Where Are the 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers Now?

The 1970s belonged to the Steelers. This is what they've been doing since then.

Where Are the 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers Now?

Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann and Franco Harris — This is what champions look like.

Every decade in NFL history has a dominant team, and the 1970s belonged to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The franchise had just one postseason appearance in its first 39 years before a string of eight straight appearances that culminated in winning Super Bowl XIV in 1980.

Unlike previous Steelers teams, the 1979 Steelers squad relied more on offense to win than defense. The "Steel Curtain" was still tough, but the offense ranked first in points scored and remains the only Steelers team to achieve that honor. But both sides of the ball were loaded with star power, and nine players from this unit are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Where are the 1979 Steelers now? Here's what the team has been doing since hoisting the Lombardi Trophy over 40 years ago.

Terry Bradshaw, Quarterback

NFL experience: 14 years, all with Steelers (1970-83)

Career stats: 2,025 CMP, 3,901 ATT, 27,989 YDS, 212 TD, 210 INT, 70.9 RAT

1979 stats: 259 CMP, 472 ATT, 3,724 YDS, 26 TD, 25 INT, 77.0 RAT

1979 postseason stats: 53 CMP, 82 ATT, 758 YDS, 6 TD, 4 INT, 98.5 RAT

Now: Terry Bradshaw

Terry Bradshaw, Quarterback — Terry Bradshaw became a successful football analyst after his playing days.

During the late 1970s, Terry Bradshaw morphed from being a game manager to being an elite quarterback as he put the Steelers on his back throughout the season.

1979 was his most prolific season. He set career highs in numerous categories and lived up to his "Blonde Bomber" nickname. After a tough ending to the season in which he threw five touchdowns versus 11 interceptions over the last five games, Bradshaw rebounded in the postseason and was named Super Bowl XIV MVP. He also was the MVP of the previous Super Bowl, and he and Bart Starr (Super Bowls I and II) remain the only players to be back-to-back Super Bowl MVPs.

Bradshaw is just as popular in his post-NFL career as he was as the quarterback of the Steelers. He has been one of the faces of Fox’s pregame shows for 25 years, which followed 10 years as a CBS broadcaster.

As a broadcaster, Bradshaw’s job is to sometimes criticize individuals or teams, and the four-time Super Bowl winner hasn’t shied away from calling out current Steelers. He said Mike Tomlin is "not my kind of coach" and has called out Ben Roethlisberger numerous times to the point where Big Ben said he’s sure that Bradshaw doesn’t want him to equal his four Super Bowl wins.

Franco Harris, Running Back

NFL experience: 13 years (1972-84)

Years with Steelers: 12 years (1972-83)

Career stats: 2,949 ATT, 12,120 YDS, 4.1 AVG, 91 TD, 307 REC, 2,287 RYDS, 9 RTD

1979 stats: 267 ATT, 1,186 YDS, 4.4 AVG, 11 TD, 36 REC, 291 RYDS, 1 RTD

1979 postseason stats: 62 ATT, 214 YDS, 3.5 AVG, 3 TD, 14 REC, 148 RYDS, 0 RTD

Now: Franco Harris

Franco Harris, Running Back — Franco Harris won four Super Bowls with the Steelers.

Franco Harris made his eighth of nine straight Pro Bowls during the 1979 season and set a career high in yards from scrimmage at the age of 29.

His season didn’t start off great, averaging just 47 rushing yards per game through his first four games, but Harris picked up speed and averaged 91 yards per game over the rest of the season. He managed only 2.3 yards per carry in Super Bowl XIV but found the end zone twice and also became the big game’s all-time leader in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

Harris is the president of Super Bakery, which has hundreds of stores in the Northeast and Midwest. Super Bakery first started as RSuper Foods and its Super Donuts are sold to public school students as a healthier version of normal donuts. RSuper Foods was founded in 1990 by Harris and his Penn State teammate Lydell Mitchell, who also had a standout NFL career.

To date, over 500 million Super Donuts have been sold in the United States.

