SUBSCRIBE NEWSLETTERS
ADVERTISE| CLASSIFIEDS| JOBS| E-TRIB
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS NETWORK TRIBLIVE LOCAL
Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source
Ranking the best 57 plays in Steelers' Super Bowl history | TribLIVE.com
Steelers/NFL

Ranking the best 57 plays in Steelers' Super Bowl history

Joe Rutter
Joe Rutter
5898035_web1_PTR-steelersbowls025
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Santonio Holmes makes a touchdown catch at Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Fla., February 1, 2009.

It could be a way to honor the 57th installment of the Super Bowl. Or it could be an homage to the number of ketchup varieties produced by the food and beverage conglomerate that used to have its name affixed to the Steelers’ home stadium.

Either way, as Super Bowl LVII approaches, it seems like a good time to look at some of the most memorable plays produced in the Steelers’ eight appearances in the championship game.

Here are 57 of them, ranked in order of importance by the Trib’s committee of one. That would be me.

Let the debate begin:

LVII: The Steelers score their first points in a Super Bowl when Dwight White, fresh out of the hospital after a bout of pneumonia, is credited with a sack when Vikings QB Fran Tarkenton recovers a fumble in his end zone. It gives the Steelers a 2-0 lead in Super Bowl IX and is the first safety in the game’s nine-year history.

LVI: After the Rams take a 7-3 lead in Super Bowl XIV, Larry Anderson returns the kickoff 45 yards to put the ball near midfield. The Steelers embark on a touchdown drive to regain the lead.

LV: Trailing 13-0 to the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX, Yancey Thigpen splits two defenders for a 6-yard touchdown pass from Neil O’Donnell with 17 seconds left in the second quarter to swing momentum briefly toward the Steelers.

LIV: With the Steelers facing a 14-point deficit in Super Bowl XLV, Ben Roethlisberger breaks off an 18-yard run on third-and-9 to end the first quarter. This sets up a Shaun Suisham field goal that cuts deficit against the Packers to 14-3.

LIII: Jeff Reed’s 21-yard field goal, his second of the game, provides the Steelers with a 20-7 lead late in the third quarter of Super Bowl XLIII against the Cardinals, who have shown little signs of life through 45 minutes.

LII: The Steelers trail for the first time in their Super Bowl history, 7-0, to the Cowboys in Super Bowl X when Lynn Swann makes a leaping catch for 32 yards down the right sideline, deftly keeping his feet in bounds. This sets up …

LI: Terry Bradshaw and tight end Randy Grossman combine for a 7-yard touchdown that knots the score, 7-7, in the first quarter of Super Bowl X.

L: Franco Harris takes a pitch and scores on a 1-yard touchdown run to give the Steelers a 10-7 lead in the second quarter against the Rams in Super Bowl XIV.

XLIX: With the Steelers trailing 21-3 late in the first half of Super Bowl XLV, Ben Roethlisberger completes a 37-yard pass to Antwaan Randle El to ignite a TD drive that ends with an 8-yard TD pass to Hines Ward. The score cuts the deficit against the Packers to 11 points.

XLVIII: The Steelers strike first in Super Bowl XIII against the Cowboys with Terry Bradshaw finding John Stallworth for a 28-yard touchdown and a 7-0 first-quarter lead.

XLVII: Glen Edwards delivers a jarring hit on John Gilliam that sends the ball skyward. Mel Blount intercepts it at the Vikings 1 in the first half of Super Bowl IX, preserving a 2-0 lead.

XLVI: Struggling to get the offense untracked in Super Bowl XL, Ben Roethlisberger finds Hines Ward for a 37-yard completion on a third-and-28 in the second quarter that gives the Steelers a first down at the Seahawks 3. Three plays later …

XLV: Ben Roethlisberger keeps the ball and barely nudges it across the goal line to give the Steelers a 7-3 lead against the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

XLIV: An improvised play between Ben Roethlisberger and Heath Miller on a third-and-10 results in an 11-yard gain that provides a first down in Cardinals territory in Super Bowl XLIII. It is one of three catches for Miller on a TD drive that gives the Steelers a double-digit lead that occurs when …

XLIII: Gary Russell finishes off a 69-yard touchdown drive with a 1-yard score to give the Steelers a 10-0 lead against the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.

XLII: With the Steelers trailing the Cowboys 20-10 in Super Bowl XXX, Bill Cowher calls for a surprise onside kick. Deon Figures recovers for the Steelers. This leads to …

XLI: Bam Morris finishes off an eight-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge that cuts the Steelers’ deficit against the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX to 20-17 midway through the fourth quarter.

