The Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers are two of the oldest and most storied franchises in NFL history. After winning Sunday, the two will meet on Feb. 6 in Super Bowl XLV. Somewhat surprisingly, it will be the first time the teams have ever met in a championship game. The Steelers already hold the record for most Super Bowls with six, set two years ago. The Packers have three Super Bowls of their own, but 12 championships including those won before the Super Bowl began in 1967 — three more than the next closest team, the Bears.
These franchises are two of just seven ever to win back-to-back Super Bowls. The Packers did it once winning Super Bowls I and II, and the Steelers are the only franchise ever to do it twice — winning Super Bowls IX and X, and XIII and XIV. Only 10 quarterbacks have won multiple Super Bowls. Former Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw is tied with Joe Montana for most Super Bowl wins by a quarterback. If Pittsburgh beats Green Bay this year, Ben Roethlisberger will get his third ring, tying him with Troy Aikman and Tom Brady for second on that list, and making the Steelers the only franchise with two different quarterbacks with at least three Super Bowl wins. Packers great Bart Starr is also on that list, quarterbacking the teams that won the first two Super Bowls.
Two of the most successful coaches in NFL history coached these two teams. Chuck Noll coached the Steelers for 23 years, winning four Super Bowls — more than any other coach. No matter which team wins, they’ll receive the Lombardi Trophy, named for Vince Lombardi, the man who won seven NFL championships including two Super Bowls, matched only by Paul Brown for most all-time. And in case you didn’t know, Lambeau Field — where the Packers play their home games — is located at 1265 Lombardi, Ave. Heck, the man is the NFL.
The Packers and Steelers rank second and fourth in franchise wins with 664 and 541, respectively. When the Packers were established in 1921, only two other currently active franchises were in existence; the Bears and the Cardinals — both out of Chicago. By the time the Steelers (then, the Pirates) were founded in 1933, eight currently active franchises had been formed including the Giants, Eagles, Lions and Redskins.
The point here is that if you are fortunate enough to have a ticket to this year’s Super Bowl, whether you’re sitting inside or outside the stadium, you will have the honor of watching two of the greatest franchises in NFL history compete in the biggest sporting event in America. You’ll either see Roethlisberger cement his place among the greatest quarterbacks ever or see what could be the beginning of another Packers legend in Aaron Rodgers. Roethlisberger is already in elite company with two Super Bowls, three would eliminate any questions as to what he means to that team. Rodgers has had a great postseason, but it takes more than that in a town like Green Bay.
