Steelers WR SANTONIO HOLMES - MVP

Sunday, February 1

Steelers WR SANTONIO HOLMES

(on winning touchdown catch) “It was a play that we drew up that we were hoping to get open in the back of the corner. The defensive back bit up on the short route and Ben (Roethlisberger) held onto the ball long enough to get it to me.”


(on how he managed to get both feet down in the end zone on winning catch) “My feet never left the ground. All I did was extend my arms and use my toes as extra extension to catch up to the ball.”


(on play of Steelers offense) “Everything was pretty good and went smooth for us. Ben (Roethlisberger) had a couple of mistakes here and there but he’s one of those guys who knew to keep fighting and win the game for our team.”


(on what this win means to the Steelers) “We’re going down in history with one of the greatest games ever played in the Super Bowl. We finished it up the way we needed to and brought another championship back to Pittsburgh.”


(on if he ever dreamed of making the game-winning catch in the Super Bowl) “I definitely asked the Lord to help me today. I asked Him, ‘Can I be the guy to win this game?’ I told my coach earlier this evening that I wanted to be a great playmaker for this team. The Lord was willing to look out for me today and gave me the opportunity.”


(on what he told Ben Roethlisberger prior to winning drive) “Before that drive, I told him, ‘Ben, I want the ball in my hands no matter what…no matter where it is.’ I wanted to be the one to make the play, and I did it for our team.”


(on what he said to Ben Roethlisberger on the final drive) “I dared the team. I came up and told Ben that I want to be the guy. ‘I wanted to win this game for you guys, man. Just give me the ball, give me the chance to make plays and I will do it for you.”


(on the final touchdown) “I knew it was a touchdown 100 percent. My feet never left the ground. All I did was stood up on my toes and extended my hands. I knew it would be 100 percent.”


(on how far he has come from Ohio State to Super Bowl MVP) “This is a wonderful blessing. I would definitely like to thank the Lord for putting me in this situation. I’d like to thank the Lord for helping me overcome all the things I overcame, the coaches for sticking with me, this organization for being behind me and believing in me and my quarterback for giving me this opportunity to make plays for him all season.


(on if there was any doubt from teammates when the Cardinals scored) “There was a couple guys grabbing me and telling me, ‘Ten, you are going to be the guy to make a play for the team. Don’t give up on it.’ I almost lost it for a minute dealing with the time, but God was behind me 100 percent. My guys we telling me, ‘Ten, who wants to be the superstar? To be the superstar, now is the time to step in and shine.”


(on the sixth Super Bowl for the Steelers) “World Champions, we are going down in history. We are going down in history right now.”


(on if there was anything extra said in the huddle on the last drive) “No, I was telling those guys give them everything. This is what we worked hard throughout the summer, why we put in those extra hours in the film room throughout the postseason. Those guys have been spending so much time together, and believe in themselves. I stepped in the huddle and told them this is where we stand up on the podium. We became World Champions. Those guys believed in me.


(on if he could feel his toes) “I knew my toes were on the ground the whole time. Once I extended my arms and my body everything just flowed right together. I never left the ground.”


(on if he could have drawn up a better Super Bowl game) “No. My quarterback gave me the opportunity to get into the game early. They kept believing in me. The plays weren’t there all game for us, but we made the ones that really counted.”


(on describing the touchdown) “There was a play that was designed for me to get into the back corner of the end zone. The defensive backs both came down on Hines (Ward) knowing that he was our go-to red zone guy. When they went to him, Ben held the ball for an extra second and it gave me the opportunity.”


(on if he ever dreamed he would be here) “All my friends, all my family members have been texting me throughout the whole postseason saying that I was going to be the Super Bowl MVP if we make it there. I really didn’t want to believe them because I didn’t want to put such expectations on myself, but I’m here now. I thank all these guys for believing in me, my family and definitely my kids for sticking with me.”


(on if the rule change of pushing the receiver out of bounds changes his approach to catching the ball) “Not at all. Once I know I get two feet on the ground the hands take care of the rest. Once I get my hands on the ball I am not worried about if the defender is close to me. I am just worried about making the play.”


(on what was going through his mind when Larry Fitzgerald scored the touchdown) “Things weren’t going well for him early in the game, but he stuck with it. The coaches believe that he could be their guy to make plays and he did just that. I sat on the sidelines and I said, ‘This just can’t happen to us right now.’ Bryant McFadden and Nate Washington came to me and grabbed me on the sidelines and told me, ‘You’re going to be the playmaker, You’re going to be a star for this team. You’re going to make things happen.’


(on if he was 100 percent sure he got his feet in) “One hundred percent I knew I had my feet down. I never left the ground once I extended my hands. I stood up on my toes so I wouldn’t get pushed out of bounds. I knew once I grabbed ahold of that ball everything else would fall into place.”


(on if he knew he was going to be the MVP) “It was coming down to the last drive. I stepped in the huddle with Ben and told him I wanted to be the guy to make the plays for the team and he gave me the opportunity to make the play. I became Super Bowl MVP thanks to his help.”


(on if the team believed they were going to win) “We always believed. We went 15-4 this season. We never lost two games in a row. We always believed that we could become World Champions.”


(on if he knew Hines Ward was not 100 percent) “Coming into the game, we talked on the way here. He said he was going to give 100 percent effort even if he wasn’t healthy and he did just that. He opened up the game for us early. He was doing what he was supposed to do for us.”


(on Pittsburgh’s defense carrying the team) “The defense definitely went out there and did its job. Having that 99 yard interception return for a touchdown was priceless. The catches made in the game to myself from Ben really helped seal the victory.”


(on what it means to be the MVP of this game) “It means hard work and dedication. I looked forward to the season. In the offseason, things didn’t go my way like I wanted them to go throughout the season. I didn’t become a 1,000-yard receiver this year like I hoped, but throughout the postseason I told Coach I wanted to be a playmaker. I wanted to be a guy that you could trust and depend on 100 percent, and those guys believed in me.
It means the world to me. I’ve lived out the moment with the dreams I’ve accomplished right now. I am just thankful for being in this situation and my teammates for helping me.”


(on the last drive) “It was definitely making plays. It was me sticking with them. At the beginning of every game he (Ben Roethlisberger) tells me, ‘No matter what goes on, just stick with me.’ I stuck with him. He was able to get me the ball. I wanted to move the chains and be that guy that everyone looks up to.”