Steelers' Louis Lipps Said The Love From Fans Made His 1st Play His Favorite Play

The Pittsburgh Steelers had reached a kind of transitional limbo by 1984. Most of the "greats" were gone from the Steel Curtain era, including Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann and Joe Greene. Head Coach Chuck Noll was faced with the daunting task of rebuilding what has once been the greatest NFL team ever. Part of that rebuild started with drafting one of the most beloved Steelers of the late 1980s, Louis Lipps.

Recently, Lipps gave an interview where he talked about the love that he received from Steelers fans. Lipps said that the mutual love between him and the fans helped to create one of his favorite and most memorable plays in black and gold. 

Prior to the 2023 Steelers-Cleveland Browns game during Week 2 of the season, Lipps spoke with former Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats. Moats now hosts a podcast called The Arthur Moats Experience and did an episode from the Fed Ex Great Hall at Acrisure Stadium. He asked Lipps about his time with the Steelers and wondered what play was his favorite.

Lipps, a wide receiver, was a first-round pick by the Steelers in 1984 and started out returning punts. He earned the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award for his 665 yards on punt returns and his 45 catches for 860 yards and 9 touchdowns. From there, the legend continued to grow and Lipps was a team MVP multiple times. That favorite play of Lipps came on his first punt return. 

Steelers' Louis Lipps Said The Fans Gave Him Goosebumps

When Lipps was a member of the Steelers, the team still played at the old Three Rivers Stadium in downtown Pittsburgh. When the stadium was originally built in 1970, there was Tartan Turf laid down, which was the rival to AstroTurf. Since the stadium housed both the Steelers and the Pittsburgh Pirates, a turf field was seen as a must. In 1983, the Tartan Turf was replaced with AstroTurf, but Lipps reminded listeners that the change did nothing to save the player's bodies. Turf is notoriously hard on player's bodies causing an increase in injuries. 

"I never got a chance to run on this nice clean carpet y'all got here, I ran on that hard a** turf that we had in Three Rivers. But you guys welcomed me with the loudest ovation I've ever heard and I've ever seen, because we didn't have a big screen at Southern Mississippi, but we have one here in Three Rivers."

Lipps became a dynamic receiver for the Steelers, amassing 6,019 receiving yards from 359 catches, with 39 touchdowns during his career. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1984 and 1985 and was First Team All-Pro those same years. During an era when Steelers fans were trying to find some bright spots in their team rebuild, Lipps gave them that. The fans, who had been missing the spark of excitement of having a good team, were thrilled at the selection of Lipps and let him know it during his first game.  

"When I went back to return my first punt, it said 'LOOOOUUUUUUUUU!' I happened to be facing the big screen and the first thing that I said to myself was, 'You better not fair catch this ball.' And that's the only thing that came to my mind so I said, 'Well, I'm gonna catch it and I gotta make something happen because these people want to see me do something.' But when you guys said it again, I had goosebumps as big as plums on my arms."

That love affair between the Steelers fans and Lipps continued throughout his career. While he struggled with some injuries during 1986 and 1987, he came back with a vengeance in 1988. While Lipps' favorite catch might have been that first punt return, the one he is most often remembered for is the "Steel City Wonder" where he caught the ball with his facemask.   

Lipps acknowledges that football during his generation was a different game than it is now. Players were not protected in the same manner and it takes a toll on your body. He said he could have played longer in today's game. After the 1991 season, Lipps left Pittsburgh and played a few games for the New Orleans Saints. He returned to Pittsburgh to retire as a Steeler in 1994 because to him, nothing felt as good as the love he got from Steel City fans.

"I wanted to have that feeling every time I stepped back to return a punt, and y'all made me have that feeling and I appreciate that."

Lipps is not a Hall of Famer, but he is a legend in the hearts of Steelers fans and was inducted into the Hall of Honor in Pittsburgh in 2021. He brought a lot of joy and excitement to a fan base that was struggling with their new lackluster team. It only seems right that the fans would show him that same love in return. 

Do you remember when Lipps joined the Steelers? How did you survive the lean 80s years as a fan?