The Pittsburgh Steelers have won six Lombardi Trophies, tied for the most in the NFL with the New England Patriots. It has long been a tradition for the winning team to visit the White House to be congratulated by the President. The Steelers were actually the first entire NFL team to visit the White House after a Super Bowl win. They went with the World Series-winning Pittsburgh Pirates in 1980 to meet President Jimmy Carter. They went again after their Super Bowl XLIII victory to meet President Barack Obama.
Charles Dharapak / AP Photo
The Super Bowl-winning Steelers visited President Barack Obama and the White House in 2009.
However, that wasn't the first Steelers player to visit the White House. After winning his second Super Bowl in 1976, quarterback Terry Bradshaw was invited to the White House with his then-girlfriend, later second wife, figure skater JoJo Starbuck, to meet President Gerald Ford and Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. Unfortunately for Bradshaw, Rockefeller wasn't as excited to meet him as Bradshaw was to meet Rockefeller.
In his book, It's Only A Game, Bradshaw said he was thrilled to be invited to the party. He felt like he'd gone from the "outhouse to the White House." The Steelers had just defeated the Dallas Cowboys, and Bradshaw's 64-yard pass to Lynn Swann sealed the deal. While the party was happening, Bradshaw and Starbuck were introduced to Rockefeller. Bradshaw said he was amazed at how kind the Vice President was to him.
"'You know fella,' he said, 'you're the best quarterback I've ever seen--' Wow! 'I've always enjoyed watching how cool you are under pressure--' Ah, shucks. 'And you're definitely a role model to the young people of this country--' Hope you're listening, JoJo. 'Why, from that first game I saw you play at the Naval Academy--' Uh oh. 'And when the Cowboys drafted you, I thought--' Obviously the vice president had heard the name Starbuck and decided I was Roger Staubach, the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, who had not won Super Bowl X."
Bradshaw said he was mortified. He had Starbuck on this date and was hoping she would be impressed by his success and the invitation to this party.
AP Photo
Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw married professional figure skater JoJo Starbuck.
He said he felt like he had no choice but to play along. Bradshaw said he looped his arm around Starbuck and answered the Vice President with a question of his own.
"'Did you see that game we played against Army my senior year?' If the vice president of the United States of America wanted me to be Roger Staubach, I was going to be the best possible Roger Staubach for the rest of the evening."
Bradshaw helped the Steelers win four Super Bowls during his 14 years in the Steel City. He was twice named MVP and applauded for his toughness and strong arm.
Wally Fong / ap photo
Steelers legends Franco Harris (left), Terry Bradshaw (middle) and Gerry "Moon" Mullins (right) share a light moment while traveling.
He completed 2,025 passes for 27,989 yards, had 212 touchdowns, and ran in another 32 touchdowns. Bradshaw had a tumultuous relationship with his Head Coach, Chuck Noll, and the city of Pittsburgh. This has been a source of frustration for fans over the years. However, it is impossible to negate his exceptional influence.
Steelers' Terry Bradshaw Wowed Opponents
During the 1970s and 1980s, the Steelers and the Cowboys were steady rivals, despite not being in the same division. The two teams have faced off for the honor of standing under Super Bowl confetti three times, which is the most of any two teams in the league. The Steelers own those matchups 2-1, and Bradshaw won both matchups against them.
Like most fierce competitors, the two teams had a lot of respect for each other. Legendary Cowboys safety, Cliff Harris called Bradshaw the greatest quarterback he ever competed against. Harris dismissed the myth that Bradshaw is a dumb country bumpkin. A fellow NFL Hall of Fame member, Harris credited Bradshaw with being smart enough to beat him twice in the championship game.
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Steelers' Terry Bradshaw and Cowboys' Cliff Harris.
The Cowboys finally got their revenge after Bradshaw retired when they beat the Steelers after the 1995 season with a little help from Neil O'Donnell. The two old rivals will meet again in October of the 2024 season.
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