STEELERS RB JEROME BETTIS
(on if winning the Super Bowl was a dream come true) “This is amazing. You play your whole career for this opportunity. To have this opportunity at home in Detroit-to win a championship in front of your friends and family and everybody who has seen me play since I was a kid. It’s a dream come true.”
(on if Ford Field was louder than Heinz Field) “It was not louder than Heinz Field. We got the greatest fans in the world, but for a Super Bowl, it (the crowd) was incredible. It was. The Steelers fans were here. They got up. They were with us the whole way through and we did not disappoint them.”
(on if the game was slipping away following the interception by Logan) “We knew that they had gained some momentum. We knew that we had started to move the football well and it was a matter of time before we were able to get it going. Our defense was playing great the whole game. Offensively, we did not get it going in the first half and so we put our defense out there, but they did a great job for us (during) the whole game long (by) holding that team to only 10 points. That was incredible.”
(on what was said at halftime) “The whole locker room was like, ‘hey we got 30 minutes to (win) a championship. We’re winning 7-3. We’re winning (at the half) and we played a terrible half from the offensive standpoint’. Offensively, we went three-and-out, three-and-out, three-and-out, so we knew (that) it was just a matter of time for us to get clicking. (In) the second half, we got it going.”
(on closing his NFL career) “It is an ending. It’s been an incredible ride. I decided to come back to win a championship and (my) mission (was) accomplished.So with that, I have to bid farewell.”
(on his legacy and what he meant to Pittsburgh) “Pittsburgh is special to me. Hopefully, I mean a lot to them in terms of what I try to do on the football field, (I) try to give it 110%, give it my all, . and go out there and represent the city, the organization and my family well. I hope (that) they appreciate me because we just brought a championship back home. One for the thumb.”
(on if he is saying goodbye) “It’s official like the referee’s whistle.
(On how it felt to hold the Lombardi Trophy on the field) “You know what, that’s the greatest feeling in the world to actually have an opportunity to hold that Lombardi Trophy and not hold it just because somebody gave it to you. You hold that trophy because you earned it. It’s a feeling that I’ve been waiting on for 13 years. I’m just glad that I was able to come back and hoist that trophy and take it back home to Pittsburgh.”
(on if this is like a script) “I don’t think (that) you could of scripted it any better. I think (that) the script right now, if somebody took it to Hollywood, they would turn it down because (they) will say that it could not happen. It’s been an incredible ride. It’s been amazing. The football gods have really shined a light on me and the Lord has really blessed me.”
(on his family’ support during his career) “For my family to be here, for my friends and the people who have been with me the whole time and to be able to share this with me, it is amazing. To be able to do it (win the Super Bowl) at home, it is truly, truly a blessing. I think (that) I’m the luckiest football player probably to ever play (because I) was able to do it at home.”
(on winning a championship for Bill Cowher) “It means a lot. He’s been a great coach for a long time and the only thing that was missing on his resume was a championship. Now he has that championship and now you really have to consider him (as) one of the best coaches ever in the game.”
(On winning his first championship) “This is why I started 13 years ago on this quest. Along the way, I amassed a lot of yards, a lot of Pro Bowls, but none of that was significant because it wasn’t the team goals. The team goal has always been to win a championship and now I have a championship.
(on leading his teammates on to the field during pregame introductions) “That was amazing. Joey Porter told me that it was only right that you go out and you lead us out there. It is your home and you need to bring us in. I could not believe it. I was in awe. They wanted me to bring them in and I did. That was incredible. They gave me a moment that I will not forget.”
(on what makes Bill Cowher great) “Coach Cowher is the same guy. He was the same guy 14 years ago when he started.. He’s a player’s coach. He understands what we need (and) what we ask for. He understand what you have to do to win, so he does not deviate from his gameplan at all. That’s why (we’re) consistant year in and year out, (and why) we get the same type of football team. (We are) a tough-minded (and) physical, hard-nosed football team, and I think that we reflect our coach’s character.”
(on if it was going to be his last game regardless of the outcome) “It was probably going to be the last game either way. It was a situation where physically my body (has) just been breaking down and the last thing that I wanted to do going into a game like this was telling my teammates that this was going to be my last game. I would not want to put that type of pressure on them. I really kept it to myself. I talked to both Mr. Rooneys and told them what I was thinking. (I) got the opportunity to talk to Coach Cowher and let him know that this was it.”
(on when he had that conversation) “I talked to both Mr Rooneys last Wednesday when we were in Pittsburgh. I got an opportunity to talk to them. I didn’t really talk to Coach Cowher about it because I really did not want to put pressure in his mind to do anything out of the ordinary. I got a chance to talk to him a little bit earlier and told him that was it. He knew that this was kind of the last ride.”
