To this day, the Pittsburgh Steelers' victory in Super Bowl XLIII remains one of the most historic games of all-time. As a result, the game possessed some of the NFL's best plays in its history. Santonio Holmes' clutch touchdown catch, with under a minute remaining, is one of those plays.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 01: James Harrison #92 of the Pittsburgh Steelers makes an interception in the Cardinals endzone in the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals during Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
James Harrison's pick-six as the clock expired in the first half, shifted the momentum heading into halftime. Brett Keisel was a veteran defensive lineman on that team, as well as the two other Super Bowl teams from the last few decades. Of course, one of them was a loss, but he helped that generation of guys go 2-1 in the Super Bowl. Keisel made an appearance on Cam Heyward's podcast Not Just Football, as he reminisced on that play specifically.
"That was a 14-point swing in that game and the reason we won the game was because of that play. Man I'm glad James took it to the crib on that play. I think so," Keisel answered as to if it's the best game of all-time. "That play has my vote for best play ever. James says the 'Immaculate Reception' is the best play ever, and then that [his pick-six] one."
As Keisel mentioned, that swing was massive in the grand scheme of things. Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals were knocking on the doorstep, about to take a touchdown and the lead. It's interesting to hear Keisel reference that Harrison believes Franco Harris' Immaculate Reception is the best play ever, not his.
Keisel was a key cog on those legendary defenses, perhaps not always getting the credit he deserved. While he didn't put up the gaudy numbers like Harrison and others, he did a lot of the dirty work in the trenches, alongside the likes of Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith. He dove into the play a little bit more, as well as gave his pick for his favorite Super Bowl in his career.
ARLINGTON, TX - FEBRUARY 06: Brett Keisel #99 of the Pittsburgh Steelers walks off the field after losing to the Green Bay Packers during Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium on February 6, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
"It was a really instinctual play by James. He and Troy [Polamalu] were very instinctual players. It was an all-out blitz, and James pulled back. You can hear the audio during the game, if you listen real close, me yelling at Deebo 'let's go Deebo' and we just take off," Keisel said via Not Just Football. "My favorite [Super Bowl] is 43. I think just the ebbs and flows of that game. All the emotion of that game.
It had to be either Super Bowl 40 or 43, as you can't have a loss be your favorite SB. Super Bowl 43 comes with some great plays and memories, as well as the back and forth nature of the game, as he mentioned. Keisel said he still thinks about the loss in Super Bowl 45 to the Green Bay Packers, as the picture above shows him walking off the field. That win would've cemented that group with three Super Bowl wins for their careers.
Do you agree with Keisel? What do you think about Harrison nominating the Immaculate Reception as the best play ever? What are your thoughts on Heyward's podcast so far? A lot to digest, but a fun episode from Heyward and Keisel. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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