This day in sports history: Pittsburgh Steelers win 'one for the thumb' at Super Bowl XL
SUPER BOWL XL: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Seattle Seahawks 10
(Feb. 5, 2006; Ford Field, Detroit)
SUPER BOWL XL: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Seattle Seahawks 10
(Feb. 5, 2006; Ford Field, Detroit)
SUPER BOWL XL: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Seattle Seahawks 10
(Feb. 5, 2006; Ford Field, Detroit)
Feb. 5, 2006 - The Pittsburgh Steelers win their fifth Super Bowl, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 21-10.
The black and gold had been chasing the elusive "one for the thumb" since their fourth championship victory in 1980.
Hines Ward catches a 43-yard touchdown pass from fellow wide receiver Antwaan Randle El to seal the game. Ward earns Most Valuable Player honors with five receptions for 123 yards.
Detroit's Ford Field is the last stop for "The Bus." Jerome Bettis retires as a champion after winning a Super Bowl ring in his hometown.
It caps off an improbable run for the Steelers, who lost three games in a row and fell to 7-5 before catching fire to end the regular season with four straight wins.
As the sixth seed in the AFC playoffs, Pittsburgh defeats the top three seeds on the road to reach the Super Bowl — the first team to pull off such a feat.
PHOTOS: Super Bowl XL team reunites at Heinz Field 10 years later
The Pro Football Hall of Fame eventually opens its doors to four Super Bowl XL winners -- Troy Polamalu, Jerome Bettis, Alan Faneca and head coach Bill Cowher.
Ben Roethlisberger, the lone remaining member of that championship roster, retires after the 2021 season and is all but certain to become the group's fifth Hall of Fame inductee.