ADDENDUM: Recent updates made to description.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of pro football’s most celebrated teams, winners of six Super Bowls—tied with the Patriots for most in the NFL. During the 1970s and lasting into the 90s. they were also one of the cheapest. Longtime owner Art Rooney always ran a hard bargain, especially when it came to his uniform and equipment budgets. Refurbishing helmets to be worn multiple seasons used to be common among every team, but it has been well-documented by hobbyists that the Steelers took the whole “restore and re-wear” mentality to a whole other level. Players would sometimes keep the same pair of pants over a stretch of five plus seasons, as evidence from year tagging, team certs and photo-matching can attest. Steelers jerseys would often transition to incoming players, and here we have a classic example of that Steel Curtain frugality with a late 70s/early 80s gamer.
Starting with #45 Jimmy Allen in 1976 through the end of the ’77 campaign, this pounded Steelers black home jersey saw significant game action as he played in 22 games, starting five. Nicknamed “Spiderman,” the defensive back out of UCLA had five picks, two forced fumbles and two recoveries in 1977 before leaving town to join the Lions in ’78. Pittsburgh drafted #45 Russell Davis in 1979, but due to a broken arm he did not debut until the following season. In 1980, the running back out of Michigan played in 14 games, starting two, gaining 132 yards with a touchdown. Research indicates the Steelers had many players reuse their 1976 tagged uniforms through the 1980 season.
This all adds up on this offered durene specimen, especially when you notice clear evidence of a nameplate change on the upper back with “DAVIS” sewn in yellow-gold tackle twill. Proper Medalist Sand-Knit tagging is found on the left front tail indicating size “46” with a “76” year strip tag. There is heavy pilling and fraying to the fabric, with significant contact marks throughout leading to a team repair on the back within the ‘5’ and two others along the left clavicle. The Allen/Davis uniform No. “45” comes in white tackle twill, appearing on the front, back and both shoulders. The numbers are heavily puckered with light spot staining on the large ones. There is a strong brownish stain on the small right shoulder number. Each sleeve is trimmed with the eye-appealing team color stripes. The left sleeve end has what appears to be a small blood stain, giving it a true gridiron feel.
Photo documentation provides indicators that Allen may have worn this jersey in Super Bowl X. He is pictured with Chuck Knoll twice right after the game. One shot is an absolute classic, his beloved head coach seemingly carrying Allen off the field while both are smiling ear-to-ear as World Champions. The crookedness of the hand-cut numbers on the front and alignment where each was sewn on both match up, along with a few visible contact marks (one pinhole-sized just above front ‘4'; a scratch on '5', etc.). Getty image #493968791 has a clear shot of Allen's back numbers, which shows the same the crookedness and aligment of the '5' on this offered shirt. In addition, there is obvious removal evidence of a large round patch (where the Super Bowl X logo would have been sewn) once present to the lower left of the collar. What about the fact that Allen and several other Steelers wore longer-sleeved jerseys with white elbow pads during the big game? Well, the sleeve ends on this one show signs of being re-sewn, making it very possible that the team--being as cheap and resourceful as they were--removed the Super Bowl patch and shortened the sleeves before the '76 regular season. The only logical explanation we have of the "76" tagging is that it was manufactured right after the '75 AFC Championship Game (played on 1/4/76), two weeks before Super Bowl X on January 18, 1976.
So if this is in fact that jerse, Allen continued wearing it through 1977, and then it was kept dormant until the Steelers prepared it for Russell Davis before the 1979 season (which he missed entirely). Whatever the case may be, if you're seeking a well-worn gridiron gamer (with possible Super Bowl usage) from one of the most storied NFL dynasties, here's a terrific example.
Team certified by with Steelers Authentic Memorabilia hologram sticker (GU-114318) affixed inside left shirttail. COA uploaded to online database calls it a 1976 Russell Davis jersey--they meant 1976 Jimmy Allen/Russell Davis.