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"I know I’m the primary receiver on ever route. Even if the quarterback looks elsewhere first, I know I’ll be open and he’ll come back to me.”
(Alabama A&M)...6'2'', 191...Johnny Lee Stallworth. . .Steelers’ fourth-round draft pick, 1974 . . . Played in six AFC championship games, four Super Bowls. . . Scored winning TD on 73-yard reception, Super Bowl XIV. . . Career statistics: 537 receptions for 8,723 yards, 63 TDs. . .All-Pro, 1979. . .All-AFC, 1979, 1984. . .Played in four Pro Bowl games. . . Two-time Steelers MVP. . Born July 15, 1952, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
John Stallworth played for the Pittsburgh Steelers for 14 seasons from 1974 through 1987. The 6-2, 191-pound speedster teamed first with Lynn Swann and later with Louis Lipps to give the Steelers an unusually potent pass-receiving tandems.
Stallworth caught 537 passes for 8,723 yards and 63 touchdowns, all Steelers team records at the time of his retirement. A veteran of six AFC championship games and four Steelers Super Bowl triumphs (IX, X, XIII, XIV), Stallworth was named All-Pro in 1979 and All-AFC in 1979 and 1984. He also played in four Pro Bowls following the 1979, 1982, 1983 and 1984 seasons.
A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he was born on July 15, 1952, Stallworth was an All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference receiver for Alabama A&M in 1972 and 1973. He was selected by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 1974 NFL Draft.
Stallworth, blessed with great leaping ability and excellent speed, was the 82nd player taken that year. After a rookie year as an understudy, he became a starter in his second season and held that job for the rest of his 165-game career. Stallworth did battle a series of fibula, foot, ankle, knee and hamstring injuries that forced him to miss 44 regular-season games.
Stallworth, who scored the winning touchdown on a 73-yard reception in Super Bowl XIV against the Los Angeles Rams, holds the Super Bowl records for career average per catch (24.4 yards) and single-game average, 40.33 yards in Super Bowl XIV. He had 12 touchdown receptions and a string of 17 straight games with a reception in postseason play.
He also held Steelers team records for career and single-season receptions, career reception yardage and his 64 touchdowns scored ranks second behind Franco Harris following his retirement in 1987. Stallworth led the AFC with a career-high 1,395 yards gained on 80 receptions in 1984, when he was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
Championship Games
1974 AFC - Pittsburgh Steelers 24, Oakland Raiders 13 Stallworth played but did not start. He caught two passes for 16 yards.
1975 AFC - Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Oakland Raiders 10 Stallworth played but did not start. He caught two passes for 30 yards including a 20-yard touchdown that proved to be the game winner.
1976 AFC - Oakland Raiders 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 7 Stallworth played but did not start. He caught one pass for 18 yards.
1978 AFC - Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Houston Oilers 5 Stallworth started at wide receiver for the Steelers. He caught one pass for 17 yards and a touchdown.
1979 AFC - Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Houston Oilers 13 Stallworth started at wide receiver for the Steelers. He caught three passes for 52 yards including a 20-yard touchdown reception.
1984 AFC - Miami Dolphins 45, Pittsburgh Steelers 28 Stallworth started at wide receiver for the Steelers. He caught four receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns. His touchdowns came on 65-yard and 19-yard receptions.
Super Bowls
Super Bowl IX - Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6 Stallworth played but did not start. He caught three passes for 24 yards.
Super Bowl X - Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Dallas Cowboys 17 Stallworth started at wide receiver for the Steelers. He caught two passes for 8 yards.
Super Bowl XIII - Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31 Stallworth started at wide receiver for the Steelers. He caught three passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns. He scored the first two Pittsburgh touchdowns on receptions of 28 yards and 75 yards.
Super Bowl XIV - Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Los Angeles Rams 19 Stallworth started at wide receiver for the Steelers. He caught three passes for 121 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown on a 73-yard pass proved to be the winning score.
All-League Teams
All-Pro: 1979 (AP, PFWA, NEA, PW)
All-Pro Second Team: 1984 (NEA)
All-AFC: 1979 (UPI, SN, PW) • 1984 (UPI, PW)
Pro Bowls
(4) – 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985
In the NFL Record Book
(at time of his retirement following 1987 season)
Super Bowl Records
• [1st] Highest Average Gain per Reception, Career – 24.4 • [1st] Highest Average Gain per Reception, Game – 40.33 (Super Bowl XIV) • [Tied for 1st] Most Touchdowns Receiving, Career – 3 • [Tied for 1st] Most Touchdowns Receiving, Game – 2 (Super Bowl XIII) • [2nd] Most Yards Receiving, Career – 268 • [Tied for 2nd] Most Touchdowns, Career – 3 • [Tied for 2nd] Most Touchdowns, Game – 2 (Super Bowl XIII) • [Tied for 3rd] Longest Reception – 75 yards (Super Bowl XIII)
Post-Season Records
• [1st] Most Touchdown Receptions, Career – 12 • [1st] Most Consecutive Games Scoring Touchdowns – 8 (1978-83) • [1st] Most Games 100 or More Yards Receiving, Career – 5 • [1st] Most Consecutive Games Touchdown Passes Caught – 8 (1978-83) • [Tied for 2nd] Most Consecutive Games 100 or More Yards Receiving, Career – 2 (1979-82) • [Tied for 2nd] Most Touchdowns, Career – 12 • [3rd] Most Consecutive Games Pass Receptions – 17 (1974-1984)
Team Records
Steelers' records held by Stallworth
(at the time of his retirement following the 1987 season)
• [1st] Most Receptions, Career – 537 • [1st] Most Receptions, Season – 80 (1984) • [1st] Most Yards Receiving, Career – 8,723 • [1st] Most Yards Receiving, Season – 1,395 (1984) • [1st] Most Touchdowns Receiving, Career – 63 • [1st] Most Consecutive Games Caught Pass – 67 (Oct. 9, 1977-Dec. 12, 1982) • [Tied for 1st] Most Seasons – 14 • [2nd] Most Touchdowns, Career – 64 • [2nd] Most Receptions, Season – 75 (1985) • [Tied for 2nd] Most Receptions, Game – 11 (vs. Cincinnati, Sept. 30, 1985) • [Tied for 2nd] Most Touchdowns, Game – 3 (vs. San Diego, Nov. 25, 1984) • [Tied for 2nd] Most Touchdowns Receiving, Season – 11 (1984) • [Tied for 2nd] Most Touchdowns Receiving, Game – 3 (vs. Houston, Nov. 4, 1984, vs. San Diego Nov. 24, 1984) • [3rd] Most Yards Receiving, Season – 1,183 (1979) • [3rd] Most Receptions, Season – 70 (1979) • [4th] Most Total Points, Career – 384 • [5th] Most Receptions, Season – 63 (1981) • [5th] Most Yards Receiving, Season – 1,098 (1981)
League/Team Statistical Titles
AFC Statistical Championships
Receiving Yardage: 1984
Team Statistical Championships
Pass Receiving Titles: 1979, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987 Yards from Scrimmage Titles: 1984
* AFC regular season finish in strike-shortened season.
Full Name: Johnny Lee Stallworth Birthdate: July 15, 1952 High School: Tuscaloosa (AL) Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame: February 2, 2002 Enshrined into Pro Football Hall of Fame: August 3, 2002 Presenter: John Stallworth, Jr., John's son Other Members of Class of 2002: George Allen, Dave Casper, Dan Hampton, Jim Kelly Pro Career: 14 seasons, 165 games Drafted: 4th round (82nd overall) in 1974 by Pittsburgh Steelers Uniform Number: 82