Super Bowl XIV
Encyclopedia
Super Bowl XIV was an American football
game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
to decide the National Football League
(NFL) champion following the 1979 regular season
. Aided by two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the American Football Conference
(AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers
(15-4) defeated the National Football Conference
(NFC) champion Los Angeles Rams (11-8), 31–19, to win their fourth Super Bowl
in team history. The Rams would not appear in the Super Bowl again until after they moved to St. Louis
in 1995. They would appear in Super Bowl XXXIV
in 2000 and Super Bowl XXXVI
in 2002. This game was the first Super Bowl (and the only one until Super Bowl XLI
) to feature two pre-expansion era (pre-1960) teams. It was also the first time that a team with nine wins or fewer reached the Super Bowl, and the last such occurrence until Super Bowl XLIII
. The Rams were also the first "host" team to participate in the Super Bowl (although the game was not in their home stadium, the Rams were the official hosts).
Despite throwing three interceptions, Steelers quarterback
Terry Bradshaw
was named the game's MVP
by completing 14 of 21 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns.
Pittsburgh Quarterback Terry Bradshaw
had another fine season as the leader of the Steelers offense, throwing for 3,724 yards and 26 touchdowns during the regular season (but he did throw 25 interceptions). Wide receiver John Stallworth
was his top target with 70 receptions for 1,183 yards and 8 touchdowns, while wide receiver Lynn Swann
caught 41 passes for 808 yards, an average of 19.7 yards per catch. Steelers starting tight end Bennie Cunningham
, who missed most of the previous season due to injuries, was also a big contributor with 36 receptions for 512 yards.
Running back Franco Harris
was the Steelers leading rusher for the 8th consecutive season with 1,186 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also recorded his 7th consecutive season with more than 1,000 yards, tying an NFL record set by Jim Brown
. Harris also had his best year as a receiver out of the backfield, catching a career high 36 passes for a career high 291 yards and another touchdown. Fullback Rocky Bleier also had another superb season, providing Harris with excellent blocking while also contributing 711 combined rushing and receiving yards. And Running back Sidney Thornton
also emerged as a big threat with 816 total yards and averaging 5 yards per carry. Pittsburgh also had a solid offensive line, led by center Mike Webster.
The Steelers "Steel Curtain" defense finished the regular season as the top rated defense in the AFC, limiting opponents to only 4,621 offensive yards. Up front, linemen Joe Greene
and L. C. Greenwood
terrorized opposing quarterbacks and rushers. And linebackers Jack Lambert and Jack Ham excelled at run stopping and pass coverage, combining for 8 interceptions. The Steelers also had a fine secondary, led by defensive backs Mel Blount, who recorded 3 interceptions, and Donnie Shell
, who had 5.
drowned, and a power struggle ensued between Carroll's son, Steve Rosenbloom, and his second wife, Georgia Frontiere
. Georgia eventually gained control of the team and fired her stepson. Prior to Carroll Rosenbloom's death, the Rams had already announced their intentions to leave the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and move to Anaheim Stadium
in Orange County
for the 1980
season.
The Rams barely outscored their opponents in total points, 323 to 309, and finished the regular season with a 9-7 record, the worst ever by a team who advanced to the Super Bowl (that record was later tied by the Arizona Cardinals
in Super Bowl XLIII
). The team was plagued with injuries during the regular season, including the loss of their starting quarterback Pat Haden
. His replacement, Vince Ferragamo
, completed less than 50 percent of his passes and threw twice as many interceptions (10) as touchdowns (5). But he still led the Rams to victory in 6 of their last 7 games.
The Rams gained 6,006 total yards of offense during the regular season, ranking second in the league. The team's main offensive weapon was running back Wendell Tyler
, who rushed for 1,109 yards, caught 32 passes for 308 yards, and scored 10 touchdowns. Tyler's rushing yards came off just 218 rushing attempts, giving him a league leading 5.1 yards per carry average. Fullback Cullen Bryant
provided Tyler with excellent blocking while also gaining 846 total yards and scoring 5 touchdowns. Wide receiver Preston Dennard
was the team's main deep threat, catching 43 passes for 766 yards and 4 touchdowns. The offensive line, led by tackle Doug France
, Jackie Slater and guard Dennis Harrah
, paved the Rams running attack to 4th in the NFC during the season despite injuries. They also gave up only 29 sacks.
But the Rams main strength was their defense which featured defensive end Jack Youngblood
, who made the Pro Bowl for the 7th year in a row and was playing with a broken leg, and lightning-quick Fred Dryer
on the opposite end. Behind them, the Rams had 2 outstanding linebackers: Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds, and Jim Youngblood
(no relation to Jack), who had recorded 5 interceptions and returned 2 for touchdowns. The Rams also had a solid secondary, led by free safety Nolan Cromwell
who also grabbed 5 interceptions.
by beating them 21–19. Then they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in the NFC Championship Game, 9–0, scoring only three field goals.
Meanwhile, the Steelers went on to defeat the Miami Dolphins
, 34–14, and the Houston Oilers
, 27–13, in the playoffs. During those two playoff games, the Pittsburgh defense limited running backs Larry Csonka
and Earl Campbell
, respectively, to a combined total of only 35 rushing yards. Campbell was the league's rushing leader during the regular season with 1,697 yards, but could only gain 15 yards against the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.
had called the NFC Championship Game a game for losers, played by losers. One sports writer sarcastically suggested that Bradshaw throw left-handed and the Rams should be allowed to play with 12 men on the field to make the Super Bowl more competitive.
However, Pittsburgh themselves were not taking their opponents lightly. In their previous meetings, the Rams held a 12–1–2 all-time record over the Steelers, including wins in 1971, 1975, and 1978.
Bradshaw became the second quarterback to start four Super Bowls, joining his counterpart from Super Bowls X and XIII Roger Staubach
.
televised the game in the United States
with play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall
and color commentator
Tom Brookshier
. One of the guest analysts for the network's studio pregame show was former Oakland Raiders coach John Madden
; he impressed CBS executives so much that he replaced Brookshier as lead game analyst in 1981.
