Santonio Holmes will endlessly be remembered in Pittsburgh Steelers historical past for what he did in Tremendous Bowl 43. It’s unlucky that Holmes couldn’t end his profession with the Steelers, although. In 2010, Holmes was traded to the New York Jets, not even two full years after his Tremendous Bowl heroics. That season, he acquired a possibility to play his former workforce and present them why they had been flawed to commerce him. As Holmes explains, he needed to gentle the Steelers up each time he performed them.
“Taking part in in opposition to guys I performed with day-after-day in follow, I went to lunch with, dinner with, slept within the resort room with these guys, in the identical coaching room, locker room with these guys,” Holmes mentioned not too long ago on The Christian Kuntz Podcast. “I needed to kick their ass. I needed to attain on them 20 occasions.
“I actually needed to attain each play we acquired the soccer. I used to be in [Mark] Sanchez’s head all sport like, ‘Throw me the soccer. You gotta let me rating in opposition to these guys.’”
It doesn’t sound like Holmes was mad on the Steelers, however in fact he needed to present his outdated workforce his finest. He competed in opposition to that protection day-after-day in follow. That aggressive spirt emerged each time he lined up in opposition to the Steelers.
Holmes did have ample alternatives to get his revenge throughout his first season with the Jets. They performed the Steelers in each the common season and the playoffs. Within the common season sport, Holmes put up 6 catches for 40 yards. That’s not an insane day, however the Jets did win that sport, which had to assist Holmes really feel good.
Nevertheless, it was the Steelers who ultimately acquired the final snicker. Within the AFC Championship sport that 12 months, the Steelers beat the Jets to go to Tremendous Bowl 45. Holmes did as soon as once more play effectively, although. He solely had 2 catches for 61 yards, however did rating a protracted landing.
Holmes by no means noticed the identical success with the Jets that he had with the Steelers, however he all the time introduced his finest in opposition to the Steelers. He performed in opposition to them once more in 2012, the place he recorded 3 catches for 28 yards and a landing. The Jets misplaced once more, however Holmes made certain he acquired to attain in opposition to his former workforce.
Seeing Holmes play in a distinct jersey felt odd, however it doesn’t sound like he holds any laborious emotions. He even retired as a member of the Steelers. An individual’s journey can usually take turns that nobody expects, however it’s necessary to nonetheless look again fondly on the great occasions. Holmes’ time in Pittsburgh didn’t finish how anybody needed it to, however that Tremendous Bowl will make him a legend endlessly.