Super Bowl XLV: The Top 10 Quirky Set of Facts About the Big Game

The championship game or series for any sport always seems to have quirky connections that may not have a lot to do with the outcome of said game or series.  However these quirks are one of those things that makes sports a great pastime.  To have knowledge of these connections can either impress or make some wonder if too much time has been spent being a fan. In truth it is totally worth it.

The Packers and Steelers define professional football.  The first two Super Bowls were won by the Packers to usher in the current era of football and the trophy was named after Packers head coach Vince Lombardi.  The Steelers have won more Super Bowls than any other team already and they are going for their seventh when they take the field in Arlington on Sunday. 

For the current Packers this is the first chance for Aaron Rogers to escape the shadow of duh, duh, duh - Brett Favre.  Just like when Steve Young led the 49ers to victory over the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX, Rogers will be trying to cement his own legacy in Titletown.

The Steelers have reached the Super Bowl even though their quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was suspended to start the season and their 2008 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison threatened to retire for being fined for his hits.

Match-up wise, this is a good one, not just in the current records, but also in all the history these teams bring to the field.  Terrible Towels vs. Cheeseheads.  It can't any better...well until the Lions make it.

#10: The Super Bowl Spectacle

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ARLINGTON, TX - FEBRUARY 01: A general view as the Pittsburgh Steelers attend Super Bowl XLV Media Day ahead of Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium on February 1, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Green Bay Packers in Super Bo

Once again the Super Bowl will not have the host team competing in the game.  The NFL is the only professional sports league to still have the occurrence.  Cowboys Stadium can be said was built to host the Super Bowl. 

It has the world's largest HDTV screen which stretches from 20 yard line to 20 yard line and is a tad bit low to the field.  However the rule is a redo if Green Bay's Tim Masthay or Pittsburgh's Jeremy Kapinos hit it with one of their punts.

As players walk onto the field must first walk through a restaurant.  The roof when open brings back the hole in the roof that Irving Stadium had, however due to the blissful weather, the roof shall remain closed for the game. 

The Cowboys Stadium capacity including standing room is close to 110,000.  There was some talk if Cowboys Stadium could break the capacity record of 103,985 that the Rose Bowl had when it hosted Super Bowl XIV in 1980 which ironically the Steelers also played in.  Further talk states that the record will remain safe, probably until the Rose Bowl hosts another Super Bowl. 

Christina Aguilera will sing the National Anthem and the Black Eyed Peas will perform the halftime show.  There are rumors that Usher and Slash will be "surprise" guests for the halftime show.  The appearance of the Black Eyed Peas marks the first time that a current act will do the halftime show since Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction in Super Bowl XXXVIII.  Current act means not Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, The Who and Bruce Springsteen. 

#9: All Roads Go Through Pittsburgh

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TAMPA, FL - 2005: Mike Tomlin of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers poses for his 2005 NFL headshot at photo day in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Getty Images)

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin starting his pro coaching career as an assistant coach (defensive backs) with Tony Dungy when he was the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2001.  Tony Dungy played defensive back and as was used as an emergency quarterback for the Steelers when they won Super Bowl XIII.  He was the starting quarterback at the University of Minnesota before joining the Steelers.

Whereas Packers head coach Mike McCarthy was born in Pittsburgh.  Also Packers defeated the Bears in the NFC Championship who had head coach Lovie Smith and Defensive Coordinator Rod Marinelli who were both assistant coaches under Tony Dungy as well.  

However, neither Mike Tomlin or Mike McCarthy played in the NFL prior before starting their rises to the coaching ranks of the Steelers and the Packers respectfully.

#8: The Cowboy Connection

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26 Jan 1996: The Vince Lombardi Trophy (center) with helmets of the Dallas Cowboys (right) and Pittsburgh Steelers (left) during a news conference by commisioner Paul Tagliabue of the NFL for Super Bowl XXX in the Regency Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Ho

The Super Bowl this year will be played at the home of the Dallas Cowboys. The Packers beat the Cowboys twice in  the NFC Championship game (1966-1967) go to the Super Bowl and lost once to them in 1995. One of the two wins includes the 1967 NFC Championship otherwise known as the Ice Bowl.

