Fansided

Top 10 Super Bowls in NFL history

By Russell S. Baxter

Santonio Holmes of the Pittsburgh Steelers catches a seven-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds remaining for a 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII for a record sixth Super Bowl title on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Santonio Holmes of the Pittsburgh Steelers catches a seven-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds remaining for a 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII for a record sixth Super Bowl title on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Pittsburgh Steelers (Photo by Nate Fine/Getty Images)
Pittsburgh Steelers (Photo by Nate Fine/Getty Images) /

2. Steelers 35, Cowboys 31 (XIII)

It was the first rematch in Super Bowl history and this sequel was better than the first. Three years earlier in Miami’s Orange Bowl, Chuck Noll’s Pittsburgh Steelers rally to beat Tom Landry’s wild-card Dallas Cowboys, 21-17. The victory enabled Pittsburgh to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

This time, the Cowboys were defending Super Bowl champions. The Orange Bowl was again the site. The number of Pro Football Hall of Famers (24) involved in this game, including coaches and executives, is unparalleled in Super Bowl history. The winner would own an unprecedented three Super Bowl titles.

Noll’s club capitalized on every Dallas mistake, but the star was Steelers’ quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who came up with his first-ever 300-yard passing performance. Wide receivers Lynn Swann (124) and John Stallworth (115) became the first duo in Super Bowl history to reach 100-plus receiving yards in the same game.

Pittsburgh owned a 21-14 halftime lead. Bradshaw threw for three scores (2 to Stallworth), was picked off once and was stripped of the ball that was returned for a Dallas’ touchdown by Mike Hegman. In the third quarter, Dallas settled for a third-quarter field goal after Jackie Smith dropped a ball in the end zone.

In the fourth quarter, the Steelers turned a controversial pass interference call on the Cowboys into a Franco Harris touchdown. Randy White fumbled the ensuing kickoff and on Pittsburgh’s next play, Bradshaw found Swann for another score and a 35-17 edge. Noll’s team held off a late rally and prevailed in a historic classic.

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