SUPER BOWL IX
The Pittsburgh Steelers were a laughingstock for most of their early history, never making an appearance in the championship game until Super Bowl IX on January 12, 1975. The Steelers had a reputable defense known as the "Steel Curtain", anchored by the likes of L.C. Greenwood, "Mean" Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, and Mel Blount. Their opponent, the Minnesota Vikings, had a solid defense of their own with Carl Eller, Alan Page, and Jim Marshall anchoring a defense simply known as the "Purple People Eaters". The game did turn out to be a defensive struggle, with both offenses going scoreless in the first half (however, the Steelers did get a safety in the second quarter when defensive end Dwight White tackled Minnesota quarterback Fran Tarkenton in the endzone).Pittsburgh never relinquished the lead, holding Minnesota's offense scoreless for the entire game (Minnesota did score on a blocked punt late in the 4th quarter but missed the PAT) and winning 16-6. Running back Franco Harris was named the game MVP for racking up a Super Bowl record 158 rushing yards and a touchdown.SUPER BOWL X
In a widely popular contest between two of the most prestigious and legendary teams in the NFL,the Pittsburgh Steelers faced off against the Dallas Cowboys in a Super Bowl for the ages. Both teams featured well known players, from the quarterbacks (Terry Bradshaw and Roger Staubach) to the cornerbacks (Mel Blount and Mel Renfro) and everyone in between. The game was a back and forth battle between the two teams, highlighted by a miraculous diving catch by Pittsburgh receiver Lynn Swann (who won the game's MVP, becoming the first WR to do so). The Steelers eventually pulled away, and Dallas could not secure a last second comeback, losing 21-17 to the newest dynasty in the NFL. Fortunately, however, these two teams would provide one of the greatest rivalries in NFL history.
SUPER BOWL XIII
A year after the Cowboys beat Craig Morton's Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII, the two teams of the 1970s faced off yet again in Super Bowl XIII. Pittsburgh and Dallas faced off once again in a rematch of the ages, with a fierce offensive shootout. Super Bowl MVP Terry Bradshaw passed for 318 yards and 4 touchdowns, with receiver John Stallworth catching two of those touchdowns. The game is perhaps most remembered for Dallas tight end Jackie Smith's drop in the endzone that would have tied the score late in the third quarter. A late Dallas comeback once again came up short, and the Steelers again beat the Cowboys, by the final score of 35-31.
SUPER BOWL XIV
The 1980 contest featured the Los Angeles Rams facing off against the mighty Pittsburgh dynasty. Although the Rams played tough (including a memorable performance by Rams DE Jack Youngblood, who played with a broken leg) and went into the 4th quarter with a 19-17 lead, the Steelers came back and defeated Los Angeles 31-19. Bradshaw was once again named the MVP for throwing 309 yards and 2 touchdowns.
SUPER BOWL XXX
Nearly 20 years after Pittsburgh and Dallas first met in Super Bowl X, they rekindled the rivalry in Super Bowl XXX. Dallas was destined to avenge its losing streak to the Steelers, and managed to build a strong offensive team in Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin, among others. The Steelers could not stop the Cowboys, and Pittsburgh lost their first (and to this date, only) Super Bowl, 27-17. Larry Brown, a relatively obscure Dallas cornerback who intercepted two Neil O'Donnell passes, was named the game's MVP.
SUPER BOWL XL
Super Bowl XL featured a matchup between the "old" Pittsburgh Steelers and the "new" Seattle Seahawks. Although the Seahawks had troubles of their own, the matchup was plagued by questionable calls that even the officials deemed inaccurate. Nevertheless, Pittsburgh once again came away with a victory, due to memorable plays like Antwaan Randle El's touchdown pass to MVP Hines Ward, and controversial ones like Ben Roethlisberger's 1 yard touchdown run late in the 2nd quarter.
SUPER BOWL XLIII
The Steelers once again faced an NFC West team for the crown, this time pitting against the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals offense provided a test for the Steelers defense, keeping the game close until late in the 4th quarter when Kurt Warner threw a 64 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, giving Arizona the lead. In a drive for the ages, the Steelers managed to go 78 yards downfield, culminating in a beautiful touchdown grab by wide receiver Santonio Holmes, who was awarded the game's MVP.
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