View source for Super Bowl XL

{{short description|2006 National Football League championship game}}
{{redirect|2006 Super Bowl|the Super Bowl that was played at the completion of the 2006 season|Super Bowl XLI}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox Super Bowl
| type = sb
| name = XL
| image = Super Bowl XL.svg
| visitor = [[2005 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]]
| visitor_abbr = SEA
| visitor_conf = [[National Football Conference|NFC]]
| visitor_coach = [[Mike Holmgren]]
| visitor_record = 13–3
| visitor_place = 1
| home = [[2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]]
| home_abbr = PIT
| home_conf = [[American Football Conference|AFC]]
| home_coach = [[Bill Cowher]]
| home_record = 11–5
| home_place = 6
| visitor_qtr1 = 3
| visitor_qtr2 = 0
| visitor_qtr3 = 7
| visitor_qtr4 = 0
| visitor_total = 10
| home_qtr1 = 0
| home_qtr2 = 7
| home_qtr3 = 7
| home_qtr4 = 7
| home_total = 21
| date = {{start date text|February 5, 2006}}
| stadium = [[Ford Field]]
| city = [[Detroit, Michigan]]
| attendance = 68,206<ref>{{cite web|title=Super Bowl XL Box Score: Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10|url=http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/history/boxscore/sbxl|publisher=National Football League|website=NFL.com|date=February 6, 2006|access-date=March 10, 2018}}</ref>
| odds = Steelers by 4<ref>{{cite news|last=DiNitto|first=Marcus|title=Super Bowl Betting History – Underdogs on Recent Roll|url=http://linemakers.sportingnews.com/nfl/2015-01-25/super-bowl-betting-history-patriots-vs-seahawks-point-spread-line-vegas-odds|magazine=[[Sporting News]]|date=January 25, 2015|access-date=February 4, 2015|archive-date=February 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204100054/http://linemakers.sportingnews.com/nfl/2015-01-25/super-bowl-betting-history-patriots-vs-seahawks-point-spread-line-vegas-odds|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vegasinsider.com/nfl/superbowl/history/|title=Super Bowl History|publisher=Vegas Insider|access-date=February 4, 2015}}</ref>
| MVP = [[Hines Ward]], [[wide receiver]]
| anthem = [[Aaron Neville]], [[Aretha Franklin]], and [[Dr. John]]<br>ASL performed by Angela LaGuardia
| coin_toss = [[Tom Brady]], representing previous [[Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award|Super Bowl MVP]]s
| referee = [[Bill Leavy]]
| HOFers = '''Seahawks:''' [[Steve Hutchinson (American football)|Steve Hutchinson]], [[Walter Jones (American football)|Walter Jones]]<br />'''Steelers:''' [[Dan Rooney]] (owner/administrator), [[Bill Cowher]] (head coach), [[Bill Nunn (American football)|Bill Nunn]] (scout), [[Jerome Bettis]], [[Alan Faneca]], [[Troy Polamalu]]
| halftime = [[The Rolling Stones]]
| network = [[NFL on ABC|ABC]]
| announcers = [[Al Michaels]], [[John Madden]], [[Michele Tafoya]], and [[Suzy Kolber]]
| rating = 41.6 (national)<br> 55 (Seattle)<br> 57.1 (Pittsburgh)<br/><small>U.S. viewership: 90.7 million est. avg.,<br> 141.4 million est. total</small><ref>{{cite web|last1=Cosgrove-Mather|first1=Bootie|title=Super Bowl Earns Super Ratings|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/super-bowl-earns-super-ratings/|website=CBS News|date=February 6, 2006 |access-date=February 4, 2018}}</ref>
| share = 62 (national)
| commercial = $2.5 million
| radio = [[NFL on Westwood One Sports|Westwood One]]
| radioannouncers = [[Marv Albert]], [[Boomer Esiason]], [[John Dockery]], and [[Bonnie Bernstein]]
| last = XXXIX
| next = XLI
}}
'''Super Bowl XL''' was an [[American football]] game between the [[National Football Conference]] (NFC) champion [[2005 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]] and the [[American Football Conference]] (AFC) champion [[2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] to decide the [[National Football League]] (NFL) champion for the [[2005 NFL season|2005 season]]. The Steelers defeated the Seahawks by the score of 21–10. The game was played on February 5, 2006, at [[Ford Field]] in [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]. It is the most recent Super Bowl broadcast on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], who lost the rights to broadcast Super Bowl games in the next NFL television contract (though under a new contract the network is scheduled to broadcast [[Super Bowl LXI]]), and the first where all aspects of the game itself were aired in HD.<ref name=broadcastingcable/> This was the last of 10 straight Super Bowls to feature a team seeking its first win.

With the win, the Steelers tied the [[San Francisco 49ers]] and the [[Dallas Cowboys]] with the then-record five [[Super Bowl|Super Bowl victories]] (a record the Steelers themselves would break [[Super Bowl XLIII|three years later]]). The Steelers' victory was their first Super Bowl victory since [[Super Bowl XIV]]. The Steelers, who finished the regular season with an 11–5 record, also became the fourth [[wild card (sports)|wild card]] team, the third in nine years, and the first ever number 6 seed in the [[National Football League playoffs|NFL playoffs]], to win a Super Bowl. The Seahawks, on the other hand, in their 30th season, were making their first ever Super Bowl appearance after posting an NFC-best 13–3 regular season record.

The Steelers capitalized on two big plays that were converted into touchdowns. The Steelers jumped to a 14–3 lead early in the third quarter with running back [[Willie Parker]]'s Super Bowl record 75-yard touchdown run. Seahawks defensive back [[Kelly Herndon]]'s then-Super Bowl record 76-yard interception return set up a Seattle touchdown to cut the lead 14–10. But the Steelers responded with [[Antwaan Randle El]]'s 43-yard touchdown pass to [[Hines Ward]], the first time a wide receiver threw a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl, to clinch the game in the fourth quarter. Ward, who caught 5 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 18 yards, was named [[Super Bowl MVP]].

The [[#Reaction to officiating|officiating in Super Bowl XL]] was met with criticism from members of the media soon after the game, leading [[NFL Films]] to rank it as one of the top ten controversial calls of all time.<ref name="NFL Top 10">{{cite AV media|title=[[NFL Top 10]] – Controversial Calls|publisher=[[NFL Films]]}}</ref>

==Background==
===Host selection process===
[[File:Ford Field Super Bowl XL night.jpg|right|thumb|Looking toward the stadium on the night of the Super Bowl]]
NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XL to [[Detroit]] during their November 1, 2000, meeting held in [[Atlanta]]. It marked the second Super Bowl held in the Detroit area, the first was [[Super Bowl XVI|XVI]] played at the [[Pontiac Silverdome]] in the [[Metro Detroit|Detroit]] suburb of [[Pontiac, Michigan|Pontiac]].<ref name="DFP03-14-1979pg1">{{cite news|title=1982 Super Bowl - Right Here! (Part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118642314/|newspaper=[[Detroit Free Press]]|first1=Vito|last1=Stellino|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=March 14, 1979|accessdate=February 14, 2023}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref name="DFP03-14-1979pg7">{{cite news|title=1982 Super Bowl - Right Here! (Part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118642442/|newspaper=[[Detroit Free Press]]|first1=Vito|last1=Stellino|page=7|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=March 14, 1979|accessdate=February 14, 2023}}{{Open access}}</ref> Three Super Bowls host sites were selected during the meeting, [[Super Bowl XXXVIII|XXXVIII]], [[Super Bowl XXXIX|XXXIX]], and XL. However, XXXIX was the only one of the three that involved a competitive voting process. The vote for XL was mostly a formality, as Detroit had been tentatively preselected for the game, as a reward for constructing a new stadium. The host duties, however, were contingent on satisfying a series of basic requirements. No other cities were considered for XL.

On August 20, 1996, the [[Detroit Lions|Lions]] announced their intentions to build a [[Ford Field|new stadium]] in downtown Detroit.<ref name="dfp08-21-96pg1">{{cite news|title=Detroit comeback (Part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163105380/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first1=Tina|last1=Lam|first2=Daniel G.|last2=Fricker|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=August 21, 1996|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref name="dfp08-21-96pg9">{{cite news|title=Detroit comeback (Part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163105549/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first1=Tina|last1=Lam|first2=Daniel G.|last2=Fricker|page=2|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=August 21, 1996|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> NFL commissioner [[Paul Tagliabue]] helped lobby support for the project, announcing that the city of Detroit was positioned to host a Super Bowl if the stadium plans were to go forward.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tagliabue: If Lions build it, Super Bowl will come|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163000412/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Curt|last=Sylvester|page=32|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=October 28, 1996|access-date=January 13, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> Despite some early mixed polls,<ref>{{cite news|title=Fontes issue shouldn't sway stadium vote|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163001120/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Terry|last=Foster|page=45|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 3, 1996|access-date=January 13, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> on November 5, 1996, voters approved a tax referendum to fund the stadium construction in a [[Landslide victory|landslide]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Stadium tax increases win; Detroit casino vote is close (Part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163001567/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first1=Tina|last1=Lam|first2=Daniel G.|last2=Fricker|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 6, 1996|access-date=January 13, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Stadium tax increases win; Detroit casino vote is close (Part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163001412/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first1=Tina|last1=Lam|first2=Daniel G.|last2=Fricker|page=10|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 6, 1996|access-date=January 13, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> Groundbreaking occurred three years later on November 16, 1999.<ref>{{cite news|title=Football Returns (Part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163002071/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Tina|last=Lam|page=97|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 17, 1999|access-date=January 13, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Football Returns (Part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163002205/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Tina|last=Lam|page=99|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 17, 1999|access-date=January 13, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> With stadium construction underway, the NFL reaffirmed their commitment to awarding the facility a Super Bowl.<ref>{{cite news|title=Super Bowl may come to Detroit|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/battle-creek-enquirer/163002658/|newspaper=Battle Creek Enquirer|page=13|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=August 28, 1999|access-date=January 13, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> By that time, host cities had been awarded, or tentatively assigned, through XXXVIII. With stiff competition from [[Miami]], [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]], and possibly [[Atlanta]] for XXXIX,<ref name="dfp032900pg1">{{cite news|title=A Detroit Super Bowl has date set (Part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163106924/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Curt|last=Sylvester|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=March 29, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref name="dfp032900pg3">{{cite news|title=A Detroit Super Bowl has date set (Part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163107078/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Curt|last=Sylvester|page=3|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=March 29, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> Detroit set their sights on XL (February 2006). That more than satisfied the NFL's rule that required new stadiums to wait until at least their second year of operation before hosting a Super Bowl, in order to iron out any logistical issues or construction delays. 