The Los Angeles Unified School District
All-City Band played during the pregame ceremonies. Later, actress and singer Cheryl Ladd
performed the national anthem. The coin toss
ceremony featured longtime Steelers owner Art Rooney
.
The performance event group Up with People
performed during the halftime show titled "A Salute to the Big Band Era".
The famous Coca-Cola
commercial in which "Mean" Joe Greene
gives a boy his game jersey aired during CBS' telecast of the game. However, it is technically not viewed as a Super Bowl ad since it actually debuted on October 1, 1979, not during the day of the game.
The city of Pittsburgh celebrated its third major pro championship in 13 months. The Steelers had also won the previous year's Super Bowl
, and the city's Major League Baseball
team, the Pirates
, had won the World Series
three months before this Super Bowl game. Ten days after the Steelers' Super Bowl victory, the city's National Hockey League
team, the Pittsburgh Penguins
, changed its uniform colors to match the black and gold scheme of the Pirates and Steelers, as well as that of the Pittsburgh city flag.
The Rams took the opening kickoff but the Steel Curtain, however, managed to force a three-and-out. Then on the Steelers' 7th play of their first possession, quarterback Terry Bradshaw
completed a 32-yard pass to running back Franco Harris
to reach the Los Angeles 26-yard line. But a third down pass fell incomplete, forcing Pittsburgh to settle for a 41-yard field goal from rookie kicker Matt Bahr
.
Bahr's ensuing kickoff was very short, giving the Rams great field position at their 41-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Los Angeles running back Wendell Tyler
caught a 6-yard pass from Vince Ferragamo
. Then on the next play, Tyler took a handoff, ran left, broke some tackles, and ran 39 yards to the Steelers 14-yard line before he was finally dragged down by Pittsburgh defensive back Donnie Shell
, the longest run against the Steelers all season. 6 plays later, fullback Cullen Bryant
scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to give the Rams a 7–3 lead.
But the lead did not last long. Pittsburgh defensive back Larry Anderson returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards to his own 47-yard line, and then the Steelers marched 53 yards in 9 plays using every offensive weapon in their arsenal. First, Harris ran for 12 yards, fullback Rocky Bleier ran for 1, then tight end Bennie Cunningham
caught a pass for 8. Bleier ran again for 2, followed by Bradshaw's 18-yard completion to receiver Lynn Swann
on the last play of the first quarter. The second period opened with Bradshaw's 13-yard completion to Cunningham to reach the Los Angeles 5-yard line, and then Harris ran through the middle to the 4. Wide receiver John Stallworth
was then stopped at the 1-yard line, but then Harris ran to the right untouched and scored a touchdown on the next play, giving the Steelers a 10-7 lead.
But like the Rams' previous lead, the Steelers lead also turned out to be short-lived. Aided by a 20-yard pass interference penalty against Shell, Los Angeles advanced 67 yards in 10 plays to score on 31-yard field goal from kicker Frank Corral
to tie the game. Anderson gave the Steelers great field position after returning the ensuing kickoff 38 yards to the Pittsburgh 46-yard line, but the Steelers could not move the ball and had to punt. The Rams were also forced to punt on their next possession after only gaining 6-yards. But on the first play of the Steelers' next drive, Los Angeles defensive back Dave Elmendorf
intercepted a pass from Bradshaw and returned it 10 yards to Pittsburgh's 39-yard line.
On the first 2 plays after the turnover, Ferragamo was sacked for a 10-yard loss and threw an incomplete pass. But he managed to overcome the situation with a 12-yard completion to Bryant on third down and a 10-yard completion to receiver Billy Waddy
on 4th down and 8. Ferragamo's next pass was complete to tight end Terry Nelson
for a first down at the 13-yard line, but after throwing 2 incompletions, Pittsburgh lineman John Banaszak sacked Ferragamo on third down. However, Corral kicked a 45-yard field goal to give the Rams a 13-10 halftime lead.
Many observers were surprised that the heavily favored Steelers trailed at the end of the half. "How can you mess up this way?" Steelers assistant coach Woody Widenhofer
asked his team at halftime. "Didn't we go over these things a dozen times? You guys are standing out there like statues."
Anderson once again gave the Steelers great starting field position, returning the opening kickoff of the second half 37 yards to the Pittsburgh 39-yard line. The Steelers lulled the Rams defense by running the ball on three consecutive plays of the drive, and then Bradshaw burned them with a 47-yard touchdown completion to Swann, who made a leaping catch at the Los Angeles' 2-yard line and tumbled into the end zone, to give Pittsburgh a 17-13 lead.
But they didn't hold it. After starting the ensuing drive with 2 running plays, Ferragamo completed a 50-yard pass to Waddy. Then on the next play, Ferragamo handed the ball off to running back Lawrence McCutcheon
who started to run to the right. The Steelers defense came up to tackle him behind the line of scrimmage, only to watch him throw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Ron Smith. Corral missed the extra point attempt, but the Rams had retaken the lead, 19-17.
The Steelers had some success advancing into Rams territory on their next 2 possessions only to see the Rams intercept the ball both times. First, Rams free safety Eddie Brown stopped the ensuing Steelers drive with an interception, lateraling
to Pat Thomas to gain an additional two yards. Then after a punt, Pittsburgh drove all the way to the Rams 16-yard line, but Los Angeles defensive back Rod Perry
intercepted a pass intended for Stallworth. Thus, the third quarter ended with the Rams still in the lead, 19-17, seemingly in control of the game. Worse yet, Pittsburgh lost Lynn Swann to injury.
