After enduring an injury plagued 9-7 season the previous year, and missing the playoffs for the first time since 1971, the Steelers had hoped that the 1980 season was just a small hiatus from contending for championships. However, while the Steelers had flashes of their former glory years after starting the season with 2 unimpressive losses, the 1981 season would end in a 8-8 record and eventually prove to be the beginning of the end of the Steelers great dynasty of the 1970s.