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PITTSBURGH STEELERS PFL SEASON XXX CHAMPIONSHIP RUN
Anyone who has ever won a championship at any level
knows what an amazing feeling it is and knows all of the
hard work that goes into reaching that pinnacle. For me,
this Superbowl run in particular would stand out as
something very special. Not only would winning Superbowl
XXX mark my fifth PFL Superbowl title, but I would
finally get the chance to do it with my real life
favorite team the Pittsburgh Steelers. Another factor
that would make winning Superbowl XXX extra special was
doing it against one of the most successful and highly
respected coaches in PFL history, Omari Smith. Growing
up I was a diehard Pittsburgh Steelers fan. I spent many
seasons in the PFL as the Miami Dolphins and Detroit
Lions waiting for the opportunity to coach the Steelers.
If the day ever came that I would have the opportunity
to coach the Steelers it would be nothing less than a
dream come true. As fate would have it at the end of PFL
Season XXVIIII, the Pittsburgh Steelers ownership felt
it was time to move on from long time coach Mike Ryan
who needed a fresh start. I was the head coach of the
Detroit Lions at the time and had a clause in my
contract that should an opportunity to coach the
Pittsburgh Steelers present itself that I would be
allowed to pursue the job if the proper compensation
were offered. I had already won a championship in my
first season coaching the Lions so I felt I had done my
duty to the city. The Detroit Lions ownership honored
their promise and made a trade sending me to Pittsburgh
to be the head coach there while bringing in Coach Ryan
to be their new coach.
As
I began my tenure as head coach of the Pittsburgh
Steelers during PFL Season XXX, I began a mass
restructure of the roster. I felt it was a long shot to
pursue a championship in my first year as head coach so
I began the process of rebuilding. My strengths had
always been my hardnosed defensive coaching style
combined with a great running game and efficient passing
attack so I decided to bring in players that fit that
style. I was instantly pleased with the amount of talent
already on the roster combined with the new players I
brought in via the draft, free agency and trades. I felt
that I needed to shake up the roster in order to push
the current players and heighten expectations. As season
XXX kicked off, to most people’s amazement the Steelers
went on an amazing twelve game win streak to open the
season. The fans were ecstatic and of course no one
expected this amount of success in my first season as
head coach. The Steelers went on to win the division and
finish the season 13-2-1. That record gave the Steelers
home field advantage throughout the playoffs, the number
one seed and a week one bye. After the bye week, the
Steelers first opponent in the playoffs would be the
Buffalo Bills led by their All Pro Quarterback Matthew
Hunter and Head Coach Kenneth Washington. The Bills had
a record setting regular season with QB Hunter leading
an unprecedented pass attack combined with the defensive
genius of Coach Washington. The Steelers and Bills met
during week 2 of the regular season in which Coach
Washington and the Bills fell to the Steelers 12-7.
Being that the regular season contest was so close we
knew that this playoff game would be huge. During the
playoff matchup the Steelers defense came to play and
the Steelers ran away with the contest winning 39-6. The
following playoff game would have the Steelers facing
another old rival in Coach Bill Shamnowski and his
Houston Texans. These two coaches faced off in week 7
with the Steelers barely pulling out a 23-21 win.
Coaches Hatzis and Shamnowski had a history of always
playing games down to the wire and the AFC Championship
game would be no different. The Steelers were able to
pull out a narrow victory winning 23-20 and were now
headed to Superbowl XXX. I had to pinch myself at this
point and ask, “Is this really happening”? I had the
team of my dreams, was in my first season as head coach
and had a chance to play in the Superbowl. It didn’t get
any better than this or so I thought…
At
this point in the story you may be thinking, okay you
made it this far so no problem, go out there and win the
Superbowl with your favorite team. The only problem was
the opposing coach in Superbowl XXX would be none other
than Omari Smith. Coach Smith was the coach of the Green
Bay Packers who were defending back to back Superbowl
champions. Coach Smith was heralded as one of the finest
coaches to ever wear a headset in the PFL. Not only were
coach Smith and I huge rivals, but also great friends. I
knew that this Superbowl unlike any other, would have a
huge impact on my legacy. Winning Superbowl XXX would
mean a fifth Superbowl title and a Superbowl win with
three different teams in the PFL, both of which feats
had never been done by any coach before me. A Superbowl
loss however, would mean that I had made it this far
with my favorite team, only to lose in the biggest game
of the year to one of my biggest rivals and greatest
coaches in the league. If I were to lose Superbowl XXX
Coach Smith would become the first and only coach in PFL
history to win three championships in a row. In an epic
Superbowl XXX the Steelers defense which had come
through all season long would play an outstanding game
on the biggest stage and I would be carried off the
field with tears streaming down my face after a 26-20
victory!!! |
