Pittsburgh Steelers -3- Jueves 29/1/09

Super Bowl XLIII – Thursday, January 29, 2009

QUOTES FROM PITTSBURGH STEELERS PRESS CONFERENCE


LS JARED RETKOFSKY

(on his relationship with offensive line coach Larry Zierlein and special teams coach Bob Ligashesky) “With Larry, I got to talk to him a little bit. He used to work out in Texas. We are both from Texas and he coached high school football around where I am from. It’s special to have someone from your hometown along with you. Coach Ligs, he’s a great guy. He’s taken really good care of me. He works with me every day, we watch film and we go over plays. He’ll be upfront with me and tell me what’s going on. He’s been a lot of help. He’s a nice guy. He’ll call you and invite you out to dinner if you have no place to go. He’s the first one to invite you into his home with his family and eat dinner there. He always has a suggestion of somewhere good to eat. Even here, he knows everywhere to go to eat.”


(on his favorite player as a kid) “As a kid, my favorite player was Mike Alstott. When I was in high school, I was a fullback so that’s who I idolized. I just thought he was cool and loved to watch him run people over.”


(on his relationship with P Mitch Berger) “Mitch and I have an odd relationship; it’s almost like a husband and wife relationship. We fight, we have our little arguments, but the bottom-line is when it is time to get the job done, we try to get the job done. I try to give him what he wants because he’s got to be able to kick the ball. If I don’t give him a good snap, it makes his job so much harder. I understand that completely.”


(on if he is different from other punters he’s worked with in terms of ball placement) “Absolutely. The player that is on the IR right now (Daniel Sepulveda), he’d rather you throw it at his face. Mitch on the other hand wants it down here. There is a guy that used to be here, Chris Gardocki, they said he wanted it at his ankles. It just depends on the punter, but ultimately, the big guys upstairs, the coaches, they want it at their hip. I try to keep it right in there, make it a nice medium somewhere.”


(on the change he went through this season after moving furniture before he signed with the Steelers) “I was just at the bottom. I didn’t know if I was going to be able to crawl out of the hole that I was in. I didn’t know if I was ever going to play in the NFL. Now I am preparing for a Super Bowl - it is unbelievable. It was just a really tough time of my life. To get that phone call and have the tryout, I probably have done 10 or 15 tryouts with other teams, but it’s all kind of been ‘workout, a snap, and if something ever happens to our snapper, we’ll give you a call.’ This one was, ‘our snapper (Greg Warren) is hurt, we don’t have a snapper, we’ll bring in three guys to workout and the best man is going to win the job.’ Our snapper was done for the year, so I knew right away that this was a great opportunity for me. I got the call, I went in, did the workout, I went to sign papers. When they told me, ‘lets go and sign the papers,’ and I knew I was going to be a Steeler, I was so emotional. I felt, ‘oh my gosh, I made it, I’m achieving my dreams right now.”


(on if winning the Super Bowl would be his biggest dream) “Absolutely. I’ve said this before, when I was growing up, I never once thought about playing or winning a Super Bowl and I always said, ‘that’s too much to ask for, I just want to play in the NFL - that’s all I want. If I can just play in the NFL, I don’t care about anything else, I just want to play.’ My first year, we’re 11 weeks in; we go to the playoffs, have an amazing run and we’re in the Super Bowl. That’s just so surreal and I never expected it. When I signed with the Steelers I knew that these guys had a chance and I was in awe of everything. Still today, I look around and I see all of these hats and I’m like, ‘Am I really going to play in this. Am I really going to play in the Super Bowl?’ This is going to be a game that will be remembered forever. I don’t know where I will be next year or if I’ll ever play again. I could end my career playing in the Super Bowl and I think that would be awesome.”


(on if his friends are cheering for him back home in Fort Worth, TX) “Half of Fort Worth is cheering for me right now. There are so many people. I am getting so many phone calls from friends. I have a girlfriend and her family has a little burger restaurant. They’ve got banners all over the restaurant and they have people calling, ‘Hey, there’s banners hanging on the restaurant for you.’ The newspapers and everything back home are all talking to me. I’m talking to radio stations back home. There are a lot of people who are excited about me just being here.”



QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER

(on if he appreciates this the second time around more than the first) “Absolutely, it’s something to appreciate because you never know if you will make it back.”


(on if anything distinguishes you from his competition) “My last name. Every single person out there is different so everybody has their own individual traits that make them special.”


(on if he ever got a call from Kurt Warner to ask how it is to play under Ken Whisenhunt) “No, I know Kurt. We might have in passing saw each other and said I’m going to have your coach or something like that. Kurt’s been doing this for a long time so he knows how to deal with any kind of coach, whether I’ve had or someone else has had him before.”


(on if he gave Warner any advice) “No, you don’t need any advice for Coach Whisenhunt. He’s awesome; he’s fun to play for.”


(on if he wishes he hadn’t told Whisenhunt something when he played for him) “No. He was around me so he saw me play. He knows what kind of player and competitor that I am. I don’t think there are any little secrets like he knows that if I drop my left hand I’m doing this. There is nothing crazy like that.”


