Statement About Steelers' Willie Parker That 'He Wouldn't Of Fumbled' In Super Bowl XLV Could Provoke New Rashard Mendenhall Rant

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been blessed with outstanding running backs over the years. Steeler Nation can boast four members of the Hall of Fame who spent a significant portion of their careers in Pittsburgh. Bill Dudley, John Henry Johnson, Jerome Bettis, and Franco Harris, the author of the greatest play in NFL history, the Immaculate Reception, all have busts in Canton.

Between the Hall of Famers, the Steelers have had multiple stars at the position. Barry Foster led a Steelers resurgence under Bill Cowher and set the single-season rushing record for the franchise. Le'Veon Bell redefined what a modern running back could do on the football field before an ill-advised holdout cost him his career in Pittsburgh. Those two backs and many more were exceptional players who starred for the black and gold over brief periods, but none can compare to an undrafted free agent named Willie Parker, whom Kevin Colbert signed in 2004.

On Friday, Parker joined The Joe Starkey Show on 93.7 The Fan. The two-time Pro Bowler, who still holds the Super Bowl record for the longest rush in the history of the game, was reminded by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer and radio host about his success during the postseason. 

"I got a number for you here, Willie. You played in seven playoff games for the Steelers," Starkey stated. "Do you know what the team's record was in those seven games? It was 7-0. You ran for almost 500 yards, you had some other really good playoff games. San Diego on the road to the second Super Bowl, 27 carries for 146 yards and two touchdowns, that's a pretty good game."

Parker arrived in Pittsburgh and did not play much behind Bettis in 2004. He rushed for 102 yards in the season finale against the Buffalo Bills. In 2005, the undrafted free agent was promoted to the starting tailback, and playoff success followed. Pittsburgh won two Super Bowls and, as Starkey points out, went undefeated in the playoffs when he played.

Parker retired in 2009 after being slowed by nagging injuries. Jaylen Warren's cousin lamented not taking better care of himself during his short career so he could play in Super Bowl XLV. He hinted things might have been different if he was toting the rock against the Green Bay Packers. 

"When the Pittsburgh Steelers were playing against Green Bay in that Super Bowl, I think it was 2011, I was at home, and I was watching it, and I was saying in my head, if I had played in the Super Bowl, we would win this game," Parker stated.

"Well, maybe you wouldn't have fumbled like, well, forget about that," Starkey replied. 

Starkey's jab was good-natured, but the play is one of the most painful moments in Steelers history. The loss in Super Bowl XLV was a bitter pill they are still trying to swallow. In many ways, it was even more painful than Neil O'Donnell briefly forgetting what color jersey he was wearing and then identifying Larry Brown was wide open before throwing a pair of interceptions to lose Super Bowl XXX. 

The Steelers lost to the Packers after falling behind 21-3 in the first half. They could not get out of their own way early in the game, and everything that could go wrong, did. The defense gave up a long opening drive that was capped off by an Aaron Rodgers to Jordy Nelson 29-yard touchdown. Ben Roethlisberger followed that by throwing a pick-six to Nick Collins. It looked bleak for Steeler Nation. It was one thing to lose a Super Bowl. It was quite another to get blown out. 

The Steelers stormed back, cutting the deficit to 21-17, and got the ball back with a chance to take the lead at the end of the third quarter. On the second play of the subsequent drive and the first play of the fourth quarter, Rashard Mendenhall, the Steelers' feature back, fumbled the ball on the Green Bay 33-yard line. The Packers recovered and scored three minutes later on Greg Jennings' second touchdown catch to take a 28-17 lead in what would eventually be a 31-25 loss for the black and gold. 

Former Steelers Running Back Rashard Mendenhall Makes Staggering Assumption About Super Bowl XLV Loss

O'Donnell had the good manners to disappear after his Super Bowl debacle. Mendenhall continuously pops off on social media that the loss was not his fault and reopens the festering wound that was the last Super Bowl appearance for the franchise. He refuses to accept responsibility for his part in the loss and, in a recent tirade, laughably played the race card and touched off a wild series of debates.