When it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ dynasty of the 1970s, names like Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth and Franco Harris stand out offensively, and rightfully so. There are four Super Bowl MVPs among that group.
But one name — and one touchdown — is often forgotten about when it comes to those dynasties.
That would be tight end Randy Grossman and his 7-yard touchdown catch from Bradshaw early in Super Bowl X to tie the game. In fact, Grossman scored a touchdown before Swann or Stallworth did in a Super Bowl and was just the second touchdown pass of Bradshaw’s career in the big game, having hit tight end Larry Brown for a 4-yard touchdown the season prior in Super Bowl IX against the Minnesota Vikings.
In a piece Friday morning from ESPN.com highlighting some overlooked touchdowns from the Super Bowl, Grossman recalled his game-tying touchdown in the first quarter of Super Bowl X against the Dallas Cowboys.
“The only thing unusual about [the play] from my perspective is … I wouldn’t say that Terry didn’t have touch on his passes, but what I would say, you better buckle up and be ready,” Grossman told ESPN.com’s John Keim. “It was coming hot. And I was wide open and I’m expecting this heater to come flying at me. And he basically lobbed the thing to me, and it was like a changeup.
“I actually almost dropped it. It was exciting. And every once in a while I get to relive it on the movie “Black Sunday.'”
Grossman’s touchdown capped the Steelers’ second drive of the game and helped Pittsburgh draw even after Dallas took a quick 7-0 lead following a botched punt by Steelers punter Bobby Walden. Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach hit Drew Pearson for a 29-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Then, the Steelers responded. On the Dallas side of the field, Bradshaw hit Swann for a 32-yard completion, putting the Steelers in the red zone. Three plays later, on a 3rd and 1 from the Dallas 7-yard line, Bradshaw rolled right on a play-action fake and found Grossman wide open in the end zone for the score.
Check out the play.
The score tied the game, and it was a bit of trivia for Grossman. He became the first Jewish player to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl.
“I’m basically a footnote that will win you a beer at the bar,” Grossman said to Keim.
Grossman, who joined the Steelers with that famous 1974 draft class as an undrafted free agent, spent seven years with Pittsburgh, winning those four Super Bowls. He played a major role in Super Bowl X, hauling in the first touchdown of the game for the Steelers, who went on to win the game 21-17 over the Cowboys, marking back-to-back Super Bowl championships.
It was his only catch of the game, but boy was it a big one.
Fortunately, he didn’t drop it.
Grossman finished his career with the Steelers with 119 receptions for 1,514 yards and 11 touchdowns, putting four Super Bowl rings with them. Heck of a career, and a mark in the Super Bowl, for an undrafted free agent.
