Super Bowl: Steelers are new America's Team
By Mark Craig
Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
TAMPA, Fla. — Move over, Cowboys. There's a new America's Team and it's located in the heart of the Rust Belt in western Pennsylvania.
Riding the greatest play in Super Bowl history and surviving one of the wildest fourth quarters in the game's 43-year existence, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals, 27-23, in Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium.
It's a record sixth Super Bowl title for the league's best franchise, bar none. A franchise that doesn't sign thugs named Pacman, problem children named T.O. or make news for any other silliness off the field.
The Steelers make news for winning. Winning Super Bowls, in particular. Chuck Noll won the first of four in his sixth season. Bill Cowher won his only one in his fourth season. And now Mike Tomlin has won his first in his second season to become the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl (36) and, believe it or not, the third former Vikings coordinator to go on and win a Super Bowl as a head coach elsewhere since 2000.
"I'm not concerned about my personal milestones," Tomlin said. "I just want to contribute to the legacy of the Pittsburgh Steelers."
He did. And in doing so, the Steelers turned in a play that will be discussed for the next XLIII years and beyond.
Of course, that's what happens when you combine the NFL Defensive Player of the Year (James Harrison) with a defensive coordinator (Dick LeBeau) who has been a part of the NFL for 50 years.
The Cardinals were trailing 10-7 and had the ball at the Pittsburgh 2 with 18 seconds left in the first half. Harrison, playing right outside linebacker, took a quick step toward the line of scrimmage, making it look like he was going to blitz.
Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, whose strength is anticipation, threw a slant pass intended for Anquan Boldin. Harrison quickly dropped a step back and was right in the path of the ball. He made the interception and took off 100 yards for the longest play in Super Bowl history.
"The field looked short at the beginning and long in the middle," Harrison said. "And by the time I got to the end zone, I was dead."
He was tackled at the goal line by Larry Fitzgerald Jr., the former Holy Angels star. The play was reviewed and the call of touchdown ended the half.
And affirmed that it would be the greatest play in Super Bowl history. Ever.
"I've never seen a greater one in the Super Bowl," said Miami Herald columnist Edwin Pope, who has covered all 43 of them. "Not even close."
After the game, LeBeau agreed. In fact, LeBeau took it a step further, saying, "It's the greatest defensive play I've ever seen."
Edwin and Dick were treated to a bucketful of more great plays in the second half.
Fitzgerald, a nonfactor with one catch in the first 49› minutes, had a stretch run for the ages. He caught two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a 64-yarder that put the Cardinals ahead 23-20 with 2:37 left in the game.
But Fitzgerald was upstaged by Steelers receiver and Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes on the ensuing drive. Holmes capped a 78-yard drive with what might be the greatest offensive touchdown in Super Bowl history. He slipped just behind triple coverage in the corner of the end zone and got his feet down just inbounds for a 6-yard touchdown with 35 seconds left.
In his typical style of play, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger made the play possible by scrambling to extend the action. He won his second Super Bowl in five seasons, all before age 27.
"Actually, the play we called was scramble right, scramble left, throw the ball and let Santonio make a play," Roethlisberger, 26, joked. "I told the guys during that last drive, 'We have to score because we'll be remembered forever for how we play this last drive.' "
Roethlisberger completed six of eight passes for 83 yards and ran for four more on the winning drive. Holmes caught four of the passes for 73 yards. Holmes finished with nine catches for 131 yards.
The evening began with the crowd of 70, 774 turning Raymond James Stadium into Heinz Field South long before kickoff. A crowd that was at least 80 percent Steelers fans, all waving gold Terrible Towels and chanting, "Here we go Steelers, Here we go!" up to an hour before kickoff.
"Just look at how our fans travel everywhere with us and buy all the Steelers jerseys and Terrible Towels and stuff like that," said Steelers running back Gary Russell, a former Gopher. "It doesn't matter who everybody else calls 'America's Team.' I think America's Team is in Pittsburgh."
Let's all raise a cold Iron City and drink to the new "America's Team."