STEELERS DE AARON SMITH
(on his first thought when the game ended) “I couldn’t believe it. It seemed unreal to me at that point. I wasn’t sure if I should cry or laugh. This doesn’t seem real. It hasn’t hit me yet.”
(on the trick touchdown play) “It was such a pivotal play for us to get that touchdown. Whenever we score touchdowns, it allows our defense to be more aggressive. We get to bring our blitzes and come with a lot more stuff. It was such a pivotal play and was executed to perfection.”
(on Jerome Bettis) “I can’t say enough about Bus. He’s done so much for this league and this franchise. He’s such a great person. If he chooses to go out in style with this win, I couldn’t think of a better ending.”
(on the leadership of Ben Roethlisberger) “Over the last year he has matured so much. He creates plays and finds ways to win. You can’t say enough about that.”
(on the Rooney ownership) “This is a classy organization. I can’t say enough. They have kind of an old-school mentality where you go out there and work hard, and in turn you are rewarded for your hard work. I can’t say enough about them.”
(on the Cowher coaching legacy) “It will just make him even hungrier. Coach will enjoy this, but then come next season he’ll be even hungrier to get back here. You couldn’t ask for a better coach.”
(on ownership sticking with Cowher through the bad seasons) “That’s what makes this team so good. They gave him time to work and build the team he wants. He brings in guys that he knows will fit in and play within his system. They have to believe and trust in his system and we do.”
(on Joey Porter pumping the team up this week) “Joey is our emotional leader and gets us fired up. The battle of words got pushed aside once the game started. Joey will talk no matter what.”
(on whether or not the win has sunk in) “This doesn’t even feel real. I feel like we won just another game right now. It doesn’t feel like we won a championship. Maybe it will hit me tomorrow, two days or even a week. Maybe when I get that ring on my finger it will feel like a championship.”
(on wanting to bum a ride to Disneyland with Hines Ward) “I would love to bum a ride with him. He deserves it, he played well today. I can’t say enough about my teammates. They came out and played hard. They’re a great group of guys and we are so close. I think that’s what made this such a special team.”
(on what he’s ready to do next) “I’m ready to go smoke a cigar and have some champagne!”
STEELERS S CHRIS HOPE
(on RB Jerome Bettis) “To have success like he has, and if it’s his last year, to go out on top in his hometown, you can’t even imagine a better story than that. I’m just proud of him and he deserves everything that he got because he’s a humble guy. He’d do anything for any of his teammates whether you’re a starter or a second-string guy.”
(on how it feels to win the Super Bowl this year) “I think if we’d have won the Super Bowl last year (instead of this year), it wouldn’t have felt this great because everybody picked us to win it (last year). This year, we came in against all odds, everybody turned their back on us, everybody wrote us off. Every time we entered a stadium, we went in with our 53 men, our coaches and our families and we came out on top.”
(on how it will be to defend the title) “It’s going to be big expectations next year. I hope that I’m here. Mr. (Dan) Rooney, come on with it. Me and Troy Polamalu, the best safeties in the league…don’t break that up. So hopefully, they’ll come with it (new contract), and if they do and I’m back, we’re going to come right back at them.”
(on offensive interference play with WR Darrell Jackson) “In the red zone, they always run a post corner route on the back side with the single side receiver. Before the play, I communicated with my corner, Ike Taylor, to watch it. He’s supposed to be on run support there so it kind of left me out on an island. But I played my keys and I was in great position for the route that he ran. (Matt) Hasselbeck created some extra time for himself like he’s done all season. We were all scrambling for the ball, I’m in great position for the second phase of the play and he pushed me on my back. The ref was standing directly behind the scene and made a good call.”
STEELERS C JEFF HARTINGS
(on the win) “It is something they can never take away from you. It’ll be there forever. It’s the best feeling in the world. I just appreciate the opportunity to play in a game like this and I just thank God.”
(on it feeling like a home crowd) “Yeah, it was. We have great fans and that noise made a difference for their offense.”
(on how the offense started slow) “Our defense played awesome in the first half and gave us a chance, no doubt about it. We took advantage of some plays and had some big plays out there.”
(on if the Seahawks made mental mistakes) “Yeah, they did. I saw a few dropped balls and penalties and that definitely helped us out. And we made big plays, no doubt about it. All of our touchdowns came on big plays, but that’s how the game played out.”
