The 1983 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 51st season in the National Football League. The team won the AFC Central Division with a 10âÂÂ6 record (the team's best record in the 1980s). In the AFC Divisional Playoffs, the Steelers were soundly beaten by the Los Angeles Raiders 38âÂÂ10.
The Colts' first sellout since 1977, and last in Baltimore, came about because thousands of Steelers fans who normally could not purchase tickets at Three Rivers Stadium found them cheap and plentiful in Maryland. Pittsburgh returned to Memorial Stadium with the birth of the Baltimore Ravens in 1996.
Pittsburgh's first trip to the Motor City since 1967 was nothing short of disastrous. It was the Steelers' most lopsided loss under Noll, eclipsed only by a 51-0 embarrassment by the Browns at home in the 1989 opener.
After having been sidelined with an elbow injury for the first fourteen games of the season, 36-year old Terry Bradshaw started his first game of the season. Despite still clearly being hampered by his elbow, he was able to impress in limited time. It would be the final time Bradshaw would see the field as a player, as he felt a pop in his elbow while throwing his final pass, a 10-yard touchdown to Calvin Sweeney. Bradshaw did not play during the play-offs and retired after the season.
This was also the final NFL game held at Shea Stadium.
Eight days after Bradshaw threw his last pass, Brian Sipe started his last NFL game in what turned out to be a hollow victory for the Browns, who were eliminated from the playoffs three hours later when the Seahawks defeated the Patriots in Seattle.