James Harrison practically ran 100 yards to be on the fallacious finish of one of many best moments in Tremendous Bowl historical past. All Larry Fitzgerald needed to do was present higher purpose. Recapping his Tremendous Bowl pick-six for the thousandth time, Harrison detailed how shut Fitzgerald got here to being the identify that went down in Lombardi lore. And the way stunning it was to get the ball within the first place.
“I’m holding the ball like a loaf of bread,” Harrison mentioned throughout a Wednesday look on the Wealthy Eisen Present. “Fitzgerald is available in from the aspect. I don’t see him. Nothing. He may have been a hero. All he needed to do was hit the ball. He missed, he hit my chest, and it gave me time to cowl the ball. If he had went straight down and hit the ball, it was gone.”
Right here’s a take a look at the top as Fitzgerald tries and fails to knock it away.
As an alternative, Harrison—ball in hand—tumbled into the top zone with Fitzgerald and WR Steve Breaston, crossing the objective line for the landing. It’s probably the most iconic performs of Tremendous Bowl historical past and essential to the Steelers’ shut victory. It was a possible 14-point swing, and Pittsburgh wanted all these factors in what grew to become a 4-point win.
As unbelievable as the top of the play was, so was the start. Harrison by no means thought QB Kurt Warner would throw him the ball.
“I’m like, ‘alright, he sees me,” Harrison says as he dropped into protection. “He’s not about to throw the ball. And I see his arm begin going up, and I’m like, oh, snap. He’s about to throw the ball. And when he throws it, I’m like, oh shit, he threw the ball. So after I catch it, that’s why I’m sort of shocked as I cradle like this. I simply actually didn’t imagine he was gonna throw it.”
Harrison, as he’s instructed many instances earlier than, was speculated to blitz on the play. However he made the cut up choice to drop into protection as an alternative, believing Warner would get the ball out quick. He did and by no means noticed Harrison, throwing it proper into his lap. Harrison and the 10-blocker convoy that rapidly fashioned did the remainder.
After scoring, Harrison lay ultimately zone as he instructed Mike Tomlin, “I’m drained, boss.” As an alternative of celebrating in the course of the Tremendous Bowl’s extra-length halftime, Harrison spent the break getting an IV and catching his breath. Pittsburgh’s protection closed out the half, however the offense closed out the sport, QB Ben Roethlisberger discovering a toe-tapping Santonio Holmes within the again nook of the top zone.
Like Harrison, Fitzgerald continues to be requested about that play. Not too long ago, he joked tackling Harrison was like tackling a “fridge.” And primarily based on how Harrison nonetheless appears to be like right now, that hasn’t modified.
It’s a blind throw. A missed punch out. The NFL is a recreation of inches—the distinction between Tremendous Bowl glory and questioning what may’ve been.
