One is Mitch Berger, the team's 36-year-old punter who has a message for teammates basking in this spotlight for the first time: Don't take it for granted.

"I look at some of the young guys, and they're like, 'This is my first year, and I'm already in the Super Bowl. It's great,' " Berger said. "I know they're enjoying this, but I don't think they really know how special it is and how long you can wait to get here."

Berger knows.

In 1998, he punted for the Minnesota Vikings when they went 15-1 in the regular season and played host to the NFC Championship Game against the Atlanta Falcons. The Vikings held a seven-point lead with 2:07 remaining, when Gary Anderson, who had converted 44 consecutive field goals, missed a 38-yarder. The Falcons drove for the tying touchdown with 49 seconds left and won the game on a field goal in overtime, 30-27.

"It never crossed my mind that we wouldn't go to the Super Bowl that year," Berger said. "But as time went on, I thought that was my last chance."

Four teams and 10 years later, Berger finally will get his shot when the Steelers play the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in Super Bowl XLIII.

The journey has included, in Berger's estimation, "six or seven cuts, a couple of knee surgeries and a groin surgery."

Hamstring problems were Berger's undoing this season, which began with him beating out Paul Ernster for the job after Daniel Sepulveda tore the ACL in his right knee early in training camp.

When Berger averaged 36.3 yards on eight kicks Nov. 3 against Washington -- nearly 7 yards below his career average -- the Steelers released him and turned back to Ernster.

Berger returned to his home in Arizona to rehabilitate his hamstrings -- he said he pulled both of them -- while anticipating a call from the Steelers.

"There was some thought that he might come back, but it all depended on how his rehab went," Steelers special teams coach Bob Ligashesky said. "He needed some time -- more than just Sunday to Sunday -- to recover."

Three games later, after Ernster averaged 31.6 yards on 12 punts and with Berger's hamstrings feeling better, the Steelers made another switch.

One reason they didn't look elsewhere was because of Berger's familiarity holding for kicker Jeff Reed.

"It was a determining factor," Ligashesky said. "Look at the steadiness that Jeff has had this year. He counts on the experience Mitch has to secure that position."

Not all of Berger's punts since his return have been booming. In the AFC Championship Game, for instance, he had a 21-yarder against the Baltimore Ravens that led to a touchdown.

"I've had a couple crappy ones," Berger said. "It happens, but I feel, for the most part, I've done my job. I feel a lot better than two months ago, when it was a struggle to get through games and get on and off the field."

Now, Berger will get to punt in the Super Bowl for the first time in his career.

"There are so many guys I've played with that never got to go," Berger said. "For a lot of them, 1998 was their chance. It's unbelievable that I got the chance to be here."