Soccer is a serious sport. The winner will go to loot. Losers are often pink slips. It’s a billion dollar business where every decision and outcome is scrutinized in every way. But soccer is also a game. It means fun. In a second of 2015, the celebrations of then-Pittsburgh Steelers coach Joey Porter Senior and cornerback William Gay reminded me of that.
After a pick six with the Cincinnati Bengals, Gay and Porter celebrated in hilarious and comical fashion, raw their knees and hugged each other. Remembering he’ll play in nearly a year later, Porter shared what’s going on through his head.
“He just broke the record,” Porter said in a recent episode of Cam Hayward. It’s not just soccer Podcast. “He just got the pick, so I’m like waiting for my turn… I said, shit, he’s been taking too long. I start walking towards him.
This is the moment. Gay celebrated with several teammates, painted flags, and an unscheduled celebration with Porter portrayed the wrath of announcer Greg Gambel. To complete the clip, Eagle commented on the “slightly ridiculous celebration” and, in perfect combination with the referee, announced a penalty for acting like a sportsman.
The gay play tied the Steelers’ team record for career picks 6, matching Rod Woodson’s Steelers career total (Woodson holds an NFL record of 12. Pittsburgh won the game 33-20.
Porter had a illustrious career, including the Super Bowl, but the photos of the play remain in his most memorable NFL moments.
“I got a big one in my office in that photo,” Porter told Shaw. “It’s one of my better pictures and I didn’t even play. I know what it was with me and I’m gay. And how big of a play is. It’s fun playing football. We love soccer.
“Everyone who didn’t liked it was against it. The people on that team loved it. We were fired for Will. And it was a big play in the game. A big play in that game.”
Gay caught the wind in the clip and shared his thoughts a few days later.
“Peezy is why I played on the field with energy and passion as a player, and now I can show it in coaching and pass it on to the next generation,” he wrote in the caption on Instagram.
Gay now wears the shoes Porter did in the moment. Gay serves as assistant coach for Commander Washington, one of the franchise’s turnarounds.
The moment showed the joy that football brings and why big plays get a big response. The NFL is grind. Many people don’t complete it. Those who make it far away deserve a celebration. That play goes down in Steelers’ history as a moment that will bring smiles to football fans.