Rocky Bleier, Running Back

NFL experience: 11 years, all with Steelers (1968, 1971-80)

Career stats: 928 ATT, 3,865 YDS, 4.2 AVG, 23 TD, 136 REC, 1,294 RYDS, 2 RTD

1979 stats: 92 ATT, 434 YDS, 4.7 AVG, 4 TD, 31 REC, 277 RYDS, 0 RTD

1979 postseason stats: 27 ATT, 90 YDS, 3.3 AVG, 2 TD, 3 REC, 29 RYDS, 0 RTD

Now: Rocky Bleier

Rocky Bleier, Running Back — Rocky Bleier is one of the most beloved Steelers of all time.

The Vietnam veteran was once in a timeshare with Franco Harris in the Steelers’ backfield, but by 1979, the 33-year-old Bleier was No. 3 on the depth chart. He still carved out a role in a Steelers offense that finished second in the NFL in rushing yards.

Bleier was the team’s third-down back, and he recorded the most receptions in his 11-year career. He also added two rushing touchdowns in the postseason, which equaled the amount he had in his postseason career up to that point.

Today Bleier is a motivational speaker, and his speeches go way, way beyond football. Bleier lost part of his right foot from shrapnel while fighting in the Vietnam War and made his way back to the NFL two years later.

He also started a company called Bleier Zagula Financial along with his son, Adri, and real estate planner Matt Zagula. The company specializes in assisting retirees in financial management and retirement planning.

Lynn Swann, Wide Receiver

NFL experience: 9 years, all with Steelers (1974-82)

Career stats: 336 REC, 5,462 RYDS, 16.3 AVG, 51 TD

1979 stats: 41 REC, 808 RYDS, 19.7 AVG, 5 TD

1979 postseason stats: 12 REC, 180 RYDS, 15.0 AVG, 2 TD

Now: Lynn Swann

After being Terry Bradshaw’s favorite target from 1975 to 1978, Lynn Swann moved into the No. 2 role in 1979 as John Stallworth became the top receiving option. Still, though, Swann was a valuable playmaker for Pittsburgh and averaged a career-high of 19.7 yards per reception. Swann’s best game came in Week 14 when he went off for a career-high of 192 receiving yards in a win over the Bengals.

Swann got into broadcasting after his playing days and was a common fixture on ABC for 30 years. Then, he dabbled in politics and became the athletic director at USC, his alma mater in 2016. He came under fire in 2019 when three USC athletic employees were arrested by the FBI in connection with the college admissions bribery scandal.

Swann had plans of staying at USC for the long haul, which in his mind was 10 years, but the admissions scandal got too hot, and he ended up resigning. On the field, Swann’s Trojans football team started off strong under his tenure with back-to-back 10-win seasons. But they won just five games in 2018, their fewest since the 1991 season.

John Stallworth, Wide Receiver

NFL experience: 14 years, all with Steelers (1974-87)

Career stats: 537 REC, 8,723 RYDS, 16.2 AVG, 63 TD

1979 stats: 70 REC, 1,183 RYDS, 16.9 AVG, 8 TD

1979 postseason stats: 12 REC, 259 RYDS, 21.6 AVG, 3 TD

Now: John Stallworth

The 1979 season was the best of John Stallworth’s Hall of Fame career. He ascended to the No. 1 receiving option and had his only first-team All-Pro selection.

His postseason was even better than his regular season. He scored touchdowns in all three of Pittsburgh’s games, including a 73-yard score in Super Bowl XIV. The touchdown proved to be the game-winner as both Stallworth and Lynn Swann became the only players to reach three receiving touchdowns in their Super Bowl careers.

Stallworth had a successful business career in retirement, and in recent years, he promoted a celebrity golf tournament that bears his name. The John Stallworth Celebrity Golf Tournament was created to provide scholarships to students at Alabama A&M, Stallworth’s alma mater. Celebrities included numerous athletes from a variety of sports, including fellow Steelers Hall of Famer Mel Blount. The 17th and final edition of the tournament took place in June 2019.