The Detroit host committee made their initial presentation on March 29, 2000, at the NFL owners meeting in [[Palm Beach, Florida|Palm Beach]].<ref name="dfp032900pg1"/><ref name="dfp032900pg3"/> No other cities submitted bids for XL. The presentation was met with positive reviews.<ref name="dfp032900pg1"/><ref name="dfp032900pg3"/> However, they had yet to secure the required number of hotel rooms, had not yet booked the venues needed for various ancillary events, and would need to install temporary seating at still-under construction [[Ford Field]] in order to meet minimum capacity. In addition, the Detroit area's previous Super Bowl ([[Super Bowl XVI|XVI]]), while praised for its hospitality, suffered from extreme frigid temperatures and traffic jams.<ref name="dfp032900pg1"/><ref name="dfp032900pg3"/> Complicating the situation was the possibility of needing to utilize three casino hotels in order to achieve the required number of hotel rooms.<ref name="detnews04022000pg32">{{cite news|title=Super Bowl bid not a sure bet|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163107526/|newspaper=The Detroit News|first1=Vartan|last1=Kupelian|first2=Mike|last2=O'Hara|page=32|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=April 2, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> At the time, the NFL strongly avoided any associations with [[gambling]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/10/business/nfl-super-bowl-sports-gambling/index.html|title=Why the NFL went all in on sports gambling|first=Chris|last=Isidore|work=CNN.com|date=February 11, 2024|access-date=January 15, 2025}}</ref> however, [[Paul Tagliabue]] seemed willing to overlook that concern.<ref>{{cite news|title=Super Bowl may come to Detroit|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/battle-creek-enquirer/163002658/|newspaper=Battle Creek Enquirer|page=13|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=August 28, 1999|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> The city was also saddled with a longstanding reputation of [[History of Detroit#Decline of Detroit|decline]], urban decay, and [[Crime in Detroit|crime]] – an image the city was eagerly trying to shed.<ref name="dff110100pg1">{{cite news|title=Picturing Prosperity (Part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163108787/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=John|last=Gallagher|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 1, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref name="dff110100pg7">{{cite news|title=Picturing Prosperity (Part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163108950/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=John|last=Gallagher|page=7|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 1, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref>

Auto racing legend and business magnate [[Roger Penske]] was hired to serve as chairman of the host committee,<ref name="detnews04022000pg32"/> and he made an aggressive push over the summer of 2000 to firm up Detroit's bid.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hotel, stadium issues nearly Super, NFL told (Part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163112142/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Daniel G.|last=Fricker|page=75|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=September 28, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Hotel, stadium issues nearly Super, NFL told (Part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163112261/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Daniel G.|last=Fricker|page=76|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=September 28, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> With doubts still hovering over Detroit's chances,<ref name="dfp91600pg11">{{cite news|title=City must tackle lodging woes to host Super Bowl (Part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163106406/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Daniel G.|last=Fricker|page=11|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=September 16, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref name="dfp91600pg17">{{cite news|title=City must tackle lodging woes to host Super Bowl (Part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163106524/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Daniel G.|last=Fricker|page=17|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=September 16, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> Penske, [[List of mayors of Detroit|mayor]] [[Dennis Archer]], and other key members of the committee held a private meeting with the NFL owners advisory committee on September 27 to make a follow-up pitch.<ref name="dfp91600pg17"/> The league set a deadline of October 11 for the final bid package submittal,<ref>{{cite news|title=Super Bowl - Motown must not fumble a very special opportunity|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163108340/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|page=8|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=September 23, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> or they were likely to re-open the bidding. A last-minute push resolved all of the remaining hurdles.<ref>{{cite news|title=One Super Bowl hurdle left (Part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163111096/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Darren A.|last=Nichols|page=29|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=October 29, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=One Super Bowl hurdle left (Part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163111222/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Darren A.|last=Nichols|page=34|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=October 29, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> On November 1, the host committee made their final presentation at the owners' meeting [[Atlanta]], and Detroit was overwhelmingly approved as the host for Super Bowl XL.<ref name="dff11022000pg1">{{cite news|title=XL-ent! (Part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163109989/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Daniel G.|last=Fricker|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 2, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref name="dff11022000pg6a">{{cite news|title=XL-ent! (Part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163110114/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Daniel G.|last=Fricker|page=6|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 2, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref name="dff11022000pg6b">{{cite news|title=XL-ent! (Part 3)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/163110156/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|first=Daniel G.|last=Fricker|page=6|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 2, 2000|access-date=January 15, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> [[Jerry Jones]] called it "outstanding...one of the best presentations that I've ever seen." [[Wayne Huizenga]] characterized it as a "slam-dunk", and [[Bud Adams]] said Detroit "deserves a Super Bowl."<ref name="dff11022000pg6a"/> [[Houston]] was awarded [[Super Bowl XXXVIII|XXXVIII]], and [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]] won the vote for [[Super Bowl XXXIX|XXXIX]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Houston, Jacksonville, Detroit get Super Bowls|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-odessa-american/162997996/|newspaper=The Odessa American|page=27|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 2, 2000|access-date=January 13, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref>

This would be the first Super Bowl played on the newer [[FieldTurf]] surface; each of the previous Super Bowls had been played either on natural grass or on the first-generation [[AstroTurf]].

===Teams===
====Seattle Seahawks====
{{Main article|2005 Seattle Seahawks season}}
<!-- IMPORTANT NOTE: This is just a summary, please do not add too much detail. The main Seahawks article is probably best for detailed additions -->
The Seahawks entered Super Bowl XL after finishing the regular season with an NFC-best 13–3 record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2005 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2005/index.htm |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After a rocky 2–2 start, they won 11 consecutive games before losing to the [[2005 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]] to finish the season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seattle Seahawks 2005 Games and Schedule |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sea/2005/gamelog/ |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The 13–3 record and 11-game winning streak set new team records.

This was the Seahawks' first Super Bowl appearance in the team's 30-year history. The Seahawks had been mediocre for much of the 1990s, recording eight consecutive non-winning seasons from [[1991 Seattle Seahawks season|1991]] through [[1998 Seattle Seahawks season|1998]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seattle Seahawks Team Records, Leaders, and League Ranks |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sea/index.htm |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The team hit a low point in [[1996 Seattle Seahawks season|1996]], when then-owner [[Ken Behring]] announced his intention to move the team to the Los Angeles area. The team's fortunes began to turn in [[1997 Seattle Seahawks season|1997]], when [[Microsoft]] co-founder [[Paul Allen]] bought the team and brokered a deal to build a new football stadium, [[Qwest Field]] (now Lumen Field), to replace the aging [[Kingdome]]. [[Mike Holmgren]], who had led the [[Green Bay Packers]] to Super Bowls [[Super Bowl XXXI|XXXI]] and [[Super Bowl XXXII|XXXII]], became head coach in 1999. He became the fifth coach to take two franchises to the Super Bowl.<ref>[[Don Shula]] ([[1968 Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore Colts]]/[[1971 Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]]), [[Bill Parcells]] ([[1986 New York Giants season|New York Giants]]/[[1996 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]]), [[Dan Reeves]] ([[1986 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]]/[[1998 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]]) & [[Dick Vermeil]] ([[1980 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]]/[[1999 St. Louis Rams season|St. Louis Rams]])</ref> [[Joe Jurevicius]] became the sixth player to play in a Super Bowl with three teams, having previously played in Super Bowl XXXV with the Giants and in Super Bowl XXXVII with the Buccaneers.

Behind running back [[Shaun Alexander]], the Seahawks finished the 2005 season as the league's top offense, scoring 452 points. Meanwhile, quarterback [[Matt Hasselbeck]] completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 3,455 yards 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and added 124 yards and one touchdown on the ground. Alexander, who had scored at least 16 touchdowns in each of the previous four seasons, had the best campaign of his career, leading the league with 1,880 rushing yards and scoring an NFL-record 28 touchdowns, for which he was rewarded with the [[NFL Most Valuable Player Award]]. Although the Seahawks suffered injuries to starting wide receivers [[Darrell Jackson]] and [[Bobby Engram]] throughout the season, the passing game proved potent, as Engram managed for 778 receiving yards. [[Joe Jurevicius]], a backup when the season began, started eleven games and had for 694 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns; tight end [[Jerramy Stevens]] also emerged as a Hasselbeck target with 554 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Hasselbeck was protected and Alexander was given time to run by a stout offensive line, led by Pro Bowl offensive tackle [[Walter Jones (American football)|Walter Jones]], guard [[Steve Hutchinson (American football)|Steve Hutchinson]], and center [[Robbie Tobeck]], and by Pro Bowl fullback [[Mack Strong]].

Though rookie middle linebacker [[Lofa Tatupu]] was the Seahawks' only defensive Pro Bowl selection, the Seahawks' defense recorded 50 quarterback sacks, leading the NFL in that category; [[defensive end]] [[Bryce Fisher]] led the Seahawks with 9 sacks, while [[defensive tackle]] [[Rocky Bernard]] added 8.5 and veteran defensive end [[Grant Wistrom]] recorded 4. Despite starting two rookies at linebacker for most of the year, the Seahawks' linebacking corps played well, led by Tatupu, who topped the team with 104 tackles and added 4 sacks, three interceptions, and one fumble recovery. From his strong safety position, [[Michael Boulware]] led the team with four interceptions and also tallied 2 sacks and one fumble recovery. The Seahawks secondary suffered injuries throughout the year, notably to free safety [[Ken Hamlin]]; second-year [[cornerback]] [[Jordan Babineaux]] played well as he appeared in all 16 games for the Seahawks, intercepting three passes and making 61 tackles. For the year, the defense surrendered just 271 points, 181 fewer than the Seahawks offense scored.