(on the progress the offensive line has made) “They have done a great job. Like I have said before, they are kind of a thrown together group that has been playing some great defenses and trying to figure out blitzes. I’m just really proud of the way that they have stepped up and come together. They have taken it upon themselves to protect me and silence the critics.”


(on what goes through his mind when a pass play is breaking down) “It’s not really anything crazy. It’s just try to stay alive and find the open receiver. That’s all it really is.”


(on how he admires the kind of receiver that Hines Ward is and how he handles everything) “That whole group of receivers we have is awesome. Hines is an unbelievable professional on and off of the field. He’s made me a lot better player.”


(on if this has become more his team now that Jerome Bettis and Alan Faneca are no longer here) “You have to be as you grow at the position. You kind of naturally have to whether you force it or not. I never tried to force it when I got here. It just naturally became my time.”


(on how the offense has changed since his first Super Bowl) “I think we are more balanced. We try to get close to 50-50 run-pass. I think we’ve done that. We’ve shown that through the year and last year that we can do that. We have to do that to win football games.”


(on the reasons the run game has gotten better recently) “Our offensive line. They are what starts our whole offense, run game and pass game. We go how they go as I tell them before every game.”


(on how he will try to get comfortable early on in the game) “It’s a big priority for me because I take pride in that. Before every game just playing like it’s another game, relaxing and having fun. I’m just going to try and do that by taking a deep breath and just play football.”


(on if he anguished the night before the first Super Bowl) “You’re nervous and anxious, but it wasn’t to the point where I was getting sick or anything. It wasn’t anything like that.”


(on if he and Ken Whisenhunt ever had a period where they didn’t speak) “There was some stuff made in the media, ‘I said things, he said things.’ I actually got to talk to him. We talk a lot and I apologized to him and told him that I didn’t mean him any wrong. I’ve never lost a coach before in high school I had the same coach and in college. When he left, I didn’t know what to think. I was young and kind of stupid at the time and made comments. I didn’t really feel it, it just came out at the top of my head. I’m glad that we talked. People don’t realize that we’ve talked throughout the season, we text each other stuff. It was good to see him to actually talk to him face to face and get it all out there. We’re on a good level right now.”


(on if he still feels like a young quarterback) “Yeah, I’m 26 years old. I’ve been around for a couple years now, so that helps.”


(on what impresses him about Arizona’s defense) “Everything. Their secondary is tremendous, very athletic, very fast. They are all over the field. Their linebackers and defensive line seem to be in the backfield on every play. This is going to be a big challenge for us because they like to move around and show different blitzes. Identification is going to be a big key.”


(on how he has changed the way he sees life, family and the game since his motorcycle accident) “It just makes me appreciate life and take every day one day at a time and enjoy the things that I have and am blessed with. It’s a trophy to be alive every day.”


(on how much he studies quarterbacks of the past) “I know what they do. I couldn’t tell you everybody’s stats and things like that. You know who the great ones are and what they have done.


(on how he decides who the great ones are) “It’s just my opinion really. There are a bunch of them. Joe Montana was my favorite and I wore the number seven because of John Elway. Montana, Jim Kelly, some of the best, those are my favorites.”


(on what he was feeling when Ken Whisenhunt left the Steelers) “I told him I almost felt abandoned. Now I know that you’re in the league a couple years, you know that it’s a business. You know coaches leave and you know players leave, they do what is best for themselves and their family. When you come from high school and college you don’t really experience that. At first I was probably a little hurt, I felt kind of betrayed that he just left us and abandoned us. Now I know that it wasn’t that at all. I was just glad I got a chance to talk to him in person and tell him about it.”


(on his relationship with his offensive line on and off the field) “We’ve gone to dinner a couple times and hung out. We’ve done that a lot. We get together on Monday nights at my house and we’ve gone on some trips together. We have some fun.”


(on if he envisioned Mike Tomlin being a Coach of the Year when he first met him) “It was one of those things that you saw the potential there. With me, did I ever think I was going to be a Super Bowl quarterback? You never know how soon, but you could tell that his passion, his love for the game, he reminded me of a guy that was his role model, Tony Dungy – a guy that players respond to and like playing for.”


(on his relationship with Mike Tomlin) “It’s been great. He’s really easy to talk to. It also helps that I am a captain and that I’m a little bit older and I can go up to the room and talk to him. When I first got here I tried to avoid Bill Cowher’s office walking by because I didn’t want him to call me in because I was nervous. Now I just knock on Mike’s door and he will call me in.”


(on his thoughts of helping the Steelers get their record sixth Super Bowl) “For me, it’s about getting that sixth one for the Rooney family, giving the family one more than any other team and for our fans. That would mean so much to our fans because they already think we are the best thing in the world and if we could give them some proof and evidence of that, that would be awesome.”



G DARNELL STAPLETON

(on being in the Super Bowl) “This is only my second year in the league, so I am really enjoying this experience. It’s like a dream come true. It’s not difficult to realize how rare of an opportunity this is. There are some guys who play in this league for 15 years and never get the chance to play in the Super Bowl. I try to take that into perspective and realize that this could be my last time here and I need to take advantage of every opportunity I get. I’m going to work as hard as I can.”


