Santonio Holmes talks about Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher and how they shaped him

When Pittsburgh Steelers fans think of Santonio Holmes, they likely think of one thing...

The catch.

No, it might not be dubbed the catch, that belongs to Dwight Clark of the San Francisco 49ers, but Holmes’ play on that final drive of Super Bowl 43 will forever live in Steelers lore.

However, not everything was always breezy for Holmes. His time in Pittsburgh was marred by controversy, with the team shipping him off to the New York Jets via trade after his off the field transgressions left the Steelers facing no other option.

But that doesn’t mean Holmes doesn’t look back fondly at his time in Pittsburgh, where he was the most productive. Recently, Holmes went on Arthur Moats’ podcast and spoke about two very prolific figures in his NFL career — Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher.

Holmes talks about the respect Tomlin has for his players, and how it is this bond which is formed between the player and coach which lasts to this day. With Cowher he understands he was the last first round pick of Cowher’s time with the team. Despite not being around Cowher as long as he was Tomlin, he has a massive amount of respect for what the to-be Hall of Famer meant to his career.

Check out a few minutes of the discussion:

While Holmes’ time in Pittsburgh was anything but smooth, it seems as if he has found himself in a very good place and is able to look back on his career, and life, and show an appreciation for those who helped him along the way.

Cowher and Tomlin would fit that bill.

Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the new league year, which means NFL Free Agency, the 2020 NFL Draft and offseason workouts.