FinalFebruary 1, 2009NBCRaymond James Stadium

Super Bowl XLIII

MVP: Santonio Holmes
Pittsburgh Steelers

Game Story

The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 in Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium in one of the greatest championship finishes the league has seen. The coaching matchup itself carried extra weight because Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt had interviewed for Pittsburgh's head job before the Steelers hired Mike Tomlin, and his Arizona team nearly stole the title after Larry Fitzgerald's 64-yard touchdown put the Cardinals ahead late. Pittsburgh's biggest swing came at the end of the first half, when James Harrison intercepted Kurt Warner at the goal line and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown, and the winning moment came with 35 seconds left when Ben Roethlisberger dropped a perfect throw to Santonio Holmes in the back corner of the end zone. Holmes caught nine passes for 131 yards, including the title-winning toe-tap, and earned MVP honors as the Steelers claimed their record sixth Lombardi Trophy.

Game Ops

MVPSantonio Holmes
VenueRaymond James Stadium
LocationTampa, FL
NetworkNBC
Broadcast TeamAl Michaels, John Madden
Broadcast Partners

Officiating Crew

RefereeTerry McAulay
UmpireRoy Ellison
Head LinesmanDerick Bowers
Line JudgeMark Perlman
Back JudgeKeith Ferguson
Side JudgeMichael Banks
Field JudgeGreg Gautreaux

Rosters

Pittsburgh Steelers
Starting Lineup
Ben RoethlisbergerQB
Willie ParkerRB
Hines WardWR
Matt SpaethTE
Heath MillerTE
Sean McHughTE
Max StarksLT
Chris KemoeatuLG
Justin HartwigC
Darnell StapletonRG
Willie ColonRT
Brett KeiselDE
Aaron SmithDE
Casey HamptonNT
James HarrisonOLB
LaMarr WoodleyOLB
James FarriorLILB
Larry FooteRILB
Ike TaylorLCB
Bryant McFaddenRCB
Troy PolamaluSS
Ryan ClarkFS
Arizona Cardinals
Starting Lineup
Kurt WarnerQB
Edgerrin JamesRB
Terrelle SmithFB
Anquan BoldinWR
Larry FitzgeraldWR
Leonard PopeTE
Mike GandyLT
Reggie WellsLG
Lyle SendleinC
Deuce LutuiRG
Levi BrownRT
Antonio SmithLDE
Darnell DockettDT
Bryan RobinsonNT
Gabe WatsonRDE
Chike OkeaforSLB
Gerald HayesLB
Monty BeiselLB
Karlos DansbyLB
Dominique Rodgers-CromartieRCB
Adrian WilsonSS
Antrel RolleFS

Team Stats

StatPITARI
First Downs2023
By Rushing42
By Passing1220
By Penalty41
Third Down Efficiency4-10 (40.0%)3-8 (37.5%)
Fourth Down Efficiency0-0 (0.0%)0-0 (0.0%)
Total Net Yards292407
Total Offensive Plays5857
Average Gain/Play5.07.1
Net Rushing Yards5833
Rushing Plays2512
Yards per Rush2.32.8
Net Passing Yards234374
Sacks-Yards Lost3-222-3
Gross Passing Yards256377
Pass Att-Comp-Int30-21-143-31-1
Yards per Pass Play7.18.3
Penalties-Yards7-5611-106
Fumbles-Lost0-02-1
Turnovers12
Red Zone Efficiency2-4 (50.0%)2-3 (66.7%)
Time of Possession33:0126:59

Gamebook Detail

Pittsburgh Steelers

Skill Positions

PlayerCmpAttPass YdsPass TDIntSkPass LngRateRush AttRush YdsRush TDRush LngTgtRecRec YdsRec TDRec LngFmbFL
Ben Roethlisberger21302561134093.23204000000-
Willie Parker00000-0-195301511-20-20-
Mewelde Moore00000-0-1606114040-
Santonio Holmes00000-0-00001391311400-
Heath Miller00000-0-000075570210-
Hines Ward00000-0-000032430380-
Nate Washington00000-0-000041110110-
Carey Davis00000-0-0000116060-
Matt Spaeth00000-0-0000116060-
Gary Russell00000-0-2-3110000000

