It goes without saying that the Pittsburgh Steelers organization has celebrated some unbelievable moments in its 78-year history.
My 22 years as a fan, while a minuscule amount of time in Steeler history, has provided me with some amazing moments of my own. With the NFL lockout threatening to take away a season full of new excitement, I wanted to take a chance to look back the top-three Steeler moments I have been lucky enough to witness.
No. 3- Mike Vanderjagt missed field goal
On a run to a super bowl, a team needs many different things to go its way. After the Steelers played almost a perfect game against the Colts in the 2006 AFC divisional round, it seemed as though things were falling apart.
After Jerome Bettis fumbled the football on the goal line, Ben Roethlisberger was forced to make a shoestring tackle on Nick Harper of the Colts to prevent a game-winning touchdown.
Despite Roethlisberger’s heroic tackle, Payton Manning marched the Colts into Steeler territory setting up the leagues most accurate kicker for a game-winning field goal chance.
As Mike Vanderjagt took the field, my friends and I embraced each other with an overwhelming pessimism in the room. We could sense the season had slipped away…. I mean how could the sixth seeded Steelers have possibly thought they were going to be the Colts juggernaut?
And then it happened… he missed! I remember jumping in elation, almost cracking the foundation my house sat on, as the Steelers ran out onto the field. The team would obviously go on to win the Super Bowl that same season, marking the beginning of Roethlisberger’s mystique.
No. 2- Doug Brien’s missed field goals
With another case of a kickers miscues cracking my list of favorite Steeler moments, one would think I revel in the pain of others… well that might be true.
As the Steelers took on the Jets in the 2005 divisional round, I was not ready for Big Ben’s magical rookie season to come to an end.
But as Jets kicker Doug Brien took the field to kick the game-winning field goal, it looked as though that would be the case. Now I know the Steelers did not go on to win the Super Bowl that season, in fact the spanking the team took to the Patriots in the AFC championship in the next round could crack my most painful Steeler moments.
The reason this cracks my top-three favorite Steeler moments was thanks to a friend of mine. I remember sitting in my living room as Brien took the field in the final seconds of the game. As I hid behind my couch in an attempt to shield my view of the television, my friend remained seated on the couch. He did not obstruct his view, he did not break a sweat, he simply looked at me and said I guarantee Brien misses this kick.
Of course my pessimistic view would not allow me to feel the same way, but as Brien stepped up and missed that first kick, I jumped in elation as my friend looked at me and said I told you so.
As the game moved to over-time, Brien found himself with another chance to win the game. I thought to myself, there is no way he will miss another game-winning kick in the playoffs could he?
My friend, looking cool as a cucumber looked at me and said I promise he will miss this kick as well. As the ball was snapped, sure enough, he missed that kick as well. The Steelers went on to win the game, and keep Roethlisberger’s undefeated season in tact. It’s moments like those that make fans appreciate the game so much, and it is a moment I will never forget.
No. 1- Santonio seals the game
This one had to be obvious. I don’t think much has to be said about how every Steeler fan felt as Holmes caught Big Ben’s pass in the corner of the end zone to clinch the Steeler’s sixth super bowl title.
Every Steeler fan will be able to recite where they were when the catch happened, and rightfully so.
I wasn’t there for the immaculate reception, or for Lynn Swan’s unbelievable catch against the Cowboys. I know I have missed four Super Bowl titles, and countless other magical Steeler moments. But for the time I have been able to watch the black and gold, I have been blessed to see plenty unbelievable moments of my own.