XL: Once trailing 21-3 to the Packers in Super Bowl XLV, the Steelers trim the deficit to four points when Rashard Mendenhall scores on an 8-yard run on the first possession of the second half.

XXXIX: Kicker Roy Gerela slips on his approach for the second half kickoff of Super Bowl IX. The Vikings’ Bill Brown can’t handle the squib kick, and Marv Kellum recovers for the Steelers.

XXXVIII: After the Steelers recover the fumble on the second half kickoff of Super Bowl IX, Franco Harris breaks off a 24-yard run to put the ball at the Vikings 6. This sets up …

XXXVII: Franco Harris sweeps left and scores on a 9-yard run – the first Steelers touchdown in Super Bowl history – to make it 9-0 in the third quarter of Super Bowl IX.

XXXVI: Although the Steelers never lead in Super Bowl XLV, Ben Roethlisberger’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace midway through the fourth quarter trims the deficit against the Packers to 28-23.

XXXV: The Steelers go for the 2-point conversion after Mike Wallace’s touchdown, and Antwaan Randle El runs it in to cut the deficit against the Packers to 28-25 in Super Bowl XLV.

XXXIV: John Stallworth’s 75-yard catch and run ties the score 14-14 in Super Bowl XIII against the Cowboys. At the time, it’s the longest scoring play in Super Bowl history.

XXXIII: The Steelers hold onto their 9-0 lead against the Vikings in the second half of Super Bowl IX when Dwight White deflects a pass, and Joe Greene corrals it to end a drive in Steelers territory.

XXXII: With the Vikings at the 5 and threatening to score in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl IX, Chuck Foreman is stopped for a 2-yard loss and Joe Greene recovers the fumble to preserve the 9-0 advantage.

XXXI: Roy Gerela, who has missed two field goals, makes a 36-yarder to give the Steelers their first lead in Super Bowl X, a 12-10 advantage in the fourth quarter.

XXX: Mike Wagner steps in front of Drew Pearson and intercepts Roger Staubach, returning the ball inside the Cowboys 10 in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl X. Roy Gerela’s chip shot field goal makes it 15-10.

XXIX: A pass interference call against the Cowboys’ Benny Barnes midway through the third quarter of Super Bowl XIII gives the Steelers a first down at the Dallas 23. Three plays later, Franco Harris breaks through with a 22-yard touchdown run that increases the Steelers’ lead to 28-17.

XXVIII: For the second time in a Super Bowl, Roy Gerela squibs a kickoff. This one comes after the Steelers take a 28-17 lead over the Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII. Randy White fumbles the ball and the Steelers recover. This leads to Lynn Swann’s 18-yard TD catch that provides a 35-17 cushion.

XXVII: The Steelers catch a break in Super Bowl IX when Larry Brown is ruled down when he loses the ball after a 30-yard completion midway through the fourth quarter and the Steelers holding a 9-6 lead. The Vikings protest to no avail, and Brown becomes the hero later in the drive that secures the Steelers’ first championship.

XXVI: Mike Wagner’s interception and 26-yard return with 3:20 to play essentially seals the 16-6 victory against the Vikings in Super Bowl IX.

XXV: Rocky Bleier makes a leaping catch in the back of the end zone – a photo that makes the Sports Illustrated cover – to give the Steelers a 21-14 lead against the Cowboys with 26 seconds left in the first half of Super Bowl XIII. The Steelers never surrender the lead en route to their third title.

XXIV: With Roger Staubach hoping to throw a Hail Mary that would give the Cowboys an improbable comeback victory in Super Bowl X, Glen Edwards intercepts his 38-yard toss into the end zone on the final play to seal a 21-17 victory and second championship for the Steelers.

XXIII: Lynn Swann leaps between two defenders and completes a 47-yard touchdown catch that gives the Steelers a 17-13 lead early in the third quarter against the Rams in Super Bowl XIV.

XXII: Trying to rally the Seahawks from a 21-10 deficit in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XL, Matt Hasselbeck is sacked on third down by Deshea Townsend. The Seahawks punt, and the Steelers get the ball back with less than seven minutes to play.

XXI: With the Steelers trying to bring home one for the thumb in Super Bowl XL, Ben Roethlisberger scrambles for three yards on a third-and-3, providing a new set of downs. The Steelers, leading by 11 points, don’t give the ball back to Seattle until two minutes remain in the game.

XX: After the Cowboys score two late touchdowns to pull within 35-31 in Super Bowl XIII, Rocky Bleier recovers the onside kick try with 22 seconds left, and the Steelers secure their fourth title.

