Super Bowl X

Super Bowl X
DateJanuary 18, 1976 (1976-01-18)
Kickoff time2:14 p.m. EST (UTC-5)
StadiumOrange Bowl

Miami, Florida
MVPLynn Swann, wide receiver
FavoriteSteelers by 7
RefereeNorm Schachter
Attendance80,187
Ceremonies
National anthemTom Sullivan and
Up With People
Coin tossFormer Secretary of the Navy John Warner
Halftime showUp with People presents "200 Years and Just a Baby: Tribute to America's Bicentennial"
TV in the United States
NetworkCBS
AnnouncersPat Summerall, Tom Brookshier,
and Hank Stram
(4th quarter only)
Nielsen ratings42.3
(est. 57.7 million viewers)
Market share78
Cost of 30-second commercial$110,000
Radio in the United States
NetworkCBS Radio
AnnouncersEd Ingles and Jim Kelly

Super Bowl X was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1975 season. The Steelers defeated the Cowboys 21–17 to become the third franchise to win consecutive Super Bowls, joining the Miami Dolphins (VII, VIII) and Green Bay Packers (I, II). It was also the first Super Bowl in which both teams had previous Super Bowl titles, as the Steelers were the defending champions and the Cowboys had won four years earlier.

Played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on January 18, 1976, this was one of the first major national events of the United States Bicentennial year. Both the pre-game and halftime show celebrated the Bicentennial, while players on both teams wore special patches on their jerseys with the Bicentennial logo.

Super Bowl X featured a contrast of playing styles between the Steelers and the Cowboys, which were the two most popular teams in the league. The Steelers, dominating teams with their "Steel Curtain" defense and running game, finished the regular season with a league best 12–2 record to gain home field advantage in the playoffs, then defeated the Baltimore Colts and Oakland Raiders. With their balanced offense and "flex" defense, the Cowboys became the first NFC wild-card team to advance to the Super Bowl after a 10–4 regular season and postseason victories on the road over the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams.

The Steelers trailed 7–10 after a scoreless third quarter, in the second Super Bowl where the winning team was behind at halftime (V: the Colts trailed the Cowboys 6–13 at the half and won 16–13), but rallied to score 14 unanswered points, including a 64-yard touchdown reception by Pittsburgh wide receiver Lynn Swann. Dallas wide receiver Percy Howard's 34-yard touchdown reception late in the game pulled them within four points at 21–17, but Pittsburgh safety Glen Edwards halted Dallas' rally with an end zone interception as time expired. Swann, who caught four passes for a Super Bowl record 161 yards and one touchdown, became the first wide receiver to be named Super Bowl MVP.