PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't getting cheerleaders, but they will have a new character walking their sidelines — a team mascot in a hard hat.

The Steelers will celebrate their 75th season with throwback uniforms, a special logo and special events for the fans, including a contest to name the mascot.

The mascot, the brainchild of Steelers president Art Rooney II, will wear black overalls, a gold long-sleeved shirt and carry a fake steel beam made of plastic foam — and, of course, a Terrible Towel.

The mascot will wear a cartoon figure-like headpiece, replete with a square jaw and a few days' worth of stubble — a more-than-coincidental resemblance to former coach Bill Cowher, perhaps?

The Steelers used a similar-type figure, a hard hat-wearing steelworker punting a football off a steel beam, as a team logo before adopting the steel industry symbol in 1962.

Fans will also be able to vote on an all-time team, representing the 24 top players in Steelers history, on the team's Web site at www.steelers.com.

Since the all-time team is likely to be dominated by players from the four Super Bowl-winning teams of the 1970s and that of the 2005 season, a Steelers legends team — honoring players before 1970 — will chosen by a panel selected by the team.

The season-long anniversary celebration will be led by Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle Joe Greene.

"This is going to be a fun time for our fans," Rooney said Friday.

The throwback uniform will be worn twice, the home opener against Buffalo on Sept. 16 and a Monday night home game against Baltimore on Nov. 5.

The uniform features a mustard-colored helmet with a black stripe and the Steelers logo — a uniform style last worn in 1962. The jersey is black with gold numbers and a 75th anniversary patch. The patch carries the Steelers logo between the numbers 7 and 5.

The 1962 helmet was the only one worn by the Steelers that featured the word "steel" on their logo rather than Steelers, since the symbol was borrowed from the American steel industry. A season later, the team received permission to replace "steel" with "Steelers."

The Hall of Fame, in Canton, Ohio, is planning an exhibit honoring the Steelers' 75th anniversary that will be on display in July and August. The display can be viewed at Heinz Field during September and October and the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh during November and December.