Steelers receiver Washington's goal: Follow in Parker's footsteps
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
His catch in the big game did not appear on a magazine cover, he was not invited to Disney World and there are no book deals in the works.
Receiver Nate Washington was as little known as any of the 46 Steelers who dressed for the AFC championship game in January in Denver. He would have a big hand -- or pair of them -- in starting them on way to a 34-17 victory and a date in Detroit for Super Bowl XL.
Washington, an undrafted rookie last season, made two third-down plays on the same series that not only helped the Steelers take a lead but also are still working in his favor these days at training camp in Latrobe.
The game in Denver was scoreless as the first quarter waned, and a Steelers drive stalled near midfield. Both teams were looking for the opening punch that might start some momentum that could carry them all the way to Detroit. Ben Roethlisberger glanced to his left on third down and threw. Washington, who played in only one regular-season game, made his first NFL reception, a nice catch near the left sideline for 13 yards and a first down at the Broncos' 33.
On the next third down, Roethlisberger threw again toward Washington in the end zone. Washington (6-1, 185) performed even better on this one, reaching out and knocking the ball away before cornerback Domonique Foxworth could intercept it.
Jeff Reed came on after that play to kick a 47-yard field goal to give the Steelers a 3-0 lead they never relinquished on their way to a victory.
Nate the Great was born that day.
"For a rookie in a game that big?" coordinator Ken Whisenhunt replied about the importance of those two plays. "The catch is a catch; that's what you expect. But for a guy to go up and break up the play, that was really big because it kept us alive."
Those plays could be more reason Washington takes the field these days when the Steelers use three receivers or four, despite the presence of two hot-shot rookie draft picks.
As Hines Ward put it yesterday about the game in Denver: "Not being drafted, if he misses the ball or let's the guy pick it off, who knows where Nate might be right now? You get an opportunity, you have to take advantage of it. He'll get more opportunities this year. I look for big things out of him, too."
Those plays were the kind Washington made all last summer that impressed the coaching staff so much that they found room for him on the roster at the expense of one fewer tight end. Washington led the Steelers in the preseason with eight receptions, drawing his inspiration from Willie Parker, another undrafted rookie who made good.
"Willie was hands-down my biggest inspiration last year," Washington said. "I treat Willie like one of my brothers. I look at his situation like it's one of my own. I said if he can do it, I can do it."
Washington fought long odds everywhere to become only the second Tiffin University product to play in the NFL, ending a long drought that stretched back to the 1927 Pottsville Maroons, when center-fullback-guard-halfback-tackle Walt Jean ended his six-year pro career. Washington, a Toledo native, went to tiny Tiffin (1,297 enrollment) in Ohio because none of the big schools wanted him. There, he set eight school records and impressed Steelers scout Phil Kreidler.
All he did last summer was make plays, in practice, in games. He was timed at 4.5 but, as Whisenhunt said, "He has deceptive speed ... good game speed, it shows up when he's going after a ball and separating."
He made the team and was inactive for the first game, then released and put on the practice squad for a game before he was re-signed the following week. He played briefly in one regular-season game, not dressing for the final 11 games. But then Quincy Morgan was hurt in the first playoff game, and Washington put on a uniform as the No. 4 receiver in Indianapolis.
"It was a joyful time, but, at same time, it was like, OK, there's no time to play around any more," Washington said.
His assists in winning the AFC championship helped to put a Super Bowl ring on his finger. Then came April 29 and the first day of the draft. The Steelers not only picked Santonio Holmes in the first round, but they also drafted Willie Reid in the third, both wide receivers from the kind of big schools that rejected Washington.
"My thought was, it's going to be one hard-working offseason for me," Washington said.
Now, it's the two rookies who must catch him. The Steelers did not trade a third-round draft pick to move ahead seven spots in order to draft Holmes and have him not play for long. But that does not mean he will move ahead of Washington this season, merely because they have more money invested in him. Holmes is at split end and Washington plays in the slot as the No. 3 receiver and behind Ward at flanker.
"I didn't worry about the guys they brought in, although I have much respect for Santonio and Willie both," Washington said. "I knew the situation would be in my hands whether I play or not.
"So far, I'm just showing that I can play here also, no matter who they draft, no matter how big, or small I am, I can play here at this level."