Defense

PlayerIntInt YdsInt TDInt LngPDSacksCombSoloAstTFLQBHitsFRFR YdsFR TDFF
James Harrison1100110010.0431020000
LaMarr Woodley000012.0431120001
James Farrior000000.0862010000
Ike Taylor000000.0853000000
Ryan Clark000000.0523000000
Brett Keisel000000.0541011000
Lawrence Timmons000000.0550000000
Bryant McFadden000000.0330000000
Deshea Townsend000000.0321000000
Tyrone Carter000000.0220000000
Larry Foote000000.0220000000
William Gay000000.0220000000
Casey Hampton000000.0211000000
Anthony Madison000000.0220000000
Troy Polamalu000010.0202000000
Patrick Bailey000000.0110000000
Carey Davis000000.0110000000
Santonio Holmes000000.0101--0000
Travis Kirschke000000.0110000000
Mewelde Moore000000.0110--0000
Gary Russell000000.0110000000
Aaron Smith000000.0101000000

Returns

PlayerKRKR YdsKR AvgKR TDKR LngPRPR YdsPR AvgPR TDPR Lng
Santonio Holmes00-00252.504
Carey Davis23819.002100-00
Gary Russell24221.002400-00

Kicking and Punting

PlayerXPMXPAFGMFGAPntPunt YdsPunt AvgLng
Jeff Reed332200-0
Mitch Berger----313946.349
Arizona Cardinals

Skill Positions

PlayerCmpAttPass YdsPass TDIntSkPass LngRateRush AttRush YdsRush TDRush LngTgtRecRec YdsRec TDRec LngFmbFL
Kurt Warner314337731264112.310000000021
Edgerrin James0000000-9330954280110-
Larry Fitzgerald0000000-0000871272640-
Anquan Boldin0000000-0000128840450-
Steve Breaston0000000-000066710230-
J.J. Arrington0000000-1000223502200
Jerheme Urban0000000-0000211801800
Tim Hightower0000000-100032130100-
Ben Patrick0000000-0000211110-
Leonard Pope0000000-0000100000-

Defense

PlayerIntInt YdsInt TDInt LngPDSacksCombSoloAstTFLQBHitsFRFR YdsFR TDFF
Karlos Dansby1-10-110.0853200000
Darnell Dockett000003.0651330000
Gerald Hayes000000.0743000000
Adrian Wilson000000.0770000000
Roderick Hood000000.0651000000
Chike Okeafor000010.0660200000
Monty Beisel000000.0523000000
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie000020.0550000000
Antrel Rolle000000.0312000000
Ralph Brown000000.0220000000
Calais Campbell000000.0220000000
Antonio Smith000000.0211120000
Michael Adams000000.0110000000
Aaron Francisco000010.0110000000
Tim Hightower000000.0110000000
Kenny Iwebema000000.0110000000
Travis LaBoy000000.0110000000
Sean Morey000000.0110000000
Gabe Watson000000.0110100000
Bertrand Berry000000.0000010000
Edgerrin James000000.0000001000
Bryan Robinson000010.0000000000

Returns

PlayerKRKR YdsKR AvgKR TDKR LngPRPR YdsPR AvgPR TDPR Lng
Steve Breaston199.00923417.0034
J.J. Arrington48220.502300-00

Kicking and Punting

PlayerXPMXPAFGMFGAPntPunt YdsPunt AvgLng
Neil Rackers33--00-0
Ben Graham----518036.045
Pittsburgh Steelers Drives
#QtrTimeLOSPlaysLengthNet YdsResult
1115:00PIT 2895:1571Field Goal
216:13PIT 31117:1269Touchdown
328:34PIT 2254:1812Punt
422:46PIT 1620:466Interception
5310:50PIT 18168:3979Field Goal
6413:41PIT 4332:11-5Punt
747:33PIT 2432:054Punt
843:26PIT 120:28-1Safety
942:37PIT 2282:0278Touchdown
1040:05PIT 2910:05-1End of Game
Arizona Cardinals Drives
#QtrTimeLOSPlaysLengthNet YdsResult
119:45ARI 2753:323Punt
2214:01ARI 1795:2783Touchdown
324:16PIT 4331:30-17Punt
422:00PIT 3482:0033Interception
5315:00ARI 2474:1027Punt
632:11ARI 2063:3010Punt
7411:30ARI 1383:5787Touchdown
845:28ARI 2562:0239Punt
942:58ARI 3620:2164Touchdown
1040:35ARI 2330:3033Fumble

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