2008 Pittsburgh Steelers season the San Diego Chargers. The following week saw the third victory of the season over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game and the advancement to Super Bowl XLIII where the Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals on February 1, 2009. Entering the 2008 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers lost ten-year lineman Alan Faneca, after his contract expired, and he signed with the New York Jets. Allen Rossum, Jerame Tuman, and Clint Kriewaldt were released on February 22. The team also lost Dan Kreider, Verron Haynes, Brian St. Pierre, and eight-year veteran Clark Haggans to free agency. The Steelers renewed quarterback
2009 Pittsburgh Steelers season the Steelers would regain the lead 24–20. All that was needed was for the Steelers' defense to keep Oakland out of the end zone and they would win. But with nine seconds remaining, Gradkowski would once again find Louis Murphy open in the end zone for an 11-yard TD pass and the Raiders would win 27–24. The game would mark the fifth time in six games that the Steelers suffered a 4th quarter collapse, and the second time in three weeks Pittsburgh had fallen to an opponent with a losing record. At the conclusion of the game, the Steelers had