Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis has played 13 seasons in the NFL, competed in six Pro Bowls, and run his way to fifth place on the all-time rushing yards list.
There may already be a place in the Hall of Fame reserved for the Steeler legend, but one accomplishment is still missing from Bettis' resume: a Super Bowl title.
This week, Bettis returns to his hometown of Detroit in the hope that he can finish his career in championship form, cementing his legacy as one of the all-time greats.
While Bettis rushed for just 368 yards in the 2005 regular season, he has been a dominant force in the red zone, logging nine rushing touchdowns. In addition, the 33-year-old running back has been a veteran leader in the clubhouse, inspiring the sixth-seed Steelers in their improbable Super Bowl bid.
Pittsburgh's running game may not feature any record-breaking MVPs, but Bettis and the young and athletic Willie Parker have quietly formed one of the league's best one-two punches.
Both teams feature stellar run defenses - Pittsburgh's ranks third in the NFL while the Seahawks are close behind in fifth.
Pittsburgh, a Cinderella story, with its proximity to Detroit and its die-hard fans, has become a fan favorite in this year's Super Bowl. As the veteran Bettis is a Steeler icon, many of the fans in Detroit have rallied behind him.
Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick even went so far as to declare the Super Bowl media week "Jerome Bettis Week," commemorating the accomplishments of the Detroit native.
While many of the 75,000 fans expected to pack Ford Field for this weekend's game will be pulling for Bettis and his Steelers, it remains to be seen whether he or Parker will be able to survive the menacing Seahawks defense, which includes the Pro Bowl-bound rookie linebacker Lofa Tatupu and veteran ends Grant Wistrom and Bryce Fisher.
All signs point to a closely-contested Super Bowl XL, and in the end, it all may come down to whether Bettis is able to play like a champion - one last time.