XIX: Roy Gerela misses his second field goal of Super Bowl X, but what happens next inspires the Steelers, who trail the Cowboys, 10-7, in the third quarter. Cliff Harris pats the kicker on his head, angering Jack Lambert, who tosses Harris to the ground.

XVIII: Still trailing by three points in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl X, Reggie Harrison blocks a punt that rolls out of the end zone, providing a safety and momentum shift for the Steelers.

XVII: Stunned by the Cardinals taking a 23-20 lead with 2:47 to play in Super Bowl XLIII, Ben Roethlisberger completes a 14-yard pass to Santonio Holmes. The conversion on third-and-6 puts the ball at the Steelers 26 and sets the stage for the game-winning touchdown drive.

XVI: One play after a holding call negates a pass completion to the Steelers 1 in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XL, Casey Hampton sacks Matt Hasselbeck for a 5-yard loss. The Seahawks, trying to erase a 14-10 deficit, are backed up to the Steelers 34. Two plays later …

XV: Ike Taylor, not known for keeping a grip on the ball, intercepts Matt Hasselbeck at the Steelers 5 to keep the four-point advantage in Super Bowl XL intact.

XIV: Lynn Swann, named MVP of Super Bowl X, makes one of the most acrobatic catches in championship history, tipping the ball to himself as he sprawls to the ground near midfield, completing a 53-yard reception.

XIII: With the franchise’s sixth Lombardi Trophy hanging in the balance, LaMarr Woodley sacks Kurt Warner at midfield with 15 seconds to play in Super Bowl XLIII. Brett Keisel recovers the ball to clinch the Steelers’ 27-23 victory against the Cardinals.

XII: The upstart Rams, who refuse to go away in Super Bowl XIV, trail 24-19 and are at the Steelers 32 with less than six minutes to play. Vince Ferragamo’s pass is intercepted by Jack Lambert, who returns it 16 yards.

XI: John Stallworth, who already has given the Steelers a 24-19 lead in Super Bowl XIV with a 73-yard TD catch, follows the Jack Lambert interception with a 45-yard grab on third-and-7 to put the ball on the Rams 22 with less than four minutes remaining. This sets up …

X: Franco Harris clinches the fourth Super Bowl title for the Steelers on a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:49 remaining to give the Steelers a 31-19 lead against the Rams in Super Bowl XIV.

IX: With 1:42 left in Super Bowl XLIII and the Steelers suddenly trailing the Cardinals by three points, Santonio Holmes takes a short pass and gains 40 yards until he is brought down at the 6. This sets up an even more important catch two plays later.

VIII: Not a highlight for the Steelers per se, but Jackie Smith’s infamous drop in the end zone prevents the Cowboys from tying Super Bowl XIII in the third quarter. The Cowboys pull within 21-17 on a field goal but never get any closer.

VII: With the Steelers clinging to a 9-6 lead over the Vikings in Super Bowl IX, Terry Bradshaw finds Larry Brown in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown with 3:31 left to seal the franchise’s first championship, 16-6.

VI: Lynn Swann and Terry Bradshaw, who is concussed on the play, hook up on a 64-yard touchdown pass that gives the Steelers a 21-10 lead against the Cowboys with 3:02 left in Super Bowl X.

V: Willie Parker takes the pitch and hands off to Antwaan Randle El on the reverse. Randle El continues right and unleashes a 43-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward, who skips into the end zone to give the Steelers a 21-10 lead against the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

IV: Alan Faneca executes the block. Willie Parker finds the hole and doesn’t stop until he dives into the end zone 75 yards later, completing the longest TD run in Super Bowl history. The Steelers take a 14-3 lead in the third quarter against the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

III: First-and-goal at the 1 for the Cardinals with 18 seconds left in the first half of Super Bowl XLIII. You know the rest. James Harrison steps in front of Anquan Boldin, intercepts the Kurt Warner pass and weaves his way 100 yards for a touchdown. Instead of trailing at the half, the Steelers take a 17-7 lead into the locker room.

II: Terry Bradshaw drops back and throws deep. John Stallworth outruns everyone and beats Rod Perry for a 73-yard touchdown that gives the Steelers a 24-19 lead in the fourth quarter over the pesky Rams in Super Bowl XIV. It is the seventh – and final – lead change in the game.

I: Ben Roethlisberger makes the picture-perfect throw. Santonio Holmes makes the toe-tapping catch in the back right corner of the end zone. With 35 seconds left, the Steelers retake the lead, 27-23, after giving up 16 unanswered fourth-quarter points to the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. A sixth Lombardi Trophy awaits.

Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.

Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.

Get Ad-Free >

Categories: Sports | Steelers/NFL
";