HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. -- As the confetti filled the air and the Packers celebrated their championship triumph, I comforted myself with one thought: “Oh, we’ll be back very soon.”
It was Feb. 6, 2011. Just minutes after Green Bay had outlasted the Steelers, 31-25, in Super Bowl XLV in Dallas. It was my second season in the NFL, and I thought more opportunities like this one were just around the corner.
Ten seasons later, we’re all still waiting — and I’m retired.
After Sunday’s 27-3 win over Jacksonville pushed the Steelers’ record to 10-0, talk of a potential perfect season accelerated. Ben Roethlisberger, who was with me that night in the locker room at Jerry’s World, got asked about the prospects of going undefeated. His response was excellent.
“We’re not chasing perfection in terms of 16-0,” Ben said. “We’re chasing Lombardis, so that’s the most important thing for us ... we just have to focus on this week, and playing our best one week at a time.”
A double-digit winning season is a very hard task. Many teams in the NFL are thrilled to get to 8-8. It guarantees you don’t have a losing season, it gives you a shot at the playoffs — especially in the NFC East — and it offers you hope for the next year.
That’s the world some teams and fan bases live in, but not the ones hailing from Western Pennsylvania. We went 8-8 last season, playing all but two games without Ben, and it felt like the world was crashing down on us. There’s a high standard with the Steelers, and it’s what drives the winning culture on the South Side.
Some teams play for gaudy stats, nice records and division titles. But not organizations run by men such as Mike Tomlin and Bill Belichick. Just ask the 2007 Patriots if they would trade that 16-0 regular season for a Super Bowl win over the Giants.
We all know the answer.
But to get to the big game with the Roman numerals, you have to establish that winning mindset every week. Here’s the road map Coach Tomlin likes to lay out — win all your home games and, if you must, split the eight games on the road. But at all cost, win the ones you’re supposed to win.
That’s what the Steelers have been doing in recent weeks with victories over the Bengals and Jaguars.
It may sound easy, but as the win column grows more full, you’re going to get everyone’s best effort each week. Not one single game has been perfect this season, and they won’t be going forward. The Steelers are moving slowly up the mountain by simply chipping away at what’s necessary. It’s the sign of a veteran team, a focused team.
I’m sure the Super Bowl is in the back of everyone’s mind inside the UPMC training facility. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s why you play the game. Yeah, the money is important and so is the prestige that goes with it. But when you’re on a ride like this team, you revert to being a kid again. It’s all about winning a trophy at the end of the season. In the Steelers’ case, it’s all about getting their hands on that “sticky Lombardi.”
Those players, especially those veterans, know what goes into earning that chance. Since the 2010 season, the Steelers have been to the playoffs five times. They have won at least 11 regular-season games on four occasions. Guys like Ben and Cam Heyward want something more this year, and they have the team that can get them there.
Things can always change, but right now the road to the Super Bowl appears to go through either Pittsburgh or Kansas City. A Steelers-Chiefs matchup is the one everybody should want to see. A maturing Patrick Mahomes is having another great season, but my money is on Ben and the Steelers’ defense.
That brings us to Thursday’s primetime game against the Ravens.
We’ve all endured a challenging year. One like no other in our lifetimes. On this Thanksgiving, we get to enjoy our team with a flawless record. They have given us reason to be thankful. They have given us a wonderful distraction in a world where nothing else feels like 10-0.
I’ve been in a couple of these Thanksgiving Day games, and all you want to do is come out injury free with a win so you can enjoy the day after meal.
On Thursday night, I hope we all enjoy the selflessness of these Steelers, the way they cheer and work for each other. Watching Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt celebrate each other’s big plays provides a lesson for all of us in society. We’re in this together. As we dream of a high playoff seed and another Lombardi celebration, let’s transfer that good feeling to one another.
We come united and as one in Steelers Nation, spreading that same love and unity as we take on the Rat Birds. And when it’s over, let’s remember there’s more work to be done toward achieving our ultimate goal.
As Ben says, we’re not chasing perfection, we’re chasing the big trophy at the end of a long road.