Revisiting all six Steelers Super Bowl victories
The Pittsburgh Steelers, as one of the most successful franchises in the NFL, have a rich history, particularly in the Super Bowl. With six Super Bowl victories under their belt, they are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Lombardi trophies heading into this weekend’s Super Bowl LIX.
With that game rapidly approaching this weekend, here’s a look at each of the Steelers Super Bowl wins and what made them special at the time.
Super Bowl IX (1974 season)
Pittsburgh Steelers 16 – Minnesota Vikings 6
The first Super Bowl victory came at the end of the 1974 season against the Minnesota Vikings. It would be the last Super Bowl played in the “third” Tulane Stadium, on the campus of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game was originally scheduled to be played in the newly constructed Louisiana Superdome – now the Caesars Superdome and host to this year’s Super Bowl LIX. Due to delays, the game would be moved to Tulane Stadium, which played host to three of the first nine Super Bowls in history.
Incidentally, the game would be played on Sunday, January 12th, 1975, months before the Superdome would open and Tulane Stadium was condemned. (It would be razed in 1980.)
Location aside, the game would also mark a historical beginning for a new era of the Pittsburgh Steelers led by head coach Chuck Noll. The Steelers would go on to victory behind a dual rushing attack for Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier. Harris rushed 34 times for 158 yards and a touchdown, while Bleier ran 17 times for 65 yards. Bleier would also haul in two of QB Terry Bradshaw’s nine completed passes, as the former would connect with Larry Brown late in the fourth quarter for a touchdown.
The team’s 1974 draft solidified an up-and-coming team. Considered by many, not just fans, to be the best NFL Draft in history, this year’s Steelers rookies included Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster. The undrafted Donnie Shell, rounded out a rookie class of five Hall of Famers.
It was something fans could only dream of composing in fantasy but happened in reality. Many fans would love to add the legends that played during the golden days to their fantasy roster. Even though that’s not possible anymore, FantasyLabs is offering a sleeper deposit match for anyone wishing to assemble their NFL dream roster.
Super Bowl X (1975 season)
Pittsburgh Steelers 21 – Dallas Cowboys 17
The Steelers would become the third team to be back-to-back Super Bowl champions following the Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins. Miami’s Orange Bowl would play the host to the clash which featured many United States Bicentennial themes throughout.
The tight game would begin with Dallas going up 7-0 from a Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson 29-yard pass, but the Steelers would tie the game before trailing 10-7 at half. The game would remain that score until the fourth quarter, when Staubach was sacked twice – by Steve Furness and L.C. Greenwood, forcing a 4th-and-13 situation.
Cowboys punter Mitch Hoopes would have his punt attempt blocked, with the Steelers recovering for a safety to edge the score to 10-9. Roy Garela would kick a pair of field goals on the next two drives to give the Steelers a 15-10 advantage before Bradshaw would find the eventual game’s MVP, Lynn Swann, for a victory sealing 64-yard touchdown pass.
Super Bowl XIII (1978 season)
Pittsburgh Steelers 35 – Dallas Cowboys 31
A rematch between the Steelers and Cowboys would occur several seasons later with the Orange Bowl in what would be the last time a Super Bowl was held in that venue.
Unlike their first encounter where Pittsburgh’s defense sacked Staubach seven times and held Dallas to 17 points, this game would turn into a shootout. Each defense would force three turnovers, with the Steelers up first 7-0, then the Cowboys taking a 14-7 lead in the second quarter.
Bradshaw would knot the score with a 75-yard touchdown pass to John Stallworth and the Steelers would never look back, though the scoring affair continued. Bradshaw would finish the game with 318 passing yards and 4 touchdown passes – both of which were Super Bowl records at the time and earned Bradshaw the game’s MVP award.
Super Bowl XIV (1979 season)
Pittsburgh Steelers 31 – Los Angeles Rams 19
With another back-to-back victory, the Steelers would secure their historic fourth Lombardi Trophy.
Pasadena’s Rose Bowl set the stage for another Terry Bradshaw MVP performance, as the Steelers quarterback threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions in the back-and-forth contest.
The lead would change seven times during the course of the game with the final lead change coming from a go-ahead touchdown pass from Bradshaw to Stallworth for 73 yards. A Jack Lambert interception would setup another Pittsburgh scoring drive where Bradshaw found Stallworth for a 45-yard gain before Franco Harris tacked on another touchdown to secure the 31-19 win for the 10-point favorite Steelers.
Super Bowl XL (2005 season)
Pittsburgh Steelers 21 – Seattle Seahawks 10
Recently opened Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan played host as the underdog Steelers ascended from the sixth seed in the AFC into the championship game.
The “Bus’ last ride” saw running back and future Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis play in his final NFL game, as Pittsburgh was determined to get him a ring before he called it a career. Bettis, who a touchdown run in each of the Steelers playoff games leading up to the Super Bowl, worked in tandem with RB Willie Parker, who sparked one of the game’s biggest plays with a 75-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Although led by second-year pro Ben Roethlisberger, it would be someone else throwing a crucial pass in the game’s closing moments. WR Hines Ward would throw the deciding touchdown pass – a 43-yard trick play strike to Antwaan Randle El, to secure the Steelers victory. Ward would also catch 5 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown, earning the MVP honors.
Super Bowl XLIII (2008 season)
Pittsburgh Steelers 27 – Arizona Cardinals 23
Hosted at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, the game is widely considered one of the most exciting Super Bowls to ever be played. It would pit two coaches who were in contention to replace the legendary Bill Cowher as the Steelers head coach: newly hired Mike Tomlin and former Cowher assistant Ken Whisenhunt.
The game was full of highlights, including LB James Harrison’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown, which was the longest interception return in Super Bowl history at the time.
Cardinals QB Kurt Warner, appearing in a Super Bowl for his second team, struck lightning with a 64-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to former University of Pittsburgh WR Larry Fitzgerald. However, the game’s heroics were far from over, as the Steelers surged back with an 8-play, 78-yard drive that culminated in an all-time toe-tap touchdown catch by WR Santonio Holmes in the back corner of the endzone.
Holmes was named the Super Bowl MVP for his nine receptions, 131 yards, and the decisive touchdown.
