We all remember the AFC Wildcard game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers back in early 2006, as it was the game that featured Steelers defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen falling into the knee of Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer. Palmer tore two ligaments on the play and the Steelers ended up winning the game 31-17.
Nose tackle Casey Hampton and linebacker Larry Foote were both on that team and were asked about that play this week, and Ken Laird of Trib Live Radio has the response of both players.
“They still cry about that all the time,” said Hampton. “It’s just part of things that happen, but they have kind of been struggling since. I just thought it was another injury, probably to them they looked at it like it was a big deal.”
Laird reports that Foote, remembers that play very well. “Yeah, I was on the field when that happened,” Foote said. “Just a bad deal.” Foote then winked dramatically, according to Laird.
That play will forever stick in the back of the minds of Bengal fans for as long as they live.
When von Oelhoffen was asked about the hit after the game, he initially sounded rigid. “I\’m going to answer this question one time,” von Oelhoffen said after the game. “I was playing football. He was playing football. No more, no less.”
The Steelers defensive lineman did apologize, though. “I just hope that kid gets better,” von Oelhoffen said. “He is a great football player. My apologies go out to him and his family.”
Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis would go on to say that von Oelhoffen should have been penalized for a late hit on the play, but Palmer had a different view after watching the replay. “I don\’t think it was malicious at all,” the injured quarterback said.
Is it time for Bengals fans to get over it? Yes, but they won\’t until some sort of similar payback is delivered down the line. They would love nothing more than to see the same thing happen to Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
You can re-watch the play in the animated gif below.
