Steelers hold on for Super Bowl win

TAMPA

On the cusp of the biggest collapse in Super Bowl history, the Pittsburgh Steelers rallied for one of the most stunning comebacks in the 43-year history of the game.

Having squandered a 13-point lead and trailing the Arizona Cardinals with 2:37 seconds remaining Sunday night at Raymond James Stadium, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger calmly led his team down the field, throwing a 7-yard touchdown to Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds left to give the Steelers a thrilling 27-23 win.

Pittsburgh won its record sixth Super Bowl title in its seventh appearance in the game; Arizona was making its Super Bowl debut.

“This group of young players are just marvelous,” Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said. “I can’t say enough about them. We had the toughest schedule in the league, they kept going in Mike Tomlin’s direction. Mike’s done a marvelous job.”

Tomlin, the Virginia native who was the youngest coach in Super Bowl history, became the second African-American to win the Vince Lombardi trophy. The Rooney family made Tomlin the team’s surprise hire two years ago when long-time coach Bill Cowher stepped down.

“I’m blessed to work with this staff and this group of players,” said Tomlin, 36. “I can’t say enough about the guys and what they’re willing do for another one for Steeler Nation.”

Those Steelers fans came out in force, most of them wearing Terrible Towels. The stands were packed with black and gold paraphernalia.

The key play of the first three quarters was Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown as the first half clock expired. It was the longest play in Super Bowl history.

Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner threw touchdown passes of 1 and 64 yards, sandwiching a safety by the Arizona defense to give the Cardinals their first lead, 23-20.

It let both head coaches thinking the same thing: There was a ton of time left.

“I was thinking if they were going to score, score quickly,” Tomlin said.

Added Arizona’s Ken Whisenhunt: “I thought, ‘There was too much time on the clock.’ I felt we could maybe hold them to a field goal and go to overtime.”

Last year, the New York Giants shocked the New England Patriots in the final minute, preventing the Patriots from completing a 19-0 season.

Story Continues →