The Buffalo Bills (7-4) travel to face the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) Sunday afternoon in a 4:25 p.m. EST battle of teams fighting for positioning in a crowded AFC playoff race.
Before this Week 13 clash, let’s revisit the series history, relive some of the more memorable matchups, break down those common connections, and go through the list of players who played for both teams. Hint: there are 45 players who saw action for both the Bills and Steelers.
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills scores a 52-yard touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills scores a 52-yard touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
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Bills vs. Steelers series history
The Bills and Steelers have clashed 30 previous times, with Pittsburgh holding a 17-13 edge in the all-time series. Buffalo and Pittsburgh have split their previous four playoff games.
The teams met for the first time on Oct. 11, 1970 in Pittsburgh, PA, with the Steelers prevailing 23-10. This has been a series of runs, with Pittsburgh winning five of the first six games. The Bills responded by winning seven of the next eight games, including a 24-3 road win in the AFC Divisional Round of the 1992 season, behind two passing touchdowns from backup quarterback Frank Reich, 158 combined rushing yards from running backs Thurman Thomas and Kenneth Davis, and a Bills defense that sacked quarterback Neil O’Donnell seven times and picked him off twice.
Pittsburgh won 10 of the next 11 games in the series from 1993-2016, but Buffalo has prevailed in four of the last five matchups, including a 31-17 Super Wild Card Weekend triumph during the 2023 season — a playoff game that was delayed 24 hours due to a winter lake-effect snowstorm that dumped more than two feet of snow on the Orchard Park, NY area.
In their last meeting, that 2023 playoff clash at Highmark Stadium, quarterback Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes and scored on a franchise playoff-record 52-yard touchdown run to power the Bills past the Steelers. Allen completed 21 of 30 passes for 203 yards and added 74 rushing yards, becoming the first quarterback to throw three-plus touchdown passes and rush for 70-plus yards with a touchdown in a playoff game in NFL history.
Buffalo raced out to a 21-0 lead on a nine-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dawson Knox, a 29-yard touchdown strike to tight end Dalton Kincaid, and Allen’s 52-yard touchdown scamper. Pittsburgh pulled within 24-17 early in the fourth quarter, but wide receiver Khalil Shakir caught a pass from Allen, eluded a tackler and won a foot race into the end zone for the backbreaking score with 6:27 remaining.
Linebacker Terrel Bernard forced a fumble to set up a touchdown, and cornerback Kaiir Elam came away with an interception in the end zone to deny the Steelers a scoring opportunity and set up Allen’s record-setting touchdown run.
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Kaiir Elam #24 of the Buffalo Bills intercepts a pass intended for Diontae Johnson #18 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the end zone during the second quarter at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Kaiir Elam #24 of the Buffalo Bills intercepts a pass intended for Diontae Johnson #18 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the end zone during the second quarter at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
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Fun fact: The Steelers would go on to win the Super Bowl during the 1975 NFL season, but the Bills picked up their first win against Pittsburgh during a Week 2 contest at Three Rivers Stadium. Buffalo, which entered as an eight-point underdog, raced out to a 23-0 lead midway through the third quarter thanks to an 88-yard touchdown run from O.J. Simpson, who would gash the league’s best defense for 227 yards, averaging 8.1 yards per carry. Thanks to Simpson’s efforts, the Bills amassed 310 rushing yards on 45 carries during a 30-21 win.
A fumble from Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw led to John Leypoldt’s 37-yard field goal, and a second Bradshaw fumble wound up in the arms of defensive tackle Earl Edwards, who after a brief return lateraled to defensive tackle Mike Kadish, who rumbled 26 yards for the score and a 10-0 Bills lead in the second quarter.
After blanking the Steelers in the first half, quarterback Joe Ferguson engineered a scoring drive to start the third quarter, hitting tight end Reuben Grant from seven yards out for a 17-0 lead, and Simpson’s 88-yard score on a sweep play sealed the deal on Buffalo’s first win over Pittsburgh.
Bradshaw wound up being benched after committing three turnovers and being sacked four times. His day ended with him completing only 3 of 8 passes for 69 yards with an interception. Ferguson completed 9 of 20 passes for 129 yards with a pair of touchdowns and zero interceptions, running back Jim Braxton added 80 rushing yards on 14 carries, and wide receiver Bob Chandler hauled in a 28-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to finish the Bills’ scoring on the day.
O.J. Simpson breaks away from Steeler tacklers Jack Russell (59) and Andy Russell (34) to run 88-yards for a touchdown in the third quarter of the game.
