This is one of thousands of previously unpublished P-I photographs from Super Bowl XL on Feb. 5, 2006. It was the Seahawks' first -- thus far, only -- Super Bowl, and they lost 21-10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here, cornerback Kelly Herndon gets ready for the game. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Seahawks players get ready for the game. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Receivers Bobby Engram (left) and Joe Jurevicius pump each other up before the game. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Star running back Shaun Alexander takes the field. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Star running back Shaun Alexander warms up. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Seahawks fans show their love at Detroit's Ford Field. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Seahawks players fire each other up before the game. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Cornerback Marcus Trufant (23) leads teammates onto the field. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Quarterbacks Matt Hasselbeck (8) and Seneca Wallace (15) take the field. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com file/MOHAI
Pittsburgh's James Harrison stops Seattle's Peter Warrick for a loss of two yards on a first-quarter punt return. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com file/MOHAI
QB Matt Hasselbeck, who completed 26 of 49 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown, attempts a pass against the Steelers' Clark Haggans in the first quarter. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com file/MOHAI
Matt Hasselbeck hands off to Shaun Alexander, who would have 95 yards on 20 carries. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com file/MOHAI
Matt Hasselbeck hands off to Shaun Alexander. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com file/MOHAI
Long-snapper Jean-Philippe Darche (52) congratulates kicker Josh Brown on his 47-yard field goal that opened the scoring with 27 seconds left in the first quarter. It would be Seattle's only lead of the day. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com file/MOHAI
Peter Warrick returns a punt for the Seahawks. Warrick had four returns for 27 yards. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com file/MOHAI
Peter Warrick returns a punt for the Seahawks. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com file/MOHAI
Jerramy Stevens caught three passes for 25 yards but dropped four others. Here, he can't corral a pass against the defense of Chris Hope. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com file/MOHAI
Jerramy Stevens caught three passes for 25 yards but dropped four
others. Here, he can't corral a pass against the defense of Chris Hope. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com file/MOHAI
Josh Scobey downs a punt in the end zone for a tocuhback. By Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger passes under pressure from an unidentified Seahawk. The second-year signal caller completed only nine of 21 passes for 123 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. By Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Michael Boulware (right) celebrates an interception with Etric Pruitt. By Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Michael Boulware (right) celebrates his interception with Jordan Babineaux. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Hines Ward catches an option pass from Antwaan Randle El to give the Steelers a 21-10 lead in the fourth quarter. By Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Grant Wistrom celebrates a sack of Ben Roethlisberger. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Grant Wistrom walks away from his sack. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Shaun Alexander dives for yardage. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Shaun Alexander tries to escape the tackle of Tyrone Carter. By Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Matt Hasselbeck drops back to pass. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Darrell Jackson hauls in a pass from Matt Hasselbeck but is ruled out of bounds. Jackson had five catches for 50 yards but had a TD overturned in the first quarter on an offensive pass interference penalty. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
On this play, and as seen in the previous photo, Jackson was ruled out of bounds late in the second quarter on an attempted TD pass. The Seahawks failed to score and had to settle for 7-3 halftime deficit. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Linebacker Lofa Tatupu considers the situation. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com file/MOHAI
Pittsburgh's Willie Parker takes off on a 75-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that gave the Steelers a 14-3 lead. Dan Delong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Hines Ward carries a pass reception between three Seahawks. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Jordan Babineaux takes a break between plays. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Matt Hasselbeck fires a pass. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Willie Parker dives into the end zone at the end of his 75-yard scoring run. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Willie Parker dives into the end zone at the end of his 75-yard scoring run. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Willie Parker spikes the ball at the end of his 75-yard scoring run. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
It could have been worse; midway through the third quarter, Kelly Herndon intercepted this potential TD pass for Cedric Wilson and returned it 76 yards to the Steelers 20. Seattle would score three plays later. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Herndon takes off on his long return. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Willie Parker celebrates his TD with Antwaan Randle El (82). Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Bobby Engram had six catches for 70 yards. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Pittsburgh's Larry Foote (50) trips up Hasselbeck after the Seahawks QB picked up 18 yards in the fourth quarter. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Hasselbeck loses the ball, but he was down on contact. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Hasselbeck loses the ball, but he was down on contact. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Shaun Alexander carries the ball as Jerramy Stevens looks on. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Head coach Mike Holmgren patrols the sideline. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Seahawks owner Paul Allen (left) and general manager Tim Ruskell survey the crowd. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Seahawks fans dressed up -- er, down -- for the occasion. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Bobby Engram salutes someone in the crowd. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Leonard Weaver greets a fan. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
