Couple paragraphs from DK's post game story.
But even amid all that, Tomlin and Harrison had heard inside that tunnel, right after the team strikingly ran off the field in unison — more on that later — that Ben Roethlisberger was the last of the Steelers still out there. He was surrounded by cameras and microphones near the 20-yard line, some of them were rolling live, and he kept taking questions.
So Tomlin and Harrison went back out. And they didn’t walk. They went full-bore sprint.
Upon arrival, Tomlin promptly shooed away all media, then placed his arm behind Roethlisberger to nudge him ahead toward the tunnel. Roethlisberger obliged, and he proceeded that way slightly ahead of Tomlin and Harrison. As he approached the tunnel area, he doffed his cap — with the left arm, the only one still capable of doffing after a shoulder injury to the passing arm — to a handful of hardy souls in the seats twirling Terrible Towels. He even mustered a small smile. But as he got closer, other fans clad in Cincinnati colors began flinging in his direction whatever debris they hadn’t already flung. Security rushed to the railings to try to prevent more, but the Steelers’ trio took no chances. Roethlisberger’s cap went back on, Harrison applied his helmet and all three closed rank and strode purposefully until inside.
About an hour after the formal conclusion, all the players had boarded the team buses, but for two. And Tomlin, conducting another count though now with considerably less urgency, again had to retrace his steps in search of those two.
Inside the interview room, Roethlisberger was at the podium for his formal media session. More cameras. More microphones.
Just outside in the hallway was Harrison.
“Come on, Deebo, let’s go,” Tomlin said in an uncharacteristically soft tone. “We’re going to Denver, man. We’re going. We’ve got work to do.”
“Be right there,” Harrison replied.
He didn’t budge. Glanced over toward the interview room and tapped his foot.
But even amid all that, Tomlin and Harrison had heard inside that tunnel, right after the team strikingly ran off the field in unison — more on that later — that Ben Roethlisberger was the last of the Steelers still out there. He was surrounded by cameras and microphones near the 20-yard line, some of them were rolling live, and he kept taking questions.
So Tomlin and Harrison went back out. And they didn’t walk. They went full-bore sprint.
Upon arrival, Tomlin promptly shooed away all media, then placed his arm behind Roethlisberger to nudge him ahead toward the tunnel. Roethlisberger obliged, and he proceeded that way slightly ahead of Tomlin and Harrison. As he approached the tunnel area, he doffed his cap — with the left arm, the only one still capable of doffing after a shoulder injury to the passing arm — to a handful of hardy souls in the seats twirling Terrible Towels. He even mustered a small smile. But as he got closer, other fans clad in Cincinnati colors began flinging in his direction whatever debris they hadn’t already flung. Security rushed to the railings to try to prevent more, but the Steelers’ trio took no chances. Roethlisberger’s cap went back on, Harrison applied his helmet and all three closed rank and strode purposefully until inside.
About an hour after the formal conclusion, all the players had boarded the team buses, but for two. And Tomlin, conducting another count though now with considerably less urgency, again had to retrace his steps in search of those two.
Inside the interview room, Roethlisberger was at the podium for his formal media session. More cameras. More microphones.
Just outside in the hallway was Harrison.
“Come on, Deebo, let’s go,” Tomlin said in an uncharacteristically soft tone. “We’re going to Denver, man. We’re going. We’ve got work to do.”
“Be right there,” Harrison replied.
He didn’t budge. Glanced over toward the interview room and tapped his foot.
