1999 Pittsburgh Steelers Season

Season Summary: The 1999 Steelers opened the season with a bang, destroying expansion Cleveland 43-0 in their return to the NFL. There were few bright spots after that. This was not a talented roster, closer to a rebuild than a contender, and it showed.

Kordell Stewart had a miserable year. His confidence collapsed under relentless boos and he was benched in favor of Mike Tomczak. Jerome Bettis rushed for 1,100 yards, but the offense was predictable and easily contained with no passing game. An unheralded young receiver, Hines Ward, began to emerge as a starter, but the unit as a whole was weak.

The season's turning point came in week 9 when Cleveland stunned the Steelers 16-15 at home. From there, the Steelers went into a death spiral, losing 7 of their final 8 games and finishing 6-10. It was a record that almost flattered them, marking the low point of Cowher's coaching career.