As one of the NFL’s most storied franchises, the Pittsburgh Steelers are held to a high standard. That means any season that doesn’t end in a championship usually isn’t seen as a success. That was especially true when Ben Roethlisberger was their quarterback and their defense was elite. Unfortunately, the last time they made it to the big game was 2010, and they lost.
“If I had the option of playing in the Super Bowl and knowing I’m losing, I don’t wanna go,” former Steelers CB Bryant McFadden said recently on The BJT Show via YouTube. “I wouldn’t wanna go. Unfortunately, I knew how it feels to win, so I never experienced losing until that moment.
“I still have never watched that full game. Sucks to this day because I should’ve had three. Losing that one Super Bowl makes me not feel as good as I should about the two that I won.”
That end result was heartbreaking. In 2010, the Steelers were as dominant as they’d ever been in the 2000s. They finished the year at 12-4, winning the AFC North. In the playoffs, they beat the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets, both extremely talented teams. Their defense was the best in the NFL, and Roethlisberger had the offense humming. They just couldn’t finish the job.
Super Bowl XLV ended with the Green Bay Packers beating the Steelers, 31-25. A Steelers defense that had been crushing teams had serious issues against Aaron Rodgers. Roethlisberger didn’t have his best game either, throwing two interceptions. The Steelers fought back later, but ultimately, it wasn’t enough.
“To get there and you lose? Miss me with that. I’d rather stay home, not play. I don’t even want to make the playoffs if that’s the case,” McFadden said.
Not wanting to lose the Super Bowl is understandable, but it’s a little shocking to hear McFadden say he would’ve rather not made the playoffs. It’s hard to imagine how sad that locker room was after that loss though. McFadden knows better than anyone else how terrible losing that game is.
It’s difficult for any team to make it to the Super Bowl, let alone win, so McFadden doesn’t need to beat himself up this much. No one likes losing, but McFadden did help the Steelers win two Super Bowls. They became the first franchise to win six Super Bowls, placing them in NFL immortality.
It’s impossible to say whether McFadden is right or wrong. It’s all about personal preference. Some fans would likely rather have a season like 2010 over what the Steelers have done the last few years. There are pros and cons to both scenarios.
The ultimate goal is to win the Super Bowl. Whether the Steelers lose in the championship game or miss the playoffs entirely, they need to get back to the drawing board. With any luck, they’ll win another Super Bowl sooner rather than later to wash the taste of that game out of people’s mouths.