====Pittsburgh Steelers====
{{Main article|2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season}}
<!-- IMPORTANT NOTE: This is merely a summary, please do not add too much detail. The main Steelers article is probably best for detailed additions. -->

After a 7–5 start, the Steelers won their final four games to qualify for the playoffs with an 11–5 record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pittsburgh Steelers 2005 Games and Schedule |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/2005/gamelog/ |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They also became the first team ever to defeat the top three [[Single-elimination tournament#Seeding|seeded teams]] on the road in the playoffs (#3 [[2005 Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati Bengals]], #1 [[2005 Indianapolis Colts season|Indianapolis Colts]] and #2 [[2005 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]]). In addition, the team became the first sixth-seeded team to reach both a conference championship game and the Super Bowl since the NFL expanded to a 12-team playoff format in [[1990 NFL season|1990]].

Under [[Bill Cowher]]'s reign as head coach since [[1992 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1992]], the Steelers had been one of the top teams in the NFL, making the playoffs in 10 out of his 14 seasons, advancing to the [[AFC Championship Game]] six times, and making an appearance in [[Super Bowl XXX]], losing to the [[1995 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]] 27–17.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bill Cowher Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/CowhBi0.htm |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pittsburgh Steelers Playoff History |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/playoffs.htm |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After having finished the [[2003 NFL season|2003 season]] with a 6–10 record and after splitting its first two games to open [[2004 NFL season|2004]], the Steelers lost starting [[quarterback]] [[Tommy Maddox]] to injury. Maddox was replaced by rookie quarterback [[Ben Roethlisberger]], who was drafted with the 11th pick in the [[2004 NFL draft]] but was not expected to play during his rookie season. Nevertheless, Roethlisberger led the Steelers to victory in all of the team's 14 remaining regular season games, giving the Steelers a 15–1 record and making the Steelers the first AFC team ever to win 15 games. However, the Steelers lost to the [[Super Bowl XXXIX|eventual Super Bowl champion]] [[2004 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]] in the AFC Championship Game.

The Steelers began the 2005 season by winning seven of its first nine games, but suffered a major setback when both Roethlisberger and his backup, [[Charlie Batch]], went down with injuries. With Maddox back as the starter, the team was defeated by the [[2005 Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens]] and dropped two more games after Roethlisberger's return, falling to the then-undefeated [[2005 Indianapolis Colts season|Indianapolis Colts]], and the division rival [[2005 Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati Bengals]]. The postseason hopes of the Steelers were in peril, but the team recovered to win its final four regular season games and to claim the 6-seed in the AFC playoffs.

Roethlisberger was efficient in his 12 regular season games, throwing for 2,385 yards and seventeen touchdowns with nine interceptions, while adding three rushing touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ben Roethlisberger 2005 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RoetBe00/gamelog/2005/ |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The Steelers' main receiving threat was [[wide receiver]] Hines Ward, who led the team with 975 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. On the other side of the field, speedy wide receiver [[Antwaan Randle El]] was a constant breakaway threat with 558 receiving yards, while gaining 448 yards and two touchdowns on punt returns. Rookie [[tight end]] [[Earl Heath Miller (football player)|Heath Miller]] also recorded for 459 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

The Steelers' main strength on offense, however, was its running game. [[Running back]] [[Willie Parker]] was the team's leading rusher with 1,202 yards, while also recording 218 receiving yards and scoring five touchdowns. In short-yardage situations, the team relied on running back [[Jerome Bettis]], who rushed for 368 yards and scored nine touchdowns. The 33-year-old Bettis finished his 13th NFL season as the league's fifth all-time leading rusher (13,662 yards and 91 touchdowns), but until this point he had never played in a Super Bowl. The Steelers rushing attack was powered by an offensive line led by [[Pro Bowl]] [[Guard (American football)|guard]] [[Alan Faneca]] and Pro Bowl reserve [[Center (American football)|center]] [[Jeff Hartings]].

The Steelers' defense ranked fourth in the NFL, giving up 284.0 total yards per game. The Steelers' defense was led by its [[linebacker|linebacking]] corps: [[Joey Porter]], [[James Farrior]], [[Clark Haggans]], and [[Larry Foote]]. Porter led all NFL linebackers with 10.5 [[quarterback sack]]s and also recorded two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Haggans tallied 9 sacks and 40 tackles, while Farrior added a team-high 119 tackles to go with his 2 sacks and one fumble recovery. In the secondary, [[Defensive back|free safety]] [[Chris Hope (American football)|Chris Hope]] led the team with three interceptions, while Pro Bowl safety [[Troy Polamalu]], the team's top threat in the defensive backfield, notched 91 tackles, 3 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and two interceptions.

The Steelers became just the third team to win the Super Bowl despite not playing a single home game in the playoffs. The [[1966 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]], who won [[Super Bowl I]] (against the [[1966 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]]), and the [[1969 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]], who won [[Super Bowl IV]] (against the [[1969 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]]), also accomplished the feat. The Steelers, however, had to win four games to accomplish the feat, while the Chiefs won three and Packers won two games.

Of a "bridging the eras" moment, Steelers [[cornerback]] [[Willie J. Williams (cornerback)|Willie Williams]] was the last remaining player to have been on the Steelers last Super Bowl team, their [[Super Bowl XXX]] loss to the Dallas Cowboys following the [[1995 NFL season|1995 season]]. (Defensive backs coach [[Darren Perry]] was also a player on the Super Bowl XXX team. Both were starters in that game.) Ironically, Williams, who was in his second stint with the Steelers at the time, played with the Seahawks from 1997 to 2003. He was inactive for Super Bowl XL, which, like Bettis, turned out to be his final NFL game before retiring that offseason.

===Statistical comparison===
The chart below provides a comparison of regular season statistics in key categories (overall rank amongst 32 teams in parentheses).

{| class="wikitable"
!'''Statistic'''
!'''Seattle Seahawks'''
!'''Pittsburgh Steelers'''
|-
|Points scored per game||28.2 (1st)||24.3 (9th)
|-
|Points allowed per game||16.9 (7th)||16.1 (3rd, tied)
|-
|Rushing yards gained per game||153.6 (3rd)||138.9 (5th)
|-
|Rushing yards allowed per game||94.4 (5th)||86.0 (3rd)
|-
|Passing yards gained per game||216.1 (13th)||182.9 (24th)
|-
|Passing yards allowed per game||222.4 (25th)||198.0 (16th)
|-
|Yards gained per play||5.8 (2nd)||5.4 (10th)
|-
|Yards allowed per play||4.9 (10th)||4.6 (3rd)
|-
|Time of possession per game||29:17 (21st)||31:16 (8th)
|-
|Third-down conversion percentage||39.6 (13th, tied)||35.4 (23rd)
|-
|Third-down conversion percentage allowed||38.0 (16th)||39.7 (20th)
|-
|Fourth-down conversion percentage||87.5 (1st)||41.7 (20th)
|-
|Fourth-down conversion percentage allowed||63.2 (26th)||35.3 (8th)
|-
|Red zone touchdown conversion percentage||71.7 (1st)||60.7 (4th, tied)
|-
|Red zone touchdown conversion percentage allowed||47.9 (10th, tied)||40.4 (2nd)
|-
|Total turnover differential||+10 (7th)||+7 (9th, tied)
|}

===Playoffs===
<!-- IMPORTANT NOTE: This is just a very short summary, please only add detailed additions to the main playoff article -->{{Further|2005–06 NFL playoffs}}

The Seahawks became the first team to advance to the Super Bowl without playing a [[Division (sport)|division]] champion in the playoffs (later matched by the [[2009 Indianapolis Colts season|Colts in 2009]], [[2010 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Steelers in 2010]], and [[2013 Seattle Seahawks season|the Seahawks again in 2013]], with the 2013 Seahawks being the only one of the four to win the Super Bowl). Off a first-round [[Bye (sports)|bye]], the Seahawks defeated the sixth-seeded [[2005 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]], 20–10, before eliminating the fifth-seeded [[2005 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]], 34–14, in the [[NFC Championship Game]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Washington Redskins at Seattle Seahawks - January 14th, 2006 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200601140sea.htm |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks - January 22nd, 2006 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200601220sea.htm |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> These were the Seahawks' first playoff victories since the [[1984 NFL season|1984 season]] when they defeated the [[1984 Los Angeles Raiders season|Los Angeles Raiders]] 13–7, when the team was still in the AFC (the Seahawks were in that conference from 1977 to 2001).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seattle Seahawks Playoff History |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sea/playoffs.htm |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

The Steelers became the second team after the [[1985 New England Patriots season|1985 New England Patriots]] to win three road playoff games to reach the Super Bowl. The Steelers defeated the third-seeded [[2005 Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati Bengals]], 31–17; the top-seeded [[2005 Indianapolis Colts season|Indianapolis Colts]], 21–18 in the ''[[2005 Pittsburgh Steelers–Indianapolis Colts playoff game|Immaculate Redemption/Tackle II]]'' game; and the second-seeded [[2005 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]], 34–17, in the [[AFC Championship Game]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card - Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals - January 8th, 2006 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200601080cin.htm |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts - January 15th, 2006 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200601150clt.htm |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AFC Championship - Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos - January 22nd, 2006 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200601220den.htm |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The Steelers also became the eighth [[wild card (sports)|wild-card]] team to go to the Super Bowl and the fourth in nine seasons. The Steelers' catchphrase for the playoffs was "One for the Thumb", a phrase originally made popular by [[Joe Greene]] as an allusion to a fifth Super Bowl ring.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Wexell|first1=Jim|title=Pittsburgh Steelers: Men of Steel|date=2006|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|isbn=1582619964|page=79|edition=illustrated|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rFmSC3oKhgUC&q=one+for+the+thumb+joe+greene&pg=PA79|access-date=November 8, 2016}}</ref>

===Practice venues===

====Seahawks====
The Seahawks practiced at the [[Detroit Lions]]' practice facility in [[Allen Park, Michigan|Allen Park]].<ref name=turf/>

====Steelers====
The Steelers practiced at the [[Silverdome]] in [[Pontiac, Michigan|Pontiac]] (site of [[Super Bowl XVI]]). Since the Silverdome featured [[Astroturf]], a [[FieldTurf]] surface was temporarily installed at the venue specifically for these practices.<ref name=turf>{{cite web |url=http://www.fieldturf.com/en/artificial-turf/artificial-turf-news/ford-field-turf-a-super-bowl-first |title=FORD FIELD TURF A SUPER BOWL FIRST |author=<!--Staff writer(s), no by-line.--> |website=www.fieldturf.com |access-date=November 28, 2015 |quote=The turf was installed this month in the Silverdome, which the Steelers will use for pre-Super Bowl practice. It's already in place at the Lions' practice facility in Allen Park, which the Seahawks will be using.}}</ref> After the Super Bowl the playing surface used for these practices was donated by the manufacturers of FieldTurf for use at [[Wisner Stadium]], a public sports stadium in Pontiac.

