Former Pittsburgh Steelers WR Santonio Holmes will endlessly be a legend within the Metal Metropolis for his heroics in Tremendous Bowl XLIII. Holmes’ late-game magic helped Pittsburgh win its sixth Tremendous Bowl and helped him proper the wrongs of what he felt price the ’95 Steelers the Tremendous Bowl.
To get to that time and overcome one thing that bothered him for over a decade, Holmes needed to be drafted by Pittsburgh. But, Holmes didn’t suppose it might occur, even after a number of draft day telephone calls from the Steelers and a prediction from his step-dad.
“I at all times needed to play there [in Pittsburgh], however I had no clue,” mentioned Holmes on All Issues Coated. “That they had the final decide within the first spherical. I ain’t getting drafted final decide, however that’s what my step-dad instructed me on draft day. He gonna have a look at me whereas he over there cooking on the grill, speaking about, ‘Hey, you recognize you’re going to Pittsburgh?’ I mentioned, ‘Dad, I’m not going to Pittsburgh. They bought the final decide of the primary spherical. I’m going method earlier than that.’”
The Steelers had the thirty second decide within the draft after profitable Tremendous Bowl XL. Moreover, the lack of WR Antwaan Randle El within the offseason led to a necessity on the huge receiver place. Holmes was the highest huge receiver prospect of the draft, so his falling to Pittsburgh required just a little luck, and even which may not have been sufficient.
Holmes fell out of the highest 10, after which, as gamers not named Holmes saved coming off the board, Pittsburgh known as to let him know they had been eager about drafting him. On the time, the Steelers huge receiver room consisted of solely two notable names: Hines Ward and Nate Washington. Whereas each had been good gamers, they wanted another person, resulting in the Steelers’ curiosity in Holmes.
“I get these calls, I get New Orleans, I get the Dolphins, I get, I feel it was Arizona, and the Steelers name,” recalled Holmes. “After they known as, they was like, ‘Hey, dangle tight, we’re interested by drafting you.’ And that is round decide 12, 13. So I’m like, man, y’all bought the thirty second decide. I actually don’t suppose I’m getting drafted to Pittsburgh in any respect.”
The watch for Santonio Holmes ended shortly after this, with Pittsburgh buying and selling as much as draft him with the twenty fifth decide which they traded for with the New York Giants. Nevertheless, Holmes had no thought Pittsburgh was planning on buying and selling up, so he was confused when he bought the decision.
“Choose 21, decide 22 occur, I get the telephone name like, ‘Hey, are you continue to eager about being a Steeler?’ re-told Holmes. “I’m like, ‘What do you imply, am I getting drafted like thirty second or am I getting drafted proper now?’ He was like, ‘Simply dangle tight, we’ll provide you with a name again.’ So the decision again rang on the twenty third decide after which they’d me on the telephone and that’s once they mentioned they was making the commerce…I’m watching on the factor [television], and it was like, ‘With the twenty fifth decide, the Pittsburgh Steelers commerce as much as get Santonio Holmes.’ And I simply turned and checked out my mother and simply began crying. I used to be like, this actually occurred.”
Whereas the autumn was most likely upsetting for Santonio Holmes, who thought he would go within the prime 15, it couldn’t have ended any higher. Holmes was a Steelers fan rising up, so attending to go the staff he grew up rooting was a dream come true. With the ability to have such an affect on the Steelers should make Holmes really feel even higher about his spectacular profession. It’s one factor to be a very good NFL huge receiver; it’s one other factor to turn out to be a legend for the staff you grew up rooting for.
At decide 25, Holmes was the primary receiver off the board within the 2006 NFL Draft, which exhibits how far more worthwhile huge receivers have turn out to be and the way completely different the sport is right this moment. Within the 2024 NFL Draft, seven huge receivers went within the first spherical, with three going within the prime 10.
In his rookie 12 months, Holmes rapidly made an affect with Pittsburgh, catching 49 passes for 824 yards and two touchdowns. For the cherry on prime of his first skilled season, he knocked the Cincinnati Bengals out of the playoffs.
Knocking out the Bengals pales compared to his toe-tap catch in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals in Tremendous Bowl XLIII. A staff that known as Holmes about their curiosity in draft day however handed. He ended up being the rationale they didn’t win the Tremendous Bowl solely three seasons later.
Holmes ended up taking part in 4 seasons in Pittsburgh, the place he tallied 235 receptions for 3,835 yards and 20 touchdowns. As well as, Holmes was additionally a very good punt returner for Pittsburgh, tallying 496 common season punt return yards and one common season landing. Holmes solely returned punts within the playoffs in 2008. Nonetheless, he made a huge effect within the return recreation, tallying 103 return yards by three video games and returning one punt for a landing within the divisional spherical in opposition to the San Diego Chargers, which helped kick the Steelers into gear that day.
Keep in mind this Santonio Holmes return for a landing? #Steelers pic.twitter.com/404Sqv8Rb4
— BlitzburghUSAVideos (@sdextrasmedia) October 7, 2020
For a child who held a grudge in opposition to Steelers receivers of the previous for shedding the Tremendous Bowl in 1995, to creating the Tremendous Bowl-winning catch for Pittsburgh in 2008, Holmes most likely can’t be happier he fell within the draft and his step-dad’s prediction was proper.
