TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Pittsburgh Steelers are Super Bowl champions for a record sixth time after beating upset-minded Arizona 27-23 in what arguably was the most exciting Super Bowl ever.

Ben Roethlisberger hit Santonio Holmes with a 6-yard TD pass in the corner of the end zone with 35 seconds left to give the Steelers a heart-stopping win over the Cardinals in Super Bowl 43. The Cardinals had erased a 20-7 Steelers lead with 16 unanswered points in the fourth quarter before Holmes made his winning catch. Holmes caught nine passes for 131 yards.

An electrifying 100-yard interception return by linebacker James Harrison at the end of the first half helped the Steelers take a 17-7 halftime edge. Harrison's play was a momentum-turner. The Cardinals appeared to be heading for a score when Harrison intercepted a Kurt Warner pass at the goal line. Harrison then sprinted 100 yards, eluding several tacklers along the way, as time expired at the end of the half in the longest play in Super Bowl history.

Roethlisberger completed 21 of 30 passes for 256 yards and the winning touchdown. The teams combined to score 23 points in the fourth quarter.

Cardinals QB Kurt Warner completed 31 of 43 passes for 377 yards. He threw three TD passes, including a 64-yard TD to Larry Fitzgerald with 2:37 left. That gave the Cardinals a 23-20 lead before Big Ben rallied the Steelers one final time.

The Steelers are 6-and-1 in Super Bowls, with one more Super Bowl victory than Dallas. The Cardinals were making their first Super Bowl appearance.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Ohio State's Holmes Wins MVP Honors:

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Pittsburgh Steelers are six-time Super Bowl champions because of the calm heroics in their final game-winning two-minute drill in their come-from-behind 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Ben Roethlisberger (RAWTH'-lis-bur-gur) hit Santonio Holmes with a 6-yard TD pass in the corner of the end zone with 35 seconds left for the winning TD.

Holmes was named MVP of the Super Bowl. He caught nine passes for 131 yards. But on the Steelers final eight-play, 78-yard drive, Holmes was the man. He caught four passes in that final drive.

Holmes says "great players step up and make big-time plays in big games."

Then, holding the winning Vince Lombardi Trophy aloft, Holmes saluted Steeler fans everywhere by saying, "This is for Pittsburgh, baby."

The late heroics by Holmes made 32-year-old Mike Tomlin the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl. Tomlin says the comeback was typical, saying, "Steeler football is 60 minutes. It's never pretty. But we fight until the end."

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Steeler Fans Pack Streets to Celebrate:

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Thousands of Steelers fans decked out in black and gold and waving Terrible Towels clogged South Side streets to celebrate Pittsburgh's unprecedented sixth Super Bowl title.

Revelers streamed out of area bars moments after the Steelers sealed their 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Tampa, Fla. Some broke out in song, bellowing Queen's "We are the Champions."

Yellow confetti swirled in the air and people released gold and black balloons. Almost immediately after the game, Super Bowl championship souvenirs were being sold in the middle of the street.

Brittany Barcoay drove seven hours from Liberty University in Virginia just to be in her hometown for the Super Bowl. After celebrating outside a bar that sported a "Steeler Tavern" banner, Barcoay said: "I have never had so much pride in my city, ever."

Police in riot gear patrolled the area on bikes and in cars, letting the loud, rowdy -- but orderly -- celebration continue.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Arizona's Fitzgerald Breaks Out in Losing Effort:

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Arizona Cardinals' fourth-quarter comeback seemed too good to be true. In the end, it was.

Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald, the pass-and-catch combination that was so spectacular in the playoffs, connected for two touchdowns in less than five minutes against the fierce Pittsburgh defense to give the Cardinals a 23-20 lead with 2:37 left.

Nobody had expected this rally from the long-downtrodden Arizona franchise, which was making its first Super Bowl appearance. But it was too much time. Santonio Holmes' tiptoe touchdown catch with 35 seconds to play spoiled everything for the Cardinals.

Warner completed 31 of 43 passes for 377 yards and three touchdowns with one costly interception that was returned by James Harrison 100 yards for a touchdown. Warner's 31 completions were one shy of New England quarterback Tom Brady's Super Bowl record and tied Buffalo's Jim Kelly for second.

Warner says to rally against the Steelers' NFL-leading defense was a great tribute to his team. But he says: "I tip my hat to the Steelers. That's what world champions are all about. They won this game. We didn't lose it."

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

1st Quarter Update:

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Pittsburgh Steelers have taken an early 3-0 lead over the Arizona Cardinals after the first quarter of Super Bowl 43.

The Cardinals won the coin toss but deferred until the second half. So Steelers took the opening kickoff and drove 71 yards for the first score in Super Bowl 43.

Ben Roethlisberger appeared to score on a short run on third down, pushing his way into the end zone on second effort. But Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt challenged the spot, and won. Instead of a touchdown, the Steelers pulled up and Jeff Reed kicked an 18-yard field goal

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Halftime Update:

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - An electrifying 100-yard interception return by linebacker James Harrison has given the Pittsburgh Steelers a 17-7 lead over the Arizona Cardinals at halftime of Super Bowl 43.

The Cardinals appeared to be heading for a score when Harrison intercepted a Kurt Warner pass at the goal line. Harrison then sprinted 100 yards, eluding several tacklers along the way, as time expired at the end of the half.

Ben Roethlisberger has completed 11 of 14 passes in the first half. Gary Russell scored the Steelers other touchdown on a 1-yard run early in the second quarter.

Cardinals QB Kurt Warner has completed 12 of 18 passes with one TD pass to Ben Patrick. He also threw the interception that Harrison returned for a score at the end of the half.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

3rd Quarter Update:

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Pittsburgh Steelers have one more quarter to go in their quest for a record sixth Super Bowl triumph.

An electrifying 100-yard interception return by linebacker James Harrison at the end of the first half helped give the Steelers a 20-7 lead over the Arizona Cardinals after three quarters of Super Bowl 43. It's the longest play in Super Bowl history.

Harrison's play was a momentum-turner. The Cardinals appeared to be heading for a score when Harrison intercepted a Kurt Warner pass at the goal line. Harrison then sprinted 100 yards, eluding several tacklers along the way, as time expired at the end of the half. The 30-year-old Harrison was the NFL's defensive player of the year this season.

Ben Roethlisberger has completed 15 of 21 passes through three quarters.

Cardinals QB Kurt Warner has completed 17 of 24 passes with one TD pass to Ben Patrick and the interception that Harrison returned for a score at the end of the half.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)