Report
Fr. John Duggan, born in Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland and formerly of St. Kieran’s College in Kilkenny, went on study leave to the United States of America in 1972, where he came into contact with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was informally appointed Chaplain of the team and is credited with influencing them in their first ever Super Bowl win in 1974 when they defeated Minnesota Vikings of the NFC 16-6 in Super Bowl IX. The Pittsburgh Steelers went on to win the Super Bowl again in 1975, triumphing 21-17 versus the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X. He returned to Johnstown some time before August 1977.
NFL 1974
| P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct | |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| Eastern Division | |||||||
| *Miami Dolphins | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 327 | 216 | .786 |
| *Buffalo Bills | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 264 | 244 | .643 |
| New York Jets | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 279 | 300 | .500 |
| New England Patriots | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 348 | 289 | .500 |
| Baltimore Colts | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 190 | 329 | .143 |
| Central Division | |||||||
| *Pittsburgh Steelers | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 305 | 189 | .750 |
| Houston Oilers | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 236 | 282 | .500 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 283 | 259 | .500 |
| Cleveland Browns | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 251 | 344 | .286 |
| Western Division | |||||||
| *Oakland Raiders | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 355 | 228 | .857 |
| Denver Broncos | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 302 | 294 | .536 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 233 | 293 | .357 |
| San Diego Chargers | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 212 | 285 | .357 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| Eastern Division | |||||||
| *St. Louis Cardinals | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 285 | 218 | .714 |
| *Washington Redskins | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 320 | 196 | .714 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 297 | 235 | .571 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 242 | 217 | .500 |
| New York Giants | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 195 | 299 | .143 |
| Central Division | |||||||
| *Minnesota Vikings | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 310 | 195 | .714 |
| Detroit Lions | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 256 | 270 | .500 |
| Green Bay Packers | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 210 | 206 | .429 |
| Chicago Bears | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 152 | 279 | .286 |
| Western Division | |||||||
| *Los Angeles Rams | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 263 | 181 | .714 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 226 | 236 | .429 |
| New Orleans Saints | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 166 | 263 | .357 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 111 | 271 | .214 |
National Football League Regular Season Standings 1974 [Ref: 1]
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1974 | Oakland Raiders | 28 | Miami Dolphins | 26 |
| 1974 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 32 | Buffalo Bills | 14 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1974 | Oakland Raiders | 13 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 24 |
| NFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1974 | Minnesota Vikings | 30 | St. Louis Cardinals | 14 |
| 1974 | Los Angeles Rams | 19 | Washington Redskins | 10 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1974 | Minnesota Vikings | 14 | Los Angeles Rams | 10 |
| Super Bowl IX | Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, La. | |||
| 1974 | Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC) | 16 | Minnesota Vikings (NFC) | 6 |
National Football League Playoffs 1974 [Ref: 1]
NFL 1975
| P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct | |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| Eastern Division | |||||||
| *Baltimore Colts | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 395 | 269 | .714 |
| Miami Dolphins | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 357 | 222 | .714 |
| Buffalo Bills | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 420 | 355 | .571 |
| New York Jets | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 258 | 433 | .214 |
| New England Patriots | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 258 | 358 | .214 |
| Central Division | |||||||
| *Pittsburgh Steelers | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 373 | 162 | .857 |
| *Cincinnati Bengals | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 340 | 246 | .786 |
| Houston Oilers | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 293 | 226 | .714 |
| Cleveland Browns | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 218 | 372 | .214 |
| Western Division | |||||||
| *Oakland Raiders | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 375 | 255 | .786 |
| Denver Broncos | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 254 | 307 | .429 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 282 | 341 | .357 |
| San Diego Chargers | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 189 | 345 | .143 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| Eastern Division | |||||||
| *St. Louis Cardinals | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 356 | 276 | .786 |
| *Dallas Cowboys | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 350 | 268 | .714 |
| Washington Redskins | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 325 | 276 | .571 |
| New York Giants | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 216 | 306 | .357 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 225 | 302 | .286 |
| Central Division | |||||||
| *Minnesota Vikings | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 377 | 180 | .857 |
| Detroit Lions | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 245 | 262 | .500 |
| Chicago Bears | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 191 | 379 | .286 |
| Green Bay Packers | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 226 | 285 | .286 |
| Western Division | |||||||
| *Los Angeles Rams | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 312 | 135 | .857 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 255 | 286 | .357 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 240 | 278 | .286 |
| New Orleans Saints | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 165 | 360 | .143 |
National Football League Regular Season Standings 1975 [Ref: 1]
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1975 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 28 | Baltimore Colts | 10 |
| 1975 | Oakland Raiders | 31 | Cincinnati Bengals | 28 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1975 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 16 | Oakland Raiders | 10 |
| NFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1975 | Los Angeles Rams | 35 | St. Louis Cardinals | 23 |
| 1975 | Minnesota Vikings | 14 | Dallas Cowboys | 17 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1975 | Los Angeles Rams | 7 | Dallas Cowboys | 37 |
| Super Bowl X | Orange Bowl, Miami, Fl. | |||
| 1975 | Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC) | 21 | Dallas Cowboys (NFC) | 17 |
National Football League Playoffs 1975 [Ref: 1]
REFERENCES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] National Football League (2014) “Past Standings 1970-1975” 2014 NFL Record & Fact Book. pp. 391-395.
Newspaper Articles
[2] Anon. (1977) “Johnstown Priest’s influence on American Team” Tipperary Star, Saturday, August 6, 1977. pg. 6
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 14 July 2021
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2021
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