Super Bowl XLIII — Steelers win it!

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 2/4/2009

TAMPA, FLORIDA — The Pittsburgh Steelers are the World Champions of the football world again. Quarterback Ben Rothlisberger drove the Steelers 78 yards in eight plays, hitting Santonio Holmes with a six-yard touchdown pass with just 35 seconds left, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

And just like that, the Steelers are again on top, becoming the first team in NFL history to win six Super Bowls. For a fleeting moment in the night chill, however, the first sports writer ever to cover his son in the biggest game of them all, the Super Bowl, nearly had the perfect story.

The biggest surprise for me was how megastar receiver Larry Fitzgerald, Jr., who broke Jerry Rice's single-season playoff record in helping the Cardinals average 31 points a game in the playoffs, was held in check for three quarters with one catch for just 12 yards.

It took the combination of Steeler Dick Lebeau's number-one-ranked defense and the Steelers' ball control offense in the first half. You have to question the inability of the Cardinals to get Fitzgerald involved.

It took the Steelers' dramatic 78-yard game-winning drive and Ben Rothlisbergers' six-yard TD pass to MVP Santonio Holmes to win it for the Steelers. Pittsburgh jumped to a 10-0 lead before the Cardinals did anything offensively.

In fact, with the score 10-7 and with just 18 seconds left in the half, it looked like the Cardinals were in position to take the lead with a first and goal at the one-yard line. After a timeout, the Cardinals lined up both their Pro Bowl receivers, Fitzgerald and Anquan Bolden, left of the formation in the slot. Warner tried to squeeze a pass to Bolden at the goal line, but linebacker James Harrison, the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, intercepted the pass and raced 100 yards for a touchdown.

It was a 14-point swing. Instead of the Cardinals going in at the half 14-10, or at worst tied 10-10, the Steelers were in command 17-7.

It stayed that way until the Steelers added a field goal to lead 20-7 after three quarters. Over? Not so fast — that's when the Cardinals and Warner got hot. Suddenly he was throwing the ball in Fitzgerald's direction.

Fitzgerald grabbed six passes for 115 yards in the fourth quarter, including two touchdowns, including a one-yard fade where he jumped up and over a defender for a score. And, after the Steelers' safety, Fitzgerald and Warner struck again on a 64-yard touchdown. With the Cardinals 23 and Steelers 20 and just over two minutes left, it was looking good for the Cardinals.

One of my proudest moments ever was to see my son maintain his poise, knowing as I do how badly he wanted to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy and not get down on himself. When finally the Cardinals got him the ball, he gave his team a huge lift when they needed it most.

It was an incredible experience to see my son at media day and in pre-game warm-up before the game at the Super Bowl, and to walk to the stadium and see hundreds of fans wearing his number 11 Cardinals jersey.

But the moment I'll always remember most is when, during the NBC pre-game broadcast show, President Barack Obama said that my son is an excellent young man. Now, that is a humbling feeling, so pardon me if you notice a few tear stains on my column this week.

It was an exciting experience to be in the spotlight with my son emotionally and share in making history when all I did was do what I always have done: cover his games and cover the Super Bowl. No cheering in the press box — never have, never will — but this one will be with me for a long time.

Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, and on WDGY-AM 740 Monday & Saturday mornings at 7:50 am and Fridays at 3:50 pm; he also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). Larry welcomes reader responses to lfitzgerald@spokesman-re corder.com, or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com.