The Treasures

Family Affair
Pittsburgh
January 21, 1966
DAN ROONEY (above, left) was just a year old when his father, Art Sr. (above, right; and bust, far left), bought the franchise in 1933. Dan quickly came of age, and as vice president and then president helped usher in a period of unprecedented team success in the '70s. In 2000 son joined father ('64) in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Headstrong
Yankee Stadium
Steelers vs. Giants
BOBBY LAYNE (22, right) was famous for playing the game as much with his head as with his arm. The University of Texas quarterback joined the Steelers in 1958 after leading the Lions to three NFL titles, and he helped introduce a winning attitude to Pittsburgh. In 1962 Layne led the Steelers to a 9-5 record and a spot in the playoffs. His Lions teammate—and Hall of Fame halfback—Doak Walker once famously summed up his longtime friend's never-say-die attitude: "Bobby never lost a game. Some days, time just ran out on him."

The Perfect Catch
Three Rivers Stadium
December 23, 1972
66 CIRCLE OPTION wasn't designed to involve FRANCO HARRIS, but the Hall of Fame rusher is forever associated with the play, better known as the Immaculate Reception. The intended receiver, Frenchy Fuqua, collided with the Oakland Raiders' Jack Tatum going for the pass, sending the ball sailing backward end over end. Harris scooped it up at his shoe tops (far right) and completed a 60-yard touchdown play for the decisive points in a 13-7 victory over the Raiders in an AFC divisional playoff game. The win was the Steelers' first ever in the postseason.

Jack Hammer
Three Rivers Stadium
January 4, 1976
COMING OUT of Kent State, Jack Lambert was thought to be too small to play linebacker in the pros. But the 6'4", 220-pound bruiser quickly defied those modest expectations: He won the starting middle linebacker assignment as a rookie and held on to it for the next 11 years in a Hall of Fame career. Here, he and teammates Ernie Holmes and Dwight White swarm the Raiders' Clarence Davis in the AFC Championship Game, won by the Steelers 16-10, the second of three straight times the teams met for the title. Lambert recovered three fumbles in the game, including the one that set up the winning touchdown.

Super Save
RCA Dome
January 15, 2006
CALL IT the Immaculate Redemption: With the Steelers ahead 21-18 in an AFC divisional playoff game and driving for another score with just 1:20 to play, JEROME BETTIS fumbled inside the two-yard line. Colts cornerback Nick Harper recovered the ball and raced toward the opposite end zone. But before he could get there, Ben Roethlisberger reached out his arm and tripped Harper up at the Indianapolis 42. Big Ben's tackle saved the game (the Colts missed an ensuing 46-yard field goal that would've forced overtime) and ultimately won him a Super Bowl ring.