, 2004
Pro Player Stadium
The Steelers were scheduled to play the Dolphins at 1 p.m., but Mother Nature had other plans as Hurricane Jeanne came storming through the area, even impacting the Steelers the night before the game.
"It's one of those things that's more mental than anything. You have to come and be mentally prepared," said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "It's a credit to the rest of the guys. We lost power last night right in the middle of films, we all had flashlights. It's just one of those things where you need to be mentally ready all of the time."
The hurricane forced the game to be moved from a 1 p.m. start time to an 8:30 p.m. kickoff because of the wind and rain that hit late Saturday night into early Sunday.
"The weather in the first half was not conducive to do anything," said Coach Bill Cowher. "It was difficult to hold the ball and both teams couldn't throw for a while. It was hard to run, playing in the mud, but that's football. I love games like that. To me, it's what it is all about. You're dealing with the surface, you're dealing with the elements, but you still have to play the game within the game."
Roethlisberger, the Steelers No. 1 pick that year, made his first career start and faced with tough circumstances, but still came through. He completed 12 of 22 passes for 163 yards, one touchdown and an interception. He connected with receiver Hines Ward for a seven-yard touchdown, the only touchdown in the 13-3 win.
"The quarterback played well," said Coach Bill Cowher. "He never lost his composure, and he played like I thought he would play. He had a great throw to Plax (Plaxico Burress) in the first drive.
"He just enjoys playing. This is a great learning experience. He went up against a great defense with two solid corners. After the first play, when he threw the interception, he bounced back. After that, he made good decisions and gave guys a chance to make some plays."
Roethlisberger said there were challenges due to the weather, but he welcomed those challenges with opened arms.
"It was muddy, and it was wet, but it was a lot of fun," said Roethlisberger. "Talk about getting thrown into the fire. To come out playing in a hurricane and against that type of defense was a challenge for us but we came out and did some good things. We did some bad things that we need to correct but we came out on top so we can now make those adjustments for next weekend."
Steelers 28, Miami Dolphins 17
September 9, 2006
Heinz Field (Now Acrisure Stadium)
The Steelers, coming off a win in Super Bowl XL, opened the season on Thursday Night Football and when the lights are on, they always come up big-time.
The team unveiled their five Super Bowl Championship banners during a pregame celebration that included a Pittsburgh staple, fireworks.
Once the game started, the fireworks continued.
"I can't say enough about our football team," said Coach Bill Cowher. "Their resiliency, the way they responded, they never had a state of panic set in for our football team. That's a good football team we played. Miami is good. We knew it was going to be a battle. We came out and made some plays. We still have a ways to go, but it was a good start."
Quarterback Charlie Batch started the game after Ben Roethlisberger had an emergency appendectomy the week before the season kicked off. And Batch delivered. He completed 15 of 25 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns.
Batch gave the Steelers a 14-7 lead on a 27-yard touchdown pass to Nate Washington and followed that with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward.
In the third quarter, the Dolphins took their first lead of the game, when running back Ronnie Brown took it in for a five-yard touchdown, going on top 17-14.
The Steelers appeared set to take the lead back with a first-and-goal from the Dolphins one-yard line, but Batch made one of his few errors on the day when he fumbled the snap from center Jeff Hartings, and the Dolphins recovered at the four-yard line.
After the defense shut the Dolphins down on the ensuing drive, the Steelers would score fast when Batch hit tight end Heath Miller at the Steelers 32-yard line, and he rambled for an 87-yard touchdown. The Dolphins tried to challenge the call, as it appeared Miller stepped out near the goal line, but didn't get the challenge flag thrown in time for the officials to see it and the Steelers went up, 21-17.
"It was just a play we run a lot," said Miller. "The safety jumped out on Hines (Ward), and there was really nobody out there to cover the corner route. I was running as fast as I could. I tried to take a peek at the screen (and) I saw them inching up on me."
It would be all Steelers defense from that point on. Safety Troy Polamalu intercepted Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper to end their next drive. But it would be linebacker Joey Porter who would close the door on the Dolphins. Porter intercepted Culpepper at the Dolphins 42-yard line and took it in from there for a touchdown and 28-17 lead. Porter was wrapped up in the moment, and ran to the sideline and planted a kiss on Cowher's cheek in celebration.