With 12:59 left in the game, Rams punter Ken Clark
's 59-yard punt planted Pittsburgh back on their own 25-yard line. Then faced with 3rd down and 8, Bradshaw took the snap, faked a handoff, and then threw a pass to Stallworth, who was running a streak pattern down the middle of the field. Stallworth caught the ball barely beyond the outstretched hand of Rams defensive back Rod Perry and took it all the way to the end zone for a 73-yard go-ahead touchdown to make the score 24-19 for the Steelers. The NFL Films highlight film notes that safety Eddie Brown was supposed to help Rod Perry in covering Stallworth, but for some reason Brown ignored the Steeler receiver. On the ensuing kickoff, the Rams tried a reverse on the kickoff which resulted in poor field position.
After an exchange of punts, the Rams mounted one final, spirited drive to regain the lead. Ferragamo smartly moved the Rams down the field, completing 3 or 4 passes around runs by Tyler. His 15-yard completion to Billy Waddy
on 3rd and 13 moved the Rams to the Pittsburgh 32-yard line with just under 6 minutes remaining. However, on the following play, Ferragamo made his first, and only mistake of the game. Despite the fact that Waddy had broken free down the right side of the field, Ferragamo had zeroed in on Ron Smith
down the middle of the field, but he didn't notice Pittsburgh linebacker Jack Lambert playing behind Smith. As Ferragamo released the ball, Lambert jumped in front of Smith and intercepted the pass with 5:24 remaining.
When faced with a 3rd down and 7 on their ensuing drive, Bradshaw once again made a crucial long pass completion to Stallworth, this time a 45-yard reception to the Rams 22-yard line gain barely beyond the outstretched hand of Rod Perry. Two plays later, a questionable pass interference penalty on Los Angeles cornerback Pat Thomas in the end zone gave the Steelers a first down at the 1-yard line. The Rams managed to keep Bleier and Harris out of the end zone for 2 plays, but Harris then scored on a third down, 1-yard touchdown run to give the Steelers a 31-19 lead and put the game away. The Rams responded by driving to Pittsburgh's 37-yard line, but ended up turning over the ball on downs with 39 seconds left in the game, and the Steelers ran out the clock for the win.
This was the third time in Super Bowl history that a team overcame a deficit entering the fourth quarter to win the game. The Baltimore Colts
entered the final quarter down 13-6 against Dallas in Super Bowl V
and won the game 16-13. The Pittsburgh Steelers
started the final period against Dallas in Super Bowl X
down 10-7 and eventually won the game 21-17. The lead had changed hands seven times, a Super Bowl record to this day. Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, and John Stallworth became the fourth, fifth and sixth players to score touchdowns in back-to-back Super Bowls, respectively.
Ferragamo finished the game with 15 out of 25 completions for 212 yards, with 1 interception. Tyler was the top rusher of the game with 60 yards, and caught 2 passes for 20 yards. Waddy was the Rams leading receiver with 3 catches for 75 yards. Harris led the Steelers in rushing with 44 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also catching 3 passes for 66 yards. Stallworth was the top receiver of the game with 3 receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown, an average of 40.3 yards per catch. Swann had 5 catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. Larry Anderson set a Super Bowl record with 162 yards from his 5 kickoff returns.
Of note to the betting public was Los Angeles' kicker Frank Corrall's missed extra point. The spread on the game was Steelers by 11; had Corrall made his final extra point try, the Rams would have covered in a 31-20 loss. But instead, the Steelers covered.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
to decide the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) champion following the 1979 regular season
1979 NFL season
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams...
. Aided by two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the American Football Conference
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
(AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
(15-4) defeated the National Football Conference
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
(NFC) champion Los Angeles Rams (11-8), 31–19, to win their fourth Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
in team history. The Rams would not appear in the Super Bowl again until after they moved to St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in 1995. They would appear in Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
in 2000 and Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
in 2002. This game was the first Super Bowl (and the only one until Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI was an American football game that featured the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League champion for the 2006 season...
) to feature two pre-expansion era (pre-1960) teams. It was also the first time that a team with nine wins or fewer reached the Super Bowl, and the last such occurrence until Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
. The Rams were also the first "host" team to participate in the Super Bowl (although the game was not in their home stadium, the Rams were the official hosts).
Despite throwing three interceptions, Steelers quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
was named the game's MVP
Super Bowl MVP
The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
by completing 14 of 21 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers won the AFC Central with a 12–4 regular season record, and advanced to their second consecutive Super Bowl and their fourth appearance in the last six seasons. Pittsburgh appeared to be even better than what they were in their three previous Super Bowl victories. They led the league with 6,258 yards in total offense, an average of 391 yards per game and just 31 yards short of an NFL record. The team also led the league in scoring with 412 points.Pittsburgh Quarterback Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
had another fine season as the leader of the Steelers offense, throwing for 3,724 yards and 26 touchdowns during the regular season (but he did throw 25 interceptions). Wide receiver John Stallworth
John Stallworth
Johnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,...
was his top target with 70 receptions for 1,183 yards and 8 touchdowns, while wide receiver Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
caught 41 passes for 808 yards, an average of 19.7 yards per catch. Steelers starting tight end Bennie Cunningham
Bennie Cunningham
Bennie Lee Cunningham, Jr. is a retired American football tight end.Cunningham was drafted out of the Clemson University in the 1976 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for the Steelers his entire career...
, who missed most of the previous season due to injuries, was also a big contributor with 36 receptions for 512 yards.
Running back Franco Harris
Franco Harris
Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall...
was the Steelers leading rusher for the 8th consecutive season with 1,186 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also recorded his 7th consecutive season with more than 1,000 yards, tying an NFL record set by Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
. Harris also had his best year as a receiver out of the backfield, catching a career high 36 passes for a career high 291 yards and another touchdown. Fullback Rocky Bleier also had another superb season, providing Harris with excellent blocking while also contributing 711 combined rushing and receiving yards. And Running back Sidney Thornton
Sidney Thornton
Sidney Thornton is a former American professional football player who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2nd round of the 1977 NFL Draft. A 5'11", . running back from Northwestern State University in Louisiana, Thornton played in 6 NFL seasons from 1977-1982 for the Steelers....
also emerged as a big threat with 816 total yards and averaging 5 yards per carry. Pittsburgh also had a solid offensive line, led by center Mike Webster.