(on preparing for the Super Bowl) “We’re not leaving any stone unturned. We’re going to make sure we bring a full force to the game and try to eliminate any mental errors. We’ve just got to stick to our game plan and execute. ”


(on the best-case scenario after Sunday’s game) “We walk off the field World Champions. That’s the ultimate goal that we all want - to be the best in the world at what we do. I hope it goes that way and I am going to work as hard as I can to make that possible.”


(on what he has seen from the Cardinals through film study) “They do a lot of different things very well. They’re pretty much doing the same things because it is working for them. Why change something if it is working for you? They’ve been getting after the quarterback and forcing turnovers, making sacks and recovering fumbles.”


(on what the offensive line needs to do help bring a win on Sunday) “As an offensive unit, it is our responsibility not to put our defense in positions like that. If we can help our defense out by keeping them off the field, to move the ball efficiently and not turn the ball over. The Cardinals have done a great job in the playoffs of holding on to the ball and retaining possessions. We need to get the ball and keep our offense in a position to score.”



T MAX STARKS

(on Pittsburgh’s offense) “You have to have two dimensions going into this game. You can’t rely on one to carry the other. For us, it’s very important to establish a line of scrimmage from a run and a pass standpoint, control and maintain ball possession in those critical third down situations and keep the chains moving. That’s ultimately what the difference of the game is and this game is going to come down to time of possession and ball control.”


(on the last day of media availability) “Because I have been here before I knew what to expect. It’s a blessing that I’m actually doing this. I am sure there are 30 other teams full of guys that would love to have this distraction in their lives. For me to have a second opportunity to do it, I embrace it. I know that this is the world’s largest stage for sports so I’m happy for it. Media access hasn’t been a bother for me, but I know that once this is over right now, we will zone in, lock into the game and focus on what this week really means and what the ultimate goal is on Sunday.”


(on the challenges the offensive line have faced) “As an offensive line, we have had some difficult situations this year. Anytime you lose key veteran starters, most teams would say they are preparing for the next season. The good thing about our offensive line and our team in general is that we have great depth. We have guys that can play multiple positions. We have guys that can fill in and guys that are intelligent enough to crack the lineup. Coach (Mike) Tomlin has said that we have a bunch of starters waiting behind the starting lineup. We’ve had guys, like myself, who have taken advantage of those opportunities. It’s about hard work and perseverance. It’s already tough enough to make it to this level and to make it on a team. When you’ve had the opportunity to be on the starting lineup, guys have seized the opportunity and relished it. Now there’s only one step left.”


(on the criticism the offensive line has taken throughout the season) “We take the criticism with a grain of salt. It is always going to be looked at as a run first team. We’ve changed that dimension this season by being a very pass oriented team. They look at our rushing numbers, look at the situations under which we rush and they say that we are not the normal Pittsburgh Steelers team. Well, it’s not Bill Cowher running the team, it’s Mike Tomlin. It is a different team. We have always looked at the situation as an opportunity to grow. We got closer through off the field activities more so than on the field. We have just embraced it because the offensive line does have to be a close unit. We’ve done everything together off the field and on the field. That naturally brought us closer than it would have if it had been anywhere else, where you just go to work together, go home and forget about it. It’s helped us get to this point.”


(on how the style of Pittsburgh’s offense has changed since their last Super Bowl appearance three years ago) “We have added a new passing dimension. There is a lot more passing in the offense and a variety of different packages with the passing so we can do it from any type of personnel set. We have a nice array of things that keep teams off balance. I think that complimented our run style when Willie (Parker) was injured. Looking back on it, you had a team that said, ‘We are going to run the ball right here, you are not going to stop it and guess what? We are going to do it again.’ Now, you don’t know what’s going to happen from play to play. You don’t know what personnel’s going to come in. You don’t know where people are going to come in and lineup. It adds a nice confusion and it makes defenses play more honest against you as opposed to the exotic type of blitz packages where they are dropping the safeties in and dropping defensive linemen into coverage. It’s something I felt that has helped us a lot and has helped us get to this point.”


(on teammates leaning on him for advice) “Guys have asked me a couple of questions about it, but you don’t want to ruin the experience. You want every guy to enjoy and savor this moment as much as they can. It’s their first time doing it so you don’t want to sit there and try to give them a speech or a lecture about how you should do this. Let the guys live the experience and enjoy the experience, but remind them why they are here and why these distractions are around us. It is because of the game we are playing in. We are not watching it on Sunday and waiting for the commercials. We are the show. I tell them to be themselves, but remember why you’re here.”


(on the strengths of the Cardinals defense) “I would say their secondary has played strong. They’ve had 12 takeaways in the playoffs alone. Their secondary is a group that is definitely strong. They are playing very well right now and their front seven is causing a lot of those turnovers. Their defense is playing well as a group. They’re swarming. They’re active. They’re fast. They try to be as disruptive as they can as a unit, and they are all playing on the same page. You have to realize their tenacity and their risk-taking.


(on his future in the NFL) “This business is a business. At the end of the day, it is a sport that we love, you play it as a child growing up, and you hope to one day be here but it is a business. After this week we will have to see what’s going to come up in the up-coming month about free agency. I look forward to seeing the opportunities, but I want to hold a Lombardi before that happens.”