===Promotion===
The NFL promoted this Super Bowl under the slogan "The Road to Forty." The slogan not only honored the 40-year history of the game, but was a nod to Detroit's traditional role as the center of the U.S. [[automotive industry]]. In a related note, [[Roger Penske]], owner of a [[Penske Automotive Group|car dealership]], [[Penske Racing|racing team]], and other related companies, headed the Super Bowl XL host committee.

The Seahawks became the first team to have their full team name painted in their end zone for a [[Super Bowl]], as their geographic location name (Seattle) was painted above the team nickname (Seahawks). In [[Super Bowl XLIII]], coincidentally also against the Steelers, the [[Arizona Cardinals]] became the second team to have their full team name painted in their end zone, as their geographic location name (Arizona) was painted above the team nickname (Cardinals). For all other [[Super Bowl]] teams, end zones have featured only the team nickname.

==Broadcasting==

===United States===
{{See also|Media in Detroit}}
[[File:RenCen-Superbowl-XL.jpg|right|thumb|The [[Renaissance Center]] decorated for Super Bowl XL.]]
[[File:FordFieldsuperbowlXL.JPG|right|thumb|Ford Field on Super Bowl XL Sunday, countdown to kickoff on [[Comerica Park]]'s score board.]]
[[File:RenCenSuperBowlXLESPNset.jpg|right|thumb|[[Renaissance Center]] Wintergarden turned into an [[ESPN]] studio for Super Bowl XL.]]

Super Bowl XL was televised by [[NFL on ABC|ABC]]. This was ABC's final NFL telecast before the ABC Sports division merged with sister network ESPN in September 2006 to form [[ESPN on ABC]]. And under the league's new television contracts beginning in the [[2006 NFL season|2006 season]], ESPN took over ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' from ABC, and [[NFL on NBC|NBC]] took over ''[[NBC Sunday Night Football|Sunday Night Football]]'' from ESPN. The NFL was then reluctant to add ESPN to the Super Bowl rotation because of the potential decrease in viewership due to the relatively limited access to [[cable television]] compared to that of an [[Terrestrial television|over-the-air]] network. The league would then allow ABC to simulcast all future ESPN-produced playoff games starting in January 2016, and select Monday Night games starting in 2020. ESPN/ABC simulcasts would finally be added to the Super Bowl rotation in 2021, with the Super Bowls in [[Super Bowl LXI|2027]] and 2031.<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 18, 2021|title=NFL announces new broadcast deals running through 2033 season|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-announces-new-broadcast-deals-running-through-2033-season|access-date=March 18, 2021|website=www.nfl.com|language=en-US}}</ref>

The telecast featured [[play-by-play|play-by-play announcer]] [[Al Michaels]], [[color commentator]] [[John Madden]], who was named the day before to the Class of 2006 by the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]], sideline reporters [[Michele Tafoya]] (Steelers sideline) and [[Suzy Kolber]] (Seahawks sideline). This was the sixth Super Bowl telecast for Michaels, and the tenth for Madden (whose first was [[Super Bowl XVI]], also played in Michigan). This was also  the second Super Bowl broadcast for the Michaels-Madden pairing after they had called [[Super Bowl XXXVII]] for ABC three years earlier. Madden had already signed with NBC to broadcast games for them beginning in the [[2006 NFL season|2006 season]]; several days later Michaels, who was still under contract to ABC and ESPN, joined him in exchange for ESPN gaining partial coverage of the [[Ryder Cup]] golf tournament and [[The Walt Disney Company]], ABC's parent, gaining all intellectual property rights to [[Oswald the Lucky Rabbit]], a cartoon character that [[Walt Disney]] had created for [[Universal Pictures]] (NBC's corporate sibling) in the 1920s.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060222035442/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11235692/ "NBC acquires Michaels for cartoon bunny, golf"], February 13, 2006, Associated Press, URL accessed July 3, 2006.</ref> Michaels and Madden would go on to call one more Super Bowl together, [[Super Bowl XLIII]], after which Madden retired from broadcasting altogether.

[[Chris Berman]], from [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]]-owned corporate sibling ESPN, returned to host ABC's pregame show, as he had done for ABC's coverage of Super Bowls [[Super Bowl XXXIV|XXXIV]] and [[Super Bowl XXXVII|XXXVII]]. Berman was joined by his fellow analysts from ESPN's ''[[Sunday NFL Countdown]]'' pregame show: [[Michael Irvin]], [[Tom Jackson (American football, born 1951)|Tom Jackson]], and [[Steve Young (American football)|Steve Young]], along with co-host [[Mike Tirico]] and [[New England Patriots]] head coach (and three-time Super Bowl winner) [[Bill Belichick]]. Also contributing to the pre-game show were Tafoya, Kolber, [[Sam Ryan]], [[Andrea Kremer]], [[Kenny Mayne]] and [[Chris Mortensen]].

Although the Super Bowl had largely been presented in [[high-definition television|high definition]] since [[Super Bowl XXXIV]], Super Bowl XL was the first Super Bowl where all aspects of the game itself were aired in HD.<ref name=broadcastingcable>{{cite web| url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/super-bowl-gets-supersized-production/71112| title=Super Bowl Gets Supersized Production|website=broadcastingcable.com| date=January 28, 2006}}</ref>

For its [[List of Super Bowl lead-out programs|Super Bowl lead-out program]], ABC aired the ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]'' episode "[[It's the End of the World]]".

[[NFL on Westwood One|Westwood One/CBS Radio]] provided national radio coverage in the United States, with the broadcasting team of [[Marv Albert]] and [[Boomer Esiason]].

====Advertising====
As usual, the American television broadcast of the Super Bowl showcased top commercials and commanded high prices, estimated at $2.6 million ([[United States dollar|US]]) for a 30-second spot.<ref>Wolk, Martin. [https://web.archive.org/web/20131012085924/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/10992887/ "Super Bowl advertisers take to the Web"]; January 23, 2006, ''MSNBC.com'', URL accessed July 3, 2006.</ref> According to ''[[Advertising Age]]'', [[Anheuser-Busch]] was the top advertiser during the game, having purchased ten 30-second spots. The magazine reported that other companies having purchased multiple commercial segments included [[Ameriquest Mortgage|Ameriquest]] (two), [[CareerBuilder.com]] (two), [[Pepsi-Cola]] (four), [[Pizza Hut]] (ten, though most ran prior to kickoff), [[Sprint Nextel|Sprint]] (three), [[Procter & Gamble]] (four, three for [[Global Gillette|Gillette's]] new [[Global Gillette#Current Gillette products|Fusion razor]]), [[Warner Bros.]] (three), [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] (two) and [[Go Daddy|GoDaddy.com]] (two). Three companies aired 60-second advertisements: [[General Motors Corporation|General Motors]] (for the [[Cadillac]] brand), [[Burger King]], and [[Mobile ESPN]] (the Sports Heaven ad). Agency [[BBDO]] was the biggest single producer of commercials, creating 19.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061018195421/http://adage.com/article?article_id=47982 "Who's Buying What Ads At The Super Bowl"], February 4, 2006, ''Advertising Age'', URL archived October 18, 2016.</ref> [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] also aired several 60-second commercials for some of its shows, including ''[[Lost (2004 TV series)|Lost]]'', ''[[Desperate Housewives]]'', and ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]''.<ref>Suzanne Gordon. [http://www.abcmedianet.com/pressrel/dispDNR.html?id=020306_01 "Confirmation of ABC commercials"]{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, February 3, 2006.<!-- see https://web.archive.org/web/20060204021035/http://www.abcmedianet.com/pressrel/ --></ref> Notably, this was the first Super Bowl during which commercials, in addition to the game itself, were broadcast in [[HDTV]]. During typical HDTV broadcasts at the time, commercials themselves were broadcast in standard definition.

[[Google Video]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130404185848/http://video.google.com/superbowl.html "Super Bowl XL Commercials"], February 2006, ''Google Video'', URL archived April 4, 2013.</ref> and [[America Online]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061208000639/http://sports.aol.com/nfl/superbowlads "Best Super Bowl Commercials 2006"]; February 2006, ''American Online (AOL.com)'', URL archived December 8, 2006.</ref> each catalogued ads for later viewing. The ''[[USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter]]'' and ADBOWL, which both measure viewer online reaction to all Super Bowl ads, found the [[Bud Light]] "Magic refrigerator" spot ranked as the top spot.

===International===
The main NFL international feed of the game featured [[NFL on Fox|Fox]] broadcasters [[Dick Stockton]] and [[Daryl Johnston]] providing commentary tailored to those largely unfamiliar with the rules of American football.

Since the game was being played close to the [[Canada–United States border|U.S.-Canada border]], Canadian television rights holders [[Global Television Network|Global]] broadcast portions of an NFL-sponsored "Passport To The Super Bowl" event in nearby [[Windsor, Ontario]], featuring a performance by the newly revived 1980s rock group [[INXS]] with Canadian native lead singer [[J.D. Fortune]], though the network limited coverage of the Windsor event to short segments immediately prior to commercial breaks.

