On this day in Steelers history the team won a Super Bowl and some legends retired and the Steelers beat their rivals to head to another Super Bowl.
January 18, 1976
Super Bowl X
Steelers 21. Dallas Cowboys 17
Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
The Steelers got in an early 7-0 hole when Roger Staubach hit Drew Pearson for a 29-yard touchdown. But it didn't take them long to get right back in it. Terry Bradshaw connected with Lynn Swann for a 32-yard pass, where Swann outleaped the Cowboys defender and kept both feet in bounds. That set up a seven-yard touchdown pass from Bradshaw to Randy Grossman to tie it at 7-7. A Dallas field goal sent them into the locker room up 10-7 at the half. Roy Gerela missed his second field goal of the game in the second half, and Cowboys safety Cliff Harris mockingly patted him on the helmet. That set off linebacker Jack Lambert, who sent Harris to the ground and lit a fire under the Steelers.
The Steelers scored on a safety off a blocked punt, and Gerela hit two field goals to give the black and gold a 15-10 lead. Bradshaw extended the lead when he hit Swann for a 64-yard touchdown pass, and Swann finished with four catches for 161 yards, winning him MVP honors. The Cowboys fought back, but it wouldn't be enough when Staubach's final pass was batted by Mike Wagner and intercepted by Glen Edwards to seal the 21-17 win.
January 18, 1988
John Stallworth and Donnie Shell retire
They were teammates for 14 seasons, coming in the same year and fittingly retiring on the same day.
John Stallworth, the Steelers fourth-round selection in the historic Steelers 1974 NFL Draft Class and a Hall of Famer, caught 537 passes for 8,723 yards and 63 touchdowns. He played in six AFC Championship games, was a part of the Steelers four Super Bowl Championships and was named team MVP twice. Stallworth was named All-Pro in 1979, All-AFC in 1979 and 1984 and played in four Pro Bowls. He had 12 postseason touchdown catches and 17-consecutive postseason games with a reception.
Donnie Shell came in as undrafted rookie free agent in 1974 and went on to be selected to five Pro Bowls. Shell was named All-Pro four times and was the Steelers MVP in 1980. Shell, who became one of the team's hardest-hitting defenders, also was a member of the Steelers four Super Bowl championship teams of the 1970s.
January 18, 2009
AFC Championship Game
Steelers 23, Baltimore Ravens 14
Heinz Field
The Steelers beat the Ravens, 23-14, behind a stellar defensive effort that limited the Ravens to 198 total net yards.
The Steelers defense had three interceptions and three sacks, including two from linebacker LaMarr Woodley.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 255 yards and one touchdown, a 65-yarder to receiver Santonio Holmes, to give the Steelers a 13-0 lead.
The Ravens fought back, cutting the lead to 16-14 after two touchdown runs by Willis McGahee. But it would be Troy Polamalu who would seal the deal when he intercepted Joe Flacco and returned it 40-yards for a touchdown and 23-14 win.
