The 1956 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 24th in the National Football League. The team made a slight improvement in their record from the previous season; they finished with a record of 5-7.
Offseason NFL draft
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Location Attendance Sources 1 vs. Detroit Lions L 15–20 0–1 Glass Bowl Toledo, OH 11,912 2 vs. Baltimore Colts L 16–37 0–2 Nippert Stadium Cincinnati 12,500 3 Chicago Bears L 10–21 0–3 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 22,194 4 vs. Philadelphia Eagles W 14–12 1–3 Metropolitan Stadium Minneapolis 14,742 5 vs. Los Angeles Rams W 20–17 2–3 Multnomah Stadium Portland, OR 20,559 Pat Frizzell, "Steelers Beat Rams: Pitt Winner of 20–13 Tilt," The Oregonian, Sept. 23, 1956, sports p. 1, 6.George Pasero, "Steelers Take Early Lead, Hang On for 20–17 Victory: 20,559 See Rams Bow In Pro Test," The Oregon Journal, Sept. 23, 1956, pp. 1B-[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oregon-daily-journal-steelers-stun-r/163009409/ 2B.
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources 1 September 30 Washington Redskins W 30–13 1–0 Forbes Field 27,718 Recap 2 Cleveland Browns L 10–14 1–1 Forbes Field 35,398 Recap 3 October 14 Philadelphia Eagles L 21–35 1–2 Forbes Field 31,375 Recap 4 October 21 at New York Giants L 10–38 1–3 Yankee Stadium 48,108 Recap 5 October 28 at Cleveland Browns W 24–16 2–3 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 50,358 Recap 6 November 4 New York Giants L 14–17 2–4 Forbes Field 31,240 Recap 7 November 11 at Philadelphia Eagles L 7–14 2–5 Connie Mack Stadium 22,652 Recap 8 November 18 Chicago Cardinals W 14–7 3–5 Forbes Field 24,086 Recap 9 November 25 at Chicago Cardinals L 27–38 3–6 Comiskey Park 17,724 Recap 10 December 2 Los Angeles Rams W 30–13 4–6 Forbes Field 20,540 Recap 11 December 9 at Detroit Lions L 7–45 4–7 Briggs Stadium 52,124 Recap 12 December 16 at Washington Redskins W 23–0 5–7 Griffith Stadium 21,097 Recap Note: Conference opponents are in bold text.
Standings
Game summaries
Week 1 (Sunday September 30, 1956): Washington Redskins
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 27,718 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – Chandnois 2 run (Glick kick) Washington – FG Baker 42 Pittsburgh – Marchibroda 1 run (Glick kick) Washington – FG Baker 41 Pittsburgh – FG Glick 27 Pittsburgh – Chandnois 17 pass from Marchibroda (kick blocked) Pittsburgh – Chandnois 5 run (Glick kick) Washington – Meilinger 13 pass from LeBaron (Baker kick)
Week 2 (Saturday October 6, 1956): Cleveland Browns
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 35,398 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
Cleveland – Ratterman 1 run (Groza kick) Pittsburgh – FG Glick 30 Pittsburgh – Chandnois 1 run (Glik kick) Cleveland – Modzelewski 13 run (Groza kick)
Week 3 (Sunday October 14, 1956): Philadelphia Eagles
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 31,375 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
Philadelphia – Schaefer 1 run (Walston kick) Philadelphia – Walston 51 pass from Thomason (Walston kick) Philadelphia – Bell 28 interception (Walston kick) Philadelphia – Bredice 40 pass from Thomason (Walston kick) Pittsburgh – Perry 15 pass from Marchibroda (Glick kick) Pittsburgh – Mathews 64 pass from Marchibroda (Glick kick) Pittsburgh – Mathews 20 pass from Marchibroda (Glick kick) Philadelphia – Keller 51 run (Walston kick)
Week 4 (Sunday October 21, 1956): New York Giants
at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 48,108 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – FG Glick 35 New York Giants – MacAfee 14 pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick) New York Giants – Webster 21 pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick) New York Giants – FG Agajanian 14 New York Giants – Gifford 1 run (Agajanian kick) New York Giants – Rote 19 pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick) Pittsburgh – Nickel 14 pass from Marchibroda (Glick kick) New York Giants – Filpski 35 run (Agajanian kick)