The Steelers "Steel Curtain" defense finished the regular season as the top rated defense in the AFC, limiting opponents to only 4,621 offensive yards. Up front, linemen Joe Greene
Joe Greene (American football)
Charles Edward Greene, known as “Mean Joe” Greene, is a former all-pro American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. Throughout the early 1970s he was the one of most dominant defensive players in the National Football League...
and L. C. Greenwood
L. C. Greenwood
L.C. Henderson Greenwood is a former American football defensive end for the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers.-College career:...
terrorized opposing quarterbacks and rushers. And linebackers Jack Lambert and Jack Ham excelled at run stopping and pass coverage, combining for 8 interceptions. The Steelers also had a fine secondary, led by defensive backs Mel Blount, who recorded 3 interceptions, and Donnie Shell
Donnie Shell
Donnie Shell is a former American Football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League between 1974 and 1987. Shell was a member of the Steelers famed Steel Curtain defense in the 1970s.Shell retired as the NFL strong safety career leader in interceptions with 51...
, who had 5.
Los Angeles Rams
Adversity hovered over the Rams long before the season began. During the off-season, in a mysterious accident, owner Carroll RosenbloomCarroll Rosenbloom
Carroll Rosenbloom was an American entrepreneur and former owner of two professional football teams, the Baltimore Colts and the Los Angeles Rams....
drowned, and a power struggle ensued between Carroll's son, Steve Rosenbloom, and his second wife, Georgia Frontiere
Georgia Frontiere
Georgia Frontiere was the majority owner and chairman of the St. Louis Rams football team and the most prominent female owner in a league historically dominated by males....
. Georgia eventually gained control of the team and fired her stepson. Prior to Carroll Rosenbloom's death, the Rams had already announced their intentions to leave the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and move to Anaheim Stadium
Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Angel Stadium of Anaheim is a modern-style ballpark located in Anaheim, California. It is the home ballpark to Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of the American League, and was previously home to the NFL's Los Angeles Rams...
in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
for the 1980
1980 NFL season
The 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws...
season.
The Rams barely outscored their opponents in total points, 323 to 309, and finished the regular season with a 9-7 record, the worst ever by a team who advanced to the Super Bowl (that record was later tied by the Arizona Cardinals
2008 Arizona Cardinals season
The 2008 Arizona Cardinals season was the 89th season for the team in the National Football League and their 21st season in Arizona. The season marked the Cardinals' first-ever Super Bowl appearance, coming as a result of their victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship.The...
in Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
). The team was plagued with injuries during the regular season, including the loss of their starting quarterback Pat Haden
Pat Haden
Patrick Capper "Pat" Haden is the athletic director at the University of Southern California. He played quarterback for the USC Trojans before playing professionally in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams from 1976 to 1981...
. His replacement, Vince Ferragamo
Vince Ferragamo
Vince Anthony Ferragamo is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League.-College career:...
, completed less than 50 percent of his passes and threw twice as many interceptions (10) as touchdowns (5). But he still led the Rams to victory in 6 of their last 7 games.
The Rams gained 6,006 total yards of offense during the regular season, ranking second in the league. The team's main offensive weapon was running back Wendell Tyler
Wendell Tyler
Wendell Avery Tyler , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 3rd round of the 1977 NFL Draft. A 5'10", 198 lbs...
, who rushed for 1,109 yards, caught 32 passes for 308 yards, and scored 10 touchdowns. Tyler's rushing yards came off just 218 rushing attempts, giving him a league leading 5.1 yards per carry average. Fullback Cullen Bryant
Cullen Bryant
William Cullen Bryant was a professional American football player who spent thirteen seasons in the National Football League as a running back and return specialist for the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks...
provided Tyler with excellent blocking while also gaining 846 total yards and scoring 5 touchdowns. Wide receiver Preston Dennard
Preston Dennard
Preston Jackson Dennard is a former professional American football wide receiver in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams, the Buffalo Bills and the Green Bay Packers. He played college football at the University of New Mexico....
was the team's main deep threat, catching 43 passes for 766 yards and 4 touchdowns. The offensive line, led by tackle Doug France
Doug France
Doug France is an American former National Football League offensive lineman who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams.-Career:...
, Jackie Slater and guard Dennis Harrah
Dennis Harrah
Dennis Wayne Harrah is a former NFL Offensive Lineman who played 13 seasons in the National Football League for Los Angeles Rams. He played college football for the University of Miami.- University of Miami :...
, paved the Rams running attack to 4th in the NFC during the season despite injuries. They also gave up only 29 sacks.
But the Rams main strength was their defense which featured defensive end Jack Youngblood
Jack Youngblood
Herbert Jackson "Jack" Youngblood, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League for fourteen seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He was a five-time consensus All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl...
, who made the Pro Bowl for the 7th year in a row and was playing with a broken leg, and lightning-quick Fred Dryer
Fred Dryer
John Frederick "Fred" Dryer is an American actor and former football defensive end in the National Football League . Dryer played 13 years in the NFL, playing 176 games, starting 166, and recording 104 career sacks with the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams...
on the opposite end. Behind them, the Rams had 2 outstanding linebackers: Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds, and Jim Youngblood
Jim Youngblood
Jimmy Lee Youngblood is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins...
(no relation to Jack), who had recorded 5 interceptions and returned 2 for touchdowns. The Rams also had a solid secondary, led by free safety Nolan Cromwell
Nolan Cromwell
Nolan Neil Cromwell is the wide receiver coach for the St. Louis Rams. He was an All-Pro safety for the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL and was the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M University. Cromwell played for the Rams from 1977 through 1987 and was named to the Pro Bowl in four consecutive...
who also grabbed 5 interceptions.
