updated 2:25 p.m. ET Feb. 6, 2006

DETROIT - Paint this Super Bowl black and gold. With a whole lot of satisfaction for Jerome Bettis, Bill Cowher and his Pittsburgh Steelers.

The final Bus stop featured a little trickery starring MVP Hines Ward, a bunch of help from the Seattle Seahawks and a huge boost from the Terrible Towels, a handful of football fortune that added up to One for the Thumb.

The Steelers’ 21-10 victory in the Super Bowl on Sunday was their record-tying fifth, but the first since 1980 and the first ever for Bettis and Cowher.

“It’s been an incredible ride,” Bettis said.

Moments after the Rolling Stones rocked a Ford Field that could easily have been Heinz Field — or Hines’ field — Willie Parker broke a record 75-yard touchdown run. The Steelers earned that elusive ring and completed a magic Bus ride that made Bettis’ homecoming — and farewell — a success.

“I’m a champion. I think the Bus’ last stop is here in Detroit,” Bettis said. “It’s official, like the referee whistle.”

On this night, satisfaction was more than Mick Jagger’s signature song that closed the halftime show.

It was sweet validation for Cowher with a title in his 14th season as their coach, the longest tenure in the NFL. The tough guy, who lost his only previous Super Bowl 10 years ago to Dallas, teared up as he walked to midfield to embrace Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren.

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“A lot of people tell you you can’t do it, but you know what, it doesn’t mean you don’t go out and try,” Cowher said. “History was not going to determine our fate. Our effort today decided this game and that’s what’s great.

“It’s surreal. I’m going to tell you, this is a special group of coaches, a special group of players. I was one small part of this.”

Pittsburgh tied San Francisco and Dallas with its five Super Bowl titles.

Perhaps the most special moment for Cowher came when he presented the Vince Lombardi Trophy to 73-year-old owner Dan Rooney.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to do this,” Cowher said. “This is yours, man.”

The Steelers certainly got plenty of help from the Seahawks. Seattle was plagued by penalties, drops, poor clock management and a critical fourth-quarter interception of Matt Hasselbeck just when the NFC champions seemed ready to take the lead.

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Instead, Pittsburgh (15-5) got the clinching score with the kind of trickery that has carried it through an eight-game winning streak.

Versatile wideout Antwaan Randle El, a quarterback in college, took a handoff from Parker, sprinted right and threw perfectly to Ward for a 43-yard TD with 9:04 remaining. It was the first Super Bowl touchdown pass by a receiver.

Bettis, with 43 yards on 14 carries, had a minimal role in what was the final game for the NFL’s No. 5 career rusher.

So did quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The most noteworthy play for the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl was a horrid pass that Kelly Herndon of the Seahawks (15-4) returned a record 76 yards.

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That set up the Seahawks’ only touchdown, a 16-yard pass to Jerramy Stevens — Joey Porter, his verbal sparring partner all week, was nowhere in sight. Neither was All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu.

But with Parker’s burst and Seattle’s self-destructive tendencies, the Steelers completed their postseason march through the NFL’s top four teams: Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Denver and Seattle, with all the wins coming away from Heinz Field.

“I could’ve had an even better day,” said Ward, who had five receptions for 123 yards and the touchdown.