<P> During World War II, the Steelers experienced player shortages . They twice merged with other NFL franchises to field a team . During the 1943 season, they merged with the Philadelphia Eagles forming the "Phil - Pitt Eagles" and were known as the "Steagles". This team went 5--4--1 . In 1944, they merged with the Chicago Cardinals and were known as Card - Pitt (or, mockingly, as the "Carpets"). This team finished 0--10, marking the only winless team in franchise history . </P> <P> The Steelers made the playoffs for the first time in 1947, tying for first place in the division at 8--4 with the Philadelphia Eagles . This forced a tie - breaking playoff game at Forbes Field, which the Steelers lost 21--0 . That would be Pittsburgh's only playoff game for the next 25 years; they did qualify for a "Playoff Bowl" in 1962 as the second - best team in their conference, but this was not considered an official playoff . </P> <P> In 1970, the year they moved into Three Rivers Stadium and the year of the AFL--NFL merger, the Pittsburgh Steelers were one of three old - guard NFL teams to switch to the newly formed American Football Conference (the others being the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Colts), in order to equalize the number of teams in the two conferences of the newly merged league . The Steelers also received a $3 million ($18.9 million today) relocation fee, which was a windfall for them; for years they rarely had enough to build a true contending team . </P> <P> The Steelers' history of bad luck changed with the hiring of coach Chuck Noll for the 1969 season . Noll's most remarkable talent was in his draft selections, taking Hall of Famers "Mean" Joe Greene in 1969, Terry Bradshaw and Mel Blount in 1970, Jack Ham in 1971, Franco Harris in 1972, and finally, in 1974, pulling off the incredible feat of selecting four Hall of Famers in one draft year, Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster . The Pittsburgh Steelers' 1974 draft was their best ever; no other team has ever drafted four future Hall of Famers in one year, and only very few (including the 1970 Steelers) have drafted two or more in one year . </P>

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