The Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII. They took down the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 on February 1, 2009. It was wild. If you were watching that night at Raymond James Stadium or from your couch, you saw history. Specifically, the Steelers became the first franchise to snag six Super Bowl rings.
But honestly? The "who" is only half the story. The "how" is why we still talk about this game seventeen years later.
The Pittsburgh Steelers: A Sixth Ring for the Steel City
Mike Tomlin was only 36 at the time. He became the youngest head coach to ever win a Super Bowl. People forget how much pressure was on him. He had just taken over for the legendary Bill Cowher.
The Steelers entered the game as seven-point favorites. They had the "Steel Curtain" defense, led by Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison. They had Ben Roethlisberger, who already had one ring under his belt. They were the juggernaut.
Arizona was... well, they were the Cardinals. They were the 9-7 underdogs that nobody expected to be there. Kurt Warner was 37 and supposedly "washed up." Larry Fitzgerald was basically a cheat code. It was the perfect David vs. Goliath setup.
The Play That Changed Everything (No, Not the Catch)
Most people jump straight to the end of the game. You shouldn't. The real pivot happened as the clock hit zero in the second quarter.
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The Cardinals were at the Pittsburgh 1-yard line. They were down 10-7. Warner dropped back to pass, looking for Anquan Boldin. He thought he had a touchdown. Instead, James Harrison stepped in front of the ball.
Then he ran.
And ran.
And kept running.
It was 100 yards of pure chaos. Harrison lumbered down the sideline, protected by a wall of black and gold jerseys. Larry Fitzgerald actually ran out of bounds to avoid blockers and tried to tackle him at the goal line. Harrison collapsed into the end zone as time expired.
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That 100-yard interception return remains the longest defensive play in Super Bowl history. It was a 14-point swing. Instead of Arizona leading 14-10 at the half, Pittsburgh led 17-7.
The Fourth Quarter Rollercoaster
The fourth quarter was a fever dream. Arizona actually came back. It was unbelievable.
Larry Fitzgerald caught a touchdown to make it 20-14. Then, the Steelers got called for a holding penalty in their own end zone. Safety. 20-16.
Then, with only 2:37 left, Warner found Fitzgerald again. A 64-yard sprint right down the middle of the field. Fitzgerald looked like he was shot out of a cannon. Suddenly, the Cardinals—the team that wasn't even supposed to make the playoffs—were leading 23-20.
Steelers fans were silent. Arizona fans were smelling their first-ever championship.
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Santonio Holmes and the Greatest Catch Ever
Ben Roethlisberger had 2:30 to go 78 yards. He leaned on Santonio Holmes.
Holmes was a man possessed on that drive. He caught four passes for 73 yards just on that final possession. But the finale was the masterpiece.
With 35 seconds left, Big Ben threw a high, hard ball into the back right corner of the end zone. Three Cardinals defenders were surrounding Holmes. It looked like an impossible window.
Holmes leaped. He stretched. He snagged the ball and—this is the part that still defies physics—he managed to plant both sets of toes into the turf while his momentum carried him out of bounds.
Touchdown. The catch earned Holmes the Super Bowl MVP award. He finished with nine catches for 131 yards. It wasn't just a win; it was a heartbreaker for an Arizona team that had played the game of their lives.
What You Should Do Next
If you want to truly appreciate the nuance of this game, don't just look at the box score. There are a few things worth revisiting:
- Watch the Harrison Return in Real-Time: Look at the blocking. It wasn't just Harrison running; it was a coordinated effort by the entire defense to escort him 100 yards.
- Analyze the "Safety" Play: Many people forget the holding call in the end zone that gave Arizona the points and the ball back. It’s a masterclass in how small mistakes change legacies.
- Check the Stats: Kurt Warner threw for 377 yards. In almost any other Super Bowl, those are "winning" numbers. He became the first QB to throw for 300+ yards in three different Super Bowls.
The 2008 NFL season ended with the Steelers on top, but it left us with one of the most statistically and emotionally dense games in the history of the sport.