Playoffs
In the playoffs, the Rams avenged the previous year's NFC Championship Game shutout loss to the Dallas Cowboys1979 Dallas Cowboys season
The 1979 Dallas Cowboys season was their 20th in the league. The team was unable to improve on their previous output of 12–4, winning only eleven games...
by beating them 21–19. Then they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season saw the team make a dramatic leap from being a winless expansion franchise, perceived as mistake-prone and ridiculed by the rest of the league, to becoming a serious contender for the National Football League championship...
in the NFC Championship Game, 9–0, scoring only three field goals.
Meanwhile, the Steelers went on to defeat the Miami Dolphins
1979 Miami Dolphins season
The 1979 Miami Dolphins season was the 14th year of existence for the Miami Dolphins franchise. Although they finished at 10–6, one win fewer than the previous year, they were still able to win the AFC East Division outright...
, 34–14, and the Houston Oilers
1979 Houston Oilers season
The 1979 season was the Houston Oilers 20th season and their 10th in the NFL. The franchise scored 362 points while the defense gave up 331 points. Their record of 11 wins and 5 losses resulted in a second place finish in the AFC Central Division. The Oilers appeared once on Monday Night Football...
, 27–13, in the playoffs. During those two playoff games, the Pittsburgh defense limited running backs Larry Csonka
Larry Csonka
Larry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
and Earl Campbell
Earl Campbell
Earl Christian Campbell , nicknamed The Tyler Rose, is a former professional American Football running back. He, Paul Hornung and O.J Simpson are the only people to have won the Heisman Trophy , were first overall National Football League draft picks and are in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
, respectively, to a combined total of only 35 rushing yards. Campbell was the league's rushing leader during the regular season with 1,697 yards, but could only gain 15 yards against the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.
Super Bowl pregame news and notes
Pittsburgh was heavily favored to win Super Bowl XIV and become the first team to win 4 Super Bowls. Most people did not think that the Rams even belonged on the same field with the Steelers. In fact, Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
had called the NFC Championship Game a game for losers, played by losers. One sports writer sarcastically suggested that Bradshaw throw left-handed and the Rams should be allowed to play with 12 men on the field to make the Super Bowl more competitive.
However, Pittsburgh themselves were not taking their opponents lightly. In their previous meetings, the Rams held a 12–1–2 all-time record over the Steelers, including wins in 1971, 1975, and 1978.
Bradshaw became the second quarterback to start four Super Bowls, joining his counterpart from Super Bowls X and XIII Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach
Roger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...
.
Television and entertainment
CBSNFL on CBS
The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
televised the game in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall
Pat Summerall
George Allen "Pat" Summerall is a former American football player and television sportscaster, having worked at CBS, Fox, and ESPN.Summerall is best known for his work with John Madden on NFL telecasts for CBS and Fox.-High school:...
and color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
Tom Brookshier
Tom Brookshier
Thomas Jefferson "Tom" Brookshier was an American professional football player, coach and sportscaster. He was a starting defensive back for the Philadelphia Eagles for seven seasons from 1953 to 1961...
. One of the guest analysts for the network's studio pregame show was former Oakland Raiders coach John Madden
John Madden (American football)
John Earl Madden is a former American professional football player in the National Football League, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the NFL, and a former color commentator for NFL telecasts. In 2006, he was inducted into...
; he impressed CBS executives so much that he replaced Brookshier as lead game analyst in 1981.
The Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
All-City Band played during the pregame ceremonies. Later, actress and singer Cheryl Ladd
Cheryl Ladd
Cheryl Ladd is an American actress, singer and author. Ladd is best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the television series Charlie's Angels, hired amid a swirl of publicity prior to its second season in 1977 to replace the departing Farrah Fawcett-Majors...
performed the national anthem. The coin toss
Coin flipping
Coin flipping or coin tossing or heads or tails is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to choose between two alternatives, sometimes to resolve a dispute between two parties...
ceremony featured longtime Steelers owner Art Rooney
Art Rooney
Arthur Joseph "Art" Rooney, Sr. , often referred to as "The Chief", was the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers American football franchise in the National Football League.-Family history:...
.
The performance event group Up with People
Up with People
Up with People is an international education organization founded in 1968 by J. Blanton Belk, building from roots in the similar "Sing-Out" program of 1965. Up With People is best known for their musical performances by international casts consisting of 70–100 students from, on average, 20...
performed during the halftime show titled "A Salute to the Big Band Era".
The famous Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
commercial in which "Mean" Joe Greene
Joe Greene (American football)
Charles Edward Greene, known as “Mean Joe” Greene, is a former all-pro American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. Throughout the early 1970s he was the one of most dominant defensive players in the National Football League...
gives a boy his game jersey aired during CBS' telecast of the game. However, it is technically not viewed as a Super Bowl ad since it actually debuted on October 1, 1979, not during the day of the game.
The city of Pittsburgh celebrated its third major pro championship in 13 months. The Steelers had also won the previous year's Super Bowl
Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
, and the city's Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team, the Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, had won the World Series
1979 World Series
The 1979 World Series matched the National League's Pittsburgh Pirates against the American League's Baltimore Orioles , with the Pirates coming back from a three games to one deficit to win the Series in seven games...
three months before this Super Bowl game. Ten days after the Steelers' Super Bowl victory, the city's National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
team, the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
, changed its uniform colors to match the black and gold scheme of the Pirates and Steelers, as well as that of the Pittsburgh city flag.
Game summary
Despite being the underdogs, the Rams managed to hang on to a 13–10 lead at halftime, and a 19–17 lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter. But the Steelers held the Rams scoreless in the fourth quarter and scored two touchdowns for the win. Despite the game's uneven matchup and a final score, this game is regarded by some as one of the most competitive games in Super Bowl history. Overall, the lead changed 7 times between both teams, a Super Bowl record; the Rams took the lead 3 times while the Steelers took it 4 times.The Rams took the opening kickoff but the Steel Curtain, however, managed to force a three-and-out. Then on the Steelers' 7th play of their first possession, quarterback Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
completed a 32-yard pass to running back Franco Harris
Franco Harris
Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall...
to reach the Los Angeles 26-yard line. But a third down pass fell incomplete, forcing Pittsburgh to settle for a 41-yard field goal from rookie kicker Matt Bahr
Matt Bahr
Matthew David Bahr is a former professional American football placekicker in the National Football League. He attended Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania where he excelled in both football and soccer...