O.J. Simpson breaks away from Steeler tacklers Jack Russell (59) and Andy Russell (34) to run 88-yards for a touchdown in the third quarter of the game.
Franchise Comparison
Who has played for both the Bills and Steelers?
There are a total of 45 players who appeared in a game for both the Bills and Steelers. The best player to arguably suit up for both Buffalo and Pittsburgh is left tackle Will Wolford, who started all 102 games and earned two Pro Bowl appearances with the Bills from 1986-1992 before capping his stellar NFL career as a guard/left tackle with the Steelers from 1996-1998.
Honorable mention to Bills Wall of Fame quarterback Jack Kemp — who played in four games with the Steelers in 1957 before leading the Bills to AFL Championships in 1964 and 1965 while passing for 15,134 yards with 77 touchdowns in 88 games with the Bills from 1962-69 — and wide receiver Frank Lewis, who had 2,086 receiving yards in 75 games with the Steelers from 1971-77 before catching 269 passes for 4,638 yards with 24 touchdowns for the Bills from 1978-83). Lewis still ranks sixth all-time in Bills history for career receiving yards and is tied for 12th in career TD receptions.
ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 25: Offensive tackle Will Wolford #73 of the Buffalo Bills blocks against defensive lineman Tim Johnson #78 of the Pittsburgh Steelers as quarterback Jim Kelly #12 looks to pass during a game at Rich Stadium on September 25, 1988 in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills defeated the Steelers 36-28. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 25: Offensive tackle Will Wolford #73 of the Buffalo Bills blocks against defensive lineman Tim Johnson #78 of the Pittsburgh Steelers as quarterback Jim Kelly #12 looks to pass during a game at Rich Stadium on September 25, 1988 in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills defeated the Steelers 36-28. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
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Among the other notable players with ties to both the Bills and Steelers:
Defensive back Lance Brown (1998-99 with the Steelers, 2001 with the Bills)
Defensive back Ross Cockrell (2014 with the Bills, 2015-16 with the Steelers)
Wide receiver Charles Johnson (1994-98 with the Steelers, 2002 with the Bills)
Quarterback Jack Kemp (1957 with the Steelers, 1962-69 with the Bills)
Center Doug Legusrky (2009-15 with the Steelers, 2013 with the Bills)
Wide receiver Frank Lewis (1971-77 with the Steelers, 1978-83 with the Bills)
Linebacker Tyler Matakevich (2016-24 with the Steelers, 2020-23 with the Bills)
Linebacker Marv Matuszak (1953-56 with the Steelers, 1962-63 with the Bills)
Defensive back Richie McCabe (1955-58 with the Steelers, 1960-61 with the Bills)
Wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud (2018 with the Bills, 2020-21 with the Steelers)
Linebacker Arthur Moats (2010-13 with the Bills, 2014-17 with the Steelers)
Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (2022-24 with the Steelers, 2025 with the Bills)
Tight end Jay Riemersma (1997-2002 with the Bills, 2003-04 with the Steelers)
Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (2010-13 with the Steelers, 2021 with the Bills)
Center Mike Schneck (1999-2004 with the Steelers, 2005-06 with the Bills)
Wide receiver Bobby Shaw (1999-2001 with the Steelers, 2003-04 with the Bills)
Guard Kendall Simmons (2002-08 with the Steelers, 2009 with the Bills)
Quarterback Mitch Trubisky (2022-23 with the Steelers, 2021-25 with the Bills)
Cornerback Levi Wallace (2018-21 with the Bills, 2022-23 with the Steelers)
Defensive end/nose tackle Keith Willis (1982-1991 with the Steelers, 1992 with the Bills)
Tackle/guard Will Wolford (1986-1992 with the Bills, 1996-98 with the Steelers)
Fun fact: Only two players have ever thrown a pass in both a Bills and Steelers uniform:
Jack Kemp
Mitch Trubisky
BUFFALO, NY - CIRCA 1978: Frank Lewis #82 runs with the ball pursued by Bobby Jackson #40 of the New York Jets during an NFL Football game circa 1978 at Rich Stadium in Buffalo, New York. Lewis played for the Jets from 1978-83. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - CIRCA 1978: Frank Lewis #82 runs with the ball pursued by Bobby Jackson #40 of the New York Jets during an NFL Football game circa 1978 at Rich Stadium in Buffalo, New York. Lewis played for the Jets from 1978-83. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
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