The Steelers have beat the Cowboys twice to win Super Bowls X & XIII and lost once to them in Super Bowl XXX.  Super Bowl X is best known for Lynn Swann's famous catch where he became the first wide receiver to win the Super Bowl MVP.  Also by the Steelers reaching Super Bowl XLV, they will tie the Cowboys for the all-time record with eight Super Bowl appearances

#7: Steelers Youth Movement

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TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 01: (L-R) Head coach Mike Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger #7 of of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate on the field after their 27-23 win against the Arizona Cardinals during Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium

The Steelers have youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl when Ben Roethlisberger at the age of 23 won Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks in 2006. Matt Hasselbeck who started at quarterback for the Seahawks is 11 years older than Roethlisberger.  Packers starting quarterback Aaron Rogers is a year older than Roethlisberger yet Super Bowl XLV is his first when the game will be the third Super Sunday for Big Ben. 

In 2009 Mike Tomlin became the youngest head coach at the age 36 win a Super Bowl when he coached the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals.  Kurt Warner who started at quarterback for the Cardinals was two years older than Tomlin when the game was played.  Tomlin is nine years younger than Packers head coach Mike McCarthy yet he will be coaching his second Super Bowl whereas McCarthy will be coaching in his first Super Bowl.

#6: Rooney and The Community

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 23: Owner Dan Rooney (L) and Team president Art Rooney II (2ndL) of the Pittsburgh Steelers recieve the Lamar Hunt Trophy as CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz looks on after their 24 to 19 win over the New York Jets in the 2011 AFC Cham

The Steelers have always been owned by a member of the Rooney family.  Dan Rooney was the team president and is the current US Ambassador to Ireland.  His son Art Rooney II is now the team president. The Rooneys are instrumental in the creation of the Rooney rule which dictates that minority candidates must be granted interviews for NFL head coaching positions.  The rule has improved the integration of the coaching ranks with people such as Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

The Packers are the only team in American professional sports that is a non-profit and community owned franchise.  Therefore the team is really owned by the fans so to speak.  They will be the only one ever in the NFL as the late commissioner Pete Rozelle outlawed the idea of it for the rest of the teams then and now.  The Packers do have a board of directors which is lead by Chairman, CEO and president Mark Murphy and a general manager Ted Thompson.  When they won the first two Super Bowls under Vince Lombardi, he was also the general manager.  However when they won Super Bowl XXXI  Ron Wolf was the general manager while Mike Holmgren coached them to become Titletown legends.

#5: Packers and Steelers Uniform Influence

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Running back Tico Duckett of the Michigan State Spartans runs down the field during a game.

Both the Packers and the Steelers logos are used by college teams. 

The "G" for greatness helmet design is currently used by the University of Georgia and Grambling State University. 

The Steelers uniform style and colors are in use by the University of Iowa and the uniform style was used by Michigan State when George Perles was the head coach there. 

Former Iowa head coach Hayden Fry got permission from the Steelers to do when he took over for Iowa.  It does make sense since Iowa and the Steelers have the same colors to begin with.  The design is so identical that it makes sense why in 1997 the Steelers changed their numbering font to be the same that they use on their helmets and add the Steelers logo to the front of the jersey.

George Perles was an assistant coach (defensive line, defensive coordinator & assistant head coach) for the Steelers when they won their Super Bowls in the 70's. Michigan State also during the Perles era even had the block "S" on only one side of the helmet to see how it looks to further honor the Steeler connection. 

Plus three of these four schools have produced players that will be playing in Super Bowl XLV.  The Packers have defensive end Jarius Wynn from Georgia and rookie offensive tackle Brian Bulaga out of Iowa.  The Steelers have wide receiver Hines Ward from Georgie and offensive tackle Flozell Adams from Michigan State.

#4: The Only Heisman Present

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22 Nov 1997: Wide receiver Charles Woodson of the Michigan Wolverines runs down the field during a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 20-14. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport

Packers cornerback Charles Woodson is the only player on either team in the Super Bowl and in all of the playoff rounds this year who has won the Heisman trophy (Michigan 1997). He is the first and so far only player to win the Heisman from the defensive side of the ball. The new coach of Michigan, Brady Hoke was on the coaching staff when Woodson won the Heisman and Michigan won the National Title. 