.
Bahr's ensuing kickoff was very short, giving the Rams great field position at their 41-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Los Angeles running back Wendell Tyler
Wendell Tyler
Wendell Avery Tyler , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 3rd round of the 1977 NFL Draft. A 5'10", 198 lbs...
caught a 6-yard pass from Vince Ferragamo
Vince Ferragamo
Vince Anthony Ferragamo is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League.-College career:...
. Then on the next play, Tyler took a handoff, ran left, broke some tackles, and ran 39 yards to the Steelers 14-yard line before he was finally dragged down by Pittsburgh defensive back Donnie Shell
Donnie Shell
Donnie Shell is a former American Football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League between 1974 and 1987. Shell was a member of the Steelers famed Steel Curtain defense in the 1970s.Shell retired as the NFL strong safety career leader in interceptions with 51...
, the longest run against the Steelers all season. 6 plays later, fullback Cullen Bryant
Cullen Bryant
William Cullen Bryant was a professional American football player who spent thirteen seasons in the National Football League as a running back and return specialist for the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks...
scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to give the Rams a 7–3 lead.
But the lead did not last long. Pittsburgh defensive back Larry Anderson returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards to his own 47-yard line, and then the Steelers marched 53 yards in 9 plays using every offensive weapon in their arsenal. First, Harris ran for 12 yards, fullback Rocky Bleier ran for 1, then tight end Bennie Cunningham
Bennie Cunningham
Bennie Lee Cunningham, Jr. is a retired American football tight end.Cunningham was drafted out of the Clemson University in the 1976 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for the Steelers his entire career...
caught a pass for 8. Bleier ran again for 2, followed by Bradshaw's 18-yard completion to receiver Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
on the last play of the first quarter. The second period opened with Bradshaw's 13-yard completion to Cunningham to reach the Los Angeles 5-yard line, and then Harris ran through the middle to the 4. Wide receiver John Stallworth
John Stallworth
Johnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,...
was then stopped at the 1-yard line, but then Harris ran to the right untouched and scored a touchdown on the next play, giving the Steelers a 10-7 lead.
But like the Rams' previous lead, the Steelers lead also turned out to be short-lived. Aided by a 20-yard pass interference penalty against Shell, Los Angeles advanced 67 yards in 10 plays to score on 31-yard field goal from kicker Frank Corral
Frank Corral
Frank Corral is a former National Football League placekicker from 1978-1981. He attended Norte Vista High School in Riverside, California. He was a part of the Rams' Super Bowl XIV team...
to tie the game. Anderson gave the Steelers great field position after returning the ensuing kickoff 38 yards to the Pittsburgh 46-yard line, but the Steelers could not move the ball and had to punt. The Rams were also forced to punt on their next possession after only gaining 6-yards. But on the first play of the Steelers' next drive, Los Angeles defensive back Dave Elmendorf
Dave Elmendorf
David Cole Elmendorf was an American football player. He played as a safety for nine seasons in the NFL. He was a part of the Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl XIV team. In 1997 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.David attended and graduated, in 1967, from Westbury High School in...
intercepted a pass from Bradshaw and returned it 10 yards to Pittsburgh's 39-yard line.
On the first 2 plays after the turnover, Ferragamo was sacked for a 10-yard loss and threw an incomplete pass. But he managed to overcome the situation with a 12-yard completion to Bryant on third down and a 10-yard completion to receiver Billy Waddy
Billy Waddy
Billy Waddy is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for seven seasons for the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings....
on 4th down and 8. Ferragamo's next pass was complete to tight end Terry Nelson
Terry Nelson (American football)
Terry Nelson , is a former American professional football player.A 6'2", 233 lbs. tight end from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Nelson played 8 seasons from 1973-1980 for the Los Angeles Rams wearing #83. He started in Super Bowl XIV....
for a first down at the 13-yard line, but after throwing 2 incompletions, Pittsburgh lineman John Banaszak sacked Ferragamo on third down. However, Corral kicked a 45-yard field goal to give the Rams a 13-10 halftime lead.
Many observers were surprised that the heavily favored Steelers trailed at the end of the half. "How can you mess up this way?" Steelers assistant coach Woody Widenhofer
Woody Widenhofer
-External links:* *...
asked his team at halftime. "Didn't we go over these things a dozen times? You guys are standing out there like statues."
Anderson once again gave the Steelers great starting field position, returning the opening kickoff of the second half 37 yards to the Pittsburgh 39-yard line. The Steelers lulled the Rams defense by running the ball on three consecutive plays of the drive, and then Bradshaw burned them with a 47-yard touchdown completion to Swann, who made a leaping catch at the Los Angeles' 2-yard line and tumbled into the end zone, to give Pittsburgh a 17-13 lead.
But they didn't hold it. After starting the ensuing drive with 2 running plays, Ferragamo completed a 50-yard pass to Waddy. Then on the next play, Ferragamo handed the ball off to running back Lawrence McCutcheon
Lawrence McCutcheon
Lawrence McCutcheon is a former American football running back for the Los Angeles Rams from 1972–1980, the Denver Broncos & Seattle Seahawks in 1980 and finished his playing career in 1981 with the Buffalo Bills, reuniting with his former Rams coach Chuck Knox.-Professional Career:McCutcheon was...
who started to run to the right. The Steelers defense came up to tackle him behind the line of scrimmage, only to watch him throw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Ron Smith. Corral missed the extra point attempt, but the Rams had retaken the lead, 19-17.
