Super Bowl IX would end up being the final professional football game to ever be played at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, LA. The game was a match up between two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw and Fran Tarkenton. It was also a match up between two unforgettable defenses in Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain" and Minnesota's "Purple People Eaters."
Even though both of these quarterbacks would later be Hall of Fame legends, you wouldn't know it by watching the game. Bradshaw finished with 1 touchdown and only 96 yards on just 14 attempts. Tarkenton struggled terribly, throwing 3 interceptions while only completing 42% of his passes for a 14.1 quarterback rating.
Even though neither of the quarterbacks made a big impact in the game, both of the teams defenses showed up for some key plays. The Vikings held Terry Bradshaw to 96 yards, making Super Bowl IX the only Super Bowl in which Bradshaw threw for less than 200 yards. On another big defensive play, the Steelers fell on Tarkenton in his own end zone after a fumbled pitch to score the first safety in NFL history.
Special teams made an impact in the game as well. The Vikings' only scoring play came when linebacker Matt Blair blocked a punt in the Steelers' end zone and safety Terry Brown covered the ball for a touchdown, however kicker Fred Cox was unable to kick the make the PAT. That would be the 2nd, and last time a team would be held to under 7 points in a Super Bowl.
Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris was named Super Bowl MVP, carrying the ball 34 times for 158 yards and a touchdown.
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