They were heartbreaking bookends. The 1994 season ended with a last-second, potentially lead-changing pass batted away, sending the Chargers to the Super Bowl and the Steelers packing. September 3, 1995 was the following season’s opening day, and in that first game, our one true superstar went down with a season ending injury. Rod (Woodson) was no longer God, unless God uses crutches. We had come so close the season before, and now as the new season dawned the lights seemed to dim on our hopes.
That season also ended in heartache, as a decidedly non-superstar defensive back Larry Brown intercepted two Neil O’Donnell passes before hoisting the Lombardi.