The game was also televised in Australia on ([[Special Broadcasting Service|SBS]] and [[ESPN International]]), Austria ([[ORF (broadcaster)|ORF]] and TW1), Brazil (ESPN International), Denmark ([[TV 2 (Denmark)|TV 2]]), Finland ([[MTV3]]), France ([[France 2]]), Germany ([[Alliance of the Public Broadcasters of Germany|ARD]]), Hungary ([[Sport 1 (Europe)|Sport 1]]), [[Iceland]] ([[SÝN]]), Ireland ([[Sky Sports]]), Italy ([[Sky Sports]] 3 and [[Italia 1]]), Japan ([[NHK]] BS-1, [[Nippon Television|NTV]]), Mexico ([[TV Azteca]]), Netherlands ([[SBS6]]), New Zealand (ESPN International/[[SKY Network Television|SKY TV]]), Portugal (SportTV), [[Slovenia]] ([[Prva TV]]), Spain ([[Canal+ (French TV channel)|Canal +]]), Sweden ([[ZTV (Sweden)|ZTV]]), and UK and Ireland ([[ITV Network|ITV]]/[[Sky Sports]]). According to the NFL, the game was available worldwide in 32 languages.

[[Sirius Satellite Radio]] and NFL.com carried international local-language broadcasts from the United Kingdom ([[BBC Radio 5 Live]]), Spain ([[Canal+ (Spanish TV channel)|Canal Plus Spain]]), Russia ([[NTV Russia|NTV]]), Belgium ([[BeTV (Belgium)|BeTV]], in French), China ([[Shanghai Media Group|SMG]]), and Japan ([[Nippon Television|NTV]]), in addition to the press box intercom and the public address announcer feeds.

==Entertainment==

===Pre-game ceremonies===
During the [[Pre-game ceremony|pre-game ceremonies]], [[Stevie Wonder]], along with [[Joss Stone]], [[India Arie]], and [[John Legend]], performed a medley of Wonder's hits. [[The Four Tops]] also performed during the pregame ceremonies, though the performance was not televised.

In honor of the fortieth Super Bowl, the pre-game ceremony featured the on-field introduction of 30 of the previous 34 [[Super Bowl MVP|Super Bowl Most Valuable Players]] (with the exception of [[Joe Montana]], [[Terry Bradshaw]], [[Jake Scott (defensive back)|Jake Scott]], and the late [[Harvey Martin]]). The absences of Montana and Bradshaw were originally reported to have been due to disagreements over appearance funds to be paid by the NFL, but each later rebutted such reports, suggesting that they had prior family commitments;<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-02-06 |title=Montana, Bradshaw deny skipping SB XL over cash |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs05/news/story?id=2321024 |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Scott was reported to have been traveling through Australia. This ceremony continued a ten-year tradition (starting with [[Super Bowl XX]] and then repeated in [[Super Bowl XXX]]) in which past Super Bowl MVPs were honored before the game.

A [[moment of silence]] was observed in memory of the two civil rights activists who had died during the months prior to the game: [[Coretta Scott King]] (six days earlier) and [[Rosa Parks]] (on October 24, 2005), the latter a long-time Detroit resident.

The Steelers became the first AFC club, and only the third franchise overall, to wear white jerseys despite being the "home" team. The first two clubs, the Cowboys ([[Super Bowl XIII|Super Bowls XIII]] and [[Super Bowl XXVII|XXVII]]) and the Redskins ([[Super Bowl XVII]]), traditionally wore white at home. The [[Denver Broncos]] later became the second AFC team and fourth club overall to wear white jerseys in a Super Bowl despite being the home team in [[Super Bowl 50]]. Bill Cowher stated that the Steelers were playing in Detroit, not Pittsburgh, and therefore it was not a "home" game<ref>{{cite news|title=Steelers buck tradition, to wear white in Super Bowl|url=http://www.superbowl.com/news/story/9185894|publisher=National Football League|date=January 24, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060203022910/http://www.superbowl.com/news/story/9185894|archive-date=February 3, 2006|access-date=July 17, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Lapointe|first=Joe|title=Cowher's Gambit: The Steelers Will Wear White|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/25/sports/football/25steelers.html|work=The New York Times|date=January 25, 2006|access-date=January 25, 2006}}</ref> (although 10 years earlier Cowher's Steelers did wear their black home jerseys as the designated "home" team in [[Super Bowl XXX]] at [[Tempe, Arizona]] away from [[Pittsburgh]], where they had won both their playoff games to reach that Super Bowl). Having been the Cowboys' opponent in Super Bowl XIII, Pittsburgh also became the first team to have worn white jerseys for a "home" Super Bowl and colored jerseys for an "away" one.

The teams took the field while flanked on either side by flags bearing the names of all previous Super Bowl MVPs. Although the participating teams each entered as a team for their introduction, the Steelers insisted on sending [[Jerome Bettis]] out ahead of the rest of the team in front of his hometown crowd.

R&B singers [[Aretha Franklin]] and [[Aaron Neville]], accompanied by pianist [[Dr. John]] and a 150-member choir, performed the national anthem as part of a pre-game tribute to [[New Orleans]], a nine-time Super Bowl host city then in the midst of efforts to rebuild in the wake of [[Hurricane Katrina]]. The national anthem was performed in [[American Sign Language]] by Angela LaGuardia, a teacher at Michigan School for the Deaf.

[[Tom Brady]], MVP of Super Bowls [[Super Bowl XXXVI|XXXVI]] and [[Super Bowl XXXVIII|XXXVIII]], became the first active player to participate in a Super Bowl coin toss, the result of which toss was tails, as selected by Seattle.

===Halftime show===
{{Main|Super Bowl XL halftime show}}
[[The Rolling Stones]] performed during the [[halftime show]], which was sponsored by the American telecommunications company [[Sprint Nextel Corporation|Sprint]]. The group performed three songs: "[[Start Me Up]]", "[[Rough Justice (The Rolling Stones song)|Rough Justice]]", and "[[(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction]]". The show was viewed by 89.9 million people.<ref name="Whitaker">{{cite web |last1=Whitaker |first1=Michael |title=WATCH: The Rolling Stones perform Super Bowl XL Halftime Show in Detroit |url=https://detroitsportsnation.com/101915/mwhitaker/general/02/04/2018/101915/ |publisher=Detroit Sports Nation |access-date=February 10, 2020 |date=February 4, 2018}}</ref>

===Post-game ceremonies===
The post-game presentation saw [[Bart Starr]], the MVP of Super Bowls [[Super Bowl I|I]] and [[Super Bowl II|II]], take the [[Vince Lombardi Trophy]] to the podium, whence it was presented to Steelers owner [[Dan Rooney]].

==Game summary==

===First half===
After the first four possessions of the Super Bowl XL ended with punts, Seahawks punt returner [[Peter Warrick]] gave his team good field position by returning [[Chris Gardocki]]'s 37-yard punt 12 yards to the Seahawks' 49-yard line. Quarterback [[Matt Hasselbeck]] then started off the drive with a pair of completions to receivers [[Darrell Jackson]] and [[Joe Jurevicius]] for gains of 20 and 11 yards, respectively. On the third play of the drive, Jackson caught a pass in the end-zone, apparently for a touchdown, but the play was nullified as Jackson was called for pass interference. Running back [[Shaun Alexander]] ran the ball the next two plays but gained only three yards. Hasselbeck's third-down pass attempt fell incomplete, and the Seahawks were forced to settle for a 47-yard field goal by kicker [[Josh Brown (American football)|Josh Brown]], which was successful.
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:SuperBowlXLactionshot.jpg|400px|thumb|right|A pass in the air shortly after [[Matt Hasselbeck]] released the ball.]] -->
By the end of the first quarter, the Steelers had failed to gain a first down, and quarterback [[Ben Roethlisberger]] had completed one of five pass attempts for one yard. On their first second-quarter possession, the Steelers once more was forced to punt after three plays, but benefited from another Seahawks penalty, a holding call that nullified Warrick's 34-yard punt return. The Steelers forced a Seahawks punt, but Seahawks safety [[Michael Boulware]] intercepted a Roethlisberger pass at the Seahawks' 17-yard line on the ensuing drive. The Seahawks, though, were once more forced to punt after three plays, and the Steelers drove into Seahawks territory on the following drive. An offensive pass interference call against tight end [[Earl Heath Miller (football player)|Heath Miller]] and a sack for an eight-yard loss by Seahawks defensive end [[Grant Wistrom]], though, backed the Steelers to the 40-yard line, and left the team facing a third-down-and-28. However, Roethlisberger hit wide receiver [[Hines Ward]] out of a scramble and extremely unorthodox, against the grain pass for a 37-yard gain to give the team the longest third down conversion in Super Bowl history. [[Jerome Bettis]] carried the ball on the next two plays, taking his team to the one-yard line but not into the end-zone. On the third-down play, after the [[two-minute warning]], Roethlisberger faked a hand-off and dove into the end-zone himself. There was some confusion as to whether or not he had scored, since the referee hesitated for a bit after the play ended, but he eventually signaled a touchdown, and it was upheld after a replay challenge. On the strength of a 19-yard Jurevicius reception, the Seahawks advanced the ball to the Pittsburgh 36-yard line, but, after the drive stalled, Brown missed a 54-yard field goal attempt to the right and the Steelers ran out the clock to end the first half.

