In 2007, the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense began showing signs of being able to match the greatness of the defenses of the era. Ben Roethlisberger set a franchise record of 32 touchdown passes, topping the mark made by Terry Bradshaw in his MVP season of 1978. Willie Parker was poised to be the first Steeler to win the NFL rushing title since “Bullet” Bill Dudley in 1941 before he was injured. However, none of that mattered when the Steelers faced off against the Miami Dolphins in a game that is remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Steelers Ben Roethlisberger lines up to face the Dolphins in the infamous Mud Bowl of 2007 | Photo Credit: ESPN
There were a number of storylines surrounding that Monday Night Football game on November 26, 2007. It marked the return of Joey Porter, who had signed with the Dolphins in the offseason, to Pittsburgh. The 8-3 Steelers were trying to stay ahead of the Cleveland Browns in the competition for the AFC North Championship in the first year under Head Coach Mike Tomlin. The Dolphins were winless and were facing a very real possibility of being only the second team in 63 years with a winless season. On paper, it looked like an easy win for the Steelers, though it turned out to be anything but.
Heinz Field did not have the best reputation for a field surface, to begin with. In 2005, the NFL players association rated it among the five worst playing surfaces in the league and the Steelers players were on record in the survey as rating it as the worst. The grass on the field had been replaced three times in 2002. They thought they had solved the problem by installing DD GrassMaster, a surface in which the grass is anchored down with synthetic fibers. However, the grass was regularly worn down and left barren patches that we pained to give a grass-like appearance.
The Steelers organization specifically informed the NFL that it should avoid scheduling a home game for the Steelers that weekend as the field would play host to a number of high school championship games in addition to the University of Pittsburgh Panthers. The NFL schedule makers did not heed the advice and after seven games in 11 days, including four high school games on Friday and the Panthers on Saturday evening, the field was completely torn up. The grounds crew had the massive undertaking of resodding the field to be done in time for the 8:00 p.m. kickoff on Monday.
The abysmal conditions of Heinz Field before the Steelers vs. Dolphins MNF game in 2007 | Photo Credit: ESPN
They finished at 9:30 p.m. Sunday night, but the problems had just begun. The additional 2.5-inch layer of sod placed over the old grass was not tied down with the expectation that it would be heavy enough to hold in place. This best-laid plan faced a major challenge when a heavy rain front came through and would turn a normal grass field into a surface of pure mud.
A tarp was laid out to cover the field, but the seams in the tarp leaked, leaving those areas under the seams soggy, lumpy and loose at the start of the game. The heavy rain seeped from the top layer of sod and the field was so wet that even the freshly painted numbers and yard lines were completely washed away.
The Steelers Infamous Mud Bowl Game
With a rain delay of over 25 minutes, the Steelers' offense came out clicking. Alan Rossum returned the opening kickoff 21 yards to start the momentum and Roethlisberger drove the offense 42 yards in eight plays to the Miami 25-yard line. But right as the Steelers were threatening to score, a former Steelers legend linebacker came up with the interception in front of the Steelers sideline to halt the advance.
While an excited Porter taunted his former teammates by pointing at them and saying “I know you love me” no one realized at the time how the Steelers missed their opportunity and the conditions were set to forever label the game: “The Mud Bowl.”
Former Steelers LB Joey Porter taunts his ex-teammates by yelling "You Love Me" after a drive-stopping interception in the first quarter | Photo Credit: ESPN
Joey Porter on his first game against the Steelers, per ESPN:
"No matter what the score is, they know how I play. I’m taking somebody with me (laughing). Whether its Ben, Willie, y’all better get low. Hines, you come and try to crack back you better get low because I’m head hunting for everybody."
The Steelers' advantage on offense became neutralized by the ultimate equalizer. The 1.3 inches of rain turned the game into trench warfare full of short runs and short passes. The real stars of the game were the divots and craters that stopped every drive. Neither team could move the ball and field conditions took long field goals out of the equation, or rather should have, as the two field goal attempts made by both teams were not just not good, but embarrassingly bad. And when the Dolphins finally did come close, “Mr. Monday Night” James Harrison showed why he was more than capable of replacing Porter, crushing Miami QB John Beck with a strip sack to end the drive.
Steelers James Harrison was not going to be outdone by the returning Joey Porter as he crushes John Beck and forced a fumble | Photo Credit: ESPN
The highlight of the game came not on a play that anyone has seen before or since. It was on a 37-yard punt in the third quarter. On what should have been an unremarkable play, something crazy happened. The ball just landed in the deep mud of the field and came to a stop, leaving players, fans, and announcers alike to just laugh at how absurd it was.
Steelers Alan Rossum reacting to the infamous punt that stuck in the field vs. the Dolphins in 2007 | Photo Credit: ESPN
The highlight of the game came not on a play that anyone has seen before or since. It was on a 37-yard punt in the 3rd quarter. On what should have been an unremarkable play, something happened that no one has seen before or since. The ball just landed in the deep mud of the field and came to a stop, leaving players, fans, and announcers alike to just laugh at how absurd it was.
As the game got closer to 0:00 on the clock, the Steelers and Dolphins began to get closer to the last scoreless game in NFL history: New York Giants vs. Detroit Lions in 1943. And with no overtime rules at the time of that game, the very real possibility of the longest scoreless game in NFL history was becoming more of a reality.
Steelers Hines Ward fights for yards vs. Dolphins in 2007 | Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Roethlisberger and Hines Ward were not going to let that happen. With 4:13 remaining the Steelers started their final drive of the game. Roethlisberger would connect on 15 consecutive passes including 3 for 38 yards to Ward on the final drive. With only:20 seconds left, Jeff Reed set up for a 24-yard field goal attempt, given the field conditions it was far from a chip shot.
The Steelers escaped the game with a 3-0 win that would have long been forgotten by most fans but is remembered for its futility and ugliness. The Steelers have long since replaced and upgraded "The Terrible Turf" and the NFL never scheduled the Steelers a home game during that November weekend again.
#SteelerNation
