Super Bowl IX
Tulane Stadium
New Orleans, Louisiana
January 12, 1975
Attendance: 80,997
MVP: Franco Harris, RB, Pittsburgh
AFC champion Pittsburgh, in its initial Super Bowl appearance, and NFC champion Minnesota, making a third bid for its first Super Bowl title, struggled through a first half in which the only score was produced by the Steelers' defense when Dwight White downed Vikings' quarterback Fran Tarkenton in the end zone for a safety 7:49 into the second period.
The Steelers forced another break and took advantage on the second-half kickoff when Minnesota's Bill Brown fumbled and Marv Kellum recovered for Pittsburgh on the Vikings' 30.
After Rocky Bleier failed to gain on first down, Franco Harris carried three consecutive times for 24 yards, a loss of three, and a 9-yard touchdown and a 9-0 lead.
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Though its offense was completely stymied by Pittsburgh's defense, Minnesota managed to move into a threatening position after 4:27 of the final period when Matt Blair blocked Bobby Walden's punt and Terry Brown recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown.
Fred Cox's kick failed and the Steelers led 9-6. Pittsburgh wasted no time putting the victory away.
The Steelers took the ensuing kickoff and marched 66 yards in 11 plays, climaxed by Terry Bradshaw's 4-yard scoring pass to Larry Brown with 3:31 left.
Pittsburgh's defense permitted Minnesota only 119 yards total offense, including a Super Bowl low of 17 rushing yards.
The Steelers, meanwhile, gained 333 yards, including Harris's record 158 yards on 34 carries.
Super Bowl IX MVP: Franco Harris
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| Franco Harris in action against the Vikings |
To earn the first of its four Super Bowl championships, Pittsburgh turned to workhorse running back Franco Harris. In defeating Minnesota 16-6, Pittsburgh won its first-ever NFL championship. Harris rushed 34 times for 158 yards, breaking the record Larry Csonka set one year earlier.
After a baseball-like 2-0 halftime score in favor of Pittsburgh, the Steelers took advantage of a Minnesota fumble on the second-half kickoff. Harris ran the ball in from 9 yards for the touchdown. Harris' running and the powerful Steeler defense combined to make that lead stand.
Super Bowl IX Boxscore
SCORING
Pittsburgh 0 2 7 7 -- 16
Minnesota 0 0 0 6 -- 6
PIT- safety White 0, 7:49 2nd
PIT- Harris 9 run (Gerela kick), 1:35 3rd
MIN- T. Brown 0 blocked punt return (kick failed), 4:27 4th
PIT- Brown 4 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick), 11:29 4th
TEAM STATISTICS Pitt. Minn.
Total First Downs 17 9
Rushing 11 2
Passing 5 5
Penalty 1 2
Total Net Yardage 333 119
Total Offensive Plays 73 47
Average Gain per Offensive Play 4.6 2.5
Rushes 57 21
Yards Gained Rushing (Net) 249 17
Average Yards per Rush 4.4 0.8
Passes Attempted 14 26
Passes Completed 9 11
Had Intercepted 0 3
Tackled Attempting to Pass 2 0
Yards Lost Attempting to Pass 12 0
Yards Gained Passing (Net) 84 102
Punts 7 6
Average Distance 34.7 37.2
Punt Returns 5 4
Punt Return Yardage 36 12
Kickoff Returns 3 3
Kickoff Return Yardage 32 50
Interception Return Yardage 46 0
Fumbles 4 3
Own Fumbles Recovered 2 1
Opponent Fumbles Recovered 2 2
Penalties 8 4
Yards Penalized 122 18
Total Points Scored 16 6
Touchdowns 2 1
Rushing 1 0
Passing 1 0
Returns 0 0
Extra Points 2 0
Field Goals 0 0
Field Goals Attempted 1 1
Safeties 1 0
Third-Down Efficiency 6/17 5/12
Fourth-Down Efficiency 0/2 0/0
Time of Possession 38:47 21:13
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Pittsburgh No. Yds. LG TD
Harris 34 158 25 1
Bleier 17 65 18 0
Bradshaw 5 33 17 0
Swann 1 -7 7 0
Minnesota No. Yds. LG TD
Foreman 12 18 12 0
Tarkenton 1 0 0 0
Osborn 8 -1 2 0
Passing
Pittsburgh Att. Comp. Yds. TD Int.