(on if Ben Roethlisberger’s accident made him more appreciative of his offensive line) “I didn’t think he wasn’t appreciative of his offensive line. I was drafted with him and have a locker next to him, so for me he’s always been the same guy. To other guys in the locker room and to other positions, he’s opened himself up more. Before he would hang with guys low key at his house and now he goes on trips, so I guess it would be a step-up. Ben has always been someone I could talk to.”


(on how Ben Roethlisberger has matured since his last Super Bowl appearance) “He’s matured as a player from the last time he was in the Super Bowl. A second year starting quarterback is not going to be considered a leader in the NFL when you have 10-plus year veterans in the locker room. That is just something that is not going to happen. I haven’t seen a rookie or a second-year quarterback back as captain of a team yet. Now he is in the position that he knows the playbook inside and out and he calls the plays on his own. That comes from experience. He’s had more experience and that is what drives quarterbacks in this league and gives them an opportunity to be as successful as they are. When you face those challenges and obstacles, like the last minute game-winning drives or having to put together a touchdown right before the half, going through all that tough situational football this season has made him better. It puts him on a stage to where there is nothing that a team can throw at him that he hasn’t seen before and experienced first-hand. I think that is something he lacked his first year going to the Super Bowl, those experiences where he’s played a lot of different teams and seen a lot of different fronts.”


(on Arizona’s offensive line coach Russ Grimm) “That was the first coach I had in the NFL. He was the one who taught and tutored me on the NFL and how to be a professional and an offensive lineman. It is a business at the end of the day. Decisions are made, coaches retire, coaches change positions and different opportunities are awarded to them. It is something that I totally understand. I know that he is happy over there and that’s what’s important. I am happy where I am and on Sunday I won’t know who he is until that clock hits zero in the fourth quarter. I have talked to him since I left.”



HEAD COACH MIKE TOMLIN

(remarks after presentation of Motorola NFL Coach of the Year award to him) “It is a tremendous and humbling honor to be recognized by the NFL’s communication partner Motorola. As the NFL Coach of the Year, I’d like to thank the fans for their participation and support. I humbly accept this also on behalf of the other coaches and the players on our team. I’d like to say thank you.”


(opening statement) “It’s Thursday for us. We continue with this portion of our preparation, sharpening up some things we introduced yesterday, really moving forward and hitting some situational football today – the beginning of third down and red zone stuff offensively and defensively, and of course we continue to sharpen ourselves in the kicking game.”


(on how a tough schedule prepared the Steelers for the postseason) “If it doesn’t kill you, it strengthens you. These games are fun; they are. I think our team learned a lot about ourselves in the midst of it. I think that we grew, and that’s what it’s about. When you are fortunate enough to win enough of those games, I think it prepares you for January football. I believe we have a team that doesn’t blink in the face of adversity, because we’ve had quite a bit and found ways to see our way through. It also provides opportunities for guys to step up and deliver, and you can’t create or get enough of those opportunities along the way in preparation for what we face on Sunday.”


(on winning the Motorola NFL Coach of the Year award) “It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized as Motorola NFL Coach of the Year. It’s doubly special because it was voted on by the fans of the game. They are the reason why we do what it is we do. I am very appreciative of that, but at the same time I recognize, like I asked all my guys to recognize, that it is the ultimate team game. We have a bunch of assistant coaches, who don’t care who gets the credit, ante up and kick in and are of the same mindset. I like to join them in that mindset.”


(on Hines Ward’s status) “Hines is great, by the way.”


(on what Troy Polamalu means to the Steelers) “It’s special. You learn to appreciate guys with the playing qualities he has, because quite simply he does what you don’t teach. You can’t teach people to play the game the way he plays the game. His intuition, his physical gifts, his perception of the game is very unique. I just learned that if you have a chance to be around guys like that, you don’t harness it, you embrace it, and you appreciate it for what it is.”


(on how much time the Steelers have spent self-scouting, and how important that process is) “That is a continual thing for us throughout the course of the season – quarterly, weekly and repeat opponents. That’s something that we continually do. To a degree we are concerned about it, but also to a degree we’re not concerned about it because it’s our personality at times, and we intend to impose our will on people in regards to that. We look at it for different reasons, but it doesn’t rule our day-to-day decision-making because sometimes we are just going to be the Pittsburgh Steelers.”


(on his relationship with Tony Dungy) “Specifically regarding Tony (Dungy) and what he’s meant to my growth and development as a coach, I learned many lessons from him, but probably more than anything, was just how accepting he was of people who he worked with – their different approaches – to teaching and conveying his message. His willingness to listen, his servant leadership capabilities – those are some of the key things that stand out having had an opportunity to work with him for a year.”


(on how his success fits in with the success of other African-Americans like President Barack Obama and Dungy) “I’m just humbled by the things that I’ve been given. By no stretch do I put myself in the category with President Obama or Tony Dungy. I don’t see myself in that way. Some of the things I get a chance to do, I benefit from some of the roads they’ve paved.”