===Second half===
The Steelers took the ball to begin the second half, and just two plays in, running back [[Willie Parker]] broke through for a 75-yard touchdown run, giving his team a 14–3 lead and setting a record for the longest run in Super Bowl history, beating [[Marcus Allen]]'s [[Super Bowl XVIII]] mark by one yard. The Seahawks drove into Steelers territory on the next drive, sparked by a 21-yard run by Alexander, but Brown again missed a field-goal attempt, this one from 50 yards, as the Seahawks were unable to close the 11-point deficit. The Steelers drove 54 yards to the Seahawks' 6-yard line to put themselves in position to take a large lead, but Seahawks defensive back [[Kelly Herndon]] intercepted a pass from Roethlisberger and returned it a Super Bowl record 76 yards to the Steelers' 20-yard line. Herndon's interception remains as of 2024, the longest non-scoring play in Super Bowl history. From there, the Seahawks required just two plays to score on Hasselbeck's 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end [[Jerramy Stevens]], cutting their deficit to 14–10. The teams exchanged punts (two from the Steelers, one from the Seahawks) to fill out most of the third quarter, but the Seahawks ended the quarter having driven from their own two-yard line to near midfield. The drive continued in the fourth quarter, as the Seahawks reached the Steelers' 19-yard line. An 18-yard pass to Stevens, though, was negated on a penalty call against Seahawks tackle [[Sean Locklear]] for holding, denying the Seahawks an opportunity for a first-down-and-goal from the 1-yard-line. Three plays later, Steelers defensive back [[Ike Taylor]] intercepted a Hasselbeck pass at the 5-yard line and returned it 24 yards. While tackling Taylor, Hasselbeck dove low and was flagged for blocking below the waist. The penalty added 15 yards to the return and gave the Steelers the ball on their own 44-yard line. Four plays later, the Steelers ran a wide receiver reverse, but the play turned out to be a pass play by wide receiver [[Antwaan Randle El]], who played quarterback while in college. Parker took a pitch from Roethlisberger and handed off to Randle El, who was running in the opposite direction. Randle El then pulled up and threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Ward, giving the Steelers a 21–10 lead and also marking the first time a wide receiver threw a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl. On the ensuing possession, Hasselbeck ran the ball for eighteen yards and was briefly touched by Steelers linebacker [[Larry Foote]] as Hasselbeck fell to the ground. Though the play was initially ruled a fumble, with the ball recovered by the Steelers, a Seahawks challenge proved successful, as officials ruled Hasselbeck to have been down prior to his having lost the ball, the Seahawks, aided by a 13-yard Jurevicius reception, drove to the Steelers' 48-yard line but could go no further; a [[Tom Rouen]] punt entered the end zone, giving the Steelers possession on their own 20-yard line. The Steelers possessed the ball for nearly four-and-one-half minutes on the ensuing drive, as Bettis carried seven times, the Seahawks were forced to use all of its three timeouts to stop the clock, but nevertheless had only 1:51 left when it took the ball from its own 20-yard line following a Gardocki punt. A 35-yard reception by Jurevicius took the Seahawks into Steelers territory, and a 13-yard [[Bobby Engram]] reception took the team to within field-goal range, but dubious clock-management and play-calling left the team with just 35 seconds remaining; an incompletion and a three-yard pass to Stevens over the middle of the field consumed 26 seconds, and Hasselbeck threw incomplete near Stevens on fourth down, giving the Steelers the ball on downs with just three seconds remaining, after which a Roethlisberger kneel-down ended the game.

===Box score===
{{Americanfootballbox
|bg=#eee
|titlestyle=text-align:center;background-color:#000;color:#fff
|title=Super Bowl XL: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Seattle Seahawks 10
|Road=Seahawks (NFC)
|R1=3|R2=0|R3=7|R4=0
|Home='''Steelers (AFC)'''
|H1=0|H2=7|H3=7|H4=7
|date=February 5, 2006
|time=6:27 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
|stadium=[[Ford Field]], [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]
|attendance=68,206
|weather={{convert|30|F|C}} (outdoors), {{convert|68|F|C}} (indoors), game played indoors, domed stadium<ref>{{cite news|title=Super Bowl Game-Time Temperatures|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/news/super-bowl-game-time-temperatures/|publisher=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=March 11, 2018}}</ref>
|referee=[[Bill Leavy]]
|TV=[[Monday Night Football|ABC]]
|TVAnnouncers=[[Al Michaels]], [[John Madden]], [[Michele Tafoya]] and [[Suzy Kolber]]
|reference={{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615112336/http://www.superbowl.com/gamecenter/recap/NFL_20060205_SEA@PIT |date=June 15, 2006 |title=Recap }}
|state=uncollapsed
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryStart |VisitorName=SEA |HomeName=PIT |state=expanded}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry |Quarter=1 |Time=0:22 |Team=SEA |DrivePlays=7 |DriveLength=22 |DriveTime=3:39 |Type=FG |yards=47 |Kicker=[[Josh Brown (American football)|Josh Brown]] |Visitor=3 |Home=0}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry |Quarter=2 |Time=1:55 |Team=PIT |DrivePlays=11 |DriveLength=59 |DriveTime=6:20 |Type=RushTD |Runner=[[Ben Roethlisberger]] |yards=1 |kickresult=good |Kicker=[[Jeff Reed (American football)|Jeff Reed]] |Visitor=3 |Home=7}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry |Quarter=3 |Time=14:38 |Team=PIT |DrivePlays=2 |DriveLength=75 |DriveTime=0:22 |Type=RushTD |Runner=[[Willie Parker]] |yards=75 |kickresult=good |Kicker=Reed |Visitor=3 |Home=14}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry |Quarter=3 |Time=6:45 |Team=SEA |DrivePlays=3 |DriveLength=20 |DriveTime=0:53 |Type=RecTD |Receiver=[[Jerramy Stevens]] |QB=[[Matt Hasselbeck]] |yards=16 |kickresult=good |Kicker=Brown |Visitor=10 |Home=14}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry |Quarter=4 |Time=8:56 |Team=PIT |DrivePlays=4 |DriveLength=56 |DriveTime=1:50 |Type=RecTD |Receiver=[[Hines Ward]] |QB=[[Antwaan Randle El]] |yards=43 |kickresult=good |Kicker=Reed |Visitor=10 |Home=21}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEnd |Visitor=10 |Home=21}}

===Statistical overview===
The Steelers became just the third team to win the Super Bowl despite not playing a home game in the playoffs. The [[Green Bay Packers]], who won [[Super Bowl I]], and the [[Kansas City Chiefs]], who won [[Super Bowl IV]], also accomplished the feat. The Steelers, however, had to win four games to accomplish the feat, while the Chiefs won three and Packers won only two games.

Roethlisberger finished the game having completed just 9 of 21 passes for 123 yards and having also thrown two interceptions; his 22.6 [[quarterback rating]]<ref name="Worse Super Bowl than Peyton Manning in XLVIII">{{cite news|title=Canzano blog: Who had a worse Super Bowl than Peyton Manning?|newspaper=Oregonlive |date=February 3, 2014|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2014/02/canzano_blog_so_you_think_peyt.html}}</ref> was the lowest ever by a Super Bowl winning quarterback. He also rushed for 25 yards and a touchdown. He became the second youngest [[quarterback]] to start in a Super Bowl and the youngest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl at 23 years, 11 months.

The Steelers' rushing game was paced by Willie Parker, who gained 93 yards and one touchdown on ten carries, Bettis rushed 14 times for 43 yards, converted a key first down, and allowed his team to run time off the clock late in the fourth quarter. Ward caught five passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. In addition to his 43-yard touchdown pass, Randle El caught three passes for 22 yards and returned two punts for 32 yards.

In defeat for the Seahawks, Hasselbeck completed 26 of 49 pass attempts for 273 yards and a touchdown, with one interception. Jurevicius caught 5 passes for 93 yards. Engram and Jackson also played roles, combining to gain 120 yards on eleven receptions. Alexander led all rushers in the game, accumulating 95 yards on 20 carries while also catching two passes for two yards. The Steelers were the third team to lose the turnover battle and win the game, after the [[Baltimore Colts]] in [[Super Bowl V]] and the Steelers in [[Super Bowl XIV]].

Defensively, Taylor led the Steelers, making seven tackles, defensing two passes, and intercepting Hasselbeck; for the Seahawks, linebacker Lofa Tatupu recorded nine tackles.

==Final statistics==
Sources: [http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/history/boxscore/sbxl NFL.com Super Bowl XL], [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/play_finder.cgi?request=1&super_bowl=1&match=summary_all&year_min=1966&year_max=2016&team_id=pit&opp_id=sea&quarter=1&quarter=2&quarter=3&quarter=4&quarter=5&tr_gtlt=lt&minutes=15&seconds=00&down=0&down=1&down=2&down=3&down=4&yg_gtlt=gt&is_first_down=-1&field_pos_min_field=team&field_pos_max_field=team&end_field_pos_min_field=team&end_field_pos_max_field=team&type=PASS&type=RUSH&type=PUNT&type=KOFF&type=ONSD&type=FG&type=XP&type=2PCR&type=2PCP&is_complete=-1&is_turnover=-1&turnover_type=interception&turnover_type=fumble&is_scoring=-1&score_type=touchdown&score_type=field_goal&score_type=safety&is_sack=-1&include_kneels=-1&no_play=0&order_by=yards Super Bowl XL Play Finder Pit], [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/play_finder.cgi?request=1&super_bowl=1&match=summary_all&year_min=1966&year_max=2016&team_id=sea&opp_id=pit&quarter=1&quarter=2&quarter=3&quarter=4&quarter=5&tr_gtlt=lt&minutes=15&seconds=00&down=0&down=1&down=2&down=3&down=4&yg_gtlt=gt&is_first_down=-1&field_pos_min_field=team&field_pos_max_field=team&end_field_pos_min_field=team&end_field_pos_max_field=team&type=PASS&type=RUSH&type=PUNT&type=KOFF&type=ONSD&type=FG&type=XP&type=2PCR&type=2PCP&is_complete=-1&is_turnover=-1&turnover_type=interception&turnover_type=fumble&is_scoring=-1&score_type=touchdown&score_type=field_goal&score_type=safety&is_sack=-1&include_kneels=-1&no_play=0&order_by=yards Super Bowl XL Play Finder Sea]

===Statistical comparison===
{| class="wikitable"
!Statistic
!Seattle Seahawks
!Pittsburgh Steelers
|-
|First downs||20||14
|-
|First downs rushing||5||6
|-
|First downs passing||15||8
|-
|First downs penalty||0||0
|-
|Third down efficiency||5/17||8/15
|-
|Fourth down efficiency||1/2||0/0
|-
|Net yards rushing||137||181
|-
|Rushing attempts||25||33
|-
|Yards per rush||5.5||5.5
|-
|Passing – Completions-attempts||26/49||10/22
|-
|Times sacked-total yards||3–14||1–8
|-
|Interceptions thrown||1||2
|-
|Net yards passing||259||158
|-
|Total net yards||396||339
|-
|Punt returns-total yards||4–27||2–32
|-
|Kickoff returns-total yards||4–71||2–43
|-
|Interceptions-total return yards||2–76||1–24
|-
|Punts-average yardage||6–50.2||6–48.7
|-
|Fumbles-lost||0–0||0–0
|-
|Penalties-yards||7–70||3–20
|-
|Time of possession||33:02||26:58
|-
|Turnovers||1||2
|}

