Former Pittsburgh Steelers RB Sidney Thornton Dies at Age 68

A Pittsburgh Steelers helmet on the field during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on September 11, 2022. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Sidney Thornton, a two-time Super Bowl champion running back who played with the Pittsburgh Steelers, has died at age 68, his former team announced on Wednesday.

Thornton passed away on Jan. 28, 2023, according to his official obituary. The cause of death has not been made public.

“We are saddened by the loss of former Steelers RB Sidney Thornton,” the Steelers announced in a post on Twitter.

Thornton’s alma mater, Northwestern State, also mourned the loss.

“The Demon family mourns the loss of Sidney Thornton, an N-Club Hall of Famer and a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers,” the school’s athletic page administrators wrote in a Twitter post. “There was only one ‘Thundering Bull,’ and he will be missed greatly.”

Prior to joining the Steelers, the New Orleans native was on the team at Northwestern State University in Louisiana and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1986, where he was recognized as one of the best players to ever play for the Demons.

Thornton was drafted in the second round (48th overall) by the Steelers in 1977 and was brought to Pittsburgh to help complement veteran running backs Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier.

He appeared in the playoffs three times with the Steelers and won two Super Bowl rings as a member of the Super Bowl XIII and XIV championship teams in 1979 and 1980.

His best season occurred for the 1979 Super Bowl champions, rushing for 585 yards on 118 carries (5.0 average) and six touchdowns. Additionally, he caught 16 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns. Thornton’s 10 touchdowns in 1979 were second on the team behind Harris and his 12 scores.

According to Steelers Depot, Thornton’s 75-yard run in a 17–13 win over the Baltimore Colts was the team’s longest play that year.

Over his six-year career (1977–1982), Thornton played in 74 games for the Steelers. He concluded his NFL career with 1,512 rushing yards on 356 carries and 18 rushing touchdowns. He also had 46 catches for 515 yards and six touchdowns.

Thornton left the team following the 1982 season but returned to pro football in 1984, playing one season in the United States Football League with the Oklahoma Outlaws before retiring.

After his career, Thornton coached football at Coushatta High School (now Red River High School) in Coushatta, Louisiana.

He is survived by his children, grandchildren, and extended family.