This time the Cowboys faced the Pittsburgh Steelers. After starting the season 4–4, Pittsburgh had won seven of its last eight regular-season games, then crushed the Bills and Colts in the playoffs. The Steelers featured a potent offense led by quarterback Neil O’Donnell and triple-threat receiver–running back–quarterback Kordell Stewart and had a big-play defense anchored by linebacker Greg Lloyd.
Entering the game, both clubs wanted to run the football and play ball control. The Steelers knew that the longer they kept the Cowboys’ offense—and Emmitt Smith—off the field, the better chance they had to win.
But the Cowboys took the opening kickoff and sent the Steelers a message. They quickly drove to midfield and gave the ball to Emmitt.
The Cowboys ran a trap play, on which the offensive line allows a defensive player to penetrate the line of scrimmage. Then a lineman pulls and blocks the player from the side. If the play works, it usually opens a large hole.
The Steelers’ aggressive linebacker Greg Lloyd was the object of the trap. He blasted through the line of scrimmage as Emmitt Smith took the hand-off and followed guard Larry Allen. Allen knocked Lloyd to the side, and Emmitt cut through the hole. He ripped off 23 yards before being tackled at the Steeler 28-yard line.
Then the Pittsburgh defense stiffened. Dallas kicker Chris Boniol booted a field goal to put the Cowboys ahead.
Pittsburgh got the ball back but was soon forced to punt. Dallas took over and again drove down the field.
At the Pittsburgh 10-yard line, Dallas ran a play-action pass. Troy Aikman faked the ball to Emmitt Smith, who ran into the line as if he had the ball. The Steelers’ linebackers hesitated. By the time they figured out that Aikman still had the ball, tight end Jay Novacek had slipped behind them into the end zone. Aikman threw a perfect pass and now Dallas led, 10–0.
In the second quarter, Boniol kicked another field goal to make the score 13–0. The Steelers were in danger of getting blown out.
But they didn’t quit. Just before the half, O’Donnell found receiver Yancey Thigpen in the end zone for a touchdown. The Steelers trailed by six, 13–7.
In the second half, both teams had a chance to move the ball but were forced to punt. When the Steelers got the ball for the second time, they started driving.
On third down and 10 at midfield, Neil O’Donnell dropped back to pass. Under pressure from a blitz, the ball slipped from his hand as he released a pass that floated downfield. Cowboy cornerback Larry Brown intercepted the ball at his own 38-yard line and returned it all the way to the Pittsburgh 19.
The Cowboys didn’t waste time. Another play-action pass, this time to Irvin, moved the ball to the 2. Then it was Emmitt Smith’s turn.
He took the handoff and charged right up the back of Cowboy guard Larry Allen. He was met at the line of scrimmage by Pittsburgh defensive back Carnell Lake and linebacker Jason Gildon.
For a moment, his forward progress stopped. But he kept driving with his legs, lifting his knees like pistons in an engine.
All of a sudden, he spun free, legs still churning, and tumbled backward into the end zone. Touchdown, Dallas!
Down 20–7, it would have been easy for the Steelers to quit. But they had come too far to give up.
They fought back in the fourth quarter to score ten unanswered points and close to within three, 20–17.
With five minutes left to play, Pittsburgh took over at its own 36-yard line. A Super Bowl win was only 64 yards away. The Dallas defense dug in.
After throwing an incomplete pass, O’Donnell dropped back again on second down. His main receivers were covered, so he looked to receiver Cory Holliday in the right flat and threw the ball.
Larry Brown anticipated the pass. As soon as he saw O’Donnell look to the right side, he started streaking in. He picked off the pass and ran it all the way to the Steeler 6-yard line.
Pittsburgh knew what was coming next but was powerless to stop it. First, Emmitt Smith carried the ball up the middle for a 2-yard gain. Then the Cowboys ran a “Power Right.”
Emmitt took the ball and followed Moose Johnston to the right. Linemen Larry Allen and Erik Williams double-teamed Steeler lineman Brenton Buckner as tight end Jay Novacek sealed off linebacker Kevin Greene. Johnson saw cornerback Myron Bell closing the hole and flattened him.
There were two players left to beat. Emmitt Smith faked past linebacker Levon Kirkland, then took aim at linebacker Chad Brown. Brown was all that stood between Emmitt and his goal.
Running at full speed, Smith charged directly into the linebacker, knocking him backward and tumbling forward. When he hit the ground, he looked down and saw the end zone. He had reached his goal.
The Cowboys won, 27–17. For the third time in four seasons, they were Super Bowl champions!
Larry Brown was selected Super Bowl MVP. The Steelers actually held Emmitt Smith to only 49 yards, his lowest rushing total all year. But they had failed to stop him when they really needed to.
That made him very, very happy. With his goal of winning a third Super Bowl accomplished, he turned his attention to other matters.
As he had promised his mother, he completed his internship and qualified for his degree. In early May, he invited his entire family to the graduation ceremony at the University of Florida.
Dressed in a black cap and gown, Emmitt looked just like any other student. But when they announced his name, Emmitt J. Smith, the entire University of Florida class of 1996 stood up and applauded its most famous classmate, a sound Emmitt found as sweet as any he had ever heard in a football stadium.
Then, while he shook hands with the university president and took his diploma, a tear came to his eyes as he searched for his mother in the crowd of spectators.
She was easy to find. Mary Smith was waving a huge sign that read PROUD MOM.
After the ceremony, Emmitt found it difficult to contain his emotions. Even after three rushing titles, three Super Bowl championships, and an MVP award, getting his college degree was something special.
“It’s one thing to be accepted for your athletic ability,” he said. “It’s another thing to be standing in an academic arena, to walk across the stage and be recognized for your academic accomplishment. It was special to hear that cheer.
“I’m just as thrilled about this accomplishment as I am about any other accomplishment I have achieved over the past six years,” he added.
Coming from Emmitt Smith, the best running back in pro football, that means something.