Bennie Cunningham, Tight End

NFL experience: 10 year, all with Steelers (1976-85)

Career stats: 202 REC, 2,879 RYDS, 14.3 AVG, 20 TD

1979 stats: 36 REC, 512 RYDS, 14.2 AVG, 4 TD

1979 postseason stats: 4 REC, 35 RYDS, 8.8 AVG, 1 TD

Now: Bennie Cunningham

At 6 feet, 5 inches and 254 pounds, Bennie Cunningham was taller than all of the Steelers’ linemen and was just as heavy as well.

He was a huge receiving threat for Terry Bradshaw and finished third on the team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Cunningham split time at the position with Randy Grossman, who was smaller but had developed a rapport with Bradshaw and was on all four of the Steelers’ 1970s Super Bowl teams.

Cunningham succumbed to cancer in 2018 at the age of 63. Prior to that, he had moved back to his native South Carolina, where he attended Clemson, and earned his master’s degree in secondary education. He worked as a high school guidance counselor in Westminster, South Carolina, and was the only tight end chosen on the ACC’s 50th Anniversary Team in 2003.

Jon Kolb, Left Tackle

NFL experience: 13 years, all with Steelers (1969-81)

Now: Jon Kolb

The blindside protector of Terry Bradshaw, Jon Kolb was a big reason why the Steelers had the league’s No. 2 passing offense in 1979. He started 12 of 14 games in the regular season and was the starting left tackle for his fourth Super Bowl at the end of the season.

Kolb was known as one of the strongest players in the league while he played and even competed in several Strongman contests during the offseason. He then parlayed that into becoming the team’s strength and conditioning coach for a decade before embarking on a career in teaching.

He was a health sciences instructor at Butler County Community College in Pittsburgh and also is a kinesiology instructor at Youngstown State and Penn State University.

Sam Davis, Left Guard

NFL experience: 13 years, all with Steelers (1967-79)

Now: Sam Davis

Sam Davis started nine of his 13 seasons with the Steelers, but he had unlucky timing with injuries and missed the team’s first two Super Bowls. He bounced back to start in Super Bowl XIII in 1978, and Super Bowl XIV a year later ended up being his last professional game.

Davis stayed out of the public eye after his career and died from a heart attack in 2019 at the age of 75 inside an assisted living facility in the Pittsburgh area, where he lived after getting dementia and becoming legally blind. He suffered a scary fall that hospitalized him in 1991, and his wife wondered if he suffered from CTE.

When Davis did venture out, it was rare, and teammates said he was not the same person he was when they played alongside him. "I’ve seen him at card shows," said Gerry "Moon" Mullins, the starter at right guard on the opposite side of the line from Davis. "And for a minute, you kind of forget. He still has that same bubbly smile. But he doesn’t know who you are. He’s just not there anymore."

Mike Webster, Center

NFL experience: 17 years (1974-90)

Years with Steelers: 15 years (1974-88)

Now: Mike Webster

Every positional group from the 1970s Steelers has at least one member in the Hall of Fame, and Mike Webster represents the offensive line. He was one of three offensive players to start all 16 games for the 1979 Steelers and was one of two first-team All-Pro selections along with John Stallworth.

As great as his NFL career was, Webster maybe even became more famous after it was over. He died from a heart attack in 2002, and after that, he became the first former NFL player to be diagnosed with CTE.

His erratic behavior prior to his death spurred his family to seek further medical help, and some doctors estimated he had been in the equivalent of 25,000 car crashes based on the 25 years of tackle football he played from youth through the NFL.

Larry Brown, Right Tackle

NFL experience: 14 years, all with Steelers (1971-84)

Now: Larry Brown

Super Bowl XIV was Larry Brown’s third as a starter but his first as a starter on the offensive line. That’s because Brown spent the first half of his career, and the first two Super Bowls, as the Steelers' starting tight end. He made the transition to offensive tackle after the 1976 season and played the last eight years of his career at the position.

As one of the rare players who successfully switches positions on the fly, and for being an integral part of four Super Bowl-winning squads, Chuck Noll (unsuccessfully) stumped for Brown for the Hall of Fame.