The Steelers had some success advancing into Rams territory on their next 2 possessions only to see the Rams intercept the ball both times. First, Rams free safety Eddie Brown stopped the ensuing Steelers drive with an interception, lateraling
Lateral pass
In American football, a lateral pass or lateral, officially backward pass , occurs when the ball carrier throws the football to any teammate behind him or directly next to him...
to Pat Thomas to gain an additional two yards. Then after a punt, Pittsburgh drove all the way to the Rams 16-yard line, but Los Angeles defensive back Rod Perry
Rod Perry
Rodney Cornell Perry is an American football coach and former defensive back. He is currently a special assistant to the defense for the Indianapolis Colts.-External links:*...
intercepted a pass intended for Stallworth. Thus, the third quarter ended with the Rams still in the lead, 19-17, seemingly in control of the game. Worse yet, Pittsburgh lost Lynn Swann to injury.
With 12:59 left in the game, Rams punter Ken Clark
Ken Clark (punter)
Kenneth Lawrence Clark is a former American professional football punter who played seventeen seasons in the Canadian Football League, World Football League, and the National Football League...
's 59-yard punt planted Pittsburgh back on their own 25-yard line. Then faced with 3rd down and 8, Bradshaw took the snap, faked a handoff, and then threw a pass to Stallworth, who was running a streak pattern down the middle of the field. Stallworth caught the ball barely beyond the outstretched hand of Rams defensive back Rod Perry and took it all the way to the end zone for a 73-yard go-ahead touchdown to make the score 24-19 for the Steelers. The NFL Films highlight film notes that safety Eddie Brown was supposed to help Rod Perry in covering Stallworth, but for some reason Brown ignored the Steeler receiver. On the ensuing kickoff, the Rams tried a reverse on the kickoff which resulted in poor field position.
After an exchange of punts, the Rams mounted one final, spirited drive to regain the lead. Ferragamo smartly moved the Rams down the field, completing 3 or 4 passes around runs by Tyler. His 15-yard completion to Billy Waddy
Billy Waddy
Billy Waddy is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for seven seasons for the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings....
on 3rd and 13 moved the Rams to the Pittsburgh 32-yard line with just under 6 minutes remaining. However, on the following play, Ferragamo made his first, and only mistake of the game. Despite the fact that Waddy had broken free down the right side of the field, Ferragamo had zeroed in on Ron Smith
Ron Smith (wide receiver)
Ronnie Bernard Smith is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League for six seasons for the Los Angeles Rams, the San Diego Chargers, and the Philadelphia Eagles...
down the middle of the field, but he didn't notice Pittsburgh linebacker Jack Lambert playing behind Smith. As Ferragamo released the ball, Lambert jumped in front of Smith and intercepted the pass with 5:24 remaining.
When faced with a 3rd down and 7 on their ensuing drive, Bradshaw once again made a crucial long pass completion to Stallworth, this time a 45-yard reception to the Rams 22-yard line gain barely beyond the outstretched hand of Rod Perry. Two plays later, a questionable pass interference penalty on Los Angeles cornerback Pat Thomas in the end zone gave the Steelers a first down at the 1-yard line. The Rams managed to keep Bleier and Harris out of the end zone for 2 plays, but Harris then scored on a third down, 1-yard touchdown run to give the Steelers a 31-19 lead and put the game away. The Rams responded by driving to Pittsburgh's 37-yard line, but ended up turning over the ball on downs with 39 seconds left in the game, and the Steelers ran out the clock for the win.
This was the third time in Super Bowl history that a team overcame a deficit entering the fourth quarter to win the game. The Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
entered the final quarter down 13-6 against Dallas in Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V was an American football game played on January 17, 1971, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1970 regular season...
and won the game 16-13. The Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
started the final period against Dallas in Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
down 10-7 and eventually won the game 21-17. The lead had changed hands seven times, a Super Bowl record to this day. Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, and John Stallworth became the fourth, fifth and sixth players to score touchdowns in back-to-back Super Bowls, respectively.
Ferragamo finished the game with 15 out of 25 completions for 212 yards, with 1 interception. Tyler was the top rusher of the game with 60 yards, and caught 2 passes for 20 yards. Waddy was the Rams leading receiver with 3 catches for 75 yards. Harris led the Steelers in rushing with 44 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also catching 3 passes for 66 yards. Stallworth was the top receiver of the game with 3 receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown, an average of 40.3 yards per catch. Swann had 5 catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. Larry Anderson set a Super Bowl record with 162 yards from his 5 kickoff returns.
Of note to the betting public was Los Angeles' kicker Frank Corrall's missed extra point. The spread on the game was Steelers by 11; had Corrall made his final extra point try, the Rams would have covered in a 31-20 loss. But instead, the Steelers covered.
