Super Bowl Notebook

Harrison run one for ages

100-yard return long on impact

By Christopher L. Gasper

Globe Staff / February 2, 2009

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TAMPA - Santonio Holmes may have walked away as the MVP of Super Bowl XLIII, but it was a play that Steelers linebacker James Harrison made to end the first half that everyone was talking about.

Harrison intercepted Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner on a pass intended for Anquan Boldin at the goal line and then went 100 yards the other way for the longest play in Super Bowl history, topping the 99-yard kickoff return that the Packers' Desmond Howard had in Super Bowl XXXI against the Patriots.

Harrison, the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year, sprinted out into Pittsburgh territory picking up blocks, bulled his way by Warner, cut back to avoid another tackler in Arizona territory, avoided being clipped by Cardinals tackle Mike Gandy, and then fended off receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston to land head-first in the end zone with no time left in the half.

"I've said it and I believe it. It's the single greatest defensive play in Super Bowl history," said Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu said it was the difference in the game.

Harrison faked like he was blitzing and then dropped back into coverage.

"I slid over to the right, and he threw it right into my hands, and I took off," said Harrison. "I was just trying to get to the other side and score 7, that's all."

Harrison took a tumble into the end zone on the play and was down for a while, but he didn't miss a play.

"It was very tiring, but it was all worth it," said Harrison. "I was just thinking that I had to do whatever I could to get to the other end zone and get 7. I just wanted to help my team win. That was it. That was all I was thinking about."

Fitzgerald said you simply had to tip your cap to Harrison for making an incredible play.

"He's an amazing player," said Fitzgerald. "He showed on that play why he was the defensive player of the year."

Second time around

Ben Roethlisberger became the 10th quarterback to win two Super Bowls, but he'll probably more fondly remember last night than his first title, which came in Super Bowl XL. In that game Roethlisberger was 9 of 21 for 123 yards and two interceptions.

Last night he was 21 of 30 for 256 yards with one interception, and threw the winning 6-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes in the back right corner of the end zone with 35 seconds left to cap a march that started at the Pittsburgh 22 with 2:30 remaining.

"I played a little better than I did the last time, so it feels a lot better to be able to come back on that drive, probably a drive that will be remembered for a long time, at least in Steelers history, it feels good, really special.

"I felt a lot better. I didn't have the jitters. I actually didn't really feel nervous, but then when the planes flew over, that's when I was the most excited.

Ward goes, but slow

Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward was slowed by the right knee injury he suffered in the AFC title game. He sat out Pittsburgh's first practice upon arriving in Tampa to rest his strained medial collateral ligament, but practiced the rest of the week.

On the second play from scrimmage last night, Ward had a 38-yard catch-and-run that helped set up Jeff Reed's 18-yard field goal, but he only had one catch for 5 yards the rest of the way.

"Oh man, I can't even describe the pain," said Ward. "Hats off to our medical staff. I told them, 'I'm not missing this one for the world. You tell me what to do, and I will do it triple times.' "

There he goes again

Playing in his third Super Bowl, the Cardinals' Kurt Warner became the first quarterback to throw for more than 300 yards three times. He set the record with 414 yards in Super Bowl XXXIV and had 365 yards against the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI. Warner's 1,156 yards in Super Bowl play are also a record . . . During his prediction on NBC's pregame show, Patriots safety Rodney Harrison made it clear that he still has some strong feelings about the Patriots' 17-14 loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. "Unlike last year's Super Bowl, this year's Super Bowl will be won by the best team and that's the Pittsburgh Steelers," said Harrison . . . Two former Patriots, linebacker Victor Hobson (Cardinals) and cornerback Fernando Bryant (Steelers), were among the inactive players. Arizona's other inactives were cornerback Eric Green, fullback Tim Castille, tackle Elliot Vallejo, tackle Brandon Keith, defensive tackle Alan Branch, and tight end Jerame Tuman. Former Boston College and St. John's Prep quarterback Brian St. Pierre was designated the Cardinals' third quarterback. Pittsburgh's other inactives were safety Anthony Smith, linebacker Bruce David, tackle Tony Hills, tackle Jason Capizzi, defensive lineman Scott Paxson, and defensive end Orpheus Roye. Dennis Dixon was designated the third quarterback . . . During a pregame ceremony, Warner was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, which honors a player's community service and excellence on the field.