SUPER BOWL XXX

Super Bowl XXX took place on January 28, 1996, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The game showcased a historic and nostalgic matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers, two teams that played in two Super Bowls in the 1970s.

The first half was a tight battle, with both teams playing solid defense. The Cowboys managed to gain an early 10-0 lead, thanks to a touchdown pass from Troy Aikman to Jay Novacek after an earlier FG. The Steelers, however, responded with a touchdown of their own, courtesy of a connection between Neil O'Donnell and Yancey Thigpen to pull it to a one score game at halftime 13-7.

As the second half began, the Cowboys regained momentum and pulled away. They took a 20-7 lead when Emmitt Smith ran it in from one yard out for a TD. Pittsburgh got to within 20-17 on a Bam Morris 1 yard TD run. However, it would be two costly INTs by O'Donnell, both made by Larry Brown, that would seal the Steelers' fate. Brown second interception set up Smith's second rushing TD to give the Cowboys a two score lead late in the fourth.

The Steelers tried to mount a comeback in the final quarter, but the Cowboys' defense held strong, denying Pittsburgh a chance to fully close in on the lead. In the end, Dallas secured their third Super Bowl victory in four years, with a final score of 27-17, making them the team of the 1990s.

Larry Brown's 2 INT performance earned him the Super Bowl XXX Most Valuable Player award. The Cowboys broke a tie with the Steelers for second most Super Bowl wins and tied the San Francisco 49ers with five Lombardi trophies. The loss was the first for Pittsburgh in Super Bowl play (4-1).