By John Turney 
Steve Massey’s Revolution: The Transformation of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL is a meticulously researched and engaging exploration of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ rise to dominance in the 1970s, a period that not only defined the franchise but also reshaped professional football. Published on August 14, 2025, Massey offers a detailed account of how the Steelers, between 1969 and 1974, laid the groundwork for a dynasty that would leave a huge mark on the NFL.
Massey’s central thesis is that the Steelers’ success was no accident but the result of deliberate, innovative strategies that revolutionized team-building and gameplay. It is contrasted with the lack of success of the earlier Steelers eras.
The book highlights key developments, such as the adoption of specified weight training, the creation of defensive schemes like the Cover 2 and Stunt 4-3, the establishment of the BLESTO draft combine, and the strategic recruitment from Historically Black Colleges. These innovations, combined with the cultivation of Hall of Fame talent and coaching, transformed the Steelers into a multi-championship powerhouse, winning four Super Bowls in the 1970s, the first, Super Bowl IX, is featured prominently.
Drawing from an impressive array of sources—with nearly 1,500 reference notes (1,477 to be exact), including player and front-office interviews (including Interviews with Art Rooney Jr, Dan Pastorini, Louis Lipps, Jim Cheyunski, J.R. Wilburn, Gordon Gravelle, Bruce Van Dyke, Terry Hanratty); historical newspapers, and NFL biographies and other books and texts—Massey constructs a game-by-game roadmap of the Steelers’ journey to Super Bowl win(s).
There is a logical and chronological approach that is one of the book’s strengths, offering readers a vivid sense of the incremental steps that built a dynasty. It's a personal preference but it’s a format I like.
The author’s ability to weave together technical details, such as defensive alignments, with human stories, like the impact of a single player’s rule-changing performance, makes the narrative both informative and compelling.
The book excels in contextualizing the Steelers’ transformation within the broader evolution of the NFL. Massey illustrates how their innovations influenced league-wide practices, from scouting to training regimens.
Overall, Revolution is a must-read for Steelers fans and students of football history will also like it. The amount of research and clear passion for the subject make this book a definitive account of how a once-struggling franchise redefined excellence in the NFL. It’s a testament to the power of vision, strategy, and execution in achieving greatness.
I am not in love with the cover: plain black with gold lettering, but it does make a statement—simple and dominant. So it serves a purpose. It consists of 405 pages of text plus 75 pages of endnotes.
It is an impressive book, covering a great topic in a great era and is well-covered. It is well worth the purchase; it's a great read.
About the author:
Steve Massey grew up in the 1970s and became a Steelers fan and has followed the team throughout his life. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in history and retired from teaching seven years ago. His passion is especially when it includes sports, specifically the NFL. This book is the product of six years of research and writing.
This is his second book about the NFL; the first one was "Starless: The 1947 Steelers", which was also excellent.
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