Canton hasn’t come calling, but Brown’s alma mater Kansas has honored him. A tight end for the Jayhawks, Brown joined the KU football Ring of Honor in 2018, which was also the 50-year anniversary of the Jayhawks' run to the Orange Bowl that Brown was a part of.

L.C. Greenwood, Defensive End

NFL experience: 13 year, all with Steelers (1969-81)

Career stats: 14 FR, 0 INT, 0 TD

1979 stats: 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 TD

1979 postseason stats: 1.0 SK, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 TD

Bottom Line: L.C. Greenwood

L.C. Greenwood was the Steelers' best outside pass rusher and also used his 6-foot-6 frame to bat down numerous passes at the line of scrimmage. The 1979 season would be the last of his six Pro Bowl seasons, and he recorded the Steelers’ lone sack in their AFC championship game win over the Oilers.

In 2013, the 67-year-old Greenwood died of kidney failure, leaving Joe Greene as the only remaining member of the "Steel Curtain" defensive line.

After he retired, Greenwood started several companies in construction and engineering, but his true passion was acting. He joined the Screen Actors Guild and other acting organizations and is best remembered for starring in a 1984 Miller Lite commercial.

Joe Greene, Defensive Tackle

NFL experience: 13 years, all with Steelers (1969-81)

Career stats: 16 FR, 1 INT, 0 TD

1979 stats: 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 TD

1979 postseason stats: 1.0 SK, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 TD

Bottom Line: Joe Greene

The 1979 season was a special one for Joe Greene. Not only did he win his last Super Bowl, but he also made his final Pro Bowl, achieved All-Pro honors for the last time and was named the NFL’s Man of the Year.

When the Steelers became the first team to win four Super Bowls, Greene said his dream was to get "one for the thumb" in reference to winning a fifth Super Bowl. However, Super Bowl XIV was the last postseason game for Greene, who retired in 1981.

While Greene didn’t get one for the thumb as a player, he got one for the thumb and a sixth for his other ring finger while working in the Steelers' front office. In 2018, Greene established a Memorial Scholarship in honor of his late wife, who died three years prior. The scholarship is at Greene’s alma mater of North Texas and is presented annually to students whose parents have battled cancer.

Dwight White, Defensive End

NFL experience: 10 years, all with Steelers (1971-80)

Career stats: 7 FR, 4 INT, 0 TD

1979 stats: 1 FR, 0 INT, 0 TD

1979 postseason stats: 0 SK, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 TD

Now: Dwight White

After being a starter for the Steelers' first three Super Bowl-winning teams, Dwight White played as a reserve on the way to his fourth ring. He gave up his starting spot to John Banaszak, who moved to end after being a defensive tackle the previous season.

White had a very successful post-NFL career that included being a stockbroker in Pittsburgh. He also worked within public finance and several investment firms before dying in 2008 at the age of 58 following complications from a prior surgery.

His family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital and doctors and was awarded a $2.5 million settlement.

Jack Ham, Outside Linebacker

NFL experience: 12 years, all with Steelers (1971-82)

Career stats: 3.0 SK, 21 FR, 32 INT, 2 TD

1979 stats: 1 FR, 2 INT, 0 TD

1979 postseason stats: DNP

Bottom Line: Jack Ham

The 1979 season was a bittersweet one for Jack Ham. He had another stellar All-Pro regular season, but he missed the postseason due to injury. These were the only postseason games he missed in his career as a foot injury knocked him out in the team’s 15th game.

In 2017, and after seeing several of his former teammates and contemporaries struggle with pain in retirement, Ham signed with a company that vied for a license to provide medical marijuana. He also believes that the NFL should have a more open mind to use the drug instead of using painkillers.

"We’ve got to find an alternative for opioids," he said. "It’s long-past time to take a closer look at medical cannabis and all the ways it might help people in pain — and football players are in pain."

