Pittsburgh Steelers WR Santionio Holmes’ toe-tap touchdown to win Super Bowl XLIII for the Steelers over the Arizona Cardinals is iconic. Therefore, it’s no surprise that we’ve heard plenty of stories recounting the play from a Steelers viewpoint. Stories from the Cardinals sideline do not surface as frequently for good reason, as it is a tough memory for that Cinderella team who were minutes away from winning their first Super Bowl. However, former Cardinals QB Kurt Warner recently sat down with a bunch of students for an interview. He recalled the mood on Arizona’s sideline and what he was thinking in the closing minutes of the Super Bowl.
“Obviously, when you’re playing on the other side, you’re hoping he didn’t get his feet in, you’re hoping he doesn’t catch the ball so you can win the Super Bowl because we just had our high moment when I threw the touchdown to Larry [Fitzgerald] to take the lead,” said Warner on Sam Vincent’s YouTube page. “And we’re running the sideline, and everyone’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, we just won the Super Bowl!’ And I’m like, ‘Hold on, lot of time left.’ And then for that to happen on the other side, it kind of crushes you ‘cause you’re that close. But I think the other side of it is you appreciate greatness.”
If it wasn’t for Holmes and Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, Warner and Fitzgerald’s catch-and-run would have been etched in Super Bowl lore. The old gunslinger would have turned back the clock to give the Cardinals their first Super Bowl against a legacy franchise with the best defense in the NFL.
🗣He took off in the open and ran it home!
Vote @LarryFitzgerald’s 64-yard touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII as the greatest moment in #NFL100 history ⤵️
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) January 3, 2020
As Kurt Warner explained, he had to calm the sideline down after that touchdown as players were prematurely celebrating. After the Fitzgerald touchdown, only 2:30 remained on the clock. To make matters worse for Pittsburgh, their offense had been doing nothing for most of the second half. In fact, the Steelers’ offense put points on the board for Arizona on their previous drive due to a holding penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety.
But Pittsburgh’s offense delivered when it needed to, putting together an eight-play, 78-yard touchdown drive. Roethlisberger and Holmes connected four times, including the game-winning touchdown.
This isn’t the first time Warner has talked about appreciating greatness regarding Holmes’ catch. A Hall of Famer on the field, Warner should be applauded for graciously answering questions from high school students who bring up hard memories.
Super Bowl XLIII remains heartbreaking for Kurt Warner and Cardinals fans, while Steelers fans look back on it fondly as it was the last time Pittsburgh reached the peak of football. It was one of the best Super Bowls ever played, and a big reason for that was the greatness displayed on the field that day.
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