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Ben Roethlisberger finally admits what Steelers fans knew all along regarding Santonio Holmes' Super Bowl-winning catch

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Rob Gregson | Last updated Feb 12, 2025 4:28 PM ET

When the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, two of the greatest plays in the league's history occurred.

One was the infamous James Harrison pick-six, with the other being the game-winning TD throw from Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes.

But many forget the context surrounding that throw and the bated breath that all Steelers fans had when Big Ben let go of that football.

Even he knew it was the biggest risk of his career...

Big Ben slams his decision making on Santonio Holmes throw

“No, I thought it was the dumbest, said Big Ben on his podcast when asked if his decision to throw that famous TD was one of his smartest decisions. "Because we didn’t need a touchdown. Obviously, a touchdown to win, a field goal ties. Probably not a smart one to throw in all that traffic. The more I look back on it, looking back and seeing it again, the more you look back and see it again, you realize that was really a pretty good throw. Just watching it, the whole play was pretty amazing.”

When Ben dropped back, pumped faked, and scanned the endzone, most fans were thinking "Please don't throw an INT, please don't throw an INT." Then you see a Cardinals hand flash and a ball zip to the back pylon, and for a second, even when you watch it back you think the Super Bowl is over and the Steelers lost as the ball is in the air.

But they didn't...

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So it's no surprise that Roethlisberger has a stance that mirrors what many believed at the time of the throw. The truth is, Ben has always played every snap like it was his last.

He came into the league as a gunslinger, and he left as a gunslinger. And while the catch gets all the attention and rightfully so, the throw may be the best in Super Bowl history when analyzing the stakes and the probability of completing the pass.

As Ben said, they didn't have to have a TD. But he didn't care. He didn't have to force a back pylon throw, after a pump fake and while escaping the pocket on second down, but again, he didn't care.

And if that ball is picked off, or even falls incomplete, there's a good chance Mike Tomlin doesn't have a Super Bowl on his resume, and Big Ben isn't viewed as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

But it didn't matter and the rest is history.