NBC photo Jerome Bettis laughs with Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" Wednesday. Click photo for larger image.

Yes, Hines Ward went to Disney World, but he did not stop there, nor was the last Bus stop in Detroit.

It has not taken long for the three big names from the Steelers' Super Bowl run to reap some rewards and super stardom from their victory Sunday in Detroit.

Ward, who took his pal the Bus, a. k. a. Jerome Bettis, to Orlando, Fla., for the Disney parade, appeared yesterday on "Live with Regis and Kelly." He had Kelly Ripa in tears while telling them the story of his Korean mother.

The latest Super Bowl MVP reportedly has a visit set to his mom's native country, sometime in April. It will be Ward's first visit to Korea.

Bettis' week in his hometown of Detroit concluded Sunday when the Steelers beat Seattle and the Bus announced his retirement. But he's still running strong and appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

Nearby, making his own appearance, was quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who introduced Kelly Clarkson on the Grammy Awards show Wednesday night. Monday night, Roethlisberger was on the "Late Show with David Letterman," and Tuesday he was hawking autographed footballs on QVC.

That QVC appearance marked the start of a one-year, $1 million exclusive memorabilia deal for Roethlisberger struck by agent Leigh Steinberg's partner Ryan Tollner with Mounted Memories. It requires Roethlisberger to make one corporate appearance and, over the next year, sign a lot of stuff -- jerseys, photos, helmets, etc.

"It actually translates being worth $110-$125 per signature, which is the highest signature for all of pro football for an active player, which is remarkable,'' Steinberg said yesterday. "When he began his rookie year, his signature was going for $20. It's a reflection of his popularity and demand."

Reed Saxon, Associated Press Ben Roethlisberger introduces Kelly Clarkson for her performance at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards Wednesday in Los Angeles. Click photo for larger image.

Steinberg said Roethlisberger's popularity did not dip with his passer rating in the Super Bowl, which was an all-time low 22.6 for a winning quarterback.

"No, no, his popularity is based on who he is as a person, I think,'' Steinberg said. "People like him. It wasn't a pretty game, no two ways about that, but people like him for who he is, those Midwestern values, chauffeuring his sister to the prom, giving to tsunami relief."

"If he doesn't make the tackle in Indianapolis, they're not there. If he doesn't play the way he did against Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Denver, they're not there. He's a man's man, he'll take the blame when he doesn't play well. There's no pretense. Ultimately, when it counted, he came through in the Super Bowl. And Ben will learn from that game.''

He also benefited financially, and not just from whatever Steinberg and Tollner can market for him. His rookie contract contained a provision that pays him a $500,000 incentive if the Steelers won the Super Bowl, plus another $750,000 for playing time combined with making the playoffs. He also earned $300,000 for being in the top five in the NFL in passer rating, another $300,000 for being in the top five in average gain per pass and another $153,000 in other statistical incentives.

Thus Roethlisberger, who earned a salary of $655,500 in 2005, more than tripled his football take by earning another $2 million from those incentive bonuses.