Week 5 (Sunday October 28, 1956): Cleveland Browns
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 50,358 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
Cleveland – Lavelli 68 pass from Parilli (kick failed) Cleveland – Paul 35 interception (Groza kick) Pittsburgh – Nickel 10 pass from Marchibroda (Glick kick) Pittsburgh – Chandnois 1 run (Glick kick) Pittsburgh – Perry 75 pass from Marchibroda (Glick kick) Cleveland – FG Groza 28 Pittsburgh – FG Glick 11
Week 6 (Sunday November 4, 1956): New York Giants
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 31,240 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
New York Giants – Webster 1 run (Agajanian kick) New York Giants – FG Agajanian 32 Pittsburgh – Watson 1 run (Glick kick) New York Giants – Rote 3 pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick) Pittsburgh – Watson 6 run (Glick kick)
Week 7 (Sunday November 11, 1956): Philadelphia Eagles
at Connie Mack Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 22,652 Referee: Jack Glascott TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – Marchibroda 1 run (Glick kick) Philadelphia – Burnine 35 pass from Thomason (Walston kick) Philadelphia – Keller 1 run (Walston kick)
Week 8 (Sunday November 18, 1956): Chicago Cardinals
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 24,086 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – Rogel 13 run (Glick kick) Pittsburgh – Butler 6 fumble run (Glick kick) Chicago Cardinals – Matson 45 pass from McHan (Summerall kick)
Week 9 (Sunday November 25, 1956): Chicago Cardinals
at Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 17,724 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
Chicago Cardinals – Root 3 run (Summerall kick) Pittsburgh – Mathews 29 pass from Marchibroda (Watson kick) Chicago Cardinals – Matson 1 run (Summerall kick) Chicago Cardinals – FG Summerall 27 Chicago Cardinals – Matson 79 run (Summerall kick) Chicago Cardinals – Childress 34 pass from Root (Summerall kick) Pittsburgh – Ford 3 run (Watson kick) Pittsburgh – Nickel 4 pass from Marchibroda (kick failed) Chicago Cardinals – McHan 1 run (Summerall kick) Pittsburgh – Ford 4 run (Watson kick)
Week 10 (Sunday December 2, 1956): Los Angeles Rams
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 20,540 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
Los Angeles – McFadin 21 fumble run (kick failed) Pittsburgh – Nickel 22 pass from Scarbath (Watson kick) Pittsburgh – FG Watson 16 Los Angeles – Boyd 61 pass from Wade (Richter kick) Pittsburgh – Mathews 6 pass from Marchibroda (Watson kick) Pittsburgh – Rogel 1 run (Watson kick) Pittsburgh – Nickel 47 pass from Scarbath (kick failed)
Week 11 (Sunday December 9, 1956): Detroit Lions
at Briggs Stadium, Detroit, Michigan
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 52,124 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
Detroit – Hart 20 pass from Layne (Layne kick) Detroit – Gedman 5 run (Layne kick) Pittsburgh – Watson 1 run (Watson kick) Detroit – Lary 73 interception (Layne kick) Detroit – Christiansen 66 punt return (Layne kick) Detroit – Christiansen 66 punt return (Layne kick) Detroit – FG Layne 13 Detroit – Reichow 41 pass from Gilmer (Layne kick)
Week 12 (Sunday December 16, 1956): Washington Redskins
at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC
Game time: Game weather: Game attendance: 49,086 Referee: TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
Pittsburgh – Watson 1 run (Watson kick) Pittsburgh – Mathews 48 pass from Marchibroda (Watson kick) Pittsburgh – Butler 10 pass from Marchibroda (Watson kick) Pittsburgh – Safety, Dorow tackled by McPeak in end zone Roster
References