During the era of Plaxico Burress, the Steeler Nation felt the Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the best receiving corps in the National Football League with Hines Ward, Antwaan Randle El and Bobby Shaw in the mix.
In 2005, the city began to panic when Burress moved on to join the New York Giants.
Burress did go on to capture a Super Bowl title with the New York Giants in 2008 and make the game-winning touchdown catch against the New England Patriots. However, the Steelers collected two Super Bowl rings in four years without him.
In 2006, Pittsburgh seemed to have found their next solution when they drafted Ohio State’s Santonio Holmes in the first round.
Holmes made an immediate impact as he became one of Ben Roethlisberger’s favorite targets and recorded at least 800 yards in each of his four seasons and was named MVP in Super Bowl XLIII. Before the 2010 season, Holmes was traded to the New York Jets.
After the Steelers lost Holmes, new stars began to shine and Pittsburgh made another Super Bowl appearance that same year Holmes was traded.
Wide receiver Mike Wallace became the new fan favorite in 2009 as he showed off his blazing speed and left the city of Pittsburgh wanting more. He did not disappoint the following two years after recording back to back 1,000 yard seasons (1,257/1,193) and 18 touchdowns.
To our surprise, the Steelers chose not to resign “Fast Money” during the off-season and is now a Miami Dolphin.
Did the general public care?
Are “yinz” seeing a trend here?
Wallace was feeling the heat in Pittsburgh after the debacle last season, when he showed a lack production basically in catching the ball?
Not that he won’t be missed for his ability to burn every defender on God’s green earth, but if Steeler fans are also fans of the Pirates’ their generally used to this kind of thing, right?
And just like our beloved Buccos, the Rooneys are not all about spending big money in the free agency hoopla. Instead, they rely simply on developing players within and adding low-budget role players like Jerricho Cotchery.
This has been going on for years and the Steelers still have six rings only?
“Relax.”
Roethlisberger will have plenty of targets going into the 2013 season in Antonio Brown, Heath Miller, Emmanuel Sanders, Burress and Cotchery.
I know he is not what he used to be after he rejoined the Steelers this year but “Plex” can still be a formidable foe to opposing teams in the red zone. And Cotchery is known for making big time catches in clutch situations.
On top of Brown becoming the star in this offense, Sanders now has a legitimate shot at putting up some very nice numbers on a team that has relied on the passing game more so than not.
For the fans of the beloved Steeler Nation with this notion believe in the superstitions in sports, especially when they favor the black and gold. The last time the Steelers failed to make the playoffs, didn’t they go on to win the Super Bowl the following year?