(on being in Tampa for this year’s Super Bowl) “It’s great, but I can’t sit here and tell you that it wouldn’t be great regardless of where it is. Let’s be real, this is the Super Bowl. But it is special coming back to Tampa, where it all started for me in the National Football League. It’s special for my family. We spent five great years here. This is home to my two oldest sons who are eight and seven – this is what they consider home, so they had the opportunity to visit friends and do some of the things they used to do. So from that standpoint, it’s been very special.”


(on how Ben Roethlisberger is effective when plays break down) “He is a competitor. He, of course, has great physical skills, size, strength, agility, escapability, but he’s also very smart and very even-keeled under duress. All of those attributes together allow him to extend plays, make plays as they break down and make outside-the-box plays, if you will.”


(on if he takes into account an opposing coach who has familiarity with his team) “It is very similar to the self-scout question that we had earlier. In some instances you do, and make what you perceive to be necessary adjustments. In some instances, you don’t because you are who you are. Those are some of the decisions we are coming to and make as we prepare for this game. But it’s also some of the decisions we make when we prepare for people we know and we know them – divisional opponents and people who you have a long-term competitive relationship with. It is very similar in terms of how you approach those circumstances. And this one is so unique because there are some people over there who understand the inner workings, who’ve been inside the building, but ultimately it’s going to come down to the execution of the men on the field. I firmly believe that. There is a lot of fluidity in this business from players and coaches, that’s just part of today’s NFL. This is probably garnering more attention because it is the big game, but I imagine every weekend somewhere in the National Football League during the regular season, it’s an element. It’s part of a matchup. So, it is what it is.”


(on how the Steelers are managing their short-yardage troubles) “Quite simply, it’s been difficult because we’ve played some tough opponents. We’ve played some great defenses. We are not going to make excuses for our failures. We acknowledge them for what they are. We’ve been hit in the mouth some. We’ve hit people in the mouth some. Through it all, I think we’ve grown. We found a guy in Gary Russell, who we believe has an aptitude for those situations. I think we’ve had more success since we’ve featured him specifically in those situations. The season itself is an evolution for a football team, and I think that you learn about yourself, you make adjustments, and you formulate roles along the way. I think that was one of the areas in which we were able to grow. I feel like we have grown, and hopefully it’s a weapon for us on Sunday.”


(on how important Ryan Clark is to the Steelers’ defense) “He is an important cog in our defense. He is very highly respected in our locker room for what he does inside the white lines, and for what he does outside of the white lines in preparation for games. He is a legitimate professional, and a very solid football character guy. He’s gotten some attention because of a couple of plays this year, but at the same time, those plays don’t come to mind the moment I think about Ryan Clark. I think about the consistency of performance and the quality play and leadership he provides us on a day-to-day basis.”


(on the criticism of the offensive line, and a reference to it as a work in progress) “It’s just that. We’ve had some turnover on the offensive line here in the last few years. Reputable guys, great players such as Jeff Hartings, who are no longer in the mix because of retirement, or Alan Faneca because of free agency. You couple that with some critical injuries, one to our left tackle Marvel Smith, another one to our right guard Kendall Simmons. It is what it is. We don’t run away from that. The standard of expectation doesn’t change for us. Along the way, we’ve got to find ways to win football games. It might be in the manner in which we embrace, so be it. I think this group has responded to those challenges, held a standard and provided winning performances for us. We don’t worry about the style points. People are going to say what they are going to say. When you have a number-one defense in football, somebody’s got to be the weak link. They’ve been chosen to be identified as that. But we are a team. That doesn’t drive us. We’re not concerned about that. We’re just trying to win football games.”


(on Santonio Holmes’ growth as an individual this year) “I think it started with the offseason. He came in great physical condition, much better physical condition than he was in ’07 from my perspective. I think it produced a great training camp, and he’s had a solid season. This is a guy who has a desire to be great, but more importantly, he’s willing to do what it takes on a day-to-day basis to make that happen. Is he a finished product from that standpoint? No, but he is embracing the challenges of doing that. He is growing as a person. I see it on a daily basis. But there are a lot of those stories on a football team. I think a lot of times people look at professional athletes and they view them as something that they are not. But working with those guys on a day-to-day basis, at times it’s very evident that they are young people. They are 22, 23, 24 (years old), and they are going through the normal things that people in that age group go through. I think that he is doing a nice job of it.”


(on getting Ben Roethlisberger comfortable early in the Super Bowl) “I think Ben is a different player this time around. That’s just the reality of it. His professional experience, what he’s done, his position in the group is very different this time around. He’s not the young guy that could potentially screw it up. He is a leader for our football team. He was voted captain by his teammates. We have a long-term commitment contractually to him as our quarterback. I don’t expect to deal with those issues to be quite honest with you. He’s going to go through the normal things that people go through playing in this football game. But we fully expect Ben to deliver, and deliver big for us. He has to. If we are going to be successful, he is going to be one of the key reasons why.”


(on if he has any notion on how a game might end up score-wise) “I make a conscious effort not to do that. I just always have because most of the time, I’m wrong. There are a lot of elements to the matchup. There are a lot of key matchups in the football game. Some are highlighted more than others. Usually there are some others that end up being central (to the outcome). There is a lot being made out of matchups in this football game, whether it’s their receiving corps vs. our secondary, and our offensive front blocking their defensive front. But anytime you put 11 on the field – 11 for us, 11 for them – someone is going to win and someone is going to lose. We respect all of those things. We take each individual player as an opportunity to win. So with that being said, I try not to be presumptuous.”



