Steelers top 30 moments in franchise history
By Kim Myers
The Bus runs first
Oct 1, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis during halftime of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers seemed to be a team of destiny. After going 15-1 the season before and coming up short in the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots the Steelers were determined to get a chance to make it back. Ben Roethlisberger, who as a rookie led the team to that 15-1 record and AFC Championship berth, had promised veteran running back Jerome Bettis that he’d get him to a Super Bowl if he’d just come back one more season.
The 2005 season saw many ups and downs for the team including having to win their last four games to secure a playoff berth as the sixth seed. In the regular season finale the Steelers faced the Detroit Lions at home and Bettis motioned to his mother in the crowd after the game that they were headed to Detroit, his hometown and the home of Super Bowl XL.
The Steelers became the first team in NFL history to win all of their playoff games on the road as they blew out the Denver Broncos to win the AFC Championship and secure their place in Super Bowl XL. The hype was all there and set up for Jerome Bettis to top off his NFL career in his hometown playing in a Super Bowl for the city that became his second home town.
The Steelers players all wore Jerome Bettis’ Notre Dame jersey on the plane to Detroit and when it was time to take the field of Super Bowl XL linebacker Joey Porter held everyone back to let Bettis run out of the tunnel first to take the field. What an awesome moment for Jerome and the Steelers.
The Steelers would go on to win Super Bowl XL 21-10 over the Seahawks and wide receiver Hines Ward was named Super Bowl MVP. He said into the camera after the game, “I’m going to Disney World! And I’m taking The Bus!”
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