Mike Tomlin makes his head coaching debut 39 Septembers after Chuck Noll stepped in and began the transformation of the franchise's fortunes. While looking at the first years of Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin, we also look at the different NFLs into which each stepped.

1969

Teams: 26, but in two leagues -- the NFL (16) and AFL (10).

Average salary: App. $22,000.

TV: With the start of the NFL merger still a year away, CBS has the rights to NFL games and NBC the AFL. Total value to the NFL/AFL: App. $60 million.

TV hours: There are 9 hours of dedicated pro football coverage in the Pittsburgh market the week Noll makes his debut.

Commissioner: Pete Rozelle.

Before Noll: The Steelers are 161-256-13 with two playoff appearances (1947, '62) and only eight winning seasons since 1933 . What's more, the club goes 13-40-3 in the four seasons before Noll is hired.

Average attendance 1968: 33,463 at Pitt Stadium.

Black head coaches: 0.

Of note: The name "Super Bowl" is recognized for the first time as the AFL's New York Jets and Joe Namath upset the Baltimore Colts, 16-7, in SB III. ... Baltimore, Cleveland and the Steelers play in the NFL but agree to switch to the newly formed AFC in 1970 under terms of the merger. ... ABC reaches a revolutionary agreement with the NFL to televise 13 games on Monday nights beginning in 1970.

1992

Teams: 28.

Average NFL salary: $483,000

TV: As it has been for much of the previous two decades, CBS carries the more lucrative Sunday package of NFC games, while NBC carries the AFC and ABC shows what is by now an American institution -- "Monday Night Football." TNT and ESPN share Sunday night telecasts.

TV hours: n/a.

Total value to the NFL: $900 million (based on 1990 figures).

Commissioner: Paul Tagliabue.

Before Cowher: Chuck Noll had certainly raised the bar, going 193-148-1 including 88-27-1 from 1972-79 with four Super Bowl titles. But in his final four seasons he was just 30-34.

Average attendance 1991: 50,867 at Three Rivers Stadium.

Black head coaches: 2.

Of note: Super Bowl XXVI between the Redskins and Bills is seen by 123 million people. ... In a Harris Poll taken during the offseason, professional football again is declared the nation's most popular sport

2007

Teams: 32.

Average NFL salary: $1.4 million.

TV: The NFL has Sunday deals with Fox and CBS, a Sunday night deal with NBC, a Monday night deal with ESPN -- a sister network to Monday night pioneer ABC -- and is in the second season showing some games on its 24-hour, 365-day-a-year NFL Network. Those contracts are worth $3.75 billion to the league in 2006.

TV hours: There are 34 hours dedicated solely to NFL coverage this week, not counting the NFL Network's 24/7 coverage.

Commissioner: Roger Goodell.

Before Tomlin: While Bill Cowher makes two Super Bowl appearances to Noll's four and wins it only once, his winning percentage is actually better than Noll's (.623-.566) and his Super Bowl title (February 2006) is much nearer his departure than the decade that separated Noll from his.

Average attendance 2006: 62,432 at Heinz Field.

Black head coaches: 6.

Of note: Goodell's code of conduct policy dominates. Among the players who feel its wrath are Tennessee Adam "Pac-Man" Jones, Falcons QB Michael Vick and Bengals LB Odell Thurman. ... For the first time, a regular-season game will be played outside North America when the Giants and Dolphins play in London in Week 8.