Jack Lambert, Middle Linebacker

NFL experience: 11 years, all with Steelers (1974-84)

Career stats: 8.0 SK, 17 FR, 28 INT, 0 TD

1979 stats: 0 FR, 6 INT, 0 TD

1979 postseason stats: 0.5 SK, 0 FR, 1 INT, 0 TD

Now: Jack Lambert

It was another stellar year for the Steelers' middle linebacker in 1979 as Jack Lambert led the team and all NFL linebackers with six interceptions. His playmaking skills were again on display in Super Bowl XIV when Lambert picked off Vince Ferragamo of the Rams late in the fourth quarter. The Steelers scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive to finish off Los Angeles and win their fourth Super Bowl in six seasons.

Lambert keeps a relatively low profile in retirement, and that’s pretty much been the case in the entire 35 years since his last game. He rarely ventures out for team anniversaries or public appearances and spends his free time tending to the athletic fields in Western Pennsylvania. When Chuck Noll passed away in 2014, Lambert didn’t attend the memorial service but did meet with Noll’s widow to pay his respects.

But Lambert's low-profile has not diminished his reputation one bit. As former Browns coach Sam Rutigliano once said, "Jack Lambert is the Pittsburgh Steelers."

Mel Blount, Cornerback

NFL experience: 14 years, all with Steelers (1970-83)

Career stats: 13 FR, 57 INT, 4 TD

1979 stats: 1 FR, 3 INT, 0 TD

1979 postseason stats: 1 FR, 0 INT, 0 TD

Now: Mel Blount

In 1978, the NFL enacted the illegal downfield contact penalty, which is unofficially known as the Mel Blount rule. Blount used to manhandle receivers so this rule was implemented to open up offenses, and while it did that, it also decreased the effectiveness of Blount’s physical style. Still, though, he made the Pro Bowl in 1978 and 1979 under the new rule.

A self-proclaimed country boy who grew up in Georgia, Blount now spends retirement on his farm in Western Pennsylvania. He enjoys riding his horses and tending to his farm in addition to spending time with his grandchildren.

"I'm definitely proud of my kids," Blount said. "I love my grandkids. I kid all the time, if I knew grandkids was going to be that much fun, we would've had them first."

J.T. Thomas, Free Safety

NFL experience: 9 years (1973-77, 1979-82)

Years with Steelers: 8 years (1973-77, 1979-81)

Career stats: 1 FR, 20 INT, 2 TD

1979 stats: 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 TD

1979 postseason stats: 1.0 SK, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 TD

Now: J.T. Thomas

After missing the entire 1978 season due to a blood disorder, J.T. Thomas returned the following year and shifted from cornerback to free safety. After not recording an interception, sack or fumble recovery during the regular season, Thomas etched his name on the stat sheet in the Super Bowl by sacking Vince Ferragamo on the third-to-last play of the game.

Thomas is currently involved in the restaurant business where he has opened several restaurant chains over the last 35 years. This includes 14 Applebee’s along with teammate Larry Brown. He is also involved in a marketing, sales and distribution company along with another former teammate in Robin Cole.

Thomas’ latest restaurant venture is called Crazy Mocha, which opened in Pittsburgh in May 2017.

Donnie Shell, Strong Safety

NFL experience: 14 years, all with Steelers (1974-87)

Career stats: 19 FR, 51 INT, 4 TD

1979 stats: 2 FR, 5 INT, 0 TD

1979 postseason stats: 1 FR, 0 INT, 0 TD

Now: Donnie Shell

With five interceptions and two recovered fumbles, Donnie Shell accounted for the most takeaways of any Steelers player in 1979. As a result, Shell made his first All-Pro first team and his second of a string of five straight Pro Bowls. He also had one of the Steelers three takeaways in the AFC championship game as the Steelers advanced to their fourth Super Bowl in six seasons.

Shell has transitioned into the role of mentor for several current and former Steelers. His last year in Pittsburgh was future Hall of Famer Rod Woodson’s first, and Shell helped teach him the nuances of the game. He also did the same with the team’s 2018 first-round pick Terrell Edmunds.