WR HINES WARD

(on whether he will participate in a full practice today) “Today will be the first day that I go out and try it (the knee) out and gradually get into it. I’m not going to go out there and try to go full speed like it is game time, but I still want to go out there, get the reps and test it and see how I get in and out of my breaks. I’m looking forward to today.”


(on whether it is more difficult to deal with an injury prior to the Super Bowl) “Yes, because I have never really had to deal with this specific injury. Me and the Super Bowls have had our battles. The last Super Bowl, I got injured on Friday. It’s unfortunate, but I went on to play and won the Super Bowl. This (injury) is the same. I have been training my butt off and rehabbing to go out there and give me an opportunity to play on Sunday. Today is going to be a fun day. I get a chance to get back on the field with my teammates and see if I can go out there and go.”


(on how his knee felt this morning) “It felt good. It’s getting better every day. We’ll see today when I run around. Yesterday, I had a good rehab session and everything looked good.”


(on whether the hyperbaric chamber is making a difference) “I think so. It’s helped me out. I’ve been laying in it all year. It helps the healing process. I am a big fan of my hyperbaric chamber.”


(on the Steelers tradition) “Anytime you put on a uniform you represent the players before you. You have a sense of pride. Pittsburgh is used to winning championships. Playing on a stage like this, you definitely want to go out there and give it all you have because you have a great opportunity. We, as an organization, have an opportunity to become the first organization in the NFL to win six championships. We can go down in history as being the first team in history to do that. As a player, you take pride in that. You always want to go out and perform well and bring back championships to the city of Pittsburgh.”


(on where he is in his recovery) “I did very well yesterday. I ran through a cone drill. I was actually cutting and getting in and out of my routes. We’ll see today. Today, I get to go and actually compete and go out there against the defense. I’m looking forward to it. I’m fine. I feel good.”


(on why there has not been a lot of trash talking between the two teams) “We still have to go out there and play. It’s really not about trash-talking. Talk is cheap in my opinion. You can talk all day. We don’t have that type of personality on our team. Joey Porter was our trash-talking guy. He spoke his mind. Joey is not here, but he is still trash talking right now, somewhere, today. We just don’t have that type of personality on our team.”


(on Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt liking to run trick plays between the 40-yard lines) “Every time he gets near the 50-yard line, he wants to take a shot. That is his m.o. (motive). The trick play that they ran against Philly, they were near the 50-yard line. He likes to do those trick plays. He likes to take shots around the 50. Just as well as he knows us, we know him as well. I’m pretty sure our defense is alert about that, but that is just how ‘Whis’ is.”


(on the worst injury he ever played through) “In last year’s Super Bowl, I had a sprained AC joint. It’s almost a separation of the shoulder. I don’t even know why I dove. I leaned down and fell on my shoulder Friday leading up to the last Super Bowl that we won. I just knew that I wasn’t going to play. I was in a sling Friday and Saturday night. I woke up Sunday morning and had to get a shot in my shoulder. I couldn’t even reach my arm above my head. With this injury, at least I had two weeks to heal. With that injury it was a day, maybe a day and a half, to get ready to play in the Super Bowl. Once your adrenaline gets going and after the shot kicked in, I didn’t even know I had an injury in the Super Bowl. I felt it the next day. There was no question about that. It was all worth it because there is no tomorrow.”


(on Head Coach Mike Tomlin) “He has done a phenomenal job all year. He’s been that guy who has always done it his way. He never stirred the course. He always stayed the course. He really never let anything deter him off that. If you weren’t happy to be here, more than likely you weren’t going to be on this team. He always had that authority and that presence that this is his team. It’s no longer a Coach (Bill) Cowher team and we’re going to do it his way. As (players) you respect that. A guy comes in and you want to test him a little bit, but he held his own and here we are, in his second year, in the Super Bowl.”


(on whether he will take more leadership in this Super Bowl) “Yes. It was passed down from the guys before me. Jerome (Bettis) was the leader in the first Super Bowl. Ben (Roethlisberger) is coming into his own, being that he is the quarterback and captain of this team. I pride myself in being the leader. I told the guys earlier today, ‘When you go out there and warm up, take your time. Don’t go out there and go crazy because there is a 45-minute layover. Halftime is even longer because they have a mini concert, so take your time. This is all a big entertaining show, but you have to prepare differently when you’re warming up for the Super Bowl.’”


(on what he anticipates from Coach Whisenhunt) “I wouldn’t put it pass (Whisenhunt) to start the game off with a trick play. They are playing with a lot confidence. We don’t like to call them trick plays. We just call them plays that we execute. Whis says he is not going to have one, but he has one in his back pocket waiting for us. Hopefully we can execute it and turn it around for us to have a big play. Maybe we can cause a fumble or get an interception off of the trick play.”


(on whether he has worn a brace on his knee before) “Yes. I wore one all last year. I had a similar injury, but it was a little more severe. I played all last year. Playing all last year, I’m pretty sure I can play one more game for the Super Bowl.”


