The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Super Bowl XL victory over the Seattle Seahawks in 2006 marked their fifth championship and solidified their legacy as one of the NFL's elite franchises. The game, held in Detroit, ended with a 21-10 score in favor of the Steelers, with key performances from wide receiver Hines Ward and running back Willie Parker. Roethlisberger, despite some early struggles, delivered when it mattered, including a critical touchdown run but from a statistical standpoint he didn't have a great game.
The Steelers' defense was also dominant holding the high powered Seahawks offense to just 10 points. Despite claims of controversial officiating, Steelers fans firmly believe there was no bias—just haters trying to downplay their team's dominance. The calls that some Seahawks fans point to as questionable were simply part of the game, with the Steelers' defense and offense delivering when it mattered most. Pittsburgh held off Seattle’s efforts and sealed their 21-10 victory, proving their superiority on football's biggest stage.
This win not only secured Pittsburgh’s fifth Super Bowl title but also ended a 26-year championship drought, cementing the Steelers' place in NFL history. Fans celebrated a long-awaited return to glory, with no need for apologies or excuses—just the undeniable fact that the Steelers were the better team that day. Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck spoke on The Herd with Colin Cowherd recently about this Super Bowl loss. He actually revealed he had a secret plan to get wide receiver Darrell Jackson Super Bowl MVP.
"I completed the first five passes of the game to Darrell Jackson," Hasselbeck said. "He was our wide receiver on the same side as the tight end. I only did that because I was trying to get D-Jack the MVP of the game. I had made a deal with him earlier in the year he was coming back from an injury. He was like, 'Hey man, I'm trying to come back for the Super Bowl. I want to be Super Bowl MVP.' He made it back before that. I go, 'D-Jack, I'll make it my mission to help you get the MVP.' I just want to start him out, get him going. That was important to me."
Hasselbeck revealed that his plan was to get wide receiver Jackson off to a strong start. The first five passes he completed to Jackson would be the only ones he caught in that Super Bowl, totaling 50 yards.
However, Steelers Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau quickly made adjustments to shut down Jackson, a move that played a pivotal role in Pittsburgh’s victory in Super Bowl XL.
"Dick LeBeau, he probably thought, 'Oh shoot, they see a weakness,'" Hasselbeck said. "He clouded that side the whole time. Screwed up my own game plan, really. And so we had to put in plays on the fly to counteract that."
LeBeau’s quick adjustments threw Hasselbeck off early, forcing him to completely alter his game plan on the fly. This shift likely played a major role in the Steelers taking control of the game and never looking back. It’s intriguing to think about how the game might have unfolded if Hasselbeck hadn’t made it so obvious that his focus was on getting Jackson involved.
Steelers Benefited From Matt Hasselbeck's Promise
It’s unusual to enter such a pivotal game with the primary goal of securing an individual award for a player. The Steelers had Jerome Bettis, who was set to retire after the season, and giving him the Super Bowl MVP in his hometown of Detroit would have been a storybook ending. But winning the game was always the most important concern. Not getting Bettis an MVP award.
Hasselbeck, of course, wanted to win just as badly, but perhaps he made a mistake by trying to force a Super Bowl MVP onto one of his wide receivers. While the gesture highlighted his camaraderie and team spirit, it also gave LeBeau the perfect opportunity to adjust and neutralize his strategy.
