This Steelers Icon Was Rejected, Undrafted, and Cut — Then He Made the Greatest Play in Super Bowl History

Pittsburgh, PA – July 22, 2025

How does a man go from hauling steel on a construction site to delivering one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history? In Pittsburgh, they don’t make legends — they forge them. And no story reflects that truth more brutally, more beautifully, than this one.

He wasn’t a five-star recruit. He didn’t walk the red carpet on draft day. In fact, when his NFL dreams began, no team wanted him. He bounced between practice squads, got cut again and again, and at one point, found himself doing manual labor just to survive. Most players would’ve quit. He didn’t.

Instead, he chose silence. He chose sweat. While others chased headlines, he chased ghosts in empty gyms. No cameras, no fanfare — just iron, pain, and a will that refused to break.

And then — James Harrison showed the world what happens when the overlooked stop being quiet.

Undrafted out of Kent State. Cut by multiple teams. Once viewed as too short, too raw, too risky. But in 2008, he exploded into one of the most feared defensive players in football. That year, he earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. Coaches marveled at his power. Opponents feared his eyes. And as ESPN once said: “He didn’t play football — he imposed it.”

But his legacy wasn’t sealed in stats. It came in one breathtaking moment.

Super Bowl XLIII. The Steelers clinging to a 10–7 lead. Seconds before halftime. A pass across the middle — and he was there. He stepped in, snatched it, and ran. Not 10, not 20, but 100 full yards. One stiff arm, one breathless stumble after another, until he collapsed in the end zone. A pick-six etched into Super Bowl lore, forever.

That play wasn’t just iconic. It was Pittsburgh. Tough. Unrelenting. Unforgettable.

Since then, the highlight has played every February on ESPN — not just because it changed the game, but because it changed how we talk about greatness. Not all legends wear first-round tags. Some wear scars.

Today, fans still wear his jersey. Young linebackers still watch his film. And the city still chants his name with pride — not just for what he did, but for what he overcame.

"You don’t need a draft pick to make history. Just heart."

Stay tuned to ESPN — because legends like James Harrison never quit.