(on Tomlin being named Coach of the Year) “That is a phenomenal accomplishment and hats off to him. He has done it his way. When he first came here there was a little (skepticism) from guys. We really didn’t know about him and he didn’t know about us. He came in and did it his way. That’s what you really respect. It couldn’t be more deserving. He has worked his butt off to get us to this point. We’re happy about that.”


(on Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald) “Larry is a great wideout, but let’s not take away from the other guys who are on the field. (Anquan) Boldin is just as explosive as anyone out there. Santonio Holmes is an explosive guy. We don’t get jealous of another guy. He is a great wideout. He is having a phenomenal year and playoff run. I don’t care who gets the praise.”


(on keeping Fitzgerald on the sidelines) “If we can control the clock, then we can keep their offense (off the field). It’s not just Larry. The key guy in this game is Kurt Warner versus. our defense. He makes everything possible. You can always take one guy out of the game. They have a lot of weapons on the field. You can’t just worry about Larry, you have to worry about Boldin, (Edgerrin) James and all of their guys. They have plenty of explosive guys. We’re not going in game planning for just Larry Fitzgerald. If we do that then the other guys will eat us up alive too. The best way for us to exploit that is to go out and control what we can control offensively, convert on third downs and put up touchdowns in the red zone rather than field goals.”



WR NATE WASHINGTON

(on if he has a big-play mentality) “I don’t think it’s having a big-play mentality. I think it’s just showing up when my number is called. It just so happened that those plays went for those yards. I don’t think it’s necessarily ‘ok, I’m going to go out here and catch a ball for over 50 yards.’ This year, I’ve been focusing on taking advantage of every opportunity I’ve been given.”


(on running a lot of long routes this season) “Yes, I’ve run a lot of routes like that this year. The coaches have had confidence in that I can get down the field, and I could get open, or allow someone else to get open. They’ve given me more chances to do that.”


(on how he is preparing for the Super Bowl in case Hines Ward is not 100 percent) “You just have to be prepared for it. The game itself will be a little different than the last one because this time I’ll be playing. You don’t really expect anything to happen, so you really don’t take heed to those types of situations, but it is what it is.”


(on if he is taking more reps at the other receiver slots) “Yes. I’ve been looking at more of the playbook and a lot more film than I usually would.”


(on if he is the fastest guy on the team) “I don’t know. That’s the biggest debate of the year. It’s up in the air right now. The debate is between me, running back Willie Parker and cornerback Ike Taylor.”


(on if it has become a competition) “Yes, I think we are going to settle it in the offseason. I think we are going to schedule something to settle it and get it out of the way. I don’t know. I think I just snuck up on a lot of people this year.”


(on showing up more in games this season) “Yes, I think that’s what it is. They knew I was playing, but they didn’t know the potential I had. I think I was just able to play more relaxed, with this being my fourth season. Last year, I was still trying to get accustomed to what was going on. I had a couple injuries to my hand earlier in my career that no one knew about. It’s just rough. You don’t want to talk about those types of things, but it is what it is.”


(on how the offense differs since offensive coordinator Bruce Arians took over when Arizona Cardinals’ head coach Ken Whisenhunt left) “Yes, we run a lot more single-back spread offenses. That’s one of the differences between us and the Cardinals. They still run a lot of fullback-based offense, even with the receivers they have out there.”


(on if being more relaxed in the game comes from taking more reps and feeling more comfortable in the new system) “Yes. Everyone, including the players and the coaches, have done a good job of making me feel more comfortable, and allowing me to play the way I know how to play. I used to literally feel that when I stepped on the field, I was stepping on pins and needles. I used to be nervous when I stepped on the field, and I was trying to make plays. Now, I have confidence in myself to when I step out onto the field, I feel as though I am walking on an air mattress. It feels great, comfortable and relaxing with the confidence these guys have in me.”


(on the Steelers’ philosophy that every man has to step up and no one is going to feel sorry for themselves) “You can’t. The second you feel sorry for yourself, you lose. I love Hines Ward, and he has been a great inspiration to my career. When he got hurt, Santonio Holmes and I knew that we had to come out and do something without him to show that it’s not just him. We just went out there and did it, and it felt great.”


(on if he is happy this is the final day of press conferences and it’s getting closer to gameday) “It has been exciting to speak to the media, but at the same time it has been draining. It’s nothing against the media because they are doing their jobs. At the same time, you kind of get lost in the sauce and forget that you’re playing football until you walk out onto the field for practice. It feels good to be able to get back and just concentrate on football.”


(on the fact that he can be one Super Bowl play away from becoming a celebrity like New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree) “It feels good but at the same time it gives you some anxiety. You just want to go out there and play. I don’t think a lot of the guys on this team are worried about making just one big play. I think we are more focused on winning. It’s going to be exciting, but at the same time you have to be more focused than ever and know the task at hand.”



LB LAMARR WOODLEY

(on what position he thought he would play in the NFL) “Coming into the NFL they were asking me if I wanted to play outside linebacker or defensive end. At first I wanted to play defensive end because I was comfortable at that position. I had been playing it for four years, so I was comfortable at that position. When the Steelers called me and said ‘we’re going to draft you with the next pick and you’ll play outside linebacker,’ I definitely wasn’t going to say no. I knew it was going to be a challenge for me but I knew once I had the opportunity to have the reps at the position, as far as dropping back in coverage and just taking reps doing different things, that I could get it down.”


