Super Bowl XIII - "Battle of Champions"
Super Bowl XIII - "Battle of Champions"
1978 - Steelers vs. Cowboys

Super Bowl XIII - "Battle of Champions"

"The Cowboys were fantastic. The Steelers were just a little bit better." - Jon Hein
Chris Russo
by Chris Russo

“The Battle of Champions,” as this classic NFL skirmish would be nicknamed, was a perfect title for the Super Bowl between the Cowboys and Steelers in a windy Orange Bowl in Miami on January 21, 1979. Each team had won two Super Bowls and the Cowboys were the defending champions, while three years earlier the Steelers had beaten Dallas in a captivating Super Bowl X in this very stadium. Both quarterbacks and head coaches were Hall of Famers: Terry Bradshaw and Chuck Noll for Pittsburgh; Roger Staubach and Tom Landry for Dallas. And the showdown would live up to the hype – and then some. Bradshaw and Staubach combined for seven touchdown passes, the longest of which was 75 yards from Bradshaw to John Stallworth. The Steelers led 21-17 after three quarters, but the most exciting period was the fourth, in which four touchdowns were scored. The Steelers appeared to break away with a 35-17 lead, but in the waning minutes Staubach threw a pair of touchdowns to make it 35-31. After an onside kick failed, however, the Cowboys fell short.

Chris Russo
Chris
Russo
Chris Russo, nicknamed “Mad Dog,” is a sports radio talk host who grew up in Syosset, Long Island. From 1989 to 2008 he co-hosted the popular show “Mike and the Mad Dog” on WFAN with Mike Francesa. Since then, he has hosted “Mad Dog Unleashed,” a daily show on Mad Dog Sports Radio, a Sirius XM station.
Place of Birth:
Syosset, NY