Don’t Mess With The Terrible Towel

Late in the 2008 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers played the Tennessee Titans.  A Black and Gold squad exhausted from playing the toughest schedule given any team in the last thirty years was crushed 31-14.   What happened during that game is something which will long live in infamy among Steeler Nation.  Cameras cut to the Tennessee sideline where their running back, Lendale White, proceeded to desecrate the Terrible Towel.

The Titans finished 13-3 that season.  In their very first playoff game, the AFC’s top seed was one-and-done.   Meanwhile, the Steeler would go on to add Lombardi Trophy number six to their mantle.   Last season, the two teams met in the very first game of the year which Pittsburgh won 13-10 in overtime.   While the Steelers would have a disappointing season, the Titans stumbled to a humiliating 0-6 start before rallying late to finish a mediocre 8-8.

But the real story lies in what happened to Romper Stomper White.   In 2008, White was part of a platoon with rookie RB Chris Johnson. In the playoff loss to the Ratbirds, the team was driving late in the first half and about to score the go-ahead touchdown.  White fumbled the ball away and the team never got back on track.   Last season, Johnson emerged as the best running back in football while LenWhale saw his carries shrink from 200 in ’08 to a mere 64.   He was traded to the Seattle Seahawks during the off-season.  Before training camp began, he was released due to an impending four game suspension for failing a drug test.  Despite this,  Denver signed White but in the team’s final preseason game he tore his Achilles Tendon shelving him for the year.

Did Lendale break a mirror?   Open an umbrella indoors?   Walk under a ladder?   No, he did something much more foolish.

He messed with the Terrible Towel.