(on his knowledge of Dick LeBeau before being drafted by Pittsburgh) “I didn’t know much about Coach LeBeau but I knew about the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. I didn’t know the man behind the mask, I didn’t know who it was but I knew the way they went out there and played defense was the way I wanted to go out there and play.”


(on Dick LeBeau starting to get more recognition) “If you look at the defenses for the past few years the Pittsburgh Steelers defense has been one of the top-rated defenses and you know the guy behind that is Dick LeBeau. Anybody that knows anything about football knows that defense starts with the defensive coordinator and the calls that he’s out there making and the way he coaches his players.”


(on if the team has talked to any former Steelers) “We had an opportunity during training camp to work with Jason Gilden and Kevin Greene. Those guys’ attitude is the way our attitude is now, always fired up and aggressive. (They) talked to us about how this Pittsburgh Steelers defense should be. How the linebackers should be on this Pittsburgh Steelers defense. They instilled that in us when they were here in camp and we’ve been out there playing like that.”


(on working with Kevin Green in training camp and their similarities) “Kevin Green was fired up everyday. I think he was ready to go right then and there. I seriously believe he wanted to put some pads on and go out there and play a few downs. (He was) a big linebacker. I kind of do the same bull rush, the bull rush he showed me in camp. If he mastered it I’m going to try to master it, and so far this year it’s been working.”


(on facing Cardinals T Levi Brown on Sunday) “Levi is like he was at Penn State when we had our battles. He’s always been that aggressive guy, that guy that always played until the whistle, a guy that hates to lose. He’s going to be a challenge for each and every play. He plays all the way to the fourth quarter. I don’t think I’ve ever played a lineman like that, that just constantly gets after guys.”


(on how the Steelers can stop the Cardinals offense) “Go out there and play defense the way we know how to play it. Go out there and cause turnovers. Go out there and try to put our offense on the short end of the field to allow them to put some points on the board.”


(on Kurt Warner) “The thing about Kurt Warner is that he is a very smart quarterback. He’s a guy that’s been in this league for a long time, a guy that’s seen it all and done it all. He’s one of those guys that when he’s back there with the ball he can definitely break down your defense and read the coverage that you’re in and know where to find the right guys at the right time. I think the key for us to stopping Kurt Warner is applying pressure to him. Doing what we’ve been doing all year. That’s putting pressure on the quarterback and trying to cause him to make mistakes.”


(on the key to stopping Edgerrin James) “The key to stopping Edgerrin James is Steelers versus Steelers. It’s our responsibility to stay in our rush lanes and not over rushing your gap. If you give a guy like that huge lanes that guy right there will take it to the house. I think it’s our responsibility to be where we need to be at.”


(on getting to Kurt Warner early in the game) “If we can apply pressure and we can go in there and get some good hits early, that’s always a good thing for our defense. Getting hits on quarterbacks cause turnovers, and rattle quarterbacks a little bit but I guess I’ll have to wait until Sunday for that.”


(on how it would feel to win a sixth Super Bowl for the Steelers) “That would feel good. That’s something that goes down in history, the first team to get six trophies. To actually be a part of that team, that’s something that goes down in history and that can be something that can never be taken away.


(on the importance of the first round bye) “When you look at it, coming into the playoffs we had a bye week. When they went to the Super Bowl two or three years ago they were playing each and every week. They didn’t have a chance to get a bye week and freshen up. That’s definitely been a difference between that team and this team is that bye week in the playoffs.”


(on his sack numbers in the regular season and playoffs) “I’m just taking advantage of opportunities. When I was getting those high sack numbers then I fell off a lot of people asked me if I hit the wall and I told them I didn’t hit the wall. I’m still able to get in there and pressure on the quarterback. A few of times I had the quarterback right in my hands and he just slipped away. When you usually come from the side that the quarterback can see you on that juke move will take you right out of position and that’s what was happening. In the playoffs our big guys up front aren’t allowing the quarterback to step up in the pocket and they are flushing him out, and I’m there and I’m opening up my arms, wrapping them up and taking them down.”


(on the Cardinals offense) “They have a good offense. They have three great receivers and a lot of people kind of sleep on Steve Breaston because he kind of gets overshadowed by the other two guys. They definitely have good receivers and a running back. You definitely can’t overlook (Edgerrin James), but it all starts with the quarterback, the guy who’s going to get the ball first. He’s going to get the ball from the center first, but it’s up to us. If we go in there, play as a defense and put pressure on him the way we’ve been doing all year, I think we can make something happen.”


(on Kurt Warner’s experience) “He’s an experienced guy. He’s been around this league a long time and can break down a defense. Things have changed over the years. Guys are bigger and guys are faster, and if me and James (Harrison) can beat one of those offensive tackles, there’s really nothing he can do about that. He’s relying on his protection, so if we are in there to disrupt him a little bit by beating one of those guys, then hitting the quarterback a few times, you kind of rattle people a little bit.”