"It's no big deal," said Porter. "That's my guy, right there. There are no other words to say it. I try to tell you guys that me and him are close. It is what it is."
Steelers 27, Miami Dolphins 14
October 28, 2019
Heinz Field (Now Acrisure Stadium)
The Steelers are a team that has been known to step up big when the bright lights are on, and it was no different on this Monday night in Pittsburgh.
While the Steelers found themselves in a 14-point deficit to start the game, they came back strong, scoring 27 unanswered points.
"I thought a significant element of it is we won the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, offense and defense," said Coach Mike Tomlin. "When you are doing that as the game wears on, it has a chance to be more significant. We were in manageable third downs, we were able to possess the ball, we were able to put them in some unfavorable third downs. That is how it unfolded.
"It wasn't the fluid start we were looking for, but you don't always get what you want. I like the mettle that the guys showed. They didn't blink. In all three phases, they complemented one another, and we were able to persevere."
Chris Boswell cut the lead to 14-3 with a 42-yard field goal, and quarterback Mason Rudolph capped a 6-play, 50-yard drive with a 45-yard touchdown pass to receiver Diontae Johnson, who finished with five receptions for 84 yards.
Rudolph then engineered a beautiful 12-play, 97-yard drive, which he finished off with a 26-yard touchdown pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster for their first lead of the game, at 17-14.
"I think it was a crucial drive there," said Rudolph. "Not only the one to JuJu, but just responding as an offense and your backs are against the wall, you dig a little hole in the first half. I was really proud of the way that we responded as an offense, moving the ball down the field. Trying to get that double score there before the half, and I'm proud of the way that we responded.
"I think (JuJu's) a great player. You have to feed him no matter what. He's proven to be a force down the field in those combat catch situations. We knew we wanted to be more aggressive as an offense. We have a lot of people who are capable of doing that. I think he stepped up in those big situations, like he's always done and capitalized on those combat catches."
While he finished the game on the sideline with a shoulder injury, James Conner did enough before that to earn AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance in the win.
Conner had 23 carries for 145 yards, a 6.3 average, and a nine-yard touchdown run that extended the Steelers lead to 24-14. He also added three receptions for five yards.
It was Conner's first 100-yard game of the 2019 season, and the sixth of his career. The 145 yards rushing were the second-highest single-game total of his career, after rushing for 146 yards against the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 28, 2018. It was also his first game in 2019 with 150+ yards from scrimmage, the fifth of his career and the fourth straight game he scored a rushing touchdown.
"Unbelievable job," said Rudolph. "He came out hot early and it really kind of sparked us as an offense. Coach Tomlin had been talking all week about securing those 10-yard runs, and we need more of them. We're making ourselves more of a complete offense, and I think we really challenged our offensive line which had been doing great in that area all week. James did a good job. He's a physical guy. He really provided us with a spark."
Steelers 3, Miami Dolphins 0
November 26, 2007
Heinz Field (Now Acrisure Stadium)
On Monday Night Football, with the primetime lights shining, the Steelers pulled out a 3-0 win thanks to a last second field goal by kicker Jeff Reed.
And while it might seem like a game that was boring to watch with the lack of scoring, it was a mud bowl that had everyone's attention.
Relentless rain, and severe weather in the area, delayed the game 25 minutes and it was interesting from there on.
And the play that everyone still talks about from the game.
Well, it was a punt.
Yes, in case you forgot, a punt.
Dolphins punter Brandon Fields was punting out of his own end zone when the ball just landed with a splat in at the 48-yard line in front of the Steelers bench. As one player said, it was like it landed in quicksand as the ball didn't move. Straight down, trapped in the mud.
ESPN's Mike Tirico, who was calling the game, said it best when he quipped during the broadcast, 'If you teed the ball up, you couldn't put it any better."
The weather conditions didn't allow for either team to do a lot, although running back Willie Parker did somehow manage to put up 84 yards and receiver Hines Ward had nine receptions for 88 yards.
On the final drive for the Steelers, it would be Ward who would come up big. He had three receptions for 38 yards, helping to put the Steelers in field goal range.
And Reed delivered when he hit on a 24-yard field goal with 17 seconds left on the clock, sending the soaking wet crowd home happy.
