Ernie Stautner
A undersized, relentless defensive tackle whose ferocious play defined the Pittsburgh Steelers' identity long before their 1970s dynasty.
1925–2006 (age 81)·American football player and coach·Birthday: April 20·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Ernie Stautner didn't look like a Hall of Famer. At 6'1" and 230 pounds, he was small for a defensive tackle even in the 1950s. What he lacked in size, he made up for with a motor that never quit and a technique described as violent poetry. Playing his entire 14-year career for the often-hapless Pittsburgh Steelers, he was a one-man wrecking crew, earning nine Pro Bowl selections. He played with broken bones, taped ribs, and a legendary disregard for his own body. Stautner didn't just stop plays; he invaded the backfield with a quickness that left larger offensive linemen grasping at air. After retiring, he became a respected defensive line coach, helping shape the 'Doomsday Defense' of the Dallas Cowboys. He was the blue-collar heart of a franchise before it found its championship rings.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Ernie was born in 1925, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ernie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1925
#1 Movie
The Gold Rush
Ernie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1925Born
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1930Started school
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1938Became a teenager
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1941Could drive
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1943Could vote
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Turned 21
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1955Turned 30
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 40
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 50
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 60
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 70
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 80
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2006Died at 81
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
Key Achievements
- Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969, the first Pittsburgh Steeler to receive the honor.
- Selected to nine Pro Bowls during his 14-season career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
- His number 70 was retired by the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of only three numbers retired by the franchise.
- Served as a defensive coach for the Dallas Cowboys for over a decade, contributing to two Super Bowl victories (VI, XII).
Did You Know?
He was born in Germany and immigrated to the United States as a young child.
He served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II before attending college.
A famous photograph shows him tackling both the Cleveland Browns' fullback and quarterback simultaneously.
“You beat the man in front of you with leverage, hands, and will.”