From left, Niko Koutouvides, Kevin Bentley and Isaiah Kacyvenski pump each other up on a special teams play. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Matt Hasselbeck drops back to pass. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Matt Hasselback passes downfield. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Matt Hasselback passes downfield. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Ben Roethlisberger prepares to hand off. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Matt Hasselbeck finds open field. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Shaun Alexander looks for a hole in the Steelers' line. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
The Seattle defense (from left) of Marquand Manuel, Lofa Tatupu and Andre Dyson get fired up. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Shaun Alexander follows the action on the field behind head coach Mike Holmgren. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Shaun Alexander follows the action on the field behind head coach Mike Holmgren. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Seahawks players seem befuddled by a ruling on the field. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Shaun Alexander carries the ball. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Hasselbeck leads the offense off the field. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Kelly Herndon romps on his 76-yard interception return, led by Rocky Bernard. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Seahawks fans rally outside Ford Field. Joshua Trujillo/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Seahawks fans rally outside Ford Field. Joshua Trujillo/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Kicker Josh Brown readies for the game. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
A Seahawks fans represents the 12th Man. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Mike Holmgren, no stranger to the big stage, calmly surveys the field during pre-game warmups. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Matt Hasselbeck looks for an opening. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Hasselbeck pleads his case to the officials. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Hasselbeck pleads his case to the officials. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Hasselbeck pleads his case to the officials. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Hasselbeck pleads his case to the officials. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
We're not sure what happened here or who has the ball, but this is not a Seahawks touchdown. Their only points came on a Josh Brown field goal and a Jerramy Stevens reception, and that's not Stevens. The presence of Jordan Babineaux at right indicates it's either a defensive or special-teams play. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Offensive lineman Steve Hutchinson ponders the impending loss. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Hasseelbeck prepares for the end. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
An unidentified man (14) -- possibly a practice-squad player, since the Hawks didn't have an active player with that number that year -- and receiver Joe Jurevicius dejectedly check the scoreboard. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Shaun Alexander walks away empty-handed. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Steelers legend Jerome Bettis, who carried 14 times for 43 yards, walks away from an illustrious career as a winner. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Players kneel at the center of the field for a post-game prayer. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Players kneel at the center of the field for a post-game prayer. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Hasselbeck walks off dejectedly. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Tight end Ryan Hannam walks off amid the confetti. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Steelers coach Bill Cowher waves a "Terrible Towel" in celebration. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
This is one of thousands of previously unpublished P-I photographs from Super Bowl XL. Photographer Mike Urban was one of four P-I photographers at that game on Feb. 5, 2006. It was the Seahawks first Super Bowl, and they lost 21-10. Mike Urban/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
A Steelers fan celebrates with the traditional, quickly prepared front page of a newspaper. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
Seahawks fans stay until the bitter end. Dan DeLong/seattlepi.com/MOHAI
While many Seahawks fans are looking forward to a continued playoff run this year, we're also taking a look back this week at some previously unpublished photos from the Hawks' trip to Super Bowl XL in 2006.
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The team's only trip to the Super Bowl, on Feb. 5, 2006, brought media from around the world, and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, still in print through March 17, 2009, sent five photographers to the game in Detroit.
Photographers Dan DeLong, Scott Eklund and Mike Urban were on the field. Joshua Trujillo and Grant Haller were also at Ford Field, where the Seahawks played the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL.
After the game, the P-I and seattlepi.com published dozens of the images in the paper and in online photo galleries. But there were thousands of additional images that have gone unseen – until now.
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We went through those digital image discs, now preserved with other P-I images at the Museum of History and Industry , and picked out some of the best images to share in the gallery above.
In the 2005 season which led to that Super Bowl, Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander broke the previous NFL rushing touchdown record. Led by quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and such big names as Walter Jones, Steve Hutchinson, Mack Strong and Lofa Tatupu, the Hawks went 13-3 and easily won the NFC West.
After a first-round bye, they beat the Washington Redskins 20-10 in their divisional playoff and knocked off the Carolina Panthers 34-14 to win Seattle's first NFL conference championship and first appearance in the Super Bowl.
Years after the Seahawks' 21-10 loss to the Steelers, NFL referee Bill Leavy acknowledged he "kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game."
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