Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2010 season. The Packers defeated the Steelers 31–25, winning their fourth Super Bowl and an NFL-record thirteenth league championship. It was their first since Super Bowl XXXI in 1997. The game was played on February 6, 2011, at Cowboys Stadium (now AT&T Stadium) in Arlington, Texas, the first and as of 2026, only time the Super Bowl was played in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
Unlike most other Super Bowls, this game featured two title-abundant franchises: coming into the game, the Packers held the most NFL championships with 12 (9 league championships prior to the Super Bowl era and 3 Super Bowl championships), while the Steelers held the most Super Bowl championships with 6. The Packers entered their fifth Super Bowl in team history, and became the first 6-seed team in the NFC to compete in the Super Bowl, after posting a 10–6 regular season record. The Steelers finished the regular season with a 12–4 record, and advanced to an, at the time, league record-tying 8th Super Bowl appearance.
Super Bowl XLV was initially dominated by the Packers, jumping to a 21–3 lead before the Steelers cut it to 21–10 just before halftime. Then after the teams exchanged touchdowns, the Steelers cut their deficit to 28–25 midway through the fourth quarter with wide receiver Mike Wallace's 25-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and a two-point conversion. The Packers answered with Mason Crosby's 23-yard field goal with 2:07 remaining, and then prevented the Steelers from scoring on their final drive of the game. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was named Super Bowl MVP, completing 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.
The broadcast of Super Bowl XLV on Fox averaged about 111 million viewers, breaking the record for the most-watched program in American television history. The game's attendance was 103,219, just short of the Super Bowl record 103,985 set in Super Bowl XIV at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The Super Bowl XLV halftime show featured the American hip hop group the Black Eyed Peas, with additional performances by Usher and Slash.
This is the last time either team has advanced to the Super Bowl, despite appearing in a combined five conference championships since then.
Background Host selection process
NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XLV to Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas (part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex) during their May 22, 2007 meeting in Nashville. Three cities submitted bids: North Texas (Cowboys Stadium), Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Stadium) and Glendale, Arizona (University of Phoenix Stadium). Of the three finalists, the Phoenix area was the only one which had previously hosted a Super Bowl. Both Lucas Oil Stadium and Cowboys Stadium were under construction at the time of the vote. The new home of the Colts was scheduled to open in 2008, and the new home of the Cowboys was scheduled to open in 2009. All three candidate stadiums had retractable roofs, but only one (Arizona) was located in a traditionally "warm" weather climate. It was the first time since the balloting for XXVI (the selection of which took place in May 1989) that a Super Bowl host site facing a competitive vote had zero bids from either California or Florida. A fourth bid by New Orleans never materialized.
Glendale was already scheduled to host XLII (which had not yet occurred), which many felt diminished their chances to win this time around. Arizona was a decided underdog, but chose to bid regardless, predicting that it would position themselves favorably for future consideration. Both Indianapolis and the Dallas–Fort Worth area had bid on previous Super Bowls with older stadiums, but neither had been successful. Indianapolis (Hoosier Dome) lost out on XXVI, while Dallas (Cotton Bowl) had a lengthy history of failure, with no less than twelve failed bids and/or efforts that failed to materialize. The selection of either Indianapolis or Arlington represented a fresh market for the game, and a reward to the franchises and the respective areas for constructing new stadiums.
The chairman of the North Texas host committee was former Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, a hall of famer and Super Bowl VI MVP. The North Texas contingent touted stadium size, potential revenue, and stressed that due to convention schedules, XLV would be better for them logistically than XLVI. The Indianapolis host committee was co-chaired by Colts owner Jim Irsay, mayor Bart Peterson, governor Mitch Daniels, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Tony George. Irsay pledged $1 million towards the bid, which touted the new stadium, suitable venues around town, and a history of hosting large events such as the Final Four and the Indianapolis 500.
Bid were due on April 2, and the vote was scheduled for late May. Prior to the vote, the NFL issued a new memorandum which banned elected officials from attending the pitch meetings in person. As a result, Peterson and Daniels (both co-chairs of the Indianapolis committee), were not allowed to attend. The presentation by Indianapolis included a Top Ten list by David Letterman, and remarks by Tony Dungy. Dallas countered by telling the rich history of football in the state of Texas, and placed emphasis on stadium capacity, which they suggested might break the Super Bowl attendance record. The vote was arranged for a maximum of four rounds. A city receiving of the votes during any round would win outright. If no city received the necessary votes during the first round, the vote would be repeated. If no city won during the second round, the third place vote-getter would be eliminated. If the fourth round was reached, the vote would change to a simple majority. Arizona was eliminated on the second ballot. Neither North Texas nor Indianapolis received enough votes in the second or third rounds, so the fourth round was decided by simple majority. Dallas won the vote, by a reported razor-thin 17–15 margin. A dejected Indianapolis contingent would eventually land XLVI.