(on Parker’s long touchdown) “It was just a perfect call against the perfect defense and perfect execution. Sometimes that happens. Then Willie just took over with his speed. His speed helps. That’s not a touchdown with most running backs, but with him it is.”
(on winning a Super Bowl where he started his career) “Yeah, I really never thought about it that much. I really just think it was divine intervention. I wanted to accept the contract, they pulled it off and things worked out for me no doubt about it. We came close to going to the Super Bowl two years before, but now that we get it, you definitely appreciate it a lot more.”
(on his alma mater PennState winning the Orange Bowl in the same month) “Yeah, no doubt. It was a great, great month and a great year. We went through a lot here in Pittsburgh, five losses, three in a row. But we formed a lot of great friendships and a lot of great bonds. We overcame some differences between each other and we won eight in a row. We feel very good about what we accomplished.”
(on the hunger to win a championship growing as his career wore on) “To be honest with you, probably less. Because seven years ago, I accepted Jesus Christ and that changed the reason why I play. I used to be desperate to win a Super Bowl and go to Pro Bowls because it was all about me. But things have changed and I recognized I had do let him to his part. God had to have some control in this and I feel like he did. We went out there and played well and he has blessed us with a Super Bowl victory.”
(on the story of the season and if it could have been scripted any better) “Not for Jerome Bettis. No doubt about that. It was a perfect script and he had a great game again today. Our offensive linemen, when we see him in there, we know it’s time to pound it and we’re going to get three yards at minimum. We enjoy that kind of football and I’m very happy for him.”
(on the possibility of this being Bettis’ last game) “No, he never said that. But you kind of get that feeling, there’s no doubt about that. When you want to go out on top, is there a better way to go out than winning a Super Bowl, playing the way he has these last three, four games? Unfortunately, we didn’t get him that touchdown. That would have been real nice, but we’re still very happy for him. I think he’s a Hall of Famer, he’s got a Super Bowl ring now and he’s had a great career.”
(on what this win means for Bill Cowher) “It does mean a lot. It means a lot to me. To be able to do what we did, accomplish what we did for Coach Cowher, a guy who deserves it. Definitely give him the credit that he deserves. You look at his record, now he’s got a Super Bowl ring. But even before he got that ring, six championship games, one of the best coaches in the National Football League, no doubt about it. I’m very happy to bring that home for him and the Rooney family.”
(on being the sixth-seeded team in the playoffs) “Well, we accepted that as a challenge. We certainly didn’t feel like we were a six-seed. That’s just where we fell in because of our own problems in the middle of the year. We didn’t play up to the potential that we should have been playing. We looked at our schedule and we knew we had a chance to run the table and be that sixth-seed. There’s no doubt about it. We had a chance to make history. That motivates me a little more. You make history by going 16-0 and winning the Super Bowl and we did the opposite. We made history by being a six-seed.”
(on Bettis and the possibility of him retiring) “Well, I don’t know if he’s going to retire or not. He didn’t tell me. He definitely can feel really good about retiring right now. But I thought that last year, too. I hope he comes back. We have a very good team. As long as our quarterback plays well, we’re going to be in the mix for this every year.”
(on what this means to him) “After ten years and five years in Detroit and not being able to win a playoff game, losing two championship games and not even being able to have this experience and not being able to have a chance to win this, that’s what means a lot. I appreciate it a lot. It means maybe a little bit more because I was able to share it with friends. I have friends here; I’m able to share it with them. All my family is able to be here and that’s what’s special about it.”
(on the role his faith played in this) “Oh, it plays every role. Your faith plays a role in every second of your life. The entire game out there, before every series, before a lot of plays, I look to the sky and I just ask God to help me through the pressure, the anxiety and with my thought process. I make sure I glorify him. I’ve got to give
all the praise to him. I’ve always worked hard to get to this point, but I didn’t recognize that he wanted to be with me on this journey. Any year before this year, I don’t think I would’ve had him with me on this journey and that’s what makes it extra special.”
(on what he wants to tell the Lord right now) “I just want to praise him, lift him up and thank him. Not only for this time but just for being in my life, for calling me. That’s the most important thing to me is the fact that I have a relationship with him and I’m going to spend eternity with him. And I thank him for that above anything, any Super Bowls, anything. There’s no doubt about that. That’s the most important thing.”
(on if the result of the game had been different) “I would feel the same. My flesh would be disappointed, there’s no doubt about that. My flesh is going to feel different. Your flesh feels different every single day with different events that happen to you but the only way my spirit feels different is when I waiver on my faith, have doubt and I embarrass him with my behavior. I felt like our team glorified him today. I’m very proud of our team for that. That was the most important thing to me. Not the winning and losing.”