Steelers Tiptoe To Super Bowl Victory; Polamalu Crowd Surfs At Parade

The Steelers sang and danced at the podium while addressing "Steelers Nation," thrilling the estimated 350,000 fans who attended the Super Bowl XLIII victory parade in downtown Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Video: Watch Roethlisberger's Interview Comment: Share Your Stories On Our Steelers Message BoardSuper Blog: Super Steelers Draw Thousands For Victory Parade

The Steelers are six-time Super Bowl champions because of the calm heroics in their final game-winning two-minute drill in their come-from-behind 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

In what could easily be argued the best play in Super Bowl history, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hit Santonio Holmes with a 6-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone with 35 seconds left in the game.

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Holmes reached up with both arms fully stretched, grabbing the ball as his toes barely dragged inbounds. The Super Bowl MVP fell to the ground and sat up, cradling the ball in both arms as the crowd inside Tampa Bay's Raymond James Stadium went wild.

The play came after a late-game surge that put the Cardinals up 23-20 after quarterback Kurt Warner hit Larry Fitzgerald in stride for a 64-yard touchdown with 2:37 left in the game.

In the end, it was Holmes who stood out, catching nine passes for 131 yards. Most of those catches came on the Steelers' final eight-play, 78-yard drive, when Holmes caught four passes, including the game winner.

"Great players step up and make big-time plays in big games," Holmes said to fans lining the streets of downtown Pittsburgh the next day. "This is for Pittsburgh, baby."

"How's that six-pack taste?" Steelers defensive lineman Brett Keisel asked the crowd, referring to the team's NFL-record six Lombardi trophies. "Now we've got to shoot for seventh heaven."

"Especially with the times we're having now, it's good to bring some joy back with us," said defensive player of the year James Harrison.

Harrison ended the first half of Sunday's game by stepping in front of Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin at the goal line, picking off Warner's pass and returning it 99 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown. It was the longest play in Super Bowl history.

Video: James Harrison Interview

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Exhausted, Harrison collapsed into the end zone after Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald nearly dragged him down just a few yards short.

“Those last couple of yards were probably tougher than anything I’ve done in my life, but probably more gratifying than anything I’ve done in football,” Harrison said following the game

Head coach Mike Tomlin got out of his car during the parade and walked alongside the fans, waving his Terrible Towel to the crowd. Fans responded with deafening screams and some towel waving of their own.

"It's great to be with the fans," said Steelers owner Dan Rooney. "The fans are the best."

Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward was riding atop the roof of a sport utility vehicle in the parade, stretching out a sore knee he had going into the Super Bowl.

"To bring a six-pack back to the city of Pittsburgh is definitely a dream come true," Ward said.

Video: Watch Hines Ward's Interview Video: Watch Polamalu Crowd Surf

Troy Polamalu Crowd Surf Steelers Parade

Seemingly overtaken by the moment, safety Troy Polamalu dove backward from the top of his SUV into a crowd of screaming fans. After a brief body-surfing experience, he was returned safely to the top of the truck.

The parade started shortly after noon at Seventh and Grant streets. It looped around the Boulevard of the Allies, ending at Stanwix Street where a stage celebration was held.

The parade began with six local high school marching bands, one for each of the Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl trophies.

Even before the break of dawn on Tuesday, Steelers fans were starting to stake out their spots for the parade at high noon.

City officials were making sure it would be safe. More than 200 state and local police officers were on-hand for crowd control.

Pittsburgh police said they were very happy with the behavior of the fans who attended the parade and said only a few incidents of disorderly behavior were reported. No arrests were made.

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