Teams Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the 2010 season with a 12–4 record. They earned the AFC North division title, and the second seed in the AFC and advanced to their 8th Super Bowl, tying the Dallas Cowboys' record of most Super Bowl appearances.
After missing the first four games of the year on suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy (during which the Steelers went 3–1), quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returned for his seventh season as the Steelers starting quarterback, finishing the season with 3,200 yards and 17 touchdowns, with just five interceptions, for a 97 passer rating. He also rushed for 176 yards and two touchdowns. The team's top receiver was Mike Wallace who caught 60 passes for 1,257 yards and 10 touchdowns, giving him a 21 yards per catch average. Other reliable options included 13-year veteran Hines Ward (59 receptions for 755 yards and 5 touchdowns), the Steelers all-time leading receiver, and tight end Heath Miller who caught 42 passes for 512 yards. Halfback Rashard Mendenhall was the team's leading rusher, gaining 1,273 yards and 13 touchdowns while also catching 23 passes. The line was led by rookie center Maurkice Pouncey, the Steelers only Pro Bowl selection on offense. However, Pouncey was injured in the AFC championship game and would be inactive for Super Bowl XLV.
The Steelers had one of the league's top defenses, leading the NFL in sacks (48), and fewest points (14.5) and rushing yards (62.8) allowed per game, while ranking second in fewest total yards (276.8). The line was anchored by Pro Bowl end Brett Keisel. The Steelers also had four excellent linebackers: LaMarr Woodley, James Harrison, James Farrior, and Lawrence Timmons. For the third consecutive year, Woodley and Harrison each recorded at least 10 sacks. Woodley also forced three fumbles and Harrison forced six. Farrior had 109 total tackles and six sacks. Timmons led the team with 135 total tackles, while also recording three sacks and two interceptions. The secondary was led by Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu, who won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, tying his career-best seven interceptions and returning them for 101 yards and a touchdown.
Coach Mike Tomlin, already the youngest coach to ever win a Super Bowl, became the youngest coach ever to make it to the Super Bowl twice at age 38. The Steelers also continued their streak of reaching the Super Bowl in five different decades, and in every decade since the post AFL-NFL merger (1970s: 1975, 1976, and 1979; 1980s: 1980; 1990s: 1996; 2000s: 2006 and 2009; 2010s: 2011).
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers finished the season with a 10–6 record and became the first sixth-seeded team in the NFC to compete in the Super Bowl. They are only the second sixth-seeded team to reach the Super Bowl, with the only other number 6 seed to accomplish this feat, coincidentally, being the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won Super Bowl XL following the 2005 season. Green Bay also joined the 2005 Steelers as the only teams ever to defeat the top three seeded teams on the road in the playoffs. In order to secure their fifth Super Bowl bid they defeated their longtime rivals, the Chicago Bears, in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field.
The offense was led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was in his third year as a starter after taking over for the team's all-time leading passer Brett Favre. Rodgers finished the season completing 65.7% of his passes for 3,922 yards and 28 touchdowns, with only eleven interceptions, giving him his second consecutive season with a triple digit passer rating (101.2). He was also a good rusher, adding 356 yards and 4 touchdowns on the ground. His top target was Pro Bowl receiver Greg Jennings, who caught 76 passes for 1,265 yards and 12 touchdowns, giving him a 16.6 yards per catch average while also ranking him fourth in the NFL in yards and second in touchdown catches. Other reliable targets included receivers James Jones (50 receptions, 676 yards, 5 touchdowns), Donald Driver (51 receptions, 565 yards, 4 touchdowns), and Jordy Nelson (45 receptions, 582 yards, 496 kick return yards). The Packers lost star tight end Jermichael Finley (21 receptions 301 yards, 1 touchdown) to injury in week five who was their leading receiver at the time. The Packers ground game was crippled by injuries, especially the Week 1 loss of Ryan Grant, who had rushed for over 1,200 yards in each of the last two seasons. In his absence, the team relied prominently on Brandon Jackson, who rushed for 703 yards and caught 43 passes for 342, and fullback John Kuhn, who added 281 yards on the ground. The team's offensive line was anchored by pro bowl tackle Chad Clifton, an 11-year veteran.
The Packers defense ranked second in the league in fewest points allowed per game (15). The line was led by Cullen Jenkins, who recorded seven sacks in just eleven games, and 338-pound defensive tackle B. J. Raji, who had 6.5. The linebackers were led by Pro Bowler Clay Matthews and A. J. Hawk. Matthews ranked fourth in the NFL with 13.5 sacks, while Hawk led the team in combined tackles (111) and intercepted three passes. Three of the Packers starters in the secondary also made the Pro Bowl. Tramon Williams led the team with a career-high 6 interceptions, while adding 326 punt return yards. Other Pro Bowl selections included safety Nick Collins (4 interceptions and 70 combined tackles) and hard hitting 13-year veteran cornerback Charles Woodson, who recorded 92 total tackles and forced five fumbles, while also intercepting two passes.