Expertise solely will get an NFL workforce up to now. Championship squads want extra than simply being quick, sturdy and bodily. A decent bond and a excessive energy positive don’t harm. That’s the story of the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers, Invoice Cowher’s squad that lastly received “one for the thumb.” Reflecting on that group on the 20-year anniversary of that squad that can reunite this weekend in Pittsburgh, Cowher revealed the the reason why the Steelers hoisted the Lombardi.
“All of us had a level of dedication and all of us realized to belief each other and have one another’s again,” Cowher stated throughout a Friday look on the Pat McAfee Present. “It wasn’t our most gifted workforce, nevertheless it was our closest workforce. And that’s what I’m happy with.”
The Steelers had been within the throngs of despair late within the common season. Dropping from 7-2 to 7-5, Pittsburgh was enjoying its approach out of the playoff image. However a late-season push, aided by how shut the veteran-laden workforce was, propelled the Steelers into the postseason because the sixth and remaining seed. Even when the workforce was led by a second-year quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger, the protection was firmly established and the entrance 5 served as the center of the offense.
Odds had been nonetheless stacked in opposition to them. To that time, a No. 6 seed had by no means received all of it. Simply earlier than the workforce’s Wild Card sport in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals, Cowher obtained slightly further enhance.
“We’re preparing on a Friday evening,” he stated. “We performed at Cincinnati Bengals, had been a six seed. Mr. Rooney comes into my workplace about 4 o’clock within the afternoon. Everyone’s gone. He says, ‘Coach, how are we doing?’ I am going, Mr. Rooney, I believe we’re good. We had a superb week work. I imply Cincinnati, we all know them nicely. I believe we’ll be okay.
“He goes, ‘Effectively, I need to provide you with one thing right here.’ I am going, ‘What’s it?’ He goes, ‘Rosary beads.’ I am going, I’m not even Catholic. He goes, ‘Simply take them.’ I stated, ‘We don’t want any luck.’ He stated, ‘Coach, each little bit helps.’”
Cowher accepted the beads and positioned them in his pocket. Two weeks later when the Steelers had been at risk of letting a historic upset of the Indianapolis Colts slip away following RB Jerome Bettis’ fumble and Roethlisberger’s unimaginable sort out, Cowher understood what Rooney meant.
“I went in my pocket. I began holding that factor. I am going, ‘Come on child. Work your juju.’”
Kicker Mike Vanderjagt, on the time the NFL’s most correct kicker in NFL historical past, hooked a game-tying kick large proper to protect the Steelers’ victory. Seeing the ability of the rosary beads, Cowher made positive to hold onto them the remainder of the best way. Minutes earlier than kickoff in opposition to the Denver Broncos, Cowher rushed again into the locker room to retrieve them. Pittsburgh confidently received the sport, superior to the Tremendous Bowl, and beat the Seattle Seahawks.
Cowher instructed the present he particularly mandated the Steelers put on their away white jerseys to maintain the manta of being the highway underdog, even when Tremendous Bowl XL felt like a house sport performed in Jerome Bettis’ yard. It got here in opposition to a Seattle Seahawks workforce typically forgotten for a way gifted it was that season. The No. 1 scoring offense and a 13-3 workforce that hadn’t misplaced a significant sport that 12 months since October (Seattle fell in Week 17 however rested its starters).
The Steelers are gathering the 2005 Tremendous Bowl workforce this weekend and can honor them throughout Sunday’s sport dealing with these Colts that helped pave the best way to that title run. And 20 years later, Cowher nonetheless owns the beads given to him by the late Rooney.
“I’m gonna pull them out on Saturday evening as I meet with a number of the guys,” he stated. “And simply speak concerning the ingredient of what occurs with that soccer workforce. It began on the high.”
Pittsburgh had the suitable possession, teaching and gamers (and, evidently, divine intervention). It was a gaggle in clear coordination that labored collectively to dig out of a daily season that was doubtlessly misplaced. To drag off three-straight AFC highway wins. To climb the mountain and cheer on the high. Going through their very own potential three-game shedding streak in opposition to the favored Colts, the 2025 Steelers could be clever to heed the identical recommendation.
