Super Bowl History: Pittsburgh Steelers Begin '70s Dynasty over Minnesota Vikings

On February 6, 2011, the Pittsburgh Steelers will make their eighth Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.

That will put them in a tie with the Dallas Cowboys for most Super Bowl berths. Of those appearances, the Steelers have won six of them, the most in NFL history.

With all that in mind, it may be hard to believe that Pittsburgh was once seen as the NFL's laughingstock.

Prior to 1972, the year that would mostly be recognized by Steelers fans for the "Immaculate Reception," Pittsburgh was the losingest franchise in the league's history, appearing in only one postseason game (a 21-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1947) in their first 39 years of existence.

January 12, 1975, would turn out to be the coming-out party for the Steelers' new reputation as an NFL powerhouse as they beat the Minnesota Vikings 16-6.

The weather conditions for Super Bowl IX were not typical of what can be expected of a Super Bowl. At 2 p.m. CST in New Orleans' Tulane Stadium, it was 46 degrees and cloudy.

The Vikings' offense didn't look any prettier that day. The Steel Curtain held Minnesota's running game to 21 yards on 17 carries, limited Fran Tarkenton to 11-for-26 passing for 102 yards and did not allow the Vikings' offense to score any points.

The Steelers' defense also scored the game's first points, and the only points of the entire first half. Defensive end Dwight White tackled Tarkenton in the end zone for a safety.

In the third quarter, Franco Harris put Pittsburgh ahead 9-0 with a nine-yard rushing touchdown. Harris finished the game with 158 yards on 34 carries, earning Super Bowl IX Most Valuable Player honors.

Making its third Super Bowl appearance in six years, Minnesota scored its only points on a blocked punt. Matt Blair deflected the Bobby Walden boot, and Terry Brown recovered the ball in the end zone for the touchdown (the extra-point attempt was unsuccessful).

Terry Bradshaw was still coming into his own as a superstar quarterback at the time. He completed nine out of only 14 passing attempts for 96 yards.

But when it counted, Bradshaw showed what he could do. With the Steelers leading 9-6 late in the fourth quarter and facing third-and-goal from the four-yard line, Bradshaw threw a touchdown pass to Larry Brown to give the Steelers a comfortable 16-6 lead.

Tarkenton threw an interception on the next play from scrimmage, his third of the game. With that pick, the Steelers sealed their first-ever Super Bowl title.

It would be the first of four Super Bowls that they won in the 1970s.