Bradshaw 14 9 96 1 0
Minnesota Att. Comp. Yds. TD Int.
Tarkenton 26 11 102 0 3
Receiving
Pittsburgh No. Yds. LG TD
Brown 3 49 30 1
Stallworth 3 24 22 0
Bleier 2 11 6 0
Lewis 1 12 12 0
Minnesota No. Yds. LG TD
Foreman 5 50 17 0
Voigt 2 31 28 0
Osborn 2 7 4 0
Gilliam 1 16 16 0
Reed 1 -2 2 0
Interceptions
Pittsburgh No. Yds. LG TD
Wagner 1 26 26 0
Blount 1 10 10 0
Greene 1 10 10 0
Minnesota No. Yds. LG TD
None -- -- -- --
Punting
Pittsburgh No. Avg. LG Blk.
Walden 6 40.5 52 1
Minnesota No. Avg. LG Blk.
Eischeid 6 37.2 42 0
Punt Returns
Pittsburgh No. FC Yds. LG TD
Swann 3 0 34 17 0
Edwards 2 0 2 2 0
Minnesota No. FC Yds. LG TD
McCullum 3 0 11 6 0
N. Wright 1 0 1 1 0
Wallace 0 1 0 ** 0
Kickoff Returns
Pittsburgh No. Yds. LG TD
Harrison 2 17 17 0
Pearson 1 15 15 0
Minnesota No. Yds. LG TD
McCullum 1 26 26 0
McClanahan 1 22 22 0
B. Brown 1 2 2 0
Pittsburgh Steelers Minnesota Vikings
== Offense ==
Mansfield, Ray C
Clack, Jim G Maurer, Andy G
Mullins, Gerry G White, Ed G
Gravelle, Gordon T Goodrum, Charlie T
Kolb, Jon T Yary, Ron T
Brown, Larry TE Voigt, Stu TE
Lewis, Frank WR Gilliam, John WR
Shanklin, Ronnie WR Lash, Jim WR
Bleier, Rocky RB Foreman, Chuck RB
Harris, Franco RB Osborn, Dave RB
Bradshaw, Terry QB Tarkenton, Fran QB
== Defense ==
Greene, Joe DT Page, Alan DT
Holmes, Ernie DT Sutherland, Doug DT
Greenwood, L. C. DE Eller, Carl DE
White, Dwight DE Marshall, Jim DE
Ham, Jack OLB Hilgenberg, Wally OLB
Russell, Andy OLB Winston, Roy OLB
Lambert, Jack MLB Siemon, Jeff MLB
Blount, Mel CB Wallace, Jackie CB
Thomas, J.T. CB Wright, Nate CB
Edwards, Glen FS Krause, Paul FS
Wagner, Mike SS Wright, Jeff SS
== Substitute ==
Allen, Jimmy Alderman, Grady
Bradley, Ed Anderson, Scott
Conn, Dick Blair, Matt
Davis, Charles Brown, Terry
Davis, Samuel Brown, Bill
Davis, Steve Cox, Fred
Druschel, Rich Craig, Steve
Furness, Steve Eischeid, Mike
Garrett, Reggie Kingsriter, Doug
Gerela, Roy Larsen, Gary
Grossman, Randy Lawson, Steve
Harrison, Reggie Lurtsema, Bob
Kellum, Marv Marinaro, Ed
McMakin, John Martin, Amos
Pearson, Preston McClanahan, Brent
Reavis, Dave McCullum, Sam
Shell, Donnie McNeill, Fred
Stallworth, John Poltl, Randy
Swann, Lynn Reed, Oscar
Toews, Loren Sunde, Milt
Walden, Bobby
Webster, Mike
== Did Not Play ==
Gilliam, Joe Berry, Bob
Hanratty, Terry Blahak, Joe
Wolf, James Boone, Dave
Holland, John
Riley, Steve