Box score
Starting lineups
| Pittsburgh | Los Angeles | |
|---|---|---|
| OFFENSE | ||
| John Stallworth John Stallworth Johnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,... 82 |
WR | Billy Waddy Billy Waddy Billy Waddy is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for seven seasons for the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings.... 80 |
| Jon Kolb Jon Kolb Jon Kolb is a former offensive lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he played for 13 seasons.-High school and Oklahoma State:... 55 |
LT | Doug France Doug France Doug France is an American former National Football League offensive lineman who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams.-Career:... 77 |
| Sam Davis 57 | LG | Kent Hill Kent Hill Kent Angelo Hill is a former American football offensive lineman who played nine seasons in the National Football League, mainly for the Los Angeles Rams. He was selected to five Pro Bowls. He was selected in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft out of Georgia Tech.... 72 |
| Mike Webster 52 | C | Rich Saul Rich Saul Rich Saul was a National Football League offensive lineman from 1970 through 1981, all with the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at Michigan State University... 61 |
| Gerry Mullins Gerry Mullins -High school and college:Gerry Blaine Mullins was raised in Anaheim, California where he began his football career at Fremont Junior High School, and was mentored at Anaheim High School by the city's beloved head football coach Clare Van Hoorebeke . While playing at Anaheim High, he played against... 72 |
RG | Dennis Harrah Dennis Harrah Dennis Wayne Harrah is a former NFL Offensive Lineman who played 13 seasons in the National Football League for Los Angeles Rams. He played college football for the University of Miami.- University of Miami :... 60 |
| Larry Brown 79 | RT | Jackie Slater 78 |
| Bennie Cunningham Bennie Cunningham Bennie Lee Cunningham, Jr. is a retired American football tight end.Cunningham was drafted out of the Clemson University in the 1976 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for the Steelers his entire career... 89 |
TE | Terry Nelson Terry Nelson (American football) Terry Nelson , is a former American professional football player.A 6'2", 233 lbs. tight end from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Nelson played 8 seasons from 1973-1980 for the Los Angeles Rams wearing #83. He started in Super Bowl XIV.... 83 |
| Lynn Swann Lynn Swann -Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He... 88 |
WR | Preston Dennard Preston Dennard Preston Jackson Dennard is a former professional American football wide receiver in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams, the Buffalo Bills and the Green Bay Packers. He played college football at the University of New Mexico.... 88 |
| Terry Bradshaw Terry Bradshaw Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday... 12 |
QB | Vince Ferragamo Vince Ferragamo Vince Anthony Ferragamo is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League.-College career:... 15 |
| Rocky Bleier 20 | FB | Cullen Bryant Cullen Bryant William Cullen Bryant was a professional American football player who spent thirteen seasons in the National Football League as a running back and return specialist for the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks... 32 |
| Franco Harris Franco Harris Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall... 32 |
RB | Wendell Tyler Wendell Tyler Wendell Avery Tyler , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 3rd round of the 1977 NFL Draft. A 5'10", 198 lbs... 26 |
| DEFENSE | ||
| L. C. Greenwood L. C. Greenwood L.C. Henderson Greenwood is a former American football defensive end for the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers.-College career:... 68 |
LE | Jack Youngblood Jack Youngblood Herbert Jackson "Jack" Youngblood, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League for fourteen seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He was a five-time consensus All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl... 85 |
| Joe Greene Joe Greene (American football) Charles Edward Greene, known as “Mean Joe” Greene, is a former all-pro American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. Throughout the early 1970s he was the one of most dominant defensive players in the National Football League... 75 |
LT | Mike Fanning Mike Fanning Michael LaVern Fanning is a retired American football player. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame. He was a defensive tackle for ten seasons in the National Football League... 79 |
| Gary Dunn Gary Dunn Gary Dunn is a former professional football player American football defensive tackle for twelve seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers.... 67 |
RT | Larry Brooks Larry Brooks Lawrence Lee Brooks, Sr. , is a former American Football defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams eleven seasons from 1972 to 1982 in the National Football League... 90 |
| John Banaszak 76 | RE | Fred Dryer Fred Dryer John Frederick "Fred" Dryer is an American actor and former football defensive end in the National Football League . Dryer played 13 years in the NFL, playing 176 games, starting 166, and recording 104 career sacks with the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams... 89 |
| Dennis Winston Dennis Winston Dennis Edward Winston is a former professional American football linebacker in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints. He played college football at the University of Arkansas.... 53 |
LLB | Jim Youngblood Jim Youngblood Jimmy Lee Youngblood is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins... 53 |
| Jack Lambert 58 | MLB | Jack Reynolds 64 |
| Robin Cole Robin Cole Robin Cole is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for twelve seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was elected to the Pro Bowl in 1984... 56 |
RLB | Bob Brudzinski Bob Brudzinski Robert Louis Brudzinski is a former American football linebacker who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League.-Ohio State:... 59 |
| Ron Johnson Ron Johnson (cornerback) A seven-year veteran of the National Football League, Ron Johnson performed as a cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers; Ron played all seven of his NFL seasons in a Pittsburgh uniform.-Biography:... 29 |
LCB | Pat Thomas 27 |
| Mel Blount 47 | RCB | Rod Perry Rod Perry Rodney Cornell Perry is an American football coach and former defensive back. He is currently a special assistant to the defense for the Indianapolis Colts.-External links:*... 49 |
| Donnie Shell Donnie Shell Donnie Shell is a former American Football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League between 1974 and 1987. Shell was a member of the Steelers famed Steel Curtain defense in the 1970s.Shell retired as the NFL strong safety career leader in interceptions with 51... 31 |
SS | Dave Elmendorf Dave Elmendorf David Cole Elmendorf was an American football player. He played as a safety for nine seasons in the NFL. He was a part of the Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl XIV team. In 1997 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.David attended and graduated, in 1967, from Westbury High School in... 42 |
| J. T. Thomas 24 | FS | Nolan Cromwell Nolan Cromwell Nolan Neil Cromwell is the wide receiver coach for the St. Louis Rams. He was an All-Pro safety for the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL and was the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M University. Cromwell played for the Rams from 1977 through 1987 and was named to the Pro Bowl in four consecutive... 21 |
Officials
- Referee: Fred SilvaFred SilvaFred Silva was an American football official in the National Football League for 21 seasons from 1968 to 1988. Silva was widely known for his coolness under fire on the football field and clapping his hand together when signaling a first down...
#7 - Umpire: Al ConwayAl ConwayAl Conway was an American Professional Football on-field official for 28 seasons. He was in the American Football League in its last year, 1969, and in the NFL fom 1970 to 1996...
#7 - Head Linesman: Burl TolerBurl TolerBurl Abron Toler, Sr. was an American football official in the National Football League for 24 seasons from 1965 to 1989. He served as a field judge and head linesman throughout his career and is most notable for being the first African-American official in the NFL...
#18 - Line Judge: Bob Beeks #16
- Field Judge: Charley Musser #19
- Side Judge: Ben Tompkins #4
- Back Judge: Stan JavieStan JavieStanley "Stan" Javie was an American football official in the National Football League for 30 years until the conclusion of the 1980 NFL season. Working as a back judge, Javie was assigned four Super Bowls; Super Bowl II, Super Bowl VIII, Super Bowl X, and Super Bowl XIV; one of the first...
#6 - Alternate Referee: Jerry SeemanJerry SeemanJerry Seeman was an American football official in the National Football League from 1975 to 1990 and was the NFL's Senior Director of Officiating from 1991 to 2001, succeeding Art McNally...
#17