1940 Pittsburgh Steelers season

The 1940 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 8th in the National Football League. It was also the first season in which the team was known as the Pittsburgh Steelers, and not the copycat "Pirates" moniker. The 1940 team was led by head coach Walt Kiesling in his first full season as the head coach. Kiesling's assistant coaches were Wilbur "Bill" Sortet and Hank Bruder, who both also played.

Offseason
They held training camp at St. Francis College in Loretto, Pennsylvania. In the 1940 NFL Draft the Steelers continued their pattern of trading away high picks when they dealt their first-round selection (second overall), halfback Kay Eakin from Arkansas, to the New York Giants for tackle Ox Parry, who would never play for the Steelers.

Schedule

 * The Steelers were outscored 178 to 60.

Week 1 (Sunday September 8, 1940): Chicago Cardinals
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Scoring Drives:
 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 22,000
 * Referee:
 * Pittsburgh – Platukis 45 pass from Patterson (Niccolai kick)
 * Chicago Cardinals – Hall 44 pass from Clark (Clark kick)

Week 2 (Sunday, September 15, 1940): New York Giants
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Scoring Drives:
 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 18,601
 * Referee:
 * Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 48
 * Pittsburgh – Tomasetti 26 pass from Patterson (Niccolai kick)
 * New York – Shaffer 1 run (Cuff kick)
 * New York – FG Barnum 31

Week 3 (Sunday September 22, 1940): Detroit Lions
at Briggs Stadium, Detroit, Michigan Scoring Drives:
 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 15,310
 * Referee:
 * Detroit – Cardwell 33 run (White kick)
 * Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 28
 * Pittsburgh – Tomasetti 3 run (Niccolai kick)

Week 4 (Sunday September 29, 1940): Brooklyn Dodgers
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Scoring Drives:
 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 26,618
 * Referee:
 * Brooklyn – Manders 1 run (Parker kick)
 * Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 21
 * Brooklyn – FG Kercheval 27

Week 5 (Sunday October 6, 1940): Washington Redskins
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Scoring Drives:
 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 25,213
 * Referee:
 * Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 48
 * Washington – Johnston 64 interception (kick failed)
 * Washington – Seymour 1 run (Masterson kick)
 * Washington – Millner 30 pass from Filchock (Russell kick)
 * Washington – Johnston 1 run (Masterson kick)
 * Washington – Johnston 2 run (Sanford kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Condit pass from Thompson (Niccolai kick)
 * Washington – Seymour 10 run (kick failed)

Week 6 (Sunday October 13, 1940): Brooklyn Dodgers
at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York Scoring Drives:
 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 19,468
 * Referee:
 * Brooklyn – Manders 2 run (Parker kick)
 * Brooklyn – Schwartz – 7 pass from Parker (Parker kick)
 * Brooklyn – Leckonby 8 pass from Kercheval (Kercheval kick)

Week 7 (Sunday October 20, 1940): New York Giants
at Polo Grounds, New York, New York Scoring Drives:
 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 19,798
 * Referee:
 * New York – Cuff 60 pass from Miller (Cuff kick)
 * New York – FG Cuff 23
 * New York – Safety, Pirro tackled in end zone

Week 8 (Sunday October 27, 1940): Green Bay Packers
at Wisconsin State Fair Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Scoring Drives:
 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 13,703
 * Referee:
 * Green Bay – Adkins 35 interception (Engebretsen kick)
 * Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 36
 * Green Bay – FG Hinkle 33
 * Green Bay – Balazs 2 run (Hutson kick)
 * Green Bay – Hutson 19 pass from Van Every (Engebretsen kick)

Week 9 (Sunday November 3, 1940): Washington Redskins
at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC Scoring Drives:
 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 31,204
 * Referee:
 * Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 25
 * Washington – Johnston 39 pass from Baugh (kick failed)
 * Washington – Filchock 12 run (Russell kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Platukis 31 pass from Patterson (Niccolai kick)
 * Washington – Johnston 45 pass from Baugh (Masterson kick)
 * Washington – Masterson 15 pass from Filchock (Russell kick)
 * Washington – Todd 1 run (Russell kick)
 * Washington – FG Masterson 20

Week 10 (Sunday November 10, 1940): Philadelphia Eagles
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Scoring Drives: The Steelers defeated the Eagles 7–0. The game is the last in NFL history as of 2013 to not have a penalty called on either team.
 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 9,556
 * Referee:
 * Philadelphia – FG Sommers 36
 * Pittsburgh – McDonough 1 run (Niccolai kick)

Week 13 (Thursday November 28, 1940): Philadelphia Eagles
at Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Scoring Drives:
 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 4,200
 * Referee:
 * Philadelphia – Riffle 17 run (Somers kick)