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).

Played at the Orange Bowl[5] in Miami, Florida, on January 18, 1976, this was one of the first major national events of the United States Bicentennial year.

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.

Preston had been especially effective in the playoffs, where he caught 12 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns, and was extremely eager to increase his numbers in the Super Bowl against the team that let him go.

The Steelers finished the regular season with a league-best 12–2 record, dominating opponents with their "Steel Curtain" defense and powerful running game.

The Steelers' "Steel Curtain" defense dominated the league, ranking third in fewest yards allowed (4,019) and sending 8 of their 11 starters to the Pro Bowl: defensive linemen Joe Greene (future Pro Football Hall of Fame player) and L. C. Greenwood; future Hall of Fame linebackers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert; Andy Russell, the team's third starting linebacker; future Hall of Fame defensive back Mel Blount; and safeties Glen Edwards and Mike Wagner.

Linebackers Ham and Lambert and cornerback Blount, who led the league with 11 interceptions and was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, had the best seasons of their careers.

This was the first Super Bowl where penalties and other information were announced by the referee over a wireless microphone, an innovation of Cowboys general manager Tex Schramm which went into effect at the start of the 1975 season.

CBS televised the game in the United States with play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall (calling his first Super Bowl in that role) and color commentator Tom Brookshier.

Toward the end of the game, Hank Stram took over for Brookshier, who had left the booth to head down to the locker room area to conduct the postgame interviews with the winning team.

Pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage were provided by The NFL Today crew of Brent Musburger, Irv Cross and Phyllis George.

This was the first Super Bowl where somebody other than the game's referee tossed the coin, in this case, John Warner who was the United States Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974.

This was the last Super Bowl to kick off as early as 2:00 p.m. (EST), thereby allowing a finish time before the commencement of many of the nation's evening church services.

The Steelers won their second straight Super Bowl, largely through the plays by Swann and by stopping a rally by the Cowboys late in the fourth quarter.

Dallas responded on their next drive, advancing the ball 51 yards, all rushing, (30 of them on five carries from fullback Robert Newhouse) before incurring a third down false start penalty on offensive tackle Ralph Neely, and scoring on kicker Toni Fritsch's 36-yard field goal to take a 10–7 lead early in the second quarter.

[18] The 51 rushing yards the Cowboys amassed on the drive tripled what the Minnesota Vikings gained against Pittsburgh for all of Super Bowl IX.

On the very next play, Bradshaw just missed a connection with Swann at the Dallas 6 (although CBS's Pat Summerall thought the incomplete pass was intended for Stallworth).

Pittsburgh drove to the 19-yard line after the two-minute warning, but the drive stalled there and ended with no points after Gerela missed a game-tying 36-yard field goal attempt wide left with 22 seconds remaining in the period.

After Pittsburgh punted to start the second half, they got a great scoring opportunity when cornerback J. T. Thomas intercepted a pass from Staubach intended for Cowboys wide receiver Golden Richards and returned it 35 yards to the Dallas 25-yard line.

However, once again the Steelers failed to score as the Dallas defense kept Pittsburgh out of the end zone and Gerela missed his second field goal attempt, a 33-yarder, wide left.

As Hoopes stepped up to make the kick, Pittsburgh running back Reggie Harrison broke through the line and blocked the punt.

Dallas halted the ensuing drive at the 20-yard line, but this time Gerela successfully kicked a 36-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh their first lead of the game, 12–10.

Then on the first play of the Cowboys' next drive, Steelers safety Mike Wagner intercepted a pass from Staubach and returned it 19 yards to the Dallas 7-yard line before getting tackled by Neely.

Staubach then led the Cowboys with 80 yards in 5 plays on their ensuing drive, which featured key receptions by both Pearsons: a 31-yarder at the Pittsburgh 43 by Drew and a 9-yarder at the 34 by Preston.

After being benched to start the 1974 campaign and being booed for most of his first four seasons in Pittsburgh, Bradshaw became the first quarterback to throw two game-winning touchdown passes in Super Bowl competition.

Dorsett helped lead Dallas to a Super Bowl XII victory over the Denver Broncos, who defeated the Steelers in the first round of the playoffs that year.

Poly-Turf was first installed at the Orange Bowl in 1970 and replaced in 1972, but players complained often of the slickness, and it discolored due to the intense sunshine of south Florida.

Hall of Fame‡ This was the first Super Bowl in which the referee wore a wireless microphone to announce penalties and other rulings to the audience in the stadium, those listening on radio and those watching on television.

He became the first official to serve as referee for three Super Bowls, a mark later equaled by Jim Tunney, Pat Haggerty, Bob McElwee, Terry McAulay, Carl Cheffers and Bill Vinovich, and surpassed by Jerry Markbreit with four.