In the offseason, the team had been sold and then re-acquired (more or less) in a bizarre series of transactions which has come to be referred to as the "Pennsylvania Polka".
The roster consisted of many players who had played for the Philadelphia Eagles the previous year, who joined the Steelers as a result of the moves.
Bert Bell became half-owner of the team and he named himself the head coach.
After starting the season with two straight losses, Aldo "Buff" Donelli was brought in.
Donelli was acting concurrently as head coach at Duquesne University, and when the team's schedules prevented him from fulfilling both roles, he stepped down as the Steelers' coach in favor of Walt Kiesling.