When it comes to Steelers history, there is no doubt some of the biggest moments came in the month of January.
Take a look back at some key dates from This Week in Steelers History.
January 8, 2006
AFC Wild Card Playoff Game
Steelers 31, Cincinnati Bengals 17
Paul Brown Stadium
It was the first game in a journey that would end with the Steelers winning Super Bowl XL, and it was a game filled with ups and downs. Cincinnati, who lost quarterback Carson Palmer to a knee injury in the game, jumped out to a 10-0 lead. The Steelers closed it to 10-7, but the Bengals came back to make it 17-7. From that point on, though, it was all Steelers. The Steelers rattled off 24 unanswered points to move on and continue their road journey to Super Bowl XL.
January 8, 2017
AFC Wild Card Game
Steelers 30, Miami Dolphins 12
Heinz Field
Ben Roethlisberger came out firing against the Dolphins, completing his first 11 passes, including two long touchdowns to Antonio Brown on the first two drives, one for 50 yards and one for 62 yards, in a 30-12 win over the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Wild Card Game.
Roethlisberger finished the day completing 13 of 18 passes for 197 yards and the two touchdowns, and said the plan was to open the game passing the ball and then let that open up the run game.
"We started the game off throwing the ball," said Roethlisberger. "That created the open running game. We've gone into games where we've run it to throw. This game we came out throwing to run. We had a mindset on the third series we were going to go to the jumbo and bring in the extra lineman, (Chris) Hubbard, and we were going to run on four straight downs if we had to.
"You've got to do what's best for the team. The running game opened up and worked."
Le'Veon Bell made his first-ever postseason game a memorable one when he carried the ball 29 times for 167 yards and two touchdowns.
"I think the offensive line did an incredible job of controlling the line of scrimmage," said Bell. "It made my job easy. The receivers on the edge, getting on their defensive backs and the safeties, and Ben putting us in the right situation. It was a total team effort today. I was trying to run hard and get what I could."
Bell set a Steelers' single-game postseason record with his 167 yards rushing, which he broke the following week.
"They announced it and that is when I saw it," said Bell. "It kind of blew me away. It's really humbling."
The Steelers and Dolphins met in Week 6 of the regular season, and Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi rushed for 204 yards. There would be no repeat of that performance at Heinz Field. The Steelers' defense didn't let Ajayi have anything, holding him to just 33 yards on 16 carries.
The defense dominated in the game, with five sacks, including two by Lawrence Timmons, who added 14 tackles.
*January 11, 2009 *
View photos from the Steelers 35-24 victory in the AFC Divisional Playoff game vs. the Chargers on Jan. 11, 2009.
AFC Divisional Round Game
Steelers 35, San Diego Chargers 24
Heinz Field
Coach Mike Tomlin recorded his first postseason win with a 35-24 victory over the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Divisional Round. Running back Willie Parker led the way with 146 yards, the third most in Steelers playoff history, and added two touchdowns.
The Chargers jumped out to a 7-0 lead, then extended it to 10-7 before the Steelers took a 14-10 lead right before the half and never looked back. The defense sacked Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers four times, with LaMarr Woodley chipping in with two sacks.
*January 11, 1983 *
Check out photos of Steelers' Hall of Famer Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann retires
Hall of Fame receiver Lynn Swann retired after a nine-year career that including being a part of four Super Bowl Championship teams. Swann finished his career with 336 receptions for 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns, and a highlight reel that would make any receiver envious. Swann was named All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl in 1975, 1977 and 1978, and was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1970s and the Super Bowl Silver Anniversary Team.
*January 12, 1975 *
Photos of Super Bowl IX. The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings 16-6 to capture the team's first Super Bowl victory in New Orleans' Tulane Stadium.
Super Bowl IX
Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6
Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana
The Steelers won their first Super Bowl after a first half that was dominated by strong defensive play. The only points on the board came from a safety when Fran Tarkenton fumbled a handoff to Dave Osborn, scrambled to recover the ball in the end zone, and was downed by Steelers defensive end Dwight White. Franco Harris, who was named the game's MVP after carrying the ball 34 times for 158 yards, scored the first touchdown of the game on a nine-yard yard for a 9-0 lead. The Vikings got on the board with a fourth quarter touchdown, but the Steelers sealed the win when Terry Bradshaw hit Larry Brown for a 30-yard touchdown.
