The Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1990s represented a new era of football in the Steel City, providing hope to fans after the dreadful 80s. The decade saw a handful of all-time great players suit up for the Black and Gold, such as Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene, and Dermontti Dawson. None, however, may have been as great as Rod Woodson.
Woodson played cornerback for the Steelers from 1987-96, racking up five first-team All-Pro selections, two second-team All-Pro selections, seven Pro Bowl nods, and a Defensive Player of the Year award. He is remembered as not only one of the best Steelers of all time but also one of the greatest players at his position.
All those accolades may show how incredible of a player Woodson was, but they may not even be his greatest accomplishment ever. During the first game of the 1995 season, Woodson unfortunately tore his ACL, an injury that usually keeps a player off the field for the rest of the year. Woodson refused to be bound by normal human standards, though. After only 19 weeks, he returned to the field to play in Super Bowl XXX. While he only played 12 snaps, that recovery time is still remarkable, especially considering the era of football Woodson was playing in.
In a 2019 interview with Dan Patrick that was recently posted on the YouTube channel Audiorama, Woodson spoke about his reaction right after learning about the severity of his injury. And why he wanted to push his body to recover so quickly.
“I went to the doctor and the doctor said six months to a year. I looked at Coach [Bill] Cowher and I said, ‘Four months, playoffs, I can make it back,’” Woodson told Patrick about trying to battle his way back onto the field. “He’s like, ‘What?’ I’m like, ‘Coach, I can make it back and play. Leave me a spot open.’ One thing I love about Bill, I mean he had enough respect for me, and he left that spot open. So I rehabbed my butt off for four months, and we were good enough to keep playing and to win and to get to the Super Bowl, not knowing if I would ever get to another one.”
Ultimately, the Steelers would lose Super Bowl XXX to the Dallas Cowboys, making Woodson’s effort seem all for naught, but his desire to play and commitment to not letting down his teammates, coaches, and fans have helped immortalized him in football history.
With all the advancements in medicine and technology today, it’s still a wonder when players return to the field within even eight months of tearing their ACL. Aaron Rodgers’ story of trying to come back from a torn Achilles had the football world in a stranglehold for weeks. If a player today were to actually return and play a little less than five months after a season-ending injury? You wouldn’t ever hear the word “miracle” enough.
Woodson would win his Super Bowl, too, giving him an actual prize to go along with his moral victory. It’s just a shame that it came as a member of the Baltimore Ravens. Super Bowl XXX remains a dark spot in the mind of every Steelers fan, and it’s curious to think if the results would have been any different with Woodson fully healthy.
Thinking about ifs and buts in the world of the NFL will drive a person crazy. So, maybe it’s better just to appreciate the way things actually happened. Even 10 Rod Woodsons probably wouldn’t have stopped Neil O’Donnell from handing the game to the Cowboys.
