A new series to help finish up and round out the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 offseason. Full disclosure: none of these will be flattering moments in team history. Gaffes never are. And while they’re usually reserved for the spoken world, “what the…” examples exist on the football field, too. Over the next week, we’ll be counting down the top five. Er, bottom five.
At the least, these are moments you can look back on and laugh. To keep from crying.
Steelers Gaffe No. 1 – Plaxico Burress Spikes The Ball…And The Play Isn’t Over
The undisputed granddaddy of the gaffes has to go to Plaxico Burress. There was no other choice of comical mental errors. Brash in one moment, a shrinking violet the next.
It’s Week 5 of the 2000 season. Pittsburgh is taking on Jacksonville at Alltell Stadium. The Steelers are in control early in the fourth quarter, leading 24-6, but it’s been a rough game for Burress. His first target of the day was picked off by CB Fernando Bryant, and two of his next four targets were incomplete.
On a 3rd and 13 with just over 11 minutes left, his luck finally changes. QB Kordell Stewart hits him over the middle for a 19-yard pickup to the Jaguars’ 25, a conversion that could be the beginning of the end of the game. He makes the grab and stumbles to the ground. Amped over what the play means for himself and the team, he gets up and immediately spikes the ball into the ground.
The problem? He fell on his own. No Jaguar touched him down. It’s a live ball. Linebacker Danny Clark picks it up, the first fumble recovery of his career under the most insane circumstances. Now it’s a play the other way, running it back 44 yards near the Steelers’ 25. A literal field flipper.
Spotlighting the play in the post-game show, Chris Berman and Tom Jackson can’t believe what they’re watching.
“You just don’t do that,” Berman bemoans.
The Steelers’ defense saved Plaxico Burress’ butt. Mark Brunell was stopped 1-yard short on a 4th and 3 run, giving the ball back to Pittsburgh without any damage inflicted upon the scoreboard.
The offense still had trouble playing smart football. Stewart would fumble and turn the ball over the next possession, but it was a quarter that neither side wanted to win. One play after Stewart’s fumble, Brunell fumbled and gave it right back.
Three fumbles occurred in 13 plays, which suits the moment and this list well. Plaxico Burress’ laughable play was the tip of the iceberg. In terms of gaffes, the only play I can remember being more hilarious in a tragic sense is this preseason ending between the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars. LB Jack Golden tried to get CB Fred Lewis down by tackling him. The ball popped up into Brandon Christenson’s hands, and the Jags won.
Funny enough, that play also came in 2000, just a couple of weeks before Burress’ moment. Both involved a wacky fumble that benefited the Jaguars. Wild times.
And for us, the No. 1 gaffe in Steeler’s history.
STEELERS BIGGEST GAFFES
No. 5 – Hey Richard Huntley, The Play Isn’t Over!
No. 4 – What Are You Doing, Chase Claypool
No. 3 – You Forgot Something, Dave Smith
No. 2 – Field The Football, Barry Foster!
