As the Steelers prepare to take on the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV, several players shared their "Super Bowl Journey" with Teresa Varley.
The journey varies from how some of them came to Pittsburgh, the ups and downs in their careers and more, but the ultimate dream remains the same – winning a Super Bowl Championship.
In this installment, kicker Shaun Suisham, who was signed by the Steelers on November 16 of this year after spending previous seasons with Dallas and Washington, talks about coming to the Steelers and the journey to Super Bowl XLV in his own words.
I have never had an emotion like the one after winning the AFC Championship game. The thought of going to the Super Bowl, once we were in the victory formation at the end of the game, I was looking around thinking we are going to the Super Bowl. It was pretty special.
The fans, the way that game went you know it's not going to be easy in a championship game. I just wanted the game to be over with and us to win.
Getting to kick in the game was fine. Once you settle into the game it's just playing football. You can feel the energy. The game is extremely important. For me it's a matter of controlling my emotions. Sometimes it's difficult because it is pretty exciting.
A lot of my family was at the game, my parents were there, my father-in-law, my wife. It was good. That is why you do this…to share it with family and friends. To have them there was great. They are headed to Dallas too. That is important to me. I am looking forward to that and spending time with them.
This is my sixth year in the NFL. Not every team just does this all of the time. It's not the norm. My goal was just to get hooked up to a team and start kicking again. The opportunity that came here you know in the back of your mind you have a legitimate shot of making it to the AFC Championship game and you hope the Super Bowl. There is at least an opportunity. I feel very fortunate to be headed to the Super Bowl. Back at my home in October when I wasn't with a team at all, I wasn't thinking about the Super Bowl. I was thinking about just getting back in the game.
I have experienced the ups and downs in the post-season. When you lose in the playoffs, everyone has lost at some point, you put everything you have into it. When you lose it almost makes it worse when you make it to the playoffs. Life goes on and you try and do it the next year. I am happy where I am.
To come to a place like this that is run more like, in my opinion, a sense of family. Everybody is all in it for the organization. That's a credit to the ownership. It's an environment that makes it conducive to focus on winning football games and enjoying it.
I grew up in Canada and didn't watch the NFL other than an occasional game until I started playing in it. I thought more about playing hockey and in the Stanley Cup finals than the Super Bowl. Playing in the Super Bowl, this wasn't even an afterthought.
I played CFL rules in Canada. That was just for fun. When I was in school in the states I certainly learned the game. I understand the game, but going into college I didn't. I played safety in high school and it was different than the way these guys do.
And now I am here. You want to keep a sense of purpose about what you are doing. But there are only two teams left so it's a real possibility.
My dream is to come out of there with a win. I don't care if I have to kick a field goal or not, I just want to win.