"We rode down on the plane from Charlotte together," Shell said of traveling with Edmunds to a camp in Mexico. "I talked old-school. He talked new-school. … I expect him to make a lot of big plays for the Steeler Nation.”

Mike Wagner, Defensive Back

NFL experience: 10 years, all with Steelers (1971-80)

Career stats: 12 FR, 36 INT, 0 TD

1979 stats: 0 FR, 4 INT, 0 TD

1979 postseason stats: DNP

Now: Mike Wagner

Despite only playing in the first eight games of the season due to a hip injury, Mike Wagner still finished third on the team with four interceptions. He had two in a Week 2 game against the Oilers and another two in a Week 6 win over the Browns. The hip injury that sidelined him allowed J.T. Thomas to take Wagner’s position and start the rest of the season and the postseason.

Wagner still resides in Pittsburgh and is the vice president of the Private Banking Group for the First National Bank. He’s had a successful career in sales and finance and went back to school in retirement to obtain an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Prior to moving into the corporate world, Wagner spent some time as a high school football coach where he worked with the defensive backfield.

Matt Bahr, Kicker

NFL experience: 17 years (1979-95)

Years with Steelers: 2 years (1979-80)

Career stats: 300 FGM, 415 FGA, 72.3 FG%

1979 stats: 18 FGM, 30 FGA, 60.0 FG%

1979 postseason stats: 11 FGM, 12 FGA, 91.7 FG%

Now: Matt Bahr

Of the seven rookies on the 1979 Steelers, Matt Bahr had by far the biggest impact and led the NFL in made extra points, a by-product of the Steelers' great offense. He wasn’t as prolific on field goals and made just half of his attempts at 30 yards or longer. But he scored the first points in Super Bowl XIV on a first-quarter field goal and also scored the last points on an extra point in the fourth quarter.

Seeing as Bahr was born in Philadelphia, played at Penn State and then in Pittsburgh with the Steelers, it comes as no surprise that he stayed in Pennsylvania and went to work as an electrical engineer. He works for the Ultra Sports Academy in Pittsburgh and does contract engineering work for multisports complexes in the area.

Craig Colquitt, Punter

NFL experience: 7 years (1978-84, 1987)

Years with Steelers: 6 years (1978-84)

Career stats: 431 PNT, 17,795 YDS, 41.3 AVG

1979 stats: 68 PNT, 2,733 YDS, 40.2 AVG

1979 postseason stats: 7 PNT, 297 YDS, 42.4 AVG

Now: Craig Colquitt

As the punter for the No. 1 offense in the NFL, Craig Colquitt wasn’t called upon that often in the regular season and was used even less in the postseason. He punted just seven times throughout Pittsburgh’s three-game playoff run, which is how many punts he had in three different games during the regular season.

Colquitt has two sons and one nephew who became NFL punters, including Pro Bowler Dustin Colquitt of the Kansas City Chiefs. When he’s not spawning NFL punters, Craig Colquitt is writing children’s books. His latest "JoJo! What Happened to Your Hair?" was published in 2018 and is based on an actual conversation between Colquitt and his grandson.

Chuck Noll, Head Coach

NFL experience: 23 years, all with Steelers (1969-91)

Career record: 193-148-1

1979 record: 12-4

1979 postseason record: 3-0

Now: Chuck Noll

One of the greatest hallmarks of a coach is his ability to adapt, and Chuck Noll adapted to the changing NFL in the late 1970s. His first three Super Bowl teams were built around a run-heavy offense, but Noll took the reins off Terry Bradshaw in 1979 and unleashed him on the NFL. Bradshaw had 100 more pass attempts and 800 more passing yards than any of his previous nine seasons as Noll smartly predicted that the air game was gaining increasing importance in the NFL.

After Noll retired as head coach in 1991, he remained in an unofficial role with the Steelers and picked up two more Super Bowl rings as an "administrator." In 2007, Saint Vincent College in nearby Latrobe, Pennsylvania, renamed its football stadium after Noll since the Steelers have held their training camp there since the 1960s.

Noll died at 82 years old in 2014 after suffering from Alzheimer’s and back problems for years.