There are certain fields/cities which automatically bring back memories for Pittsburgh Steelers fans.

Some are tremendous memories, while some leave a lot to be desired.

An example of the latter would be a trip to Jerry World in the Dallas/Fortworth area, the site of Super Bowl 45. The loss to the Green Bay Packers is something which I still haven’t re-watched after all these years.

However, an example of those positive vibes will always be Ford Field in Detroit. The same field the Steelers will be playing today in Preseason Week 3 when they play the Lions. It was Ford Field which was the home of Super Bowl 40, the game which provided the ever-elusive “one for the thumb” to the franchise.

For those who were alive for Super Bowl 40, you’ll remember it wasn’t the greatest game. I could think of a lot of Super Bowl games which were markedly better from a viewer perspective. But I don’t just think to that singular game when I think about Ford Field, I think about the 2005 Steelers season, especially the legendary playoff run to get to Detroit.

Again, if you weren’t alive for that run, or you weren’t old enough to remember, do yourself a favor and find the “America’s Game” for that Steelers team and watch it on repeat. You won’t regret it, and, yes, that season was that magical.

It truly had it all.

Serious doubt in the regular season, a legendary run to make the playoffs, and the first 6th seed to win the Super Bowl.

There was nothing “normal” about the Steelers season in 2005. And there was nothing normal about how my fanhood absolutely hit a fever pitch during that season. I was in my final year in college, without many worries in the world, and the only things I truly cared about at the time were sports, fraternity life, and the Steelers. Not necessarily in that order. I lived and died almost weekly with that team, and it’s safe to say I was one of the many Steelers fans who had Big Ben fever after his incredible 2004 rookie season.

The 2005 playoff run was quite possibly the most exciting run I have ever witnessed, and that includes other runs to the Super Bowl which I’ve witnessed in my 41 years on this earth.

Better than the run to Super Bowl 30.

Better than the run to Super Bowl 43.

Better than the run to Super Bowl 45.

There was nothing like the run to Super Bowl 40. The weird win in Cincinnati with Carson Palmer going down with a knee injury early in the game. Going back to Indianapolis and getting the best of Payton Manning and the Colts, even though the officials tried to change things a bit. The trip to Denver, where they shot Joey Porter Sr., to beat the Jake Plummer led Broncos. Which all set up a trip back to Jerome Bettis’ hometown of Detroit, his final game in his storied NFL career.

I won’t go too far down the rabbit hole of the 2005 team. That’s an article which is entirely too long, but I think I speak for everyone when the Steelers step on the Ford Field turf in Detroit it will be hard not to envision Willie Parker running 75-yards to glory, or Antwaan Randle El’s pass to Hines Ward for the touchdown. Of course, Bill Cowher getting doused with Gatorade after the clock finally ticked down to zeroes.

It’s a special place, and there are special memories which all stem from that singular stadium. Thanks for taking this trip down memory lane with me, not let’s see the 2024 Steelers go out and put something together which actually resembles quality football!