Steelers Super Bowl Hero Santonio Holmes Was Motivated After Blaming 90s Wide Receivers For Super Bowl 30 Loss

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long tradition of excellence, having created an organization that is admired throughout the NFL. You don't become a storied franchise without having exceptional players and reading a list of the men who've worn black and gold is the ultimate "Who's Who." The work the players do on the field and what happens to them as they leave football is picked apart down to the smallest detail. However, hardly anyone talks about how the players got to the NFL, or what motivated them to pursue their dreams. One former Steelers wide receiver, Santonio Holmes, recently opened up about the unusual reason why he was so passionate about playing professional football and shared the surprising way Pittsburgh factored in. 

Holmes may have grown up in Florida, but he was always a Steelers fan. When he was about 10 years old, the Steelers played the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX. The Steelers and Cowboys came into the game evenly matched, each having won four Lombardi Trophies. However, two of the Cowboys' losses came from Pittsburgh. So when the two teams met in 1996, most Steelers fans expected them to win again. 

The Steelers did not win, the Cowboys beat them 27-17. While more than one thing went wrong that game, most fans seriously blame Pittsburgh quarterback Neil O'Donnell and his multiple interceptions. What the team didn't know is that one young fan was watching that game and internalizing the loss, committed to making a difference in the future. 

Recently, Holmes spoke to life coach Lorraine Lindsey on her podcast. Her show focuses on a growth mindset and the power of positivity in your life. Holmes has begun a foundation called "10 All In" dedicated to giving back to children in economically underrepresented communities by teaching and motivating them through STEAM-based programs. Holmes told Lindsey about some of the challenges from his childhood and how he used those to help motivate his passion for football. 

Steelers' Santonio Holmes Became Determined To Do His Part 

In 2006, Holmes was drafted by the Steelers in the first round out of Ohio State University. He said that his stepfather predicted that the Steelers would draft him. Holmes bristled at the idea because he expected to go earlier in the draft than the Steelers were picking. Pittsburgh was coming off a Super Bowl win and had the last pick of the first round. 

"I said that ain't happening, these guys just won the Super Bowl. Why would they want to trade up to get a receiver? He said, 'Don't worry, they'll do it.'"

As the first round went on, he became more and more upset that he wasn't picked. He said he could not believe his stepfather predicted this, but sure enough, Pittsburgh called him around pick 22 and told him to be patient, they were coming to get him. 

The Steelers traded up with the New York Giants to go from 32 to 25. Holmes said growing up as a Steelers fan, he had never even allowed himself to dream he would get so lucky to be selected by his team. He added that the old Super Bowl loss to the Cowboys really impacted his mindset on success in the NFL. 

"In that game, the wide receivers did not do their job and the Dallas Cowboys ended up winning. Now who is to blame in that? I can't point my fingers at any of those guys, but I told myself as a young kid that if I ever get in the position to play in the NFL or the Super Bowl, that I would never let this happen to my team."

Amazingly enough, his thoughts as a young child did manifest into his reality as an adult. In 2009, Holmes played for the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals. He ended up making the game-winning catch. 

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger placed the ball right where only Holmes could get it. He extended his body and his arms, arched up on his toes, and managed to stay in bounds as he reeled the ball in.  

"When that moment came for me in the Super Bowl, you wouldn't catch me standing on the sideline talking to myself, because all I could see in my mind was those memories of me sitting as a little kid watching that football game and watching the Cowboys beat the Steelers. I told myself over and over now is the time to be great."

Holmes was named the Super Bowl MVP. His fondest wish was to be remembered as a player who made a difference and no one can deny that he definitely created a name for himself. Holmes spent four seasons with the Steelers before spending four with the New York Jets and one with the Chicago Bears. During his four years in black and gold, he had 235 receptions for 3,835 yards and 20 touchdowns. While most kids only ever get to dream about playing professional sports, Holmes took his dreams and the pain of seeing the Steelers lose a Super Bowl, and turned it into a dream come true. 

Did you know Holmes grew up a Steelers fan? Who do you blame for the loss of Super Bowl XXX?