===Individual leaders===
{{col-float|width=48%}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="6" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Seattle Seahawks 02thru11|border=2}};"|Seahawks passing
|-
!
!C/ATT<sup>1</sup>
!Yds
!TD
!INT
!Rating
|-
|[[Matt Hasselbeck]]
|26/49
|273
|1
|1
|67.8
|-
! colspan="6" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Seattle Seahawks 02thru11|border=2}};"|Seahawks rushing
|-
!
!Car<sup>2</sup>
!Yds
!TD
!LG<sup>3</sup>
!Yds/Car
|-
|[[Shaun Alexander]]
|20
|95
|0
|21
|4.75
|-
|Matt Hasselbeck
|3
|35
|0
|18
|11.67
|-
|[[Mack Strong]]
|2
|7
|0
|7
|3.50
|-
! colspan="6" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Seattle Seahawks 02thru11|border=2}};"|Seahawks receiving
|-
!
!Rec<sup>4</sup>
!Yds
!TD
!LG<sup>3</sup>
!Target<sup>5</sup>
|-
|[[Bobby Engram]]
|6
|70
|0
|21
|9
|-
|[[Joe Jurevicius]]
|5
|93
|0
|35
|8
|-
|[[Darrell Jackson]]
|5
|50
|0
|20
|12
|-
|[[Jerramy Stevens]]
|3
|25
|1
|16t
|8
|-
|Mack Strong
|2
|15
|0
|13
|3
|-
|[[Ryan Hannam]]
|2
|12
|0
|9
|2
|-
|Shaun Alexander
|2
|2
|0
|4
|4
|-
|[[Maurice Morris]]
|1
|6
|0
|6
|1
|-
|[[D. J. Hackett]]
|0
|0
|0
|0
|1
|-
|}
{{col-float-break|width=48%}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="6" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Steelers|border=2}};"|Steelers passing
|-
!
!C/ATT<sup>1</sup>
!Yds
!TD
!INT
!Rating
|-
|[[Ben Roethlisberger]]
|9/21
|123
|0
|2
|22.6
|-
|[[Antwaan Randle El]]
|1/1
|43
|1
|0
|158.3
|-
! colspan="6" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Steelers|border=2}};"|Steelers rushing
|-
!
!Car<sup>2</sup>
!Yds
!TD
!LG<sup>3</sup>
!Yds/Car
|-
|[[Willie Parker]]
|10
|93
|1
|75t
|9.30
|-
|[[Jerome Bettis]]
|14
|43
|0
|12
|3.07
|-
|Ben Roethlisberger
|7
|25
|1
|10
|3.57
|-
|[[Hines Ward]]
|1
|18
|0
|18
|18.00
|-
|[[Verron Haynes]]
|1
|2
|0
|2
|2.00
|-
! colspan="6" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Steelers|border=2}};"|Steelers receiving
|-
!
!Rec<sup>4</sup>
!Yds
!TD
!LG<sup>3</sup>
!Target<sup>5</sup>
|-
|Hines Ward
|5
|123
|1
|43t
|11
|-
|Antwaan Randle El
|3
|22
|0
|8
|5
|-
|[[Cedrick Wilson Sr.|Cedrick Wilson]]
|1
|20
|0
|20
|3
|-
|Willie Parker
|1
|1
|0
|1
|1
|-
|[[Nate Washington]]
|0
|0
|0
|0
|1
|-
|[[Jerame Tuman]]
|0
|0
|0
|0
|1
|-
|}
{{col-float-end}}
<sup>1</sup>Completions/attempts
<sup>2</sup>Carries
<sup>3</sup>Long gain
<sup>4</sup>Receptions
<sup>5</sup>Times targeted

==Starting lineups==
Source:<ref>{{cite web|title=Super Bowl XL–National Football League Game Summary|url=http://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/28857/PIT_Gamebook.pdf|publisher=National Football League|date=February 5, 2006|access-date=July 17, 2016}}</ref>

{{hilite|Hall of Fame‡|#FFCC00}}

{| class="wikitable"
! width="150px" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Seattle Seahawks 02thru11|border=2}};" | Seattle !! Position !! Position !! width="150px" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Steelers|border=2}};" | Pittsburgh
|-
|colspan="4" align="center"| '''Offense'''
|-
| [[Bobby Engram]] ||colspan="2" align="center"| WR || [[Antwaan Randle El]]
|-
| bgcolor="#FFCC00"| [[Walter Jones (American football)|Walter Jones]]‡ || colspan="2" align="center"| LT || [[Marvel Smith]]
|-
| bgcolor="#FFCC00"| [[Steve Hutchinson (American football)|Steve Hutchinson]]‡ || colspan="2" align="center"| LG || bgcolor="#FFCC00"| [[Alan Faneca]]‡
|-
| [[Robbie Tobeck]] || colspan="2" align="center"| C || [[Jeff Hartings]]
|-
| [[Chris Gray (American football)|Chris Gray]] || colspan="2" align="center"| RG || [[Kendall Simmons]]
|-
| [[Sean Locklear]] || colspan="2" align="center"| RT || [[Max Starks]]
|-
| [[Joe Jurevicius]] ||align="center"| WR ||align="center"| TE || [[Earl Heath Miller (football player)|Heath Miller]]
|-
| [[Darrell Jackson]] || colspan="2" align="center"| WR || [[Hines Ward]]
|-
| [[Matt Hasselbeck]] || colspan="2" align="center"| QB || [[Ben Roethlisberger]]
|-
| [[Mack Strong]] ||colspan="2" align="center"| FB || [[Dan Kreider]]
|-
| [[Shaun Alexander]] ||colspan="2" align="center"| RB || [[Willie Parker]]
|-
|colspan="4" align="center"| '''Defense'''
|-
| [[Bryce Fisher]] ||align="center"| LDE ||align="center"| DE || [[Aaron Smith (American football)|Aaron Smith]]
|-
| [[Chartric Darby]] ||align="center"| LDT ||align="center"| NT || [[Casey Hampton]]
|-
| [[Rocky Bernard]] ||align="center"| RDT ||align="center"| DE || [[Kimo von Oelhoffen]]
|-
| [[Grant Wistrom]] ||align="center"| RDE ||align="center"| LOLB || [[Clark Haggans]]
|-
| [[Leroy Hill]] ||align="center"| OLB ||align="center"| LILB || [[James Farrior]]
|-
| [[Lofa Tatupu]] ||align="center"| MLB ||align="center"| RILB || [[Larry Foote]]
|-
| [[D. D. Lewis (linebacker, born 1979)|D. D. Lewis]] ||align="center"| OLB ||align="center"| ROLB || [[Joey Porter]]
|-
| [[Andre Dyson]] || colspan="2" align="center"| LCB || [[Ike Taylor]]
|-
| [[Marcus Trufant]] || colspan="2" align="center"| RCB || [[Deshea Townsend]]
|-
| [[Michael Boulware]] || colspan="2" align="center"| SS || bgcolor="#FFCC00"| [[Troy Polamalu]]‡
|-
| [[Marquand Manuel]] || colspan="2" align="center"| FS || [[Chris Hope (American football)|Chris Hope]]
|}

==Officials==
* '''Referee:''' [[Bill Leavy]] #127 second Super Bowl (XXXIV as back judge)
* '''Umpire:''' Garth DeFelice #53 first Super Bowl on field (alternate for XXXIX)
* '''Head linesman:''' [[Mark Hittner]] #28 third Super Bowl (XXXVI and XXXVIII)
* '''Line judge:''' Mark Perlman #9 first Super Bowl
* '''Side judge:''' Tom Hill #97 first Super Bowl
* '''Field judge:''' Steve Zimmer #33 first Super Bowl
* '''Back judge:''' Bob Waggoner #25 first Super Bowl
* '''Replay official:''' Bob Boylston
* '''Video operator:''' David Coleman

===Reaction to officiating===
The officiating in Super Bowl XL was met with criticism from members of the media soon after the game. One call that was complained about was an offensive pass interference on Seahawks wide receiver [[Darrell Jackson]] for a push-off against Steelers safety [[Chris Hope (American football)|Chris Hope]] that nullified his 16-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/oconnor/2006-02-06-oconnor-xl_x.htm | work=USA Today | title=Super Bowl referees foul, but then so was everything else | date=February 6, 2006 | access-date=May 22, 2010}}</ref> However, according to the NFL's Director of Officiating at the time, [[Mike Pereira]], the call was indeed correct as Jackson had pushed off.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sea.scout.com/story/500006-plausible-deniability-part-one|title=Plausible Deniability, Part One}}</ref>

Another complaint had to do with a penalty in the fourth quarter against Seahawks right tackle [[Sean Locklear]] for holding Steelers linebacker [[Clark Haggans]] that nullified a deep pass. Pereira later stated that Locklear was definitively holding and the call was correct.<ref name="NFL.com_Top10"/><ref name="bleacherreport.com">{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/432763-super-bowl-xl-mike-pereira-leavy-didnt-err|title=Super Bowl XL: Mike Pereira Says Leavy Didn't Err|first=Tim|last=SteelersFan|website=[[Bleacher Report]]}}</ref> Also disputed was the penalty on Hasselbeck for an illegal block below the waist while making a tackle during Ike Taylor's interception return.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seahawks/2002795956_theplays10.html | work=The Seattle Times | title=Explanations of six key plays | date=February 10, 2006}}</ref>

In addition, many Steelers fans were outraged by an incomplete pass call early in the game from Hasselbeck to Jerramy Stevens. Stevens appeared to have possession and then fumble, only for the officials to rule he never had complete possession.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/853642-steelers-vs-seahawks-examining-the-controversial-calls-of-super-bowl-xl/page/2|title=Steelers vs. Seahawks: Examining the Controversial Calls of Super Bowl XL|first=Joshua|last=Hayes|website=[[Bleacher Report]]}}</ref> The Steelers also were upset about a call on a play that appeared to give them possession of the football when Matt Hasselbeck fumbled while scrambling. It was ruled however that Hasselbeck had been touched before losing control of the football, thus negating the fumble.<ref name="bleacherreport.com"/>