Woodson won the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year last season.  Steelers linebacker James Harrison won it the year prior and Steelers safety Troy Polamalu won it this season.

If the Packers win on Sunday, Woodson will become the first NFL player ever to have won the Heisman, NCAA National Championship, AP NFL Defensive/Offensive Player of the Year and the Super Bowl in a career.  Of all the positions on the field, it is surprising that a defensive back could be the first to pull off this feat.

The Steelers also have a Michigan connection - linebackers LaMarr Woodley (2003-2006) and Larry Foote (1999-2001).  Both played a few years after Woodson resided in the Big House.

It turns out that Michigan Stadium is big enough to house the entire population of Green Bay.

#3: Packers Quarterback Trfecta

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GREEN BAY, WI - AUGUST 11: Fans of Aaron Rogers along with a Brett Favre fan wear their respective jerseys as the enter Lambeau Field prior to the game between the Green Bay Packers against the Cincinnati Bengals at the Lambeau Field on August 11, 2008 i

If the Packers win on Sunday, they will become one of three teams in NFL history to win three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks - Bart Starr (I,II), Brett Favre (XXXI) and then Aaron Rogers. 

The other two teams to pull off the feat are the New York Football Giants who won theirs with Phil Simms (XXI), Jeff Hostetler (XXV) & Eli Manning (XLII) and Washington who won theirs with Joe Theismann (XVII), Doug Williams (XXII) and Mark Rypien (XXVI). 

The Steelers on the other hand have won their six Super Bowls with only two quarterbacks.  Terry Bradshaw won the first four (IX,X,XIII & XIV) and Ben Roethlisberger has won the other two (XL,XLIII).

#2 : Steeltown Vs. Titletown

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PITTSBURGH - AUGUST 11: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers moves to hand off the ball during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 11, 2007 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

The Steelers have been in 7 prior Super Bowls (IX,X,XIII,XIV,XXX,XL & XLIII) and the Packers have been in 4 prior Super Bowls (I,II,XXXI & XXXII).  That makes eleven times total they have played which is nearly a quarter of the total Super Bowls contested.  However Super Bowl XLV will be the first time they will face each other on Super Sunday.

If the Packers win they will join the 49ers (XVI,XIX,XXIII,XXIV & XXIX) and Cowboys (VI,XII,XXVII,XXVIII & XXX) to be the third NFC team to win at least four Super Bowl titles.

If the Steelers win, it will be their seventh Super Bowl title.  To put this impressive stat into perspective, the other AFC playoff teams this season all have won at least one Super Bowl.  These teams of New England, New York, Baltimore, Indianapolis and Kansas City have 8 total Super Bowl titles.  This means Steelers are one off from tying them if they win their seventh title.  The AFC has won 21 Super Bowl titles and the Steelers have won a third of the Super Bowl Titles for the AFC.

#1 The Lions Connection

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CANTON, OH - AUGUST 7: Dick LeBeau poses with his bust during the 2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Field at Fawcett Stadium on August 7, 2010 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

If the Steelers win, Charlie Batch will have won his third Super Bowl, which is more than the Manning brothers and will tie him with Tom Brady. He is the most successful quarterback in Super Bowl history who used to play for the Lions. True he has not started in any of the Super Bowl games, but it always leaves Lions fans amused that a quarterback who didn't do a lot in Detroit has already picked up two rings for not doing a lot in Pittsburgh.  This gives Matthew Stafford something to shoot for. 

Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is considered one of the finest defensive minds in the game as wins in Super Bowls XL & XLIII have cemented his legacy. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past summer for his play as a defensive back for the Detroit Lions.  His number #44 was put into the Lions Ring of Honor at Ford Field.  The number is not retired as Lions running back Jahvid Best wears it and the NFL frowns on teams retiring numbers. 

The Packers connection to the Lions is that they lost to the Lions this season 7-3 after Aaron Rogers suffered a concussion.  The significance of this is that in 1999 the St. Louis Rams lost to the Lions 31-27 even though they will still go on to win Super Bowl XXXIV against the Tennessee Titans.  Therefore karma might be on the side of the Packers.

Super Bowl XLV awaits.