page_title: History of the Pittsburgh Steelers
section_title: 2008: Sixth Super Bowl
hierarchical_section_title: History of the Pittsburgh Steelers / 2007–present: Mike Tomlin's reign / 2008: Sixth Super Bowl
caption_attribution_description: English: Polamalu (left) and teammate Ryan Clark in the Steelers' Super Bowl XLIII victory parade in February 2009. Clark (right, in hoodie) and teammate Troy Polamalu in the Steelers' Super Bowl XLIII victory parade in February 2009. 日本語: 2009年スーパーボウル優勝パレードでのポラマル（左）. Português: Polamalu (esquerda) e o companheiro de time Ryan Clark na parada da vitória do Steelers após a vitória no Super Bowl XLIII em fevereiro de 2009.
context_page_description: The Steelers are an American football franchise representing Pittsburgh. They are the seventh-oldest club in the National Football League, which they joined in 1933. The only surviving NFL teams with a longer history are the Chicago Bears, Chicago Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Boston Redskins. The Philadelphia Eagles joined the league concurrently with the Steelers in 1933.
  The team was founded by Arthur J. "Art" Rooney. The Rooney family has held a controlling interest in the club for almost its entire history. Since its founding the team has captured six league championships and competed in more than a thousand games. In 2008 the Steelers became the first NFL team to capture six Super Bowl titles. Currently the club is fourth in total NFL Championships behind the Packers, Bears, and Giants. Eighteen Steelers players, coaches or administrators have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
context_section_description: Entering the 2008 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers lost Alan Faneca, after his contract expired and he signed with the New York Jets. The Steelers also signed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to an eight-year, $102 million contract, the largest in franchise history. The Steelers also drafted Rashard Mendenhall, running back from Illinois, with the 23rd overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft as well as top wide receiver prospect Limas Sweed of Texas with the 53rd overall pick. With injury to Willie Parker and uncertainty about his future production, Mendenhall was drafted to be the next Steelers running back of the future. The regular season went well with the team winning twelve games and losing four, all to strong opponents, with their only losses going to the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Tennessee Titans (who had the best record in the league). The team thus earned a first-round bye and home advantage through the playoffs. James Harrison was voted as the 2008 AP Defensive Player of the Year with a monstrous regular season performance with 16 sacks (fourth in league) and 7 forced fumbles (first in the league). Troy Polamalu also had a great season, gaining seven interceptions which was tied for second in the league, trailing only Ed Reed of the Baltimore Ravens who had 9. Beating San Diego in the divisional round, they faced their AFC North rival Baltimore in the conference championship and soundly defeated them. Thus, the Steelers made it to their seventh Super Bowl. Their opponent was the Arizona Cardinals, a team that had not appeared in any league championship since 1948.
  Super Bowl XLIII was played on February 1, 2009 at the Buccaneers' Raymond James Stadium. By halftime, the Steelers were ahead at 17–7. Arizona's effort was hampered by penalties, in particular three personal fouls, but they managed to get ahead after WR Larry Fitzgerald scored a 63-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 23–20. But Pittsburgh's Santonio Holmes was able to convert a 6-yard TD in the final two minutes. With that, the game ended 27–23 and the Steelers gained their sixth championship, becoming the first team to win six Super Bowls since the start of the Super Bowl era.
caption: Steelers defenders Troy Polamalu (left) and Ryan Clark (right) at the Super Bowl XLIII victory parade in Pittsburgh.
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