''[[Kansas City Star]]'' writer [[Jason Whitlock]] encapsulated some views when he wrote the day after the game, "[[Bill Leavy]] and his crew ruined Super Bowl XL. Am I the only one who would like to hear them defend their incompetence?"<ref>{{cite web|author=Jason Whitlock |title=Throw a flag on these Super Bowl referees |url=http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/football/13801313.htm |newspaper=[[The Miami Herald]] |date=February 6, 2006 |access-date=February 6, 2006 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060208035929/http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/football/13801313.htm |archive-date=February 8, 2006 }}</ref> Initially, some fans reacted negatively as well. A February 7 online [[ESPN]] poll found that, with 103,167 votes cast, 61.7% of those votes were cast for the choice of "officiating mistakes affected the outcome of Super Bowl XL."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/chat/sportsnation/story?page=thepulse060206|title=The Pulse: Unnecessary Officiating|date=February 6, 2006|website=ESPN}}</ref> Seahawks head coach [[Mike Holmgren]] himself took issue with the officiating at a rally for his team on February 6 at [[Qwest Field]], saying, "We knew it was going to be tough going against the Pittsburgh Steelers. I didn't know we were going to have to play the guys in the striped shirts as well.".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs05/news/story?id=2322700|title=NFL will review Holmgren comments|date=February 8, 2006|website=ESPN}}</ref>

In response to the criticisms leveled at the officials, the NFL, just two days after the game, released a statement defending the officials' performance. "The game was properly officiated, including, as in most NFL games, some tight plays that produced disagreement about the calls made by the officials", NFL spokesman [[Greg Aiello]] said in a statement.<ref>[http://www.seattlepi.com/football/258739_nfln08.html "NFL Notebook: Game 'properly officiated'"], February 8, 2006, Associated Press, URL accessed July 3, 2006.</ref>

High-profile referee Ed Hochuli said "The Super Bowl was one of those games where it seemed the big calls went against Seattle. And that was just fortuitous—bad fortuitous for Seattle." Hochuli went on to say that "The league felt, actually, that the Super Bowl was well officiated. Now, that doesn't mean there were no mistakes. There are always mistakes, but it was a well-officiated game."<ref name="abc_hoch"/>

On August 6, 2010, while visiting the Seahawks' preseason training camp for an annual rules interpretation session with the Seattle media, Leavy brought up Super Bowl XL without being asked, and said:<ref name="abc_hoch">{{cite web | title=NFL ref admits mistakes in Super Bowl | url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5444048 | publisher=[[ESPN]] | agency=Associated Press| date=August 7, 2010 | access-date=December 8, 2015}}</ref>
{{blockquote|It was a tough thing for me. I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game, and as an official you never want to do that. It left me with a lot of sleepless nights, and I think about it constantly. I'll go to my grave wishing that I'd been better ... I know that I did my best at that time, but it wasn't good enough ... When we make mistakes, you got to step up and own them. It's something that all officials have to deal with, but unfortunately when you have to deal with it in the Super Bowl it's difficult.<ref>{{cite news | title = Hey refs, get it right, even long after the fact | newspaper = [[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] | access-date = January 17, 2011 | url = http://www.seattlepi.com/football/424746_thiel09.html | date = August 8, 2010 | first=Art | last=Thiel}}</ref>}}

The Super Bowl XL officiating controversy was later listed as number 8 on the NFL's list of the top ten controversial calls of all time.<ref name="NFL.com_Top10">{{cite video | url=http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-top-ten/0ap2000000113874/Top-Ten-Controversial-Calls-Super-Bowl-XL | title=Top Ten Controversial Calls: Super Bowl XL  | publisher=NFL.com | date=December 19, 2012 | access-date=August 11, 2015}}</ref> Commentators [[Boomer Esiason]], [[Steve Raible]], and Tom Curran were critical of the officiating, while former Steelers wide receiver [[Hines Ward]] and commentator Ed Bouchette defended the calls, and commentators Howard Balzer and [[Bill Hillgrove]] and former Steelers defensive coordinator [[Dick LeBeau]] felt that the officiating did not impact the outcome of the game.

==Gambling==
* According to [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]] oddsmakers, the Steelers opened betting as a four-point [[spread betting|favorite]]. As the Steelers won by eleven points, they covered this spread.
* The [[over-under]], or expected points total, for the game, opened at 47.<ref>Youmans, Matt. [http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jan-23-Mon-2006/news/5492794.html "Steelers-Seahawks: Let the betting begin"], January 23, 2006, ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'', URL accessed July 3, 2006.</ref> As the total combined score of this game was only 31 points, the under bet won.
* The [[money line]] was set at roughly +160 for the Seahawks and −180 for the Steelers.

This was just the fifth time in Super Bowl history when a lower-seeded team opened as the favorite to win; the previous occurrences were Super Bowls [[Super Bowl XXXIX|XXXIX]] (AFC second-seeded [[New England Patriots]] were favored by seven points over NFC top-seed [[Philadelphia Eagles]]), [[Super Bowl XXXV|XXXV]] (AFC fourth-seeded [[Baltimore Ravens]] were favored by three points over NFC top-seed [[New York Giants]]), [[Super Bowl XXIII|XXIII]] (NFC second-seeded [[San Francisco 49ers]] were favored by seven points over AFC first-seed [[Cincinnati Bengals]]), and [[Super Bowl XVII|XVII]] (AFC second-seeded [[Miami Dolphins]] were favored by three points over NFC top-seed [[Washington Redskins]]). In each but the last iteration, the lower-seeded and favored team won.

This was also the second time in Super Bowl history when the favorite was a wild card team, the first was before [[Super Bowl XXXV]], when the Ravens were favored. It also marked the first time since that game the favorite won against the spread.

Members of the winning team each received a payment of $73,000 for playing in the game, while players on the losing team were paid $38,000. The Green Bay Packers received $15,000 each for winning [[Super Bowl I]] in 1967; [[Consumer Price Index|adjusted for inflation]] in 2006 dollars, that sum is roughly $86,000.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050207183137/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6915832/ "A Super Bowl share not so super paying"], February 5, 2006, Associated Press, URL accessed July 3, 2006.</ref>

After having held constant at $600 for three years, the face value of the costliest Super Bowl ticket rose to $700 for the game. On [[eBay]], the least-desirable seats—those behind each end zone in the upper level—fetched more than $2,000 each, while top seats around the 50-yard line sold for more than $6,000.

==Ring==
[[File:Super Bowl XL ring.jpg|thumb|right|The Steelers Super Bowl XL ring]]
The [[Super Bowl ring|ring]] for the Pittsburgh Steelers was designed by Steelers owner Dan Rooney with Jerome Bettis and Ben Roethlisberger.<ref name=thumb>Bouchette, Ed. [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06156/695834-66.stm "The One for the Thumb"], June 5, 2006, ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''</ref> It is crowned by five Vince Lombardi trophies, all topped with football-shaped [[Diamond (gemstone)|diamond]] settings to represent their five Super Bowl victories. Rooney would have preferred the ring to focus exclusively on this team's win, but Bettis and Roethlisberger, cognizant of a tradition of which they couldn't help but be reminded, insisted that it acknowledge the legacy of all those teams (indeed, during the pre-game MVP introductions, [[Franco Harris]], winner of the award in the Steelers' [[Super Bowl IX|first Super Bowl IX victory]] 31 years earlier on January 12, 1975, had waved a [[Terrible Towel]] as he walked onto the field).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/rings|title=NFL - Super Bowl Rings|website=ESPN}}</ref>

The base of each trophy has the Roman numeral for their victories, with Super Bowl XL front and center. In front of the trophies is the Steelers logo set with colored jewels to mimic the colors of the logo. On the top of the crown is "PITTSBURGH", and on the bottom is "WORLD CHAMPIONS". Each side of the crown has 10 square cut diamonds [[stonesetting#channel setting|channel set]] along the edge. The left side of the ring has the player's name and number with the NFL logo in between, while the right side has the score of the game (Steelers 21 Seahawks 10) above the Super Bowl XL logo over 2005.<ref name=thumb/><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-06-11 |title=49 years of Super Bowl rings |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2016/06/10/49-years-of-super-bowl-rings/ |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=The Denver Post |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fanshonor.com/custom-2005-super-bowl-xl-pittsburgh-steelers-championship-ring.html |title=Custom Pittsburgh Steelers 2005 NFL Super Bowl XL Championship Ring }}</ref> The year on the ring is for the NFL season, and not the year the game was played.

The Super Bowl XL rings were produced by the Minneapolis-based jewelry company [[Jostens]], which is the primary supplier of Super Bowl champion rings and has made 31 rings in the Super Bowl's 50-year history through 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Melia |last2=Gaines |first2=Cork |date=February 5, 2017 |title=Here are the extravagant rings given to Super Bowl champions over the years |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/super-bowl-champion-rings-2017-2/#super-bowl-ii-1968-green-bay-packers-33-oakland-raiders-14-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406105726/https://www.businessinsider.com/super-bowl-champion-rings-2017-2 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |website=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref> The National Football League covers the cost of 150 rings, paying up to $5,000 for each (three quarters of a million dollars).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-01-30 |title=10 High-Priced Super Bowl Rings |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2012/01/30/10-High-Priced-Super-Bowl-Rings.html |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> If a team wants a fancier look, such as player names, more gems or detailed designs, or more than 150 rings, then the team owner has to foot the bill for the extra cost.

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{wikinews|Steelers win Super Bowl}}
{{Commons category|Super Bowl XL}}
* [http://www.nfl.com Official NFL web site], includes recaps, scores and statistics of the games and teams throughout the season.
* [http://www.superbowl.com Official Super Bowl web site]
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615050755/http://www.superbowl.com/ |date=June 15, 2006 |title=Super Bowl XL Official Site }}
* [https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs05/series?series=seapit Super Bowl XL] at ''ESPN''
* [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200602050pit.htm Super Bowl XL Box Score] at [[Pro Football Reference]]

{{Super Bowl}}
{{Super Bowl XL}}
{{Pittsburgh Steelers}}
{{Seattle Seahawks}}
{{2005 NFL season by team}}
{{NFLC-SuperBowl}}
{{NFL on ABC}}

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[[Category:2005 NFL season]]
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