This article is about the term with the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line. For the 2005 Marine operation, see Operation Steel Curtain.

The Steel Curtain was the nickname given to the front four of the famous defensive line of the American football team Pittsburgh Steelers during their 1970s dynasty years. This defense was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won 4 Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, and XIV). Over the years, the nickname evolved into a reference to the entire defensive squad.

In the 1976 season, the Steelers' defense was a juggernaut, arguably the greatest defense of all time. After the Steelers started 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, the Steelers' defense took over for the remaining nine games. The Steelers recorded five shutouts, including three in a row, during this stretch. During this nine-game stretch the Steelers allowed a total of two touchdowns (in the same game) and five field goals. The defense allowed an average 3.1 points per game and the team had an average margin of victory of 22 points. Eight of the Steelers' starting eleven defensive players were selected for the Pro Bowl that year. Four would be selected to the Hall of Fame.

The Steel Curtain's famed front four were:

#75 "Mean" Joe Greene - defensive tackle, 1969-1981 (1969 Defensive Rookie of the Year; 1972 & 1974 Defensive Player of the Year; NFL 1970s All-Decade Team; Hall of Fame).

#68 L. C. Greenwood - defensive end, 1969-1981 (NFL 1970s All-Decade Team).

#63 Ernie Holmes - defensive tackle, 1972–1977.

#78 Dwight White - defensive end, 1971–1980.

Although the phrase originally referred to only four strikers, later came to include the entire defense, including the Hall of Fame:

# 47 Mel Blount - Cornerback, 1970-1983 (1975 Defensive Player of the Year, Team of 1980 (named the 1970 NFL team of all times.

# 58 Jack Lambert - Linebacker, 1974-1984 (1974 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year 1976).

# 59 Jack Ham - Linebacker, 1971-1982 (named 1970 NFL team of all times).

The nickname "Steel Curtain", a play on the phrase "Iron Curtain" popularized by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, originated in a 1971 contest sponsored by Pittsburgh radio station WTAE to name the defense. The contest was won by Gregory Kronz, then a ninth grader at a suburban high school. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "he was just one of 17 people who submitted the 'Steel Curtain' moniker to the WTAE contest, necessitating a drawing for the grand prize," which Kronz won.

Blitzburgh is a nickname for the city of Pittsburgh, used mostly in the context of American football. The name references the 3-4 zone-blitz scheme created by longtime Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, which the team has used since LeBeau first became defensive coordinator in 1992. The name is considered a badge of honor by fans of the team.

This defensive moniker was first applied to the defensive unit of the 1994 season. It featured linebackers Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene, Chad Brown, and Levon Kirkland. This defense gained prominence in 1995 as the Steelers gained their fifth Super Bowl appearance.

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