My Super Bowl Journey: Mewelde Moore
As the Steelers prepare to take on the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, several players shared their "Super Bowl Journey" with Teresa Varley.
The journey as to how they came to Pittsburgh, how they made it on the roster varies from player to player, but the ultimate dream remains the same – winning a Super Bowl Championship.
Running back Mewelde Moore signed with the team in the offseason, one of the few free agent signings that took place this year. Moore came from Minnesota, where he was familiar with Mike Tomlin, who had served as the defensive coordinator there.
He came in not knowing what his role would be for sure, but willing to take on whatever was asked of him. Moore stepped in to start at running back when Willie Parker was injured and the running game didn't miss a beat.
Below Moore shares in his own words what brought him to Pittsburgh and what the journey to Super Bowl XLIII has been like for him.
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When I left Minnesota I felt I was leaving, moving somewhere bigger and better and then I also felt I wasn't wanted when I was there in Minnesota. I wasn't wanted the first year the new coaching staff came in. I wasn't wanted the second year when Adrian Peterson came in. I am just so happy that I have no regrets. I do my job. I shut up and do my job. I'm a blue-collar worker. I punch the clock. Any of those clichés of somebody that works hard and is a consummate pro, I'm that guy.
I love this game. I love playing this game. At the end of the day, even if you are treated wrong or treated bad, you never say anything about it. You don't complain about it. You just continuously work, stay focused, talk to those who care about you and love you and you'll pull through. I was blessed to be able to pull through that. Now I am here and wanted and happy as ever.
I think the first thing that brought me here was the comfort of knowing who Coach Tomlin was, being around him, being able to work with him. It was definitely the first thing that came to mind and then Ben (Roethlisberger), knowing Ben from the combine. These are two genuine people, Coach Tomlin and Ben. To be able to get that has some comfort to it, some stability and some consistency there. I really appreciated it that.
When I came, I was introduced to the five Super Bowl trophies and when I saw those, those definitely were the seal of the deal. I had a lot of offers and I was close to signing to with Tampa, but that was before Pittsburgh called. When they called me, that's when I was like this is my trip to Tampa. This is how I'm going to get to Tampa by going to Pittsburgh not going to Tampa. I am just so happy that the good Lord blessed me to be able to come here and play and play well and now we have a chance to go to Tampa.
As the season started to end and we were winning and Tampa was losing, in my mind it's just all about in due time. When my time comes, be ready for it. I am just so blessed to able to step up in situations when called upon, being ready at all times. I knew in due time I was going to get my opportunity and you can't take it for granted. I am just so happy that my whole life I've been working hard and never taking any thing for granted because now it's paying off.
The way I train with my brother Jerry is to be ready at all times for anything. That is just what I enjoy. I love being able to step in at a minutes notice and step up. That is what I enjoy. If II have to play running back, if I have to do a punt return, if I have to do any of the return game that I can step in and do those jobs and do those jobs well. I dream about those things everyday because that's just who I am. Some people call it a jack of all trades but I call it a master of all trades. I enjoy doing that, playing well, whatever it is that I am doing.
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From the time I got to Pittsburgh I have never been around a group of guys who pull together so much and have fun together. I think it was when we were in training camp that I realized there was something special here. It wasn't even about the season. It was just in training camp the camaraderie, the fun, guys pulling together. When we were chanting for a day off together, we were doing it together. I think that's the beauty of this team. Whatever we do, we do it together.
I don't want that day off now, though. We are happy to be working right now. I'm a kid. I'm a big kid. I don't want to grow up. This is a great time for me and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it.
The AFC Championship game was an absolute battle. It was "battle royal." It was hit or be hit out there. I definitely was mentally prepared. It wasn't a tough game mentally for me because I had stressed myself out the entire week on studying, like I was studying for a final exam. So I was prepared mentally, but physically it was an exhausting game. It took it right out of you.
When you win it all you don't feel tired anymore. You don't feel so tired. That is kind of what happed. We won and everything else doesn't matter anymore. At this point in time you realize where you're going and where you've been. We're going to the Super Bowl. Where I've been, I've been working my butt off. I've been training since I was five years old and I have a chance to live out a dream to play and win a Super Bowl. Those are the type of things that go through your head when you win an AFC Championship and that is what has happened with me.
This is a dream. When I was four and five years old, six years old, I can remember going out there with my brother and dad and my two cousins and we use to play two on one football in the backyard. I always had a knack to catch the ball. It was just natural. I always caught it. It was just fun. Someone throwing the football to me was just fun. It's free. I feel like I'm free when I'm playing catch. We used to play games all the time. It would two on one and I would be guarding both of them or they would both be guarding me. My brother throws the ball up in the air I'm going to catch it. He throws it in the bushes and I'm going to catch it. We are playing to win. One guy is stretching me out and one guy is playing underneath game. It was fun. That's where it all started for me.
The game started fun for me and it's still fun. I'm 21 years from that day and it's still fun for me. I enjoy it just like I'm out there with them and I always remember that time because it always takes me back there.
My Super Bowl dream simply is to win it and everything else will fall in place from there. It's like anything. To be successful you have to prepare to be successful. You have to be ready to be successful. You have to do the things that require success like hard work, dedication, determination, focus, and discipline. Those things help you become successful and if you're preparing that way then good things tend to happen to good people. I'm really excited because preparing that way and giving yourself that chance gives you a good chance to win it. It's a 50-50 chance